GC39JGG Experience An Earth "High"--A Challenge
Type: Mystery | Size: Small | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: Denali41 @ | Hide Date: 12/20/2011 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N40° 28.323 W105° 15.839 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
                           

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THIS IS A CHALLENGE CACHE, which is located at the listed coordinates. To log a find, you must have first completed the challenge requirements specified below, and have signed the field cache log.

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Topping out on the highest point of each State is becoming a popular yet extremely challenging endeavor. When this cache was published, about 200 people had successfully reached the summits of all 50 of our States. Geocachers have also discovered these “High Points“. At this time, 48 of the 50 State HPs have some type of cache associated with their summits or along their principal climbing or hiking approach routes. Twenty Four State High Points have EarthCaches at their summits or close to them.

The lowest-elevation State High Point is Britton Hill in Florida. It’s elevation is 345 feet above sea level, and reaching it from the parking area takes only a minute or two. The highest is Denali (Mt. McKinley), in Alaska. It’s elevation is 20,320 feet, and attaining it takes an expeditionary effort of 15-25 days if weather allows any summit success at all. The 48 State HPs between these extremes range from easy drive-up endeavors to difficult multi-day backpacks and climbs.

This Challenge Cache requires having logged 12 of the 24 EarthCaches that have been placed in association with the State High Points. No date restrictions apply, so your past cache finds all count toward this total. Your 12 qualifying caches must come from the 24 caches listed in the following table.

Have An Earth “High”

State	High Point	Elevation	GC #	Cache Name	Diff/Terr
AL	Cheaha Mountain	2,407	GC25M9T	Mount Cheaha EarthCache	1.5/1.5
GA	Brasstown Bald	4,784	GC17WXM	Brasstown Bald EarthCache	1.5/3.5
HI	Mauna Kea	13,796	GC2Y6MA	Mauna Kea–The Land of Fire and Ice	2.5/3.5
ID	Borah Peak	12,662	GC16QEH	Mount Borah Scarp	1.0/1.5
IL	Charles Mound	1,235	GC19A9Q	Illinois High Point	1.5/2.5
IN	Hoosier High Point	1,257	GC19A9K	Indiana’s High Point	1.5/1.5
IA	Hawkeye Point	1,670	GC22YW8	Hawkeye Point EarthCache	1.0/1.5
KS	Mount Sunflower	4,039	GC1XGR3	Kansas High Point–Mount Sunflower	1.0/1.5
KY	Black Mountain	4,145	GC19A99	Kentucky’s High Point	1.5/1.5
LA	Driskill Mountain	535	GC2BKN3	Driskill What?	1.5/3.0
ME	Mount Katahdin	5,268	GC1TR00	Maine’s Highest Peak or Not?	5.0/5.0
MN	Eagle Mountain	2,301	GC2XXZG	Eagle Mountain	2.5/3.5
MO	Taum Sauk Mountain	1,772	GC1A5DX	Missouri High Point–Taum Sauk	1.5/1.0
NC	Mount Mitchell	6,684	GC1QMR3	Mount Mitchell Summit	1.0/1.5
OH	Campbell Hill	1,550	GC15CQN	The Top of Ohio	1.0/1.0
OR	Mount Hood	11,239	GC2MNZA	Eliot Glacier EarthCache	4.5/5.0
PA	Mount Davis	3,213	GC1YTYN	Top of Mt. Davis	1.0/1.5
SC	Sassafras Mountain	3,560	GC1M59V	Sassafras Mountain EarthCache	1.5/3.0
SD	Harney Peak	7,242	GC27A96	Black Hills High Point	3.0/3.5
UT	Kings Peak	13,528	GC19165	Kings Peak	2.0/4.5
VA	Mount Rogers	5,729	GC1NBE3	Mount Rogers–The Summit	2.0/5.0
VT	Mount Mansfield	4,393	GC21N9M	Mount Mansfield Tundra	1.5/2.5
WA	Mount Rainier	14,411	GCPZBX	Rainier Summit EarthCache	5.0/5.0
WV	Spruce Knob	4,863	GC19AXJ	Spruce Knob–West Virginia High Point	2.0/2.0

This tabulation will be updated in the event other EarthCaches are placed on any of the HPs where Earth Caches do not currently exist. Where more than one EarthCache occurs near a HP, the one closest to the summit is the specified cache. In some instances, Physical and/or Virtual caches may also be associated with the same HP. For this Challenge, they do not count, so don’t use them! Document your 12 finds by either providing a publically-viewable Bookmark that includes your qualifying EarthCaches, or by listing the caches in your Found Log. If you use the latter procedure, provide the GC number, the cache name, and the date of your find.

