Gifford Pinchot National Forest, WA -- They stand locked in battle at the mouth of Ape Cave. "Waah! I’m not going in there!" The young girl’s face is bright red with fury and fright. It looks like she is about to explode like an over-ripe tomato. "Look, I mean it, Suzy," her mother says in a hostage-negotiator tone, "If we don’t go in there now, we’re leaving and we’re not coming back." You can tell she is willing to bargain lunch at McDonald’s. Suzy ain’t buying it. "No! I’m not going! "We’re getting in the car right now and we’re never coming back." "Waah!"

Look, either you dig caves, or you don’t dig caves. Some of us, Suzy for example, are pretty sure that we will find Bigfoot inside a cave. Bigfoot will chase us. In the darkness. In the silence, broken only by our high-pitched screams. Others of us see the magic in caves. We love them for many of the reasons Suzy doesn’t--silence, darkness, stuff you don’t see in the fresh air.

 

I dig caves. So, on a sunny Sunday afternoon in August, I drove 60 miles from Portland, Oregon to the southern flank of Mt. St. Helens and Ape Cave.

About Ape Cave

Here’s the deal about Ape Cave. Bigfoot does not live there, there are no chimps to entertain and amuse you, and it is not a secret passageway to Ape City. How do I know all this? Because I pay attention. I keep my eyes peeled. I ask questions. I follow through. Allow me to share some of what I've learned so far. Bigfoot is a myth, chimps are not native to North America, and Ape City is a fictitious burg in a movie called Planet of the Apes.

So what is Ape Cave? It's the longest lava tube in North America. Or maybe it's the third longest. Or maybe it's the longest intact lava tube in the continental U.S. Okay, maybe I don't always pay attention. I'm not quite straight on the facts, but Ape Cave is the longest lava tube of some particular type in some particular area. I suspect that lava tubes are like bridges. There's always some distinction that's worth noting. You never know when you're crossing the oldest covered bridge in Oregon, or the longest steel-cabled suspension bridge in the U.S, or the largest double-swing-span bridge in the Canadian Maritimes. What I can say from personal experience is Ape Cave is the scariest damn place to hike by yourself. More on that later.

Ape Cave was discovered in 1947 by logger Lawrence Johnson when he almost drove his tractor into the main entrance. Johnson told his friend Harry Reese about his discovery. Reese then led a scout troop into the cave. That's right, the first explorers of this unique and fragile environment were boy scouts. Beats building a lean-to any day. The scouts came up with the name Ape Cave in honor of their sponsor the St. Helens Apes who were a group of local foresters. I don't know why a bunch of foresters decided to call themselves apes, but I'm sure Bigfoot figures in the decision.

The cave was created about 2000 years ago during an eruption of Mt. St. Helens. As the lava flowed, parts of its surface cooled and created a hardened crust. The crust acted as insulation and allowed the lava to continue flowing below. In some areas, the lava melted the existing rock and created a tube-like channel. When all the lava flowed away, the crust remained thus forming a tube.

The cave is about 13,000 feet long and is divided into two sections: the upper passage and the lower passage. The upper passage is about 1.3 miles and the lower passage is about 1 mile. You can access both passages via the main entrance. You can also access the upper passage through the upper entrance. Both entrances have sturdy stairs (actually, it's more like a ladder for the upper entrance).

The lower passage is an easy route that features the "railroad tracks" (ridges formed along the side of flowing lava) and the "meatball" (a boulder wedged in the ceiling about 12 feet above the floor. I presume these names are a legacy from the initial intrepid explorers. The floor is fairly smooth, flat, and free of obstructions. The passage dead-ends so you'll have to backtrack to exit the cave.

The upper passage is difficult. It features many large rock piles that require scrambling and an eight foot lava flow that requires serious effort to negotiate. Another feature is the skylight--an opening about a quarter mile from the upper entrance.

The Hike

Let's get one thing straight. I'm not an expert caver. I'm strictly an amateur. A dilettante. I accept no responsibility for those who read this article and decide that they too can hike Ape Cave in a half-cocked and cavalier manner. If you break your leg, smash your skull, or suffer some sort of emotional distress, I'm not responsible. Moreover, I have no money. Go sue somebody else.

