GC1ZAZGHigh in Colorado
Type: Mystery
| Size: Regular
| Difficulty:
| Terrain:
By: A & J - Adrift@
| Hide Date: 09/30/2009
| Status: Available
Country: United States
| State: Colorado Coordinates: N39° 00.663 W107° 05.727 | Last updated: 06/19/2022 | Fav points: 0
High in Colorado Challenge
This bookmark list contains the highest 100 physical caches in Colorado. That is, caches of these types: , , and . Each cache is augmented with an elevation. The elevations come from the USGS 1/3 arc-second NED and should be reasonably accurate. For the purposes of this challenge, they should be considered official.
This is a dynamic list. If a new cache is placed at an elevation higher than the lowest cache on the list, it will be added to the list and the lowest cache will be dropped. If a cache on the list is archived, it will be dropped and the next highest cache will enter the list at the bottom.
The Rules:
Log a find on a subset of the highest 100 caches such that the sum of the elevation for those caches is at least 500,000 feet.
If a cache is dropped from the list due to archival or lack of elevation, you can no longer count its elevation.
Find this final cache after completing the challenge with a current list. Of course, any subsequent changes to the list will have no effect on your accomplishment.
Any find of this cache will be deleted if the challenge has not been successfully completed.
Only a single find per cache will be counted.
A find of a cache that you own will not count.
One final rule applies only to those of you who own caches in the top 100. Owners of these caches have a shorter list of candidate caches. To compensate for this, extra caches have been provided at the end of the list. For each of the top 100 caches owned, substitute the next highest cache (also not owned by you) from these extra caches.
Keep in mind that caches near the bottom of the list are likely to drop off over time as new, higher caches are hidden. Therefore, higher caches in the list are inherently more valuable not only because they count more toward the total elevation requirement, but also because they are more likely to stay on the list as you work toward completion.
After completing the challenge, the final cache can be found at the listed coordinates. The listed difficulty and terrain ratings are for the final cache. The difficulty in completing the challenge is entirely up to you.
When you approach the final cache, look down at the rocks a couple of hundred feet below the cache location. You'll see fossilized sea shells at 13,000 feet. After you find the treasure, you can bag nearby Treasury Mountain. However, take care. While it's a walkup to the cache, from there to the summit is Class 2+ climbing with some exposure.
09/10/2017 By kenyansherpa I have had my eye on this one for years and particularly the last couple when I passed over the 500K mark. Thanks to Vorticity for the final nudge of "hey, let's go get this one together". So with his faithful dog, Bean and Jsarche, with whom I've had the pleasure to climb on other mountains, today was the day to sign the field log on this cache.! And what a wonderful day it was with great companions and beautiful scenery. Thanks to A&J-Adrift for creating this outstanding challenge! IN - USA Olympic Committee lanyard OUT - a Traveler TFTH!!!
09/10/2017 By jsarche I don't remember exactly when I first learned of this challenge, but when I did, I think I already had some 250,000 or so qualifying feet. I made completing this a goal, and I finally did it this weekend with help from hiking buddies vorticity and kenyansherpa. As of today, the cache page hasn't been updated since May 11, 2017, when my total elevation was 486,212. Since then, I've logged finds on GC4N0Z5 (13,368'), GC6NA54 (13,684'), and GC2AH55 (13,777'), putting me at 526,861 feet by my count (I know it doesn't quite add up; I'm using a spreadsheet for the math). The four of us (including vorticity's dog Bean) had a great time together for the hike, and absolutely perfect weather conditions. Couldn't have been a better day! Many thanks to the CO for an incredible challenge that took me to many gorgeous places I may not have otherwise visited and to vorticity and kenyansherpa for this and other very fun adventures.
09/10/2017 By vorticity I have had the requirement for quite some time. Now back in Colorado on a trip from Texas, Bean and I met up with jsarche and kenyansherpa to make the climb. It was a great morning. 45 degrees at the start. Calm winds and some very high clouds. We ran in to some hunters on one of the ridge lines that were scouting for wildlife. They weren't too happy when Bean barked at them. If you take a dog, you MUST have booties for it. The rocks and shale are very sharp. Bean trashed one pair that were nearly new. Thanks for this challenge. Clearly a FAV. Vort.
09/05/2017 By billkat Last update 438,753 Caches since last update: gc30t2e 12,885 Gcgr32. 13,015 Gc2crnx 13,057 Gc15v9b. 13,123 Gc59bdk. 13,727 Gc59bc9. 13,770 Gc59py4. 13,778 Gc7dbb. 14,078 Gc1xx2t. 14,191 Gc2cm5f. 13,825 That brings the total to: 574,202 Awesome challenge! Took a while to reach the 500,000 goal, but when I get started on a mission I refuse to stop until I complete it. I admit I had a little help for a few of them via WingsAndTales' Xterra; but for the most part, a lot of hiking was involved. Hopefully I won't just quit; but age is creeping up on me, and the old gray mare just ain't what she used to be. I spent a while perusing the fossils and taking a lot of pics. The aspen are turning gold. Thanks for giving me the challenge. It has kept me on the up and UP. Blue sky but pretty smoky. The only problem I had was a bull, cows and calves were blocking the road and I had to wait for them to mooo-ve. I rescued the white jeep. Favorite point added.
09/18/2016 By MountainBear Got it! What an adventure! Java Chip got a bug to get this one last winter and decided this summer was the summer of "High in Colorado". We started off with a good head start of around 220,000 feet but ran into trying to find caches on top of Mt. Elbert that were 5 feet below the snow and ice in May. So we had to make a second trip for those. Anyway, after many, many miles of hiking (No 4-Wheeler ) we finally reached the 500,000 milestone!!! To sign the log for this one we took the ridge up from yule trail. The whole adventure was definitely worth it!! TFTC!
High in Colorado
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. Each cache is augmented with an elevation. The elevations come from the 
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