Many communities of the 21st century have their exclusive neighborhoods, often characterized by the word “Heights”. Livermore, in Larimer County, has its “Heights”. It’s essentially at the summit of Livermore Mountain (elevation 7,504') , the sentinel of the neighborhood. It overlooks the community of Livermore and much of the adjoining territory toward Poudre Canyon, Virginia Dale, Buckhorn, and Red Feather Lakes. It’s a very special location on this globe we call Earth. And very few people have ever visited its summit. Like many “heights” neighborhoods, Livermore Heights is a gated, locked one–unless you do your map work to find public approaches around the gated access points. Or, you might strike “gold” by determining ownership of the gated access routes and then asking and receiving permission.
I’ve been to the cache vicinity on three occasions, and each time I’ve parked in a Larimer County Open Space Trailhead parking area and crossed the Open Space land, Roosevelt National Forest land, short stretches of private land, and finally Roosevelt National Forest land to the cache locality. You can, too. Alternatively, if you are fit and ambitious you can reach the cache by a longer route that is entirely within Roosevelt National Forest. Map it out, and decide! The choice is yours. By either approach, you’ll need to plan on a full day’s outing to reach Livermore Heights. When you finally reach the Heights, find the cache and sign its log. It’s easy to locate–you’ve done the work in order to get there, and it IS work! The difficulty of locating the cache is 1.5. The higher rating given as the actual difficulty (2.5) incorporates the need to consider the access options.
After you’ve signed the cache log, find and sign the summit register that’s at the rock cairn marking the top of this prominent mountain. Note how few people have preceded you to this special location! Before you leave, admire the remarkable vistas that can be appreciated from this summit. From the Red Feather Lakes Road, Livermore Mountain appears so close. But when you have finished the work to reach the cache site, it will seem quite “remote” to you, and it really is. I assure you of this! Without doubt, you will have earned the 5-star Terrain” rating on this cache. And you will have earned some great geocaching bragging rights.
Enjoy your outing, and take plenty of fluids, food, and extra clothing with you in case of unexpected weather. Consider collecting GC26C63 while you are in the “Heights” vicinity. Reeling in both of these mountain caches in a single day will make your day especially memorable.