Ape Caves?

[+Criminal]

I’ll be going with some scouts to Ape Caves at Mt St Helens. Anybody ever been there? Experiences? Know of any caches nearby? I can’t get a fix on where it is to do a search.

 

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[soup]

This Cache seems to be close. I know that there used to be one INSIDE the cave, at the ONLY place you would get receiption on your gps, but it looks like it is no longer there. When you go to the cave, you will be able to tell where this place is.

 

As for the cave.. awesome! I go every year for some odd reason. -s

 

What's the difference between roast beef and pea soup? Anyone can roast beef.

[+evergreenhiker!]

Highly recommended visit! I visited these caves a couple years ago. Yep, as Soup mentioned there's a cache nearby. Also,depending on when you are going to be going there, I highly recommend doing this one:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=8206

 

It's best to do that one in the summer.

[+Uplink]

My map has the cave entrance located at N46 07.422 W122 13.019. The list of nearby caches for that location would be here. I see that it is only 3 crow miles from GC8, which is one of the oldest active caches anywhere!

[Sassquatch]

How old are the scouts? The lower caves are a nice even terrain stroll. The upper caves are a mile and a quarter rockfall that can be very challenging. My kids came out of the upper with some pretty bloody shins. Both are pitch black but the slow progress in the upper can make one wonder if your ever getting out. I'd do it again though but without the little ones. Be sure to turn off your flashlight and make scarey noises. The kids love that one.

[+bazzle]

Soup is correct about my cache it is right near the entrance. Took a long time for the first find, but has been found a few times recently.

 

My mind not only wanders...

Sometimes it leaves completely...

 

**Namaste**

[+DenaliNW]

I think the cache Soup is referencing is this one which was placed by joedohn (arguably one of the best cache placers before he archived everything). Someone else has already referenced Mountain Marsh which is one of the oldest caches in existence - definitely the oldest in Washington. Evergreen hiker was kind enough to reference my cache which seems to get a hit once every 200 days or so, and so I don't think I have much more to add.

 

Seth! has a cache this way as well -Bigfoot - which was enjoyable. And the really adventurous could go for Eraseek's cache Above the Clouds. All in all it is beautiful country. The cave is great, and I would definitely do the upper portion - just plan on some rock scrambling. You can get some info here on the caves. As of March 25 the trail to Wading for June was open to cross country skiing. I would assume there is still snow up there, but it is probably patchy in places.

 

When are you planning on coming? How long will you be in the area. I need to get up there and check on my cache anyway.

[+EraSeek]

I also highly recomend doing the Ape Caves. I've done the length of them both ways a few times. Bring a lantern and a coat. It can get chilly in there. I've also done the Member's only cache that was near one end of it.

 

Well worth the trip.

 

 

"See the wonderous works of Providence! The uncertainty of human things!" Geo.Washington

[+Sparrowhawk]

I was there last year, and it turned out my timing was perfect - one weekend before when it officially opened. LOTS of folks were there, exploring on their own. I guess it costs 8 bucks to go there normally, and you get a guided tour. These folks had the attitude that they didn't need no stinkin' tour.

 

Anyway... turned out there is one thing that is truly important: bring not just a light source, but the closest thing you have to a freakin' full-blast, portable, screamin-bright light cannon to get the full effect of the place. Normal flashlight will help you navagate, but that's not the point. You gotta do the maximum you can to truly SEE the place!

 

I lucked out - I had a 2-mantle portable propane lantern. Very intense thing. Since it is also a heat source, it was nice and warm for me in that rather cold place too. Anyway, I walked on my own thru the easier part of the cave, and got a real sense of the lava that flowed through. Cool stuff.

 

Have fun!

 

-Elana (a.k.a. "Sparrowhawk")

[+cooperdog]

Wow, haven't thought of the Ape Caves for a while. I've been there 2 or 3 times many moons ago. Done both the easy walk and the long hard walk. I was even dumb enough to climb out the skylight since I didn't want to hike all the way back over the rocks. Not a wise choice. once my buddy and I got out we had no idea were we were. hehe. Finally found the trail back in waning light scared $&%*less. A must visit.

[+Criminal]

Thanks to all for the suggestions and information. We explored the lower cave to the end, but the kids were pretty worn out by the time we got back. The trip was a success, introduced two GPSr owners to geocaching and they seemed to enjoy it. We found GC8F5C and GC83C1. I would like to have picked up a few more but there wasn’t the time and I only brought those two printouts. I intend to go back over the summer and climb the mountain, or what’s left of it. I’ll try to get the rest of the caches then.

 

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