The Bud Blancher Trail runs for two miles on the southern edge of the town of Eatonville, passing through forest, along the edge of parks, and across spring-fed streams where salmon spawn and bald eagles hunt. Along the way, a side trail takes you to Mashel Falls, a beautiful cascade on the Little Mashel River. If you follow the trail to the end, it leads to the University of Washington's Pack Forest, where another spider web of trails explore an experimental forest and 1,740-foot Hugo Peak, which offers a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.
The geocache is located at the beginning of the trail, but if you have time, take the hike all the way to Mashel Falls, a five-mile round trip. The falls are beautiful, and worth the walk on a hot summer day. Be careful around the falls, though, because the rocks are slippery and can be treacherous. To get to the falls, take the Bud Blancher Trail for about 1.5 miles, crossing first the Mashel River and then the Little Mashel. The Falls trail is just beyond the second bridge on the left, and continues another 3/4 of a mile to the falls.
The trail is named for Howard "Bud" Blancher, a local entrepreneur who died in 2007, leaving behind an estate donation to fund initial construction of the trail. Bud was an avid bicyclist, pilot, and inventor who, according to the obituary in the local Dispatch newspaper, "never found a thing he couldn't make a little more comfortable, run a little smoother, a little more efficient, a little quieter, or make a little more noise, if that was the effect he wanted."
In 1960, Bud spent 13 months bicycling the perimeter of the United States, doing odd jobs along the way to finance his trip. A few years later, he traveled more than 10,000 miles around Europe on a Lambretta motor scooter. He often made trips in a Piper Cub, with his bicycle hanging from the wing strut, ready to get him into town from the next airport. Bud was a common sight around Eatonville, riding his custom-built recumbent bike.
In the 1970s, Bud developed a 4-point inertia-reel harness system that improves survival in a plane crash, a system that has saved many lives over the years and led to the founding of a company that still builds his harnesses from a workshop next to the Swanson Field airstrip just north of here.
Bud lived his life at full speed, with no regrets. "Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body," he said, "but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting 'Holy S---, what a ride!'"
We hope you enjoy this beautiful corner of Washington State as much as he did!
2016 was the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and to celebrate, Visit Rainier and the Washington State Geocaching Association (WSGA) hosted the Visit Rainier Centennial GeoTour - 100 caches placed in and around Mount Rainier National Park. The geocaches highlighted the rich history, scenic wonders, quaint communities, and hidden gems of the Rainier region. The caches were released in four series of 25 caches each during 2015 and 2016.