STATE LINE NM-CO Traditional Geocache

CAMO'D FILM CANISTER

SOUTH OF THE NEW MEXICO-COLORADO STATE LINE IN NEW MEXICO, STANDS THE VERY LARGE ROUND MOUNTAIN NAMED SAN ANTONIO.  THIS MOUNTAIN RISES DRAMATICALLY TO 10,908 FEET. SAN ANTONIO MOUNTAIN IS SAID TO BE THE LARGEST "FREE STANDING MOUNTAIN" (NOT PART OF ANY MOUNTAIN CHAIN) IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.  THE MOUNTAIN IS AN ANCIENT VOLCANO (2.7 MILLION YEARS AGO) AND COMPOSED OF DOCITE FORMING STEEP SIDES AND A VOLCANIC DOME.

NORTH OF THE STATE LINE IN COLORADO, TO THE EAST ON THE FAR HORIZON, ARE THE SANGRE de CRISTO MOUNTAINS, SPANISH FOR BLOOD OF CHRIST.  THIS MOUNTAIN RANGE IS PART OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAIN FROM CANADA INTO THE UNITED STATES. ALONG THIS RANGE IS THE SAN LUIS VALLEY.  THERE ARE 10 MOUNTAIN PEAKS ABOVE THE ELEVATION OF 14,000 FEET.  TO THE EAST, THE LOW HILLS ARE CALLED THE SAN LUIS HILLS, A SERIES OF FLAT-TOPPED MESA'S.  THEY ARE COMPOSED OF TERTIARY AGE VOLCANIC AND SEDIMENTARY ROCKS.

TO THE NORTHWEST, IN THE DISTANCE, ARE THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS.  THE SAN JUAN'S ARE A HIGH RUGGED MOUNTAIN RANGE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAIN.  IT IS THE LARGEST MOUNTAIN RANGE IN COLORADO.  THIS RANGE OF MOUNTAINS IS VOLCANIC AND IS HIGHLY MINERALIZED AND FIGURED IN THE GOLD AND MINING INDUSTRY IN EARLY COLORADO.  SEVERAL EXTINCT VOLCANO'S MAKE UP THE SAN JUAN VOLCANIC FIELD.  THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ARE 28 MILLION YEARS OLD.