As you head toward the main entrance of Mount Rainier National Park on Hwy 706, you may notice some interesting metal sculptures three miles east of Elbe. Recycled Spirits of Iron is a free, public sculpture park created by artist Dan Klennert. You can stroll its four acres and admire dozens of amazing (and amusing) sculptures made from discarded metal scrounged from abandoned machinery, trash dumps, and donations.
Dan hails from Minnesota, but moved to Seattle in 1957 (so he almost qualifies as a native). His interest in art began early, "sitting on the porch drawing as a young child," and he says art is the only reason he attended school. But he didn't develop his talent for metal sculpture until he became a mechanic and learned welding. He practiced by creating his first two metal masterpieces, and over the next 40 years, built a menagerie of eclectic, large-scale sculptures. Today, as a retiree, he continues creating new art from found metal and driftwood.
"I create for the love of art," Dan says. "I get my inspiration from the shapes and spirits contained in old metal and driftwood. I like to think that I'm recycling the spirit of the piece and giving it new life."
He refers to his collection as Ex-Nihilo, Latin for "something made out of nothing."
Thousands of folks from around the globe have visited the sculpture park over the years, and left their enthusiastic comments in Dan's collection of guestbooks.
This cache takes you on a short tour of the sculpture park, which is open year-round. If the gate is closed (esp. November to April), you can still park outside the entrance and walk in - we have specific permission from the landowner. (Dan says the sculptures look literally as well as figuratively cool with snow on them!)
Stage 1: "Maternal Vision"
The posted coordinates take you to the first of three sculptures you'll visit to determine the final coordinates.
On what date was the foal created? AB-C-D
Stage 2: "Musicians"
Which Beatle is honored here? E
- Paul McCartney
- John Lennon
- George Harrison
- Ringo Starr
Stage 3: "Shovel Head"
What animal's head is on the front of this sculpture? F
- Hog
- Eagle
- Lion
- Dog
Final: N 46° 45.CFB W 122° 08.EC(D+F)
Nominated for WSGA Cache of the Month for July 2016.
2016 was the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and to celebrate, Visit Rainier and 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. Participants received geocoin and pathtag prizes for finding all the caches.