Rocky Mountain High Microbox
Highpoint Series
| Placed By: |
Silver Eagle |
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| Date: |
08/04/05 |
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| Nearest Town: |
Leadville, CO |
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| County: |
Lake |
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| Terrain Difficulty: |
Strenuous (4,500 feet elevation gain, 9 miles RT) |
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| Status: |
alive (08/04/05) |
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Mount Elbert, at 14,433 feet, is the highest peak in Colorado and all of the Rocky Mountains. It is also one of the most enjoyable fourteener hikes if you are in shape and acclimated. There are several different trailheads and routes to its summit, but I am only describing the one I took which is near Leadville, the highest incorporated city in North America. This microbox sits on the summit, thus making it one of the highest, if not the highest box in Colorado.
Directions:
From Leadville, drive southwest on US 24 for about 3 miles to CO 300 (paved). Turn right and go west for .7 mile to CO 11 (paved) and turn left (south). Go 1 mile to a dirt road with signs for Halfmoon Creek and turn right (southwest). You will come to the Mount Elbert trailhead on the left after about 5 miles where you can park.
Clues:
Start at the Mount Elbert Trailhead and turn left on the Colorado Trail, following it south for over a mile. Then bear right on the Mt. Elbert trail and continue to the summit. Once on top, find the trail register and sign in. Then walk 15 steps west between 2 circular rock shelters. Then turn right and walk 3 steps to a pile of rocks just below the first shelter. The camo microbox is under the rocks. Please re-cover well. I could not find a unique rock to help pinpoint the location so hopefully you can find it. Also, on the way down, don't do like I did and take the wrong trail. I ended up going over a mile down the trail to the right toward Twin Lakes before realizing my mistake and had to climb all the way back up. It was very cloudy that day and I could not see more than 20 feet, so that was my poor excuse.
NOTE: Always take adequate precautions (such as prodding with a stick and/or wearing gloves) before reaching into dark crevasses and holes in the wild. Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.
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Last updated on 08/05/2006