GC202QT Thunder and Ashes
Type: Traditional | Size: Regular | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: ernie66 @ | Hide Date: 10/19/2009 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N39° 10.304 W105° 11.841 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
         

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Thunder Butte is the highest point in Douglas County (elevation 9836 ft) with great views in all directions. The summit receives few visitors; only about 20 people have signed the summit register so far in 2009.

Vegetation on Thunder Butte was heavily damaged by the Hayman Fire in 2002. Although there are patches of healthy forest, most of the approach and mountain slopes are covered with burnt trees and prickly underbrush. Aspens and shrubs are regrowing quickly and the Forest Service has begun a restoration effort to replant trees and control erosion.

The best legal access is from Road 9J southwest of the summit. From Westcreek, drive south 0.6 miles and turn right on Stump Road (CR 68). Drive 2 miles west, then turn right on road 9J. You can usually drive 1.5 miles to a small parking area at a right-angle turn, but if the gate is closed, you can park at the gate and walk. Topo maps show other 4WD accesses, but all pass through private property and are gated off.

The hike begins on a low ridge heading generally north. It can be tricky to stay on the ridge top because it's so wide, so I've provided waypoints in the middle and at the north end of the approach ridge. At the Begin Climb reference point, you can choose to either attack the mountain directly up the southwest slope or angle more to the east and go up the drainage to the saddle south of the summit, then turn left and head up the summit ridge. Expect a round trip of between 4 and 5 miles and an elevation gain of about 1400 feet. You can read more about climbing Thunder Butte at summitpost.org.

Don't mistake the summit register for the cache. There are two summit register containers, one a square plastic jar and the other a smaller glass jar. The cache is a large ammo can.

Additional Waypoints

AA202QT - Begin Climb
N 39° 09.914 W 105° 12.233
Switch from generally north to northeast around this point to head to the saddle. Continue north another quarter mile to ascend the southwest slope.
AB202QT - Ridgetop
N 39° 09.301 W 105° 12.083
Stay on the ridge top for easiest travel.
AC202QT - Parking
N 39° 08.825 W 105° 12.210
Trailhead parking
AD202QT - Saddle
N 39° 10.020 W 105° 11.661
Saddle on summit ridge south of Thunder Butte

09/25/2016 By ernie66
Stopped by today with estes01. Due to the density of the vegetation that has grown up since 2009, I am increasing the terrain rating from 3 to 4. Also left a TB - come and get it!

09/24/2016 By estes01
So 7 years have passed since ernie66 put in this cache. I was familiar with the terrain in this area and knew it wouldn't be an easy hike. It's much easier and more effective to swear at the CO if that person is physically present. I asked Ernie to do this hike with me. The burnt trees he referred to in his description are now deadfall and the prickly underbrush is no longer "under"... it's quite high. The Aspens are doing very well and so are the saplings the Forest Service planted.

The views at the top are worth all the effort. It was even better because the Aspens were turning.

Thanks for doing this hike with me and for the help with the bandaids. A favorite for sure.

05/26/2016 By EvansClan06
Forgot to log some trackables that came with me.

05/26/2016 By ivandrago32
This is why I geocache! I would not have given this mountain a second look without there being a cache at the peak.

Me and my wife are staying in a nearby cabin for our 10 year anniversary and are from Iowa. Today was the only chance I was going to have to conquer Thunder Butte.

The forecast called for thunderstorms but it has turned out to be a gorgeous day. I started out at 5:45am and got to the summit at 8am. I took the ridge leading to the saddle but kind of took my own path somewhere in-between. Headed back down from the summit on a direct line to the parking area. I wish that I would have taken that same line on the way up. I got back to the parking point at 9:20am.

This was an amazing experience. Much different than the flat, Iowa farm land that I am used to caching on. Thank you do much for this cache!

05/19/2016 By SnailMan1
Today was my first day to be in the woods since last fall. I pretty much just followed ernie66's waypoints. Without the WPs I probably would have turned East too soon and would have been down in the valley navigating through all of the rocks. The suggest path kept me out of the bottom. When walking though the "live" forest the path was easy going. Much of the hike was in the "dead" forest and then there was plenty of down trees that one had to navigate around. My GPS said is was a little over 5 miles round trip. Thanks for the hike and the nice views!

04/25/2014 By sepfind
This is my favorite kind of cache, one that involves a decent hike. Its a pretty good hike to get up here but well worth it for the views. The co-ords are right on. The gps said 1 foot, I looked down and there it was. We really appreciated the parking co-ords and way points. Great day to be out, tftc!