Hike: Ape Cave Return Path and Lower Passage, Cougar, WA

Getting There

It's 28 miles from Woodland to the Cougar. There are a couple of gas stations here. Continue east on SR-503 which becomes Rd 90 for 9.5 miles to Ape Cave. Looks for the sign to Ape Caves, June Lake, Climber's Bivouac, Ape Canyon & Lava Canyon which is Rd 83. It's 0.3 miles to Trail of Two Forests and 0.7 miles to Ape Cave.

However, there was road construction on Rd 83 so the only way to get there, and other places north like Marble Mountain, June Lake, Ape and Lava Canyon was to get Road 81 past Merrill Lake and Kalama Horse Camp. This deterred a lot of would-be visitors but there were still folks that persevered and made it.

I was here for an MSHI mentor shift but no one had signed up. Normally I would just spend the day at the cave entrance, but I kinda wanted to take a break and explore the cave when fewer people were coming up. 

The Hike

Distance: 3.92 miles
Elevation Gain: 495 feet
Highest Elevation: 2,443 feet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I started the day in the parking lot, collecting trash and cleaning up the bathrooms a bit. The Ape Headquarters Store was closed (Mon, Tue). I was the only "official" presence up there. 

I wandered up the info kiosk by the entrance and set up shop. I hung my array of visual aids and greeted the slow but steady trickle of novice cave explorers. Several groups had young kids and a few opted for the upper, more challenging, passage. 

One couple I met had parked near the FR-90/83 junction and hopped on their bikes to get to the site. Another couple parked below the road construction project and walked the road to get here.

After an hour or so, I realized I didn't have my radio, it was still in the car. I walked back down to the parking lot and retrieved it, and my lunch. I heard some noise coming from behind the still-closed store. I peaked around the corner and found Camille, a full-time USFS staff member. I'd never met her personally but knew her name. She was our POC for the trailwork on the S/SW side of the monument. She asked if it was I that cleaned the bathrooms. I said "yes" and tried to downplay it. She was so appreciative and repeated her "thanks" a few times. 

A pair of visitors found us and began asking questions about the site. I told them I'd be glad to escort them to the cave entrance and said goodbye to Camille. When we got there, I get them the run-down and they made their way to the lower passage. 

After noon, I figured I'd hike up to the upper cave's exit on the surface trail, to pick up trash, trim a few branches, and just get away from the stationary spot where I normally hang. Sometimes, the mosquitos and other insects can get annoying but there were few to none on this day. I was ready with a bug repellent gizmo I got from Sportsman's Warehouse. I encountered many visitors whom I'd seen earlier.

I returned to the kiosk but figured I do some roving in the lower cave. I took the opportunity to chat with a few folks down there, making sure to identify myself as an MSHI Volunteer. The last time I was in the lower cave was for the youth trip back in mid-Feb. We'd only gone as far as the "Meatball". I wanted to go to the "end", where the passage tapers down to a dead end. It was further past the "Meatball" than I remembered. 

When I got back, it was about time to leave. I packed up my visual aids and headed for the car.

I wanted to take a look at the washout between Marble Mountain and June Lake, as well as the road construction near the cave. I was a bit surprised to see the blockade had been removed and a car passed. I headed up to Marble Mountain first. I was happy to see all but one whoop-de-whoop was gone, back to pavement.

I did a u-turn and headed out. I was glad I didn't have to take the "long" way via Rd 81. The construction project was not done, still asphalt to be applied but it was easily passable, a huge improvement from the gnarly pothole that have been there for years. 

It was a great first shift of the season.

 

Hike: Hamilton Mountain + Hardy Creek, N Bonneville, WA

Getting There

Just after Doetsch Ranch you'll see the Ranger Station on the north side of the road just before the Beacon Rock parking lot, then another road across from the bathrooms. The road winds up the hill for a bit.

It was early afternoon and the weather was slightly overcast but I expected some nice views from up above. By the time, I got to the Saddle, it was really sunny. Forunately, there were cooler temps in the trees and a nice breeze.

The Hike

Length: 9.56 mi
Elev. gain: 2,736 ft
Moving time: 3:52:49
Avg pace: 24:21
Calories: 2,051
Total time: 4:57:56 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was just reflecting on the fact that I haven't really been doing much hiking this year. I'm almost at the half-way point of the year and just have reached 25% of my hiking goals. I've been doing so many trail work parties with WTA, TKO, MSHI and attended the training in North Bend. It's also the beginning of the MSHI volunteer season so we had some training.

