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Ap* Cave LbNA #4052 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:May 18, 2003
Location:
City:Cougar
County:Skamania
State:Washington
Boxes:1
Found by: Maiden1974
Last found:Jun 3, 2006
Status:FF
Last edited:May 18, 2003
Last reported found: 8/16/03

Ap* Cave is a huge lava tube that stretches 1 mile long (though you won’t have to walk its entire length to find the box!) It was formed over 2,000 years ago by an eruption of Mount Saint H*lens that—unlike the famous one in 1980—included flowing lava. The molten rock followed a streambed or canyon; the lava that came in contact with the air above and ground below began to crust over. Meanwhile, the flow in the middle stayed hot, continued to move downhill, and left the crusted-over tube behind—the longest and largest lava tube in North America.

It was named by the boys who discovered it; they’d had a club and called themselves the Mount Saint H*lens Ap*s, after certain large-footed ap*-like creatures said to roam the area.

To go into the cave, you’ll need: good flashlights or a lantern—and an extra backup light, just in case (lanterns are available for rent at the cave during the summer); solid shoes/boots (not sandals or flip-flops!); and a warm coat, even in the heat of August—the cave is about 42 degrees, year-round.

You enter Ap* Cave at a break in its middle, then you have a choice of walking through the upper portion of the cave or the lower. The box is in the lower portion.

Walk until you get to the lone Lava Ball. (Don’t be fooled by the trio!) As you stand under the ball (still facing down-cave), the box is to your right, tucked into the ledge of rock along the cave side/floor, under rocks.