Near the Boundary--Raggeds Wilderness Area

Wilderness -- "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain ... an area protected and managed so as to preserve its natural conditions."—The Wilderness Act of 1964

The Raggeds Wilderness was designated by the U.S. Congress in 1980 and contains 65,393 protected acres. It’s part of the 110 million-acre National Wilderness Preservation System, and lies within the Gunnison and White River National Forests. Elevations within the wilderness range from about 7,000 to 13,528 feet. Approximately 50 miles of maintained trails penetrate the rugged landscape. No more descriptive name exists in Colorado than the “Ragged Mountains”. Prominent from Highway 133 over McClure Pass, the polished rock flanks of the Raggeds soar to a jagged, knife-edged ridge. Complementing these inaccessible peaks, the Dark Canyon of Anthracite Creek plunges below, carving a deep and mysterious gorge through surrounding benchlands of aspen and spruce. Colorful peaks and prominent intrusive dikes of the Ruby Range angle north through the area's eastern end, perpendicular to the Raggeds. Capping the diversity of landforms in this area, the Oh-Be-Joyful Valley, one of Colorado's loveliest glacial valleys, sweeps out from the range toward Crested Butte and the Slate River.

The Wilderness Area is bounded on the east by Schofield Pass, on the south by Kebler Pass, on the west by Colorado Highway 133, and on the north by the Crystal River. Within these boundaries the Ragged Range occupies the northwestern part of the wilderness, displaying soaring and appropriately ragged ridges of Tertiary intrusives. The highpoint of the Raggeds is Chair Mountain (12,721-ft). The eastern portion of the wilderness is occupied by the twin massifs of Treasury Mountain (13,462-ft) and Treasure Mountain (13,528-ft). This huge dome of layered marine shales is sculpted with five majestic cirques that drop off to the northeast of the mountains. Treasure Mountain is the highest point within the Raggeds Wilderness. The southeastern section of the wilderness contains the 7-mile long Ruby Range. This linear range of stratified early Tertiary-aged sediments of the Wasatch Formation lives up to its crayola-fashioned name: from Purple Mountain near Yule Pass to Ruby Peak, the line of summits stands as a colorful encore to the higher Maroon Bells farther east. The highpoint of the Ruby Range is 13,058 ft. Mount Owen. Amongst this mountain splendor are scenic geological showcases: features such as the Grand Dyke, Dark Canyon, and Oh-Be-Joyful Basin delight the eye.

The cache is hidden near the Ruby Anthracite Trailhead, about ½ mile from County Road 12. It is accessible by high clearance vehicles. A 4-wheel drive is unnecessary if the ground is dry. If you are driving a conventional vehicle, park at the county road and make the short hike in to the cache vicinity. The cache is a 1-quart jar wrapped in tape. It’s hidden at the base of a large spruce tree, covered with cones, spruce needles, and several small branches. Make certain that you re-cover it very carefully, so the container stays in it’s small, safe location. If you have time, expand the stable area at the cache site.