BLM: Duffy Mountain

BLM Passport Series consists of 9 caches that will take you to a variety of unique locations across Mofatt County. Each cache in the series includes a stamp for you to stamp your BLM Passport. More information is ~COMING SOON~ on the Passport (look for an update once all 9 caches are active).

Along the BLM Yampa Valley Trail system on BLM road 1593 along the top of Duffy Mountain lays a section of fossilized ancient shoreline which has been broken into blocks through a process known as frost wedging. As water enters cracks in the rock and freezes the ice expands causing the crack to widen. This process repeated over generations eventually leads to these block like boulders. This shoreline was laid down during the end of the Cretaceous period around 65 million years ago when the entire North American continent was split by a warm tropical inland sea known as the Western Interior Sea. At that point in time the sea was receding and the shoreline was drying up leaving imprints of what could be dinosaur tracks. These huge animals had lumbered along the edge of the water grazing on the lush plant life which flourished here. It has yet to be proven that the indentations are tracks so you'll have to make up your own mind on this. Other possibilities are fish nests or just geologic abnormalities. The views from this cache are worth the trip. Please "Stay the Trail". Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but foot prints.

The roads out here can be tricky - the longer wheelbase you have, the harder this will be to navigate. The road is not steep and in ideal conditions 4WD is not required. However, if it's wet having access to 4WD will be appreciated.

Special thanks to cocoalminer, electronicsgeek, Team Laxson, Grand High Pobah, BLMLSFO, and GCCO for supporting this series.
Cache description and images courtesy of cocoalminer.