Well, I took the opportunity with the nice weather to try out my new boots and backpack.

Hamilton was my trail of choice.

The heat was getting to me a little, feeling slightly lethargic. It took me nearly 2.5 hrs to reach the top. I took a lot breaks for electrolytes and water. Along the way, I also took photos and GPS coordinates for all the downed trees I found over the trail.

I stopped at The Saddle to eat my sandwich and rehydrate. I also used my empty bottle to mix up a batch of electrolytes with the powder I got at Next Adventure.

I had originally thought about hiking up to the Bridge Trail but realized it was getting later in the day, though it was still a few hours before sundown. I did take Don's Cutoff to Upper Hardy Creek.

There was a hiker at the creek crossing where the Lower Hardy Creek Trail starts. I waved hello but zoomed by.

After brief stop at the Rodney Falls, I found the bottom section of the trail a bit warmer. The sun was shining and still quite high in the sky. I didn't think I wanted to wait until sundown but figured I'd do my obligatory side quest to Little Beacon.

I saw a pair of turkey vultures perched on a branch about eye level. They knew I was there, turning to look when I made noises. I hiked up to the lookout. While sitting there, I noticed the turkey vultures gliding in the wind between me and Beacon Rock. One of them came really close (~10 yards/meters). So cool.

Great day!

 

 

 

 

Hike: Toutle Trail, Mount St Helens, Cougar, WA

Getting There

From I-5/Woodland, take Hwy 503 (Lewis River Road) to Cougar. When you get to Yale Park (and boat launch), go another 1.2 miles to NF-81. Drive north by Merrill Lake and continue past Kalama Horse Camp. Be on the lookout for a 90-deg right turn to stay on NF-81, otherwise you'll be on NF-8123 to Goat Marsh/Blue Lake Trailheads. The Red Rock Pass/Butte Camp Trailhead parking lot is on the left.

The Hike

Distance: 4.98 miles
Elevation Gain: 740 feet
Maximum Elevation: 3,601 feet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was a trail work party with MSHI, Conservation Corps. The previous week we worked on the other side of NF-81 on the Upper Cinnamon Trail. We were supposed to work on the Lower section but the Backcountry Horsemen were up here for a week working on the burn area.

I expected to do tread and drain work but when I got there, Tom enlisted me to run the chainsaw to clear several trees from the the trail. He had chaps for me and Gail had earplugs and safety glasses. We had a loaner chainsaw from the USFS. 

Alice helped carry it for a ways then we traded off. I think the official number was 7 trees but I think we only did 6. Whatever! It was great to get some trigger time, and I didn't get the bar pinched. 

The first log was a small, brittle one on the ground. Each subsequent log was more complicated (lay, binds, diameter). The last one was only partially on the trail. Another person was hacking away at the end with an axe but still had some tree to remove for it was be off the trail.

We double-backed to help with the chainsaw. This log was bigger than the bar. We cut a billet off the downside end while the whole crew watched. Unfortunately, the larger section of the log rolled down onto the trail. Crap! It was towards the end of the work day but now we had an even larger obstructions to deal with.

Instead of choosing to saw this log in half, we opted to use muscle (boots & butts) to maneuver off the trail. We rocked and pivoted the log until we could finally roll it off the tread.

The hiked ended up being about 5 miles. I was glad to reach the cars and put the chainsaw down. 

 

  

Hike: Phlox Point via West Hardy Ridge, N Bonneville, WA

Getting There

The trailhead is accessible from the Equestrian Camp Parking Lot, a bit west of Beacon Rock & Hamilton Mountain.

Take WA-14 from Vancouver, WA east toward N Bonneville. Just after Doetsch Ranch you'll see the Ranger Station on the north side of the road just before the Beacon Rock parking lot. The road winds up the hill for a bit. Keep a lookout for the the Equestrian Camp turn off.

It was a warmer than average day and a holiday weekend, so I knew most, if not all, Gorge (WA, OR). trailheads were going have a lot of people. I left before noon but still a late-ish start. When I reached Beacon Rock, cars were parked all along the road and there was a sign saying "Hamilton Mountain parking lot FULL". In the past, I've often found a spot despite the warning but this time, I decided to check the Equestrian Trail parking lot. Bingo, there were lots of cars but no where near full. Woohoo!

