This cache was placed on a day of playing on the Suiattle River Road. This road has been closed at mile 12 for several years due to a washout but is perfect for hiking or biking past there as there is little elevation gain.
I had been on this road years ago before it closed and I remembered there being a cabin out here that one could rent out. I had wanted to find that cabin and today I did. It is boarded up right now but I am sure that once the road is open, it will be as well.
According to the Forest Service website:
"The cabin was built in 1913 to house a forest guard working in the Suiattle drainage. The guard was responsible for fire prevention and suppression, issuing fire permits to campers and hikers, and patrolling campgrounds along the Suiattle River. The guard was usually the first person on the scene of a wildfire.
The cabin was constructed by Tommy Thompson, Assistant Ranger of the Suiattle-Finney district. Prior to World War I, Forest Service construction budgets were limited and building costs could not exceed $800. Because of budget limitations, rangers built their own stations. Many rangers used log construction and hand split shakes, reducing the need to purchase building materials. Poor construction was common result of budget limitations combined with rangers’ lack of construction experience. However, construction details on the Suiattle Guard Station, such as the half-dovetail notching, show that Ranger Thompson knew how to work with logs. It is a testament to his skill that the cabin survives to this day as one of the two oldest administrative buildings on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
In 1913 the Suiattle drainage patrols were conducted on foot or by pack string. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed a road through the drainage during the late 1930s. In 1935/36, the CCC added a garage for storing fire tools. The Suiattle Guard Station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990."
The cache is an ammo can hidden just before you enter the meadow in front of the cabin. It should be accessible year round as the elevation is low enough that the area doesn't get much snow. I imagine this would be a wonderful winter destination if one was so inclined. The terrain rating on this cache is for distance, it is just about 5 miles from parking. Enjoy.