Ape Caves in
Washington State, near Mount St. Helens, was
formed when Mount St. Helens blew, not in 1980, but a few
thousand years
earlier and was flowing lava and not ash. The flowing lava, as it
cooled,
created lava tubes that sat undiscovered for thousands of years.
Then in the early 1900s, a family who lived in the area discovered the caves and the boy scouts, who called themselves “The Apes” after the Pacific Northwest most famous “Ape”, Big Foot, ventured in and helped name it. What is amazing, is in these caves, you always have to where a coat no matter what the temperature outside. If it is 10 degrees or 90 degrees, the temperature inside the cave is a constant 42 degrees. (How that works is beyond me?)
But you can enter one end and go
the short route and get to
the end and turn around and see lots, or you can go the
other way and take the
long route and go all the way to a second entrance. This is a little
tighter
squeeze and I do suggest you wear some sturdy shoes and be in good
enough shape
to get on your hands and knees at times, because it is almost required
at
points.
Say hi to Jeff our tour guide "Hi Jeff"
Notice oldest with arms crossed to keep warm, didn't believe us about how cold.
This was a fun day trip for the
family and the only cost was
the parking. They have guided tours now that are well
worth it as you find so
much about the caves and how they were formed and the life forms that
live in
the caves. I do also suggest, after you are done in the cave, going on
some of
the hiking trails around the area and see all the changes that happened
since
the devastation of the mountain exploding in 1980. The rebound of the
area is
absolutely unbelievable especially when you saw what it looked like
just months
after the explosion.
Mt. Saint Helens today 30 years later life is finally returning to the area.
These are canyons carved out by lava that now house rivers of snow runoff and rain from the mountain
Go enjoy all the mountain now has to offer as our family did, there is lots to learn from mother nature
Todd Clark and the Friendly Home Team
Capstone Real Estate
Todd@IFoundYourNewHome.com
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739
Todd Clark is a licensed Realtor who specializing in Washington County, Oregon and also works both Clackamas and Multnomah Counties including the cities of Aloha, Beaverton, Canby, Clackamas, Gladstone, Gresham, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Sherwood and Tigard.
All information contained in these posts is copyrighted and cannot be used without prior written approval authorization from the author. If you are looking for an outstanding agent please give Todd Clark a call he would love to help you in all your real estate needs.
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Todd Clark and the Friendly Home Team
Knipe Realty
Todd@IFoundYourNewHome.com
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)746-9573
I am a licensed Realtor who specializes in Washington County, Oregon and also work in both Clackamas and Multnomah Counties including the cities of Aloha, Beaverton, Canby, Clackamas, Gladstone, Gresham, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Sherwood and Tigard. All information contained in these posts are copyrighted and cannot be used without prior written approval authorization from the author me Todd Clark. If you are looking for an outstanding agent please give me a call I would love to help you with all your real estate needs.
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Great pictures, Todd - I've gotta put this on our family's "to visit" list! Isn't it absolutely amazing how things have rebounded since Mt St Helens erupted? Hard to believe after all that devastation, but nature has a way...
If I ever get up that way it looks like a great thing to go and see. Caves are always interesting. Any Bats in there?
Todd: Absolutely fabulous pictures. I love hiking around Mt Saint Helens... I've camped with the kids several times just outside of Randle, (highway 12 and 131)... I have not been to the caves though.
I was sitting on a rooftop at Cornish College on Capitol Hill in Seattle when it erupted in 1980. We could see it. I thought for sure it was the end, an atomic bomb or something. It took a few minutes to grasp what was going on. Why didn't they bomb us here in Seattle?... that's what we've been told since we were small kids...
One thing about hanging around AR and knowing people like you is... I need a bigger bucket to hold my ever growing list of things to do before I depart this planet! :o)
Todd, Gorgeous pictures. I am surprised at the constant on the temperature.
Todd - Never heard of Ape Caves! Those are some really great pictures! Glad you and your family had a great time together checking it out. Thanks for sharing!
Todd, Outstanding pictures. We have a few caves down here, but I don't think any quite as extensive as the one you showed. That constant 42 degrees would be a nice change of pace here during the summer. Thanks for sharing.
Todd, That looks like a great place to explore...I love your photo of Mt. Saint Helens, the the snow is settles in the pattern of the lava flow. Great pics of the family! Look forward to seeing you in November!
Going through the caves is so much fun and you learn a lot more than you think you would.
Hi Todd... it looks like the family had a good time. Caves and caverns are fascinating for everyone... except maybe the claustrophobic!
Great photos and great information as always. I so enjoy learning about different areas from you.
As everyone else has said, "Great pictures!" It looks like it was a great day for your family.
Cal
Todd, I absolutely love the Mountain and River landscape shots, the caves would make for a fun filled family day...kids and caves what a great combination.
Looks like a lot of fun. So, did you get a glimpse of Big Foot? Come winter, he makes a migration to Florida and calls himself skunk ape!
gee todd, i didn't know about these caves when we were out there years ago..my kids would have loved them especially with the thought of Big Foot appearing...what a great trip
Todd,
What a great piece on the caves....I didn't even know they existed! Very cool....I have got to go see them for myself....hey maybe if I take Chewbacca he will be mistaken for a little bigfoot!
I guess if Big Foot was to be alive and well out there in that wilderness would be the best place to hide from civilization! What a beautiful piece of our country!
Todd, lava tubes are really amazing. I saw some last December when I was in Hawaii. But they didn't claim Big Foot!
Hi Todd! What a wonderful family excursion you had--absolutely gorgeous photos! Never been to Ape Caves--I'll have to add it to my bucket list (which is quickly becoming a bathtub list--my bucket overfloweth!)
Have a great week...
Renee, I remember being taught Seattleites were on the "first hit list", too!
Thanks for telling us about the Ape Caves, Todd. I didn't know we had caves like these here - I've been to the similarly created Valentine Caves. I never forgot the experience.