The Hike

Length: 8.52 mi
Elev. gain: 2,195 ft
Moving time: 3:40:17
Avg pace: 25:52
Calories: 1,941
Total time: 4:09:42
 

 

 

 

 

 

This was my first recreational hike since March. In April and May, I was doing trail work parties with WTA and TKO, but I was also sidelined with vertigo (again!). No fun.

I wanted a familiar trail or location to check my fitness level. 

I felt strong all the way up and was planning where I would go after I made it to Phlox Point. In fact, I didn't know I was even hiking up to Phlox Point until I reached the junction. I thought about a bunch of other options including hitting The Saddle and Hamilton Mountain. Last time I did this it in 2023, the hike was over 14 miles and about 3600 feet of elevation gain. 

On my way back to the junction with the Hardy Ridge trail, my feet were barking and I saw it was later than I thought. I might have at least hiked up to The Saddle via the Bridge trail and Don's Cutoff but not today.

I had some good conversations with a couple of hikers I encountered. It was a good day!

Hike: Coyote Wall Labyrinth, White Salmon, WA

Getting There

I got an early start, about 6am, from Portland to Hood River. I took I-84 and stopped at McDonald's for a breakfast sandwich.

I crossed the toll bridge to the WA side of the Columbia River and drove into Bingen. I continued another 4.5 miles on Hwy 14 East to the Syncline Trail - East Trailhead at the intersection of the old Highway 8 and parked in the small gravel lot.

I was the first to arrive at around 7:40am but everyone showed up by about 8am. We had donuts and milled around for a bit. Sometime around 8:30am, we got into a semi-circle and did the safety talk. I gave a brief overview of the shovel.

The Hike

Distance: 2.94 miles
Elevation Gain: 733 feet
Hightest Elevation: 828 feet

 

 

 

 

 

This was my second work party as an ACL. I'm counting this as a hike since it was at least a couple of miles of travel and some elevation gain. I chose to not count my previous work party at Lyle Cherry Orchard between we worked on the lowest section of the trail, not far from the car/trailhead.

I thought the East Trailhead would get us closer to the trail than the Coyote Wall Trailhead to the west but it's about the same walk on the old Highway 8. There is a lot of debris on the defunct road from the blasted rock crumbling down. At one point, the path through the rocks is only about 8" wide.

It was cold in the morning and I was layered up but I was stopping to shed a layer only after walking for 5 mins. I was much more comfortable on the ascent to the work site on the Labyrinth Trail. Our job for this work party was to "armor" the muddiest sections of the trail. "Armoring" means placing basketball-sized rocks in hole dug into the tread, then covering with small rocks and dirt. The trail is used by hikers, mtn bikers, and horses.

My team of 4 was assigned to the topmost section of the trail we intended to address. I had never done this kind of work before so I was trying to soak in the brief instructions and watch what an experienced volunteer was doing. We had plenty of examples to look at when we hiked up to our work site. However, we started placing small rocks as stepping stones, insufficient.

When James came by to check our progress, he explained that we needed to dig up the rocks we'd buried and use much bigger pieces. He also said it takes time to learn how to do this kind of work and that it takes practice. I was still learning but it started to make sense as I completed my "section". 

Fortunately, what we did was a big improvement from the mud but I wasn't as happy with the result. Two of my crew was brand new, it was the very first work party, so I tried to be as positive as I could but still offer advice.

There was another section that James wanted us to tackle. He and I went up there to evaluate the trail. The long-term volunteer finished his section and moved up. I followed to show him what James had suggested. Ed said we didn't need to armor the trail, just remove the berm so the trail would drain. This was an example of the CL giving suggestion but allowing seasoned trail workers to implement what they thought was a better solution.

We finished the task and started back down to join the rest of the crew.

We stopped to stage rocks next to the trail for the April work party to use to armor another section.

It was finally time to call it a day. We started back to the trailhead.

I had a chance to talk with James about what I thought went well and where I could improve. He said I was a natural and gave me kudos for my leadership on this work party.

It was great to hear. I feel like I will grow into this role and be successful. I will certainly have some challenges with potentially challenging people I might have to coach.