First things first: Yes, the original
Mission 9: Tunnel of Light (GC1169) cache is gone, along with
its unique icon. Groundspeak archived it in June after the cache
was stolen, just shy of its 10th birthday. If the APE icon is all
that matters for you, then you’ll be disappointed. For
everyone else, the experience should be as cool as ever: the
Cascade Mountains, the spooky hike through the Tunnel of Light, the
2nd-oldest cache in Washington, a new APE tribute cache, and the
first Challenge virtual. Plus, we hear that Sasquatch and Fen
Dweller have been sighted in the area – so watch out!
Time & place: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on Sunday,
August 21, at the Hyak trailhead in Iron
Horse State Park at Snoqualmie Pass (posted coordinates). We
will be in the field at the far end of the parking lot, and unlike
last year, there is no preregistration, fees, or buses. Just show
up and have fun! The park and tunnel are open dawn till dusk, so
you can visit as long as you like.
Activities:
- Socialize and sign the logboard (look for Apezilla wearing
it).
- Hike or bike through Snoqualmie Tunnel and log Snoqualmie
Tunnel of Light (CX1), the first Challenge virtual - released
Aug. 18, so you will be among the first to complete it. This
100-year-old railroad tunnel is part of the Iron Horse Trail and
newly reopened after a three-year hiatus. It’s 2.3 miles
long, pitch dark, and a chilly 50F degrees. You’ll feel the
cold breeze before you even see the tunnel entrance, and occasional
water drips add to the spookiness. More about the
tunnel.
- Find
Bloody Fingers, Dirty Diapers inside the tunnel. Watch out for
Fen Dweller!
- Find
Iron Horse (GC79), 2nd-oldest active cache in Washington,
outside the west entrance to the tunnel.
- Find
Mission 9: Tunnel of Light Reclaimed, the new APE tribute
cache. The new cache is the same size and in the same location as
the original – the only real difference is the icon. And the
replacement cache counts for the APE segment of the
Center of the Triad Challenge.
- Stroll or roll the Iron Horse Trail to enjoy the mountain
scenery and find other caches. You can continue west beyond the APE
tribute cache, or go south from Hyak around Lake Keechelus.
Bookmark list of Hyak-Rattlesnake caches.
- Trade your trackables at the Travel Bug Depot (at the Welcome
table).
- Check out the APE and Washington geocoins (see below).
Parking & permits: Hyak has 250 parking spaces, which
are shared with other park users. This should be enough, but please
carpool if possible, and respect any space reserved for other users
(esp. horse trailers). We will have parking attendants at the
entrance, to ensure a smooth flow and legal parking.
Due to budget cuts, Washington State Parks now require a day-use
permit, and yes, they are ticketing. You can buy the Discover Pass online or in
person ($11.50 one-day, $35 annual; available at REI, Big 5, WSP
ranger stations, etc.). If you can get one beforehand, please bring
it. If not, our parking attendants will sell you a day permit for
$10.
Hiking: The hike from Hyak to the APE tribute cache is 3
miles (6 miles round trip, including two trips through the tunnel).
The Iron Horse Trail is a broad, flat, packed-gravel trail with
little elevation change. It’s an easy hike.
Bookmark list of caches.
If you’d like to through-hike, you could leave a car at
Annette Lake trailhead (exit 47 off I-90, requires a
Northwest Forest Pass to park). The hike is about 5.5 miles,
and downhill all the way. The final mile descends 700 feet on the
Annette Lake Trail, a typical narrow, uneven forest trail with some
roots and rocks to negotiate, a bridge crossing over a waterfall
area, and a few caches.
Biking: Bicycles are allowed on the Iron Horse Trail and
in the tunnel, so feel free to bring yours. (We don't recommend
road tires due to the rockiness of some sections.) Unfortunately,
there are no bike rental places near Hyak, so that’s not an
option. If you bike, be sure you have a headlamp and watch for
pedestrians, especially in the tunnel.
If you’d like to through-bike, you have several options.
The most popular is to bicycle 20+ miles down the Iron Horse from
Hyak to the Rattlesnake Lake trailhead (exit 32 off I-90), picking
up caches along the way. Don’t have two cars? Catch the
Bus Up 90 shuttle service at
designated times, which takes you from Rattlesnake up to Hyak, and
you can bike back down to your car.
Bookmark list of caches.
