The cache is placed between the two lakes collectively known as American Lakes and overlooks the trail over Thunder Pass into Rocky Mountain National Park. This is our only themed Cache--"What America means--to YOU". Placed in honor of the 100 year aniversary of our National Parks and the retirement this year of the woman who started the geocache program at SFSP 12 years ago.

The trail goes to American Lakes (Michigan lake and Snow lake) with options over thunder pass into Rocky Mountain National Park. Rated as a moderate hike, the views are spectacular along this 1520 ft elevation gain. This is our only themed cache; "What America Means--to YOU". A Nation of many, built on hopes, dreams, hard work, and giving of one's self...our dream is that this cache evolves into a time capsule of interpretations of America. Placed in honor of the lady who began the geocaching program in SFSP 12 years ago and retired the week this cache was placed and the 100 year aniversary of our National Parks. Permitted use foot, bike, horse (summer) and nordic skiing, snowshoe, and (with restrictions) snowmobile in winter. Trail can be accessed from Craggs entrance (stay left to American Lakes TH) or form Lake Agnes TH. Length varies by season and is from 3.0 to 5.5 miles depending on the TH you depart from (summer). Not an all-season cache.

08/23/2018 By EstesLynne
My husband and I decided to celebrate our 48th anniversary (which was yesterday) by hiking to Snow Lake. We’d been to the American Lakes some time ago—they might still have been Michigan Lakes then—via the Thunder Pass route, but weather kept us from pressing on to Snow back then. It was always obvious that the hike was shorter from the American Lakes trailhead near Cameron Pass, but the drive is SO long from Estes Park that we never had the will to do it as a day hike.

So finally, recognizing that our days of long hikes may be numbered, we stayed overnight in Walden at the Antlers Hotel and headed here this morning. The weather cooperated this time, but on returning from Snow to the lower Michigan Lakes, I realized that our route up the rocks hadn’t actually passed that close to the cache. My non-caching husband then sat patiently beside the lower lakes while I once more bounded uphill, this time right to the cache and a reasonably quick find.

There’s still a lot of good swag in the cache, but I left it there for someone else. After 48 years together, my husband has threatened me with...well, who knows what, probably nothing...if I bring one more coffee mug home. There is a mighty fine American mug in that cache, though, and it’s still there.

Nice to be F(ourth)TF on this lovely, if a bit windy, day. Now we have to check out those yurts in State Forest State Park too...TFTC!

08/04/2018 By Kerewin0430
Wow, I'm only the 3rd finder of this great cache? Cool! We were supposed to have a group of 7 backpacking through RMNP this weekend, but it ended up only being 2 of us. We clocked a total of 14.7 (+/- :-P ) miles today, most of them uphill! After setting up camp, we headed over Thunder Pass to the lakes. My partner was a muggle (and also a Canadian), so he had no interest in walking an EXTRA mile round trip to get this cache, so he stayed back and fished while I signed the log on this very large ammo can. Thank you for this wonderful tribute to our country!

09/05/2017 By two much fun
beautiful hike, very interesting story, great cache, tftc sl tnln

07/22/2017 By Denali41
On June 17th I made the long hike in from the American Lakes Trailhead hoping to find this cache. Most of the hike was on snow, but as I slogged through the snow I kept positive thoughts that the area around ground zero would be melted out. Not so. I used my alpine climbing shovel and dug down 6 or 7 feet in a likely area. Because the snow beneath me began collapsing I stopped digging and got the heck away from my excavation! As it turns out, one more scoop full of snow would have exposed the ammo box! I discovered that today, based on the cache's position on the rock face.

I had worked so hard for this cache in June that I felt I had essentially "earned" the FTF on it. Of course, that doesn't work--I needed to get back up there again and actually find the cache and sign the cache log in the {FTF} position. Knowing that the "busy" season would begin for hikers (and cachers) who would have these lakes as their destination, I decided to make another hike to the cache location in hopes that things would be melted out by this date. Today was the scheduled date for the hike. I brought my climbing shovel again, just in case! As I approached the cache vicinity it was clear the shovel would be unnecessary--ALL the snow was gone. Noting the local terrain features, it was clear to me that on the 17th of June the drifted snow at the location was deeper than 10 feet.

The weather was gorgeous and I had an enjoyable hike. A trail runners' race was in progress, so many young guys and gals blitzed past me on the trail up to the first lake. From that point to the cache location I didn't encounter anyone. Solitude...And a FTF. What could be nicer?

I appreciated the themed cache, and especially enjoyed the note placed on the first page last August by one of the cache hiders. Spot on. Thanks for an enjoyable adventure!

08/26/2016 By HighCountryAdmin
Published