Located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Ape Cave is a popular destination and the roads leading up to the cave are well marked. I arrived at noon and was greeted by about 20 vehicles in the large parking lot. I found a shady spot, parked, and grabbed my camera and backpack.

If you go to a National Forest or state park these days, expect to pay for the privilege-particularly at popular destinations. You must pay to use Ape Cave so I obtained a National Forest Day Pass envelope and paid the $5 fee. Here's a tip. Pay the fee. If you don't, you'll probably get a ticket. It appears that a main job function for rangers is to act as parking lot attendants. It's an unfortunate sign of the times.

A short walk along a paved path takes you to the main entrance, which is completely fenced off except for an opening on the far side. An interpretive display explains the cave's history and environment, and includes a map and hiking tips. Of course, there's also a requisite pithy admonition so popular in parks: "Take nothing but picture, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time." Got that? No excavating, tagging, or trapping if you please.

Lingering around the main entrance for a bit, I observed that Ape Cave visitors are divided into three groups. Some people are content to peer into the opening. "Yup, that's a cave," they'll say. Maybe they have a bum knee. Maybe they have small children and decide to exercise a little common sense and keep the kiddies out. Good decision, folks. Some people decide to go a little further and walk down the main staircase. They'll venture forth until they meet the inky darkness. "Yup, caves are dark" they'll say. I think many of these people intend to hike some part of the cave but they hit their limit. This is what happened to little Suzy. You just don't know until you try. Some people fully intend hike the cave and carry through with their intentions. Most hike the lower passage. The rest hike the upper passage. The upper passage is difficult. Oh, I suppose if you're an experienced spelunker then it won't pose much of a challenge. In fact, you don't need any special equipment at all. Here's what you do need: at least two reliable sources of bright light, sturdy shoes, warm clothes, and at least one hiking companion.

Ready to begin my adventure, I checked my sources of light (two maglites with extra batteries), donned my hoodie, tightened my boots, and headed into the cave. Alone. If hiking a cave alone is not for you, congratulations! You have common sense. I suppose I could have called a friend, or joined a hiking club, or advertised in the personals for a hiking buddy. But, that's not my style. I decided to go to Ape Cave that morning so I just picked up and went. No serious planning. No second thoughts. I've been told that I don't plan very well, but I prefer to think of myself as being spontaneous.

Entering the main entrance is a two-step process. First, you walk down a staircase into a large depression. Much of the depression is open to the outside, but it transitions to almost complete darkness. This is quite useful because it allows your eyes to gradually adjust. When you're comfortable with the darkness, walk down the second staircase and allow a few minutes for your eyes to adjust again. At this point, I thought my maglite did not produce enough light. However, after waiting a bit I realized it was sufficient. Still, you might want to bring something with a little more luminosity such as a lantern. You're now ready to begin hiking. Turn North for the upper passage. Turn South for the lower passage. A sign will point you in the right direction. I turned North.

The hike was initially very easy. The floor is flat and the passageway is wide. After a few hundred yards I encountered the first rock pile. It's a fairly easy one to climb and requires little to no scrambling. If you struggle with this pile, turn around and hike the lower passage instead. Should you decide to proceed, be aware that there are about two dozen piles ahead of you and they will be a significant part of your life for the next 2.5 hours. Some piles are easy to negotiate. Most are difficult and require scrambling and great care. The rocks can be unstable and very sharp!

Suprisingly, I did not see any other people until about an hour into the hike. The first group I encountered consisted of 6 young folks fully kitted out with bright lanterns and head lamps. We met in a small flat space between two huge (you guessed it) rock piles. I asked about the upcoming lava flow. A well-built gal sized me up and decided I should be OK. Apparently, I was tall enough to negotiate the obstacle. One guy, who insisted on shining his headlamp directly into my eyes despite my protestations, asked me if I was alone. I sheepishly muttered something along the lines of "Yes, I'm alone." He made a clucking sound and told me to be careful. We parted and wished each other good luck. I heard them laughing as I began to scramble up the next pile.

