roadtrip | summer 2011 | thu aug 11 | deep woods & dark caves

We woke at Mossyrock, ready for adventure. After pancakes and a few more laps around the BMX track, we packed up our gear and made our way to Morton, about 12 miles further east from the campground. There we did another resupply for groceries and ice before our journey through the backroad between mountains. A flea market was just setting up near the store, so we browsed the scattered wares and came away with two antler pieces that looked perfect on our dash next to the cowboy hat.

Then it was off to the backwoods roads of Gifford Pinochet National Forest.

The park connects Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and the Columbia River—vast stretches of mountainous forest roads winding through thick, dense trees. We zigged and zagged through the woods, trees and vistas rushing past. Our picnic spot was a little pull-out framing Mt. St. Helens in the distance, the east side, where the peak almost looks whole again. It's easy, from there, to see what was lost in the eruption. The other side must have once looked very much the same, instead of the dry, dusty scrub it is today.

After winding back down from the peaks, we made it over to the Ape Caves on the south side, where an ancient lava flow—rare for this type of volcano—flowed downhill, cooling from the outside in and leaving a hollow tube. The caves descend for about 1 1/2 miles, split into an upper and lower section. We chose the lower, and scrambled down the staircases to the dark. It's 42° down there all day, year-round, so we packed our warm jackets and headlamps, descending to the darkest dark. Just a little way into the cave we found it to be a thick black, with a hollow echo. Lots of people go down there, some with lanterns, but the cave winds and turns so that you only see fellow hikers when they come around a corner, and they quickly disappear.

The walls are ruffled, showing the contours of the lava as it cooled into rock. Strange formations, with crystalline details like the lobes of a brain, form where the rock was melted and cooled a second time. The fluctuating temperature created high ledges, stranded boulders and pitted pockets that are dark and deep. It was a hard hike, only 3/4 of a mile each way, but cold and dark. Coming back up to the sun and warmth was a welcome change, and we sat on a bench for a moment thawing our chilly fingers and toes.

After that we kept south on a small road that ends at the Columbia River. Our campsite was at Panther Creek, off the beaten track in a woody and secluded spot. It was a bittersweet night—our last night of camping for the trip. In celebration, we grilled thick, juicy steaks over the roaring campfire, and roasted potatoes in the hot coals. The meal was perfect, campside cuisine to rival the best steakhouse dinner. We savored the food, the company, and the thick warm comfort of our familiar tent and sleeping bags.


read about Fri, Aug 12>