There are many routes up Mt. Sneffels, but the best and
easiest by far, starts at Yankee Boy Basin
Go to the amazing web site www.14ers.com to learn how to drive
to/hike/climb this peak.
http://www.14ers.com/routemain.php?route=snef1&peak=Mt.%20Sneffels
- Just south of Ouray on Colorado Route 550 (going uphill out of
town) you’ll find a Dirt Road marked 361. at 38 01.057N, 107
40.89W
- Drive this Jeep trail 9.7 miles (or as far as you can make it
in your vehicle to get to the trailhead.
- Route 361 is incredible, but be careful. At one point it
becomes a true “Shelf Road” with a 500 foot sheer drop to your
east. Further south the granite actually overhangs the road like a
huge breaking wave. Take a camera for some shots of this.
- To make the drive all the way to the trailhead you will need a
good quality, high clearance 4WD vehicle. You can get within about
a mile and a half with most SUVs and/or pickup trucks. This road is
not suited for the family car. There are lots of outfitters in
Ouray that rent Jeeps to take this road and the Alpine Loop further
south of Ouray. If you are adept at driving a Jeep, you will
probably be able to make it in one of the rentals if you take your
time. If you can rent a Jeep Rubicon, you will not have trouble
making it to the trailhead.
- Follow Rt 361 to approximately 37 58.543N, 107 43.308W. You
will occassionally see some forks in the road. If you keep to the
right (the uphill side) you will be headed in the right
direction.
- Continue into Yankee Boy Basin and find the other Geocache
hidden there: GC1BD6 at 37 59.045N, 107 45.822W
- You will eventually see a wooden, Forest Service outhouse on
the left (south) side of the road. It is in good repair, but is not
in the location shown on the USGS Topo Maps for this area.
- The trailhead is very near 37 59.359N, 105 46.659W. If you
can’t drive the entire way, park and walk the road.
- Follow the route description from www.14ers.com from here.
- When you get to the summit, look due east at an outcropping
about 50 feet east and 15 feet below you. Notice there is a boulder
with a large crack it. The film canister is hidden under a couple
of rocks in the middle of that crack. Don’t spend a lot of time
looking. If it’s not there when you can see dirt under the rocks,
then someone took it.
- Given the propensity for this cache to get lost, I would really
appreciate it if you would carry a replacement film container with
you in case it’s gone.
Have fun, but please be careful. Mt. Sneffels is a short “14er”
hike, but it is very steep with scree and talus. It gets a 2+
rating for the one notch you have to pull yourself
through.
