WSGA is going APE at GeoWoodstock VIII, and
we invite you to join us! Take a scenic hike to the last remaining
Project APE cache in the United States -
Mission 9: Tunnel of Light (GC1169) - and add the Project Ape
icon to your Found caches. Woo hoo!
Time & place: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm on Friday, July
2, at the Hyak parking area at Snoqualmie Pass (posted
coordinates). Everyone is welcome to join us and socialize, and log
the event. If you're registered for the APE
cache outing, the first buses will leave around 9:00 am. (We are
not assigning times.) Buses will run continuous loops between the
Hyak event venue and Annette Lake trailhead during that time,
leaving every 15-20 minutes. The last bus will depart Hyak just
before 1:00 pm, and the final pickup at Annette Lake trailhead will
be about 3:30 pm.
The activity: This is a social event open to everyone, as
well an organized outing to the APE cache. For those doing the APE
trek, you'll check in, receive a Goody Bag, and board a bus to
Annette Lake trailhead (8 miles one way). You’ll then hike a
scenic 4 miles (round trip) through the Cascade Mountains to the
APE cache. There are several other caches nearby, and you can visit
the west entrance of the gated Snoqualmie Tunnel. (Add a mile or
two and extra time for these options.) Once you’re done,
you’ll check in with the trailhead volunteer and board a bus
back to Hyak.
Why we’re doing this: WSGA wants to
make it easier for visiting cachers to reach the APE cache, which
requires a hike in the Cascade Mountains. In addition, the namesake
Tunnel of Light (the Snoqualmie Tunnel) is closed indefinitely
(structural issues), so you must hike from Annette Lake trailhead,
which has limited parking (especially on a holiday weekend) and
requires a Northwest Forest Pass. To minimize confusion, crowding,
and land-manager concerns, WSGA is hosting this event to keep it
manageable - and fun! - for everyone.
Registration: The
meet-n-greet at Hyak is open to all (free), but to participate in
the APE outing, you must register and pay in advance. Registration is now closed, as we have reached
capacity. Registration is $25 per adult and $15 per child
(12 and under). Children age 5 and under attend free. Adult
registrations include a Goody Bag; child registrations include
bottled water with holder/clip. You will not have a seat on the bus
or Goody Bag if you just show up.
Confirmations and cancellations: Your PayPal receipt
serves as verification of your registration, so you may want to
print and bring a copy, just in case. You may request a refund of
your online reservation until Friday, June 25. No refunds after
that date, as we will have committed resources based on expected
attendance.
What the fee covers: Special-event permits charged by the
two park services whose land we cross (state and federal), bus
transportation, liability insurance, parking permits, rented
toilets, and Goody Bags.
Goody Bag: Each adult registrant will receive an APE
Goody Bag that includes a tote bag (reusable, biodegradable), a
trackable APE
Cachekinz, bottled water with holder/clip, mini-pen, map and
terrain/cache info, and a voucher for the purchase of one APE
geocoin during the event.
WSGA is releasing both APE trackables at this event, and you
will be the first to receive them. The Going APE geocoin will be
sold at the Annette trailhead, so bring your voucher and $12 cash
if you want one. On Saturday, the remaining coins will be sold to
other GeoWoodstock attendees at the WSGA booth (limit 1 per caching
name) - if you're on the wait list, that's your window.
The hike: The hike to the APE cache is 2 miles (4 miles
round trip) with 700 feet of elevation gain inbound, most of it in
the first mile. You begin by hiking up the Annette Lake Trail, a
typical narrow, uneven forest trail with some roots and rocks to
negotiate. Once you reach the Iron Horse Trail (an old railroad
bed), you are on a broad, flat gravel trail that provides a scenic
stroll to the APE cache (and beyond that, the tunnel entrance).
Update 6/29: There have been Sasquatch sightings reported near the
APE cache, so keep your eyes open!
We’ve created a topo map of the hike with the caches
marked. It will be in your Goody Bag, or you can download the
PDF file.
With Groundspeak’s permission, we are providing a GPX file
of caches in the vicinity of the APE cache and Snoqualmie Pass.
(File removed 7/4/10.) Your download and use of this
data is subject to Groundspeak’s Waypoint
License Agreement.
Time required: Please plan a half-day for this event so
you won’t be rushed (or longer, depending on your abilities
and caching plans). Remember you must drive to Snoqualmie Pass,
take a bus to the trailhead, do the hike, take a bus back to Hyak,
then drive to your next destination.
A serious hiker could make the round trip to the APE cache in 90
minutes. However, most people will take longer, especially if you
want to get the other caches along this stretch of trail or enjoy
lunch at the picnic tables near the cache. If you're not a hiker,
unused to walking distances or climbing uneven trails, or have kids
in tow, you should plan up to four hours for the hike and be on one
of the first buses in the morning to ensure you get back in time.
Please plan according to your abilities, so
the organizers aren't searching for you after the event. (We
want to attend the Meet & Greet Luau, too!) If you are a hiker
and don't need a half-day for this trek (two hours should be fine),
we suggest you avoid the early rush and arrive a bit later,
allowing the slower folks to take the early buses.
What to wear: You’re going on a hike of 4-5 miles
in mountainous terrain, so dress accordingly. Flip-flops are not
appropriate footwear. Hiking boots or sneakers with tread are good
choices. Shorts are fine if it’s warm enough. Be sure to
check the weather report and come prepared – it could be a
cool day or a scorcher, sunny or rainy. If it’s rained
recently, parts of the trail could be muddy.
