USA

[+terrifictrains]

Hi does anyone have any suggestions of must do caches in  North West america

I already know the HQ AND HQ geotour , the ape cache , original stash and ET highway

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[+The Jester]

I will note that the ET Highway isn't really NW America - West Coast, yeah, but it's a couple of days south of the others.

 

There a so many good/great caches in the region it would help to know what you are looking for.

 

The oldest caches in WA & OR are good for combined trips.  GCD is a great hike across the "valley" from the APE cache.   GC12 & GC17 are on the same hike, 12 in the woods, 17 at the ridge with views.  GCBC Monte Cristo is nice hike/bike ride to a piece of history.  Any cache in the San Juan Islands makes a great day trip.

 

 

 

[+frostengel]

1 hour ago, terrifictrains said:

I already know the HQ AND HQ geotour , the ape cache , original stash and ET highway

 

That is a very interesting list. I understand that you are interested in the headquarter, the successor of the first stash (the original cache doesn't exist anymore and it is just a memorial cache there) and the ape cache as there are only two ape caches remaining. But I am not sure if a powertrail like the ET highway would get my attention - if you want to do the whole trail it'll take some time. This powertrail is not a part of geocaching history at all - it's higher nonsense but that is another topic.

 

I visited the USA once (we wanted to go this summer but that won't work....). It wasn't North West but my experience from the East might help Of course that's a very subjective point of view:

 

Search for earth caches, for caches with "water fall" or something like that in the name, for hiking multi caches (or hiking virtuals - we had two of these) and I am sure you will get to see magnificent landscapes. We had a really great earth cache with a hike thorugh a canyon. Wow!

 

I haven't had to good experiences with old caches (GC numbers with four digits). Do one or two as it feels great to find a cache that is almost 20 years old - maybe it is even the original container? But as caches they are not better than others so I - personally - wouldn't make a big detour to find one of these.

 

But as The Jester points out it is hard to say if that is what you want to do. If you want to return and be able to tell your friends that you haven't seen anything but a dusty road but you've logged many caches (some cacher really want to do this!) stick to the powertrails there. I am sure the statistical heart will find enough food for several days.

If you want to see the landscape you might proceed as suggested.

 

By the way: We found some challenges there. That was our way to boost our statistics. ;-)

[+Isonzo Karst]

GC87E  CLIFFCACHE   this may be too far east for you, but if you consider the E.T northwest, then maybe this is too. It's the oldest cache in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and one my all time top ten.

On the Oregon coast, within reach of the HQ cache and the other very old 2000 caches, LINKY Lost Boys GCPWC5. Pay attention to tides!

 

Probably out of range, though not that far from the E.T. the oldest cache I know about that is in the  original container, and may have the original log - Labyrinth Canyon

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC7E

Edited May 9, 2020 by Isonzo Karst

[+coachstahly]

How long do you have and where are you going to spend your time?  Or is this a fact finding venture to try to determine where you're going based on cache recommendations?