State: Arizona
Stashed on: 2/4/01
Team Members: Jason, Harvey
Difficulty: 3 Terrain: 3.5
Since I was going to be up North around the Christopher Creek area camping for the weekend I decided to set up another cache. I visit this area 5-6 times a year so I thought this to be a great place for a cache. I visit the neighboring R-C Scout Camp which is also the home of The American Cancer Society's camp "Camp Sunrise" which I volunteer for. It is a camp for kids who have or have had cancer and also their siblings. If you are interested check out their web site for more info.
This cache is located near one end of Box Canyon which has some amazing views. Christopher Creek runs through the canyon which provides some great swimming holes during the summer. During the winter there can be snow found around this area as there was when I placed the cache, this makes the scenery even more beautiful.
You follow highway 260 east out of Payson about 23 miles. When you pass mile marker 271 you will come to a place to park
(N34 18.907 W111 03.307) off to the right side of the road. There are some trails that lead down to the point (N34 18.516 W111 03.434)
where you can cross the creek or venture down it for a swim. To find the cache you do not need to cross the creek but should check out. You can follow the trails to this point or take them to a point close to the cache or try just finding it cross country. The area around the cache becomes kind of thick with scrub brush and few cactus so not sure if cross country would be to easy. I usually access the area from the camp property so don't know to much details about the trails coming down to the area, but I have seen many people doing it for 13 years so they have to be there. The camp is private property so please respect that, ***DO NOT GO INTO THE CAMP*** it is closed to the public, so please ***DO NOT TRESPASS*** You can hike up the creek to the east that is public, the camp property stops at the creek There are some interesting things to check that way.
During the summer this area usually has visitors on the weekend so care might need to be taken not to be seen. I believe I have placed the cache in an area that should be pretty secluded. The cache is located in a small ammo box hidden down between some rocks and is only visible if you are practically on top of it. There is a huge dead looking scraggly tree next to the cache.
Mr. Potato Head is located in this cache along with a bunch of other prizes. I kept meaning to get him to another cache sooner but I kept for getting about him. He is out on his journeys once again... There are some updated pictures of his adventures on his web page too... If no one visits him in along time maybe I will retrieve him on a later visit to camp and bring him back to a valley cache to be picked up to continue his journey.
Have fun!!!
-Team Snaptek