Butzel Hill

05/05/2019 By benji55545
I was looking for an easy hike with good views on the way to Gold Hill and I remembered this cache. The hike was a little steeper than I remembered. Re-found the cache with a couple non-cachers in tow. Still in great shape!

01/17/2016 By achurnside
I hiked up to check on this one today and it's in great shape. The snow made the trek more challenging, but the cache itself is easily findable. I left a simple tool worth about 5 cents to help the next person open the container. Good luck!

11/07/2015 By benji55545
This one was published while I was out of town, so I was surprised to see it was still unfound when I returned a couple days after. I couldn't get out of work (or out of bed) early enough during the week to make an attempt, but if it was still awaiting its first finder I knew I would make an attempt today. Sure enough, I checked the page this morning and the cache remained lonely.

Thanks for the parking coordinates. They led me straight to the trailhead, but I didn't see it at first. I thought maybe I was supposed to follow the forest service road to the west and there would be a trail off the road. Well, after a mile or so of walking down the road I figured either the snow had hidden the train up to Butzel or it was not there at all. I continued for a ways further, but the terrain up the hill just got more and more steep. I eventually turned back. Even though it cost me an hour or so of extra time, I got to see some nice scenery along the way and stomp in some snow for the first time this season. I met a guy and his two dogs on the way back to the parking area. I asked him if he knew where the trail was. He said he knew of one a half mile down the road from the parking area but he wasn't aware of one right at the gate.

When I got back it was pretty obvious where the trail was (should have known!). It's not super big but it's the only thing that actually looks like a trail right there. It runs along the driveway for a few feet before turning off again. I was able to follow that all the way up to the top, easy peazy minus the intense afternoon sunlight directly in the face. I had a false start or two trying to the find the cache, but I found it after not too long. I think I was looking for the something bigger, I would probably consider this a micro instead of a small. I'm not sure if there's a better way of opening this guy, but I had to use my multitool to wedge it open. I'm guessing my hands were weak from being cold :P

On my way down I wasn't blinded by the sun and I noticed a few little mines I missed on the way up. The biggest one I noticed had two tiny steel tracks sticking out of the hill. I'm guessing they had a little cart to roll away the spoils or overburden. I'm not really sure what it's called on a small exploratory mine like this when I'm guessing nothing ever actually got processed.

11/03/2015 By Alpine Reviewer
Published