Mostly from reading here, I've noticed that most states call them corner records or a variant with "corner".?ÿ I'm not sure why Colorado adopted the term monument record.?ÿ In Colorado a surveyor that uses a mineral survey corner as a control corner in their survey must prepare and file a monument record with the state licensing board.?ÿ The state statutes also permit a surveyor to submit a monument record for any survey monument that is not mandated to be filed.?ÿ I filed this monument record to show that I found the original stone corner to Cor. No. 2, Blue Bird Lode, Sur. No. 20507-A.?ÿ However, I have clear and convincing evidence that it has not marked the corner since the late 1930s and wanted any future surveyor to know that it had moved, even though it is still in a vertical position.
Here is the monument record for that stone along with a term I coined to describe its relationship to the true corner.
I began my search for this stone in 2002, but was not able to find it.?ÿ I set two steel "T" fence posts approx. 10 ft. uphill from where I thought the corner should be. In 2004, the land owner "gifted" me a box of the old survey records of U.S. Mineral Surveyor Gerald Galloway who surveyed the Blue Bird in 1932.?ÿ Among the papers, I found his field tablet, labeled "Sweet Home Patent Survey".?ÿ On July 23, 1932, he traversed across a steep ravine from traverse point 42 to traverse point 47.?ÿ He used a Gurley Light Mountain Transit and 500 ft. steel tape to conduct the survey.?ÿ The bearing, distance, and vertical angle were N40?øW, 369.1 ft., 0?ø10' up.?ÿ His notes stated that traverse point 47 was set 38.15 ft. too far.
In 2005, I revisited the area to see if I could find any evidence in the lichen covered rocks of that traverse point.
This picture is looking up valley.
And this close-up shows the wooden stake set in 1932 for traverse point 47 (sometimes it is better to be lucky than good).
Looking back to the southeast across the ravine to where I had found a stone on the same line, I went 38 feet and found this sticking out of the rocks.?ÿ The chiseling is not clear in this photo because it was an overcast day (selfie if my calf).
And here is a close-up taken in 2005 when I found it.?ÿ Thankfully it was sunny.
View looking down valley from the stone.
And photos of the two rusty steel "T" fence post originally set in 2002 to act as monument record accessories.
This picture is taken at Reference Monument RedAmp looking up the Red Amphitheater.?ÿ The red arrow shows the location of the stone and the green arrow the location of the wooden traverse stake.?ÿ My old trusty T-2 recorded a zenith angle of 65?ø4'28" to the second fence post
In Colorado, it is not permitted to reference virtual corners.?ÿ A monument must be set at the corner, or a witness corner on one of the survey lines (or extension) or two reference monuments that are to be set as close as practicable.?ÿ For those that have met me, it may be hard to believe I was up there even once rather than multiple times to monitor the movement.?ÿ Not only is the corner moving, but the two steel fence posts and the wooden traverse stake are moving at approx. the same horizontal velocity; that being 0.16 ft./yr.?ÿ The movement is due to a geologic mass wasting process; specifically talus creep.
I am not trying to be cute by labeling the stone an ambulatory witness, but it does seem to be an appropriate description of its purpose.?ÿ At least I haven't come up with a better term for it.?ÿ Any suggestions?
I was searching for a 1/4 stone in a farmers field,?ÿchatting with him on his porch he told me he could show?ÿit to me. He took me into his?ÿliving room and pointed at the marked stone?ÿin his fireplace rock surround.
At least I found the monument and didn't have to worry about?ÿmissing it. I figure once they are?ÿdisturbed they have little relevance to the corner. I would call your stone a disturbed monument.
I do have a C1/4 that moves about .1' per year, not as extreme topography as in your pictures but the entire face of the valley in that area is moving and we have enough monuments to track it over time. GPS is great for that.
It does seem "cute", but it also works well, so I wouldn't hesitate to use it. It is good to see a usefull corner/monument record, so many are useless.?ÿ
Have I been to that one?
At least it isn't Code 3 ambulatory.
Have I been to that one?
No, Dave.?ÿ I didn't drag you up the Red Amphitheatre to see that one.?ÿ ?????ÿ
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Have I been to that one?
No, Dave.?ÿ I didn't drag you up the Red Amphitheatre to see that one.?ÿ ?????ÿ
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I climbed up to another one on a scree slope like that.?ÿ It seems to me it had fallen over.
That was a different corner approx. 2200 ft. to the southeast of this one.