About fifteen minutes later I encountered another group. Four young people--two boys and two girls. They were a little lackadaisical in their approach to cave hiking. Chatty and loose, they breezed by and attacked the rock pile I was descending with what could only be described as wild abandon. I thought they were acting a little irresponsibly. What if an ankle was twisted or a bone broken? Then I remembered that they were a group of four. Four people who can help each other. For example, three people can carry one injured person out to safety. Or two people can retrieve help from the surface while a third comforts and consoles the injured compatriot. I was a group of one. What if I twisted an ankle? What if I broke a leg? What if I fell and hit my head on one of those sharp rocks? What if I blacked out? I've never blacked out before, but who knows? Maybe I have a maturity onset black-out gene. Who would help me? What if my maglites ceased to work? Do you think you can feel your way out by following the countours of the cave wall? Hell no! OK, at some point you will encounter other people. Like I said, Ape Cave is popular. You will probably be rescued fairly quickly. But who knows when? Do you want to spend even 5 minutes alone with a broken bone? Do you know what it's like to be in complete and utter darkness? Hiking Ape Cave alone is a really bad idea. Don't do it.

I admit that I was a shaken by these thoughts. Momentarily caving in to my fear, I sat down, ate a snack bar, and resolved to be extra careful. Move more slowly. Think about each step. Always have one foot solidly planted. Never lose balance. My progress slowed to a crawl but I felt better about the progress I was making.

A few minutes and several rock piles later, I was face-to-face with the infamous eight foot lava flow. It is very smooth and almost vertical. Putting my camera and backpack down I was seriously concerned about my ability to scale this beast and feared that I might be forced to turn back. Fortunately, I noticed that somebody carved a small cavity in the flow in order to provide a foothold. Determined to complete my hike, I gathered my bags and stretching as far as I could, grabbed a few rocky protruberances at the top of the flow. I then placed my foot in the cavity and making sure to keep my center of mass as close to the flow as possible, hoisted myself up. This is where a little height comes in handy. If you're shorter than about 5' 8", you might not be able to grab the protruberances or get your foot in the cavity. Of course, if you have at least one tall person in your group, the shorter people can get a boost and then the tall person can follow my process.

As mentioned previously, there are two ways to hike the upper passage. To determine the best approach for you, think about the lava flow. Do you want to begin at the upper entrance and lower youself down the flow onto an uneven pile of rocks, or do you want to begin at the main entrance, stand on an uneven pile of rocks, and hoist yourself up? It's your call.

Hiking for another half hour, I finally saw signs of daylight. It was the skylight! I shut off my maglight and lingered for a few minutes. At this point I knew I was close to the upper entrance and looked forward to fresh air. Making a last push, I scrambled over a few more rock piles, and finally saw the ladder that pointed the way out.

Following the surface trail back to the main entrance, I moved slowly and thoughtfully. I was glad I hiked the upper passage. I was grateful that I emerged unscathed. I swore I would never go alone again. About a half mile down the trail, I ran into a mother and her two girls. One of the girls asked me if I was a ranger. I said yes and asked them if they paid the parking fee. The girl shot a glance to her mom. Mom looked at me and smiled weakly. I quickly corrected my deception stating that I'm not really a ranger but I just hiked the upper passage and I'm a little disoriented because of the darkness and bad air. We all laughed. Perhaps still thinking I'm a ranger, the girl asked "Can I hike the cave?" I glanced at her mom who continued her weak smile. "It's up to your mom" I said. "But if you go, make sure you stick together."

Getting There

To reach Ape Cave, drive east of Cougar, WA on Lewis River Road for 7 miles and turn left onto Road 83. Turn left again onto Road 8303. After about half a mile, you'll see the Trail of Two Forests. Ape Cave is a short distance farther.

The Forest Service’s "Apes’ Headquarters" visitor center at the entrance of Ape Cave is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day from June 26 through Labor Day. You can rent lanterns, buy books and maps, arrange interpretive tours, and obtain a Northwest Forest Pass.

The cave is accessible in winter, though the road is plowed only to the Trail of Two Forests parking lot.

Resources

U.S Forest Service information.
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/ape-cave/index.shtml

The Virtual Lava Tube - Lots of pictures and information about lava tubes.
http://www.goodearthgraphics.com/virtual_tube/virtube.html