Another option is to leave a car at Annette Lake (see
through-hiking, above); bikes are allowed on the lower portion of
the Annette Lake Trail. Or you could bike south to Easton or Cle
Elum.
Time required: Please plan a half day for this event (or
longer, depending on your caching plans). It takes 30-45 minutes
each way to drive Seattle to Hyak, and round-trip distance to the
APE tribute cache is 6 miles.
Bling: No event is complete without geocoins, and
we’ll have our
APE trackables - silver APE coin ($12) and cachekinz ($5) - and
the
2011 Washington suncatcher coin ($12). Cash only, please.
Refreshments: If you hike/bike, you should bring sips and
snacks. We’ll also have a lemonade stand (aka refreshments
table) with water, lemonade, fruit, and snack bars. Thanks to
lucyandrickie for managing our hunger and thirst again this year.
There are picnic tables at both ends of the tunnel, so you can
relax and enjoy the scenery while you have lunch.
What to wear: You’re hiking 6 miles, so dress
accordingly, including footwear. Be sure to check the
Weather for Snoqualmie Pass – it could be a cool day or a
scorcher, sunny or rainy. The tunnel is quite chilly (50F), so you
may want long sleeves or a jacket. Your clothes might get dirty, as
the ceiling drips muddy water in places (hats are recommended), and
the trail may be wet.
What to bring: You’ll need a flashlight or headlamp
for the tunnel, plus a day pack with hiking essentials for your
party. Depending on your plans, this may include food, water,
camera, hat, bug spray, suntan lotion, first aid, camera, emergency
whistle, sunglasses, extra batteries, trekking poles, maps,
ibuprofen, camera…. Also bring your Discover parking permit
or cash to buy one.
More Details
Directions to Hyak: (Hey, not everyone has auto-routing.)
From Seattle, drive east on I-90 to exit 54 (Hyak). At the end of
the exit ramp, turn right (south), then immediately turn left on a
road that parallels I-90 going east. The road makes a sharp right
at a gated maintenance yard. Turn right again at the next road, and
enter the Hyak parking lot. We will also have APE event signs to
guide you, and you can look for the brown Iron Horse State Park
signs, as well. (If you end up at Hyak Lodge or Lake Keechelus, you
missed the right turn for the Hyak parking lot.)
Carpooling: If you'd like to arrange carpooling with
other attendees, please post in the
Going APE forum thread. Hopefully, you can find like-minded
souls who want to through-hike to Annette Lake trailhead, bike to
Rattlesnake Lake, or just pile into a single car for Hyak.
Dogs: Dogs are allowed at Hyak and on the trail, but keep
them leashed at all times for the courtesy and safety of others.
This is especially important in Snoqualmie Tunnel, where visibility
is limited; we don't want any bicycle/dog collisions.
Motorized transport: No motorized vehicles are allowed on
the Iron Horse Trail, which means no motorcycles, ATVs, golf carts,
etc.
Trail maps: If you use a Garmin GPSr, Northwest Trails is a
tremendous (free) resource, as it adds trails to your GPS maps (a
transparent overlay, so you see the trails along with other loaded
maps).
Services: We'll have plenty of potties at Hyak. Most
other services are 22 miles away in North Bend, but Snoqualmie
Summit - 2 miles away at exits 53/52 - does have a gas station and
small grocery, as well as the Summit Lodge (425-434-6300).
(‘90s TV trivia: “Twin Peaks” was filmed in North
Bend. And “Northern Exposure” was shot in Roslyn, on
the east side of the Cascades.)
Hazards: You should not encounter any scary flora or
fauna. The well-maintained trails are free of blackberry, stinging
nettle, and devil’s club (we can’t say the same if you
bushwhack). We don’t have poison oak/ivy/sumac in the
mountains this far north. There are no poisonous snakes or spiders
in Western Washington or the Cascades (watch out in Eastern WA,
though). We do have wasps, especially in August – careful
where you put your hands. We also have coyotes, cougars, and bears
– oh my! – as well as mountain goats, elk, and deer,
but you are not likely to see them during the day, especially with
all these people. Watch out for Sasquatch, though!
Can’t make the event? Stop by the WSGA booth on
Saturday during the
Geocaching Block Party and say hello.
Contacts: If you have any questions or can volunteer,
please contact hydnsek, event director and
WSGA president.