The challenge cache is located at coordinates within Roosevelt National Forest, and is accessible by following an excellently-maintained trail system in the Bobcat Ridge Natural Area. Because it is placed on National Forest land, instead of in the Natural Area, it is a legally-located cache. Look for a Small container that is hidden in a crack between two rocks and concealed by a long, thin, flat rock. A fallen log is directly above the cache container. Expect a round trip hike of about 8 miles involving approximately 1,300 feet of elevation gain—so be prepared in terms of needed time, food, water, and clothing. The Difficulty/Terrain rating for the cache is based on the challenge of meeting the requirements. Reaching and finding the cache container has a rating of 2.0/4.0. And yes, I have qualified for this cache, and have been to the summits of all of the 50 State HPs.

Have fun on your hike to this final location. Your real challenge was logging the 12 State HP EarthCaches required for this endeavor!

CONGRATULATIONS TO RBMAN FOR THE FTF!!

06/07/2019 By COpackrat
I signed the log for this cache on 11/25/17, although I did not yet qualify, as I was in the area for your Virtual "High" cache. Finally got the last ones I needed, my list follows. You mentioned on your cache page that you would add additional earth caches as they appeared, and I am suggesting you do so with GC5FN7H on Signal Hill/Magazine Mtn in Arkansas. Thanks for the earth cache challenge.

AL Cheaha Mountain GC25M9T Mount Cheaha EarthCache 05/22/17
AR Magazine/Signal Hill GC5FN7H Highest Point in Arkansas 05/29/19
GA Brasstown Bald GC17WXM Brasstown Bald EarthCache 05/14/17
IN Hoosier High Point GC19A9K Indiana’s High Point 05/23/18
KS Mount Sunflower GC1XGR3 Kansas High Point–Mount Sunflower09/15/09
KY Black Mountain GC19A99 Kentucky’s High Point 05/16/17
LA Driskill Mountain GC2BKN3 Driskill What? 05/28/19
NC Mount Mitchell GC1QMR3 Mount Mitchell Summit 05/14/17
OH Campbell Hill GC15CQN The Top of Ohio 05/24/18
PA Mount Davis GC1YTYN Top of Mt. Davis 05/21/18
SC Sassafras Mountain GC1M59V Sassafras Mountain EarthCache 05/14/17
VA Mount Rogers GC1NBE3 Mount Rogers–The Summit 05/15/17
WV Spruce Knob GC19AXJ Spruce Knob–West Virginia High Point 05/28/18

05/13/2017 By Denali41
I was in the vicinity this morning finding a wherigo cache and extended my hike a bit to check on this cache. All is OK!

10/16/2016 By Denali41
I made a hiking loop today to check on all of my caches on USFS lands on Bobcat Ridge–the maintenance hike entailed 10 miles and 3,000 feet of cumulative elevation ascent; the effort was worth it because of the beautiful autumn day and the fine views. This cache was in excellent condition and awaits the next finder who also satisfies the challenge requirements.

09/10/2016 By CountryLifers
Another stop by to visit, but nowhere close to logging the challenge, like not even one. Still, finding the cache is fun anyway.

11/01/2014 By RBMAN
foundit! FTF at 1110. Made a special trip here today to find this Challenge Cache. I have been watching since last year hoping to make a FTF and got lucky. I came from Lincoln, Nebraska. Looked for a while and starting to worry, but finally made the find. One of our most avid geocachers here in Lincoln, bjmmcacher pointed this out to me, since he knew I was doing Hi-Points and had met the CO during a a visit to Lincoln. Perfect day for a hike and beautiful view up here. I have hiked to the top of 20 of these 24 Hi-points, but unfortunately I wasn't too serious about finding caches several years ago. My total so far is 41 Hi-Points. I made several 7-10 day road trips to bag some of these Hi-Points. I was able to get to the top of 19 of them this year.

This entry was edited by RBMAN on Friday, 07 November 2014 at 03:29:21 UTC.

10/24/2014 By Denali41
Based on a recent DNF on one of my nearby caches I hiked up to that cache today and found it to be in place and in excellent condition. I decided, as long as I had gained all the elevation to reach that cache, to make the full loop and check on/maintain my other caches along the ridge. This cache was where it is supposed to be, and in fine shape. It's still waiting on a first find.

Today was a gorgeous one for hiking, and as always I enjoyed my outing through this area. Too bad I can't bring my puppy Orizaba up here, but dogs are prohibited.