Kasper Tunnel ... The Beginning Traditional Cache
Kasper Tunnel ... The Beginning
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Cache is located near the western entrance to Kasper Tunnel off of
FR 356 near Hands Pass. A minimum of a high-clearance vehicle can
get you very near; otherwise, you will have a bit of a hike. Be
sure to have a pen as I forgot to bring one to leave.
A brief history of the area from “Backcountry Adventures
Arizona: The Ultimate Guide to the Arizona Backcountry for Anyone
with a Sport Utility Vehicle” by Peter Massey and Jeanne
Wilson:
“Originally from England, Frank, John, and Alfred Hands were
partly responsible for opening up this region to mining in the
1890s. They were also behind the early construction of the trails
that linked the mining settlements in the region; Hands Pass, named
after them, is one such trail. They acquired the Hilltop Mine,
formerly known as Ayers Camp, from its founder, Jack Dunn, who
stuck upon it some ten years earlier. The mine developed further
into Hilltop Town when the brothers sold their interests to a St.
Louis investor in 1913. Frank Hands and his wife, Grace, are buried
very close to the southern end of Hands Pass.
Hilltop had developed on both sides of Shaw Peak by the late 1910s,
with the small Kasper Tunnel serving as the link. The
later-developing east side of the town grew even more that the
original west side. No buildings remain on the western slopes
except for several concrete footings and the outlet of the Kasper
Tunnel. In its prime, Hilltop hosted a dance hall, restaurant, pool
hall, an impressive manager’s house, bunkhouses, and more. By
the 1930s mining activities were greatly reduced and the town was
losing its residents. Various small groups attempted to continue
mining through the late 1940s but the closure of the post office in
1945 marked the final years of Hilltop. A few remnants of the town
on the eastern side of the Kasper Tunnel survive on private land;
permission is required to visit these.”
While you are here, if you are daring, you may also be
interested in:
Kasper Tunnel ... The
End?
or just pick up this one on the way out:
The Hands of the
Pass
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)