Mysterious Benchmark

[+ssmt]

 

So yesterday I found this benchmark near a cache very close to the Utah/Colorado border. According to the geocaching.com site, the nearest benchmark to the coordinates (N39°11.720', W109°00.811') was over a mile away. What features in the photo above would I use to identify it, if any? I suspect it's not in the database, but any help in learning how to identify a benchmark is appreciated! Then I won't have to use up precious forum space!

 

Thanks,

John

[mikeh420]

 

So yesterday I found this benchmark near a cache very close to the Utah/Colorado border.  According to the geocaching.com site, the nearest benchmark to the coordinates (N39°11.720', W109°00.811') was over a mile away.  What features in the photo above would I use to identify it, if any?  I suspect it's not in the database, but any help in learning how to identify a benchmark is appreciated!  Then I won't have to use up precious forum space!

 

Thanks,

John

It's not a NGS benchmark. but what it looks like is a "found corner" of 4 sections of land, sections 8,9,16, and 17, of Township 10 South of the Baseline of the 6th Principal Meridian - Range 104 West (T10S-R104W) of the 6th Principal Meridian. On the topo maps you'll see markings for these in red. A section is approx 1 square mile and there are 36 sections in a township, 6 x 6 sections.

Edited March 8, 2004 by mikeh420

[+ssmt]

Cool, thanks for the info. The township thing is a bit odd since the location is pretty desolate (nearest town is probably 10-15 miles away), but glad to know it's not an NGS benchmark. I was going nuts last night trying to figure out if I could log it or not.

 

Thanks!

John

[Z15]

Thats a section corner common to section 8, 9, 16 & 17 of Township 10 South, Range 104 West. The term township is not same a political township. Its a numbering system on a grid to show location.

 

All property is related to this system. For instance you may own a lot in the Plat of Tim Buck Two and it may be described like this. Lot 69 of Block 10, Plat of Tim Buck Two, part of the Se 1/4 of the south 1/2 of Section 15, Town 47 North, Range 37 West.

 

Maybe this will help 'splain;

Edited March 8, 2004 by elcamino

[ckhd]

The township thing is a bit odd since the location is pretty desolate (nearest town is probably 10-15 miles away)

The term "Township" has nothing to do with a bunch of people living near each other. When there is a numbered township, it is so that the government has an easier time of finding stuff.

 

1 township = 36 sections.

Edited March 10, 2004 by ckhd