Weather for Snoqualmie Pass.
What to bring: Day pack with hiking essentials for your
party. This may include food, water, camera, hat, bug spray, suntan
lotion, first aid, camera, emergency whistle, sunglasses, extra
batteries, trekking poles, maps, ibuprofen, camera….
Prize raffle: We have some wonderful prize donations from
Groundspeak, Landsharkz, Cache Advance, debbiedoesdecals, and WSGA.
Thanks to our raffle sponsors for their generosity! We will be
holding the drawing between 11:00 – 12:00 at the Hyak
meet-n-greet. You do NOT have to be present to win, as most of you
will be on the hike. Your raffle ticket is in your Goody Bag; be
sure and deposit half of it in the bucket at the Name Tag table to
be entered. Those just attending the meet-n-greet can get a raffle
ticket at the Name Tag table. During the raffle, we will pull
ticket numbers; anyone present can pick up their prize immediately.
The other tickets will be on a list at Registration – check
in before you leave to find out if you won a prize. Any prizes
remaining at the end of the day will be donated to future event
raffles.
Parking at Hyak and Annette: Hyak has appr. 250 spaces.
With expected attendance of 500, and other park users, we expect to
overflow this, so please carpool if at all possible, and respect
any barriers erected to reserve space for other users (esp. horse
trailers). And – please! - do not drive to Annette during the
event. That parking lot is small, and quite busy on a Friday (this
is why we are staging at Hyak and busing you there). Any overflow
parking in the Annette lot or on the one-lane entrance road will
impede the buses and could be disastrous for transportation flow.
Event volunteers and parks personnel will be enforcing parking
restrictions at both locations, so please help us keep things
moving smoothly. Thanks!
Things to do at Hyak: Besides the event, we mean. The
east portal of the Snoqualmie Tunnel is less than .25 mile down the
Iron Horse Trail; it's an easy flat stroll, and you'll feel the
sudden drop in temperature even before you see the tunnel entrance.
Head the other direction on the trail (past the event area) and
pick up
Welcome to the Tiki Hut (GCT2AC). If you have a bike or want a
longer hike, you can continue on to several other caches along Lake
Keechelus.
Wait list and on-site
registration: After some negotiating, we now hope to offer
on-site registration to an additional 40-80 people. There are no guarantees. (This is not about more
buses, it’s about the capacity set by the parks and other
strictures.) 7/2 update: The email wait list is now closed, as it's
event day; you can add your name to the wait list on-site if
interested.
For those on the wait list, there are some important
considerations: You will not board a bus until 11:00-12:00, as the
registered folks will go out first. So please don’t plan to
arrive before 11:00, as it will be quite crowded, parking will be
at a premium, and you won’t get on an earlier bus. After
11:00, logistics permitting, we will begin calling the wait list to
registration and then put you on a bus. The fee will be $30 (cash
only, still $15 for kids), and will be paid at Annette when you
arrive there, before you go on the hike (we can’t take money
at Hyak). No matter when you go out, you MUST be back at the
Annette trailhead by 3:30, when the last bus returns to Hyak (most
folks should still have plenty of time). You will receive a Goody
Bag but not a voucher for an APE coin. Thanks for your patience,
and hope it works out!
More Details
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).
Other local hiking resources.
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
follow it to the Hyak parking lot and look for our event signs and
buses. (If you end up at Hyak Lodge or Lake Keechelus, you missed
the right turn for the Hyak parking lot.)
Hazards: You should not encounter any scary flora or
fauna on the APE hike. The well-maintained trails are free of
blackberry, stinging nettle, and devil’s club (we can’t
say the same if you decide to bushwhack here or elsewhere). 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 – careful where you put your hands. We also have
coyotes, cougars, and bears – oh my! – as well as elk
and deer, but you are not likely to see them during the day,
especially with 400 people on the trail.
Services: There will be multiple toilets at both venues,
but that’s about it. There are a seasonal gas station, small
grocery, and restaurant(s) at Hyak, but most services are in North
Bend, 22 miles away. So be prepared! (‘90s TV trivia:
“Twin Peaks” was filmed in North Bend. And
“Northern Exposure” was shot in Roslyn, on the east
side of the Cascades.)
Dogs: Dogs are allowed on the trails and the buses, but
please keep them leashed at all times for the courtesy and safety
of others. If you don’t have a leash on your dog, you
won’t be allowed on the bus.
Bicycles and other transport: No motorized vehicles are
allowed on the trails, which means no motorcycles, ATVs, golf
carts, etc. However, bicycles are allowed on both trail sections,
should you want to do that another time (we will not be
transporting them on the buses).
Public transportation: Greyhound/Trailways (206-628-5508)
stops at the visitor center at Snoqualmie Pass as part of scheduled
service from Seattle, Everett, Tacoma, Bellingham, Mt Vernon and
Olympia to Ellensburg and points east.
Can’t make the event? Stop by the WSGA booth during
GeoWoodstock and pick up info on doing the hike on your own. Keep
in mind you need a Northwest Forest
Pass to park at Annette Lake trailhead; these can be purchased
online, at a ranger station, or at many local businesses (e.g.,
REI), especially in North Bend (gas stations, quick marts).
Contacts: If you have any questions, please contact the
event director, hydnsek.