Going APE!!!

World Record Attempt

 

Geocachers all over the world came together to collectively try and set a new record for the most cachers caching on a single day. (NOT Caches found in a single day) 

That day was International Geocaching Day on August 20/22. This was the 11th anniversary of International Geocaching day. It was started in 2011. The previous Record of cachers out caching in a single day was Aug 11/2013 when a total of 126,833 cachers logged at least one cache that day.

Cachers everywhere went out to seek at least one cache on Aug. 20th to hopefully set a new record, but unfortunately we came up short with only 112,477 cachers logging in. No one is sure why there was lots of cachers out on the record day of Aug. 11/2013

Groundspeak still awarded those that went out that day with a cool virtual souvenir!!!

Going APE and the Snoqualmie Tunnel

The Snoqualmie Tunnel is a former railroad tunnel near Snoqualmie Pass in the U.S. state of Washington, located east of Seattle. The tunnel crosses the Cascade Range about three miles (5 km) south of the pass, which is used by Interstate 90, on the border between King County and Kittitas County. It is 11,894 feet (2.253 mi; 3.625 km) long and is at an approximate elevation of 2,600 feet (790 m) above sea level, just north of Keechelus Lake. Its east portal is at Hyak.

The tunnel was originally constructed for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in the early 1910s and was abandoned in 1980. It now serves as part of a rail trail in Iron Horse State Park, known officially as the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. The trail was formerly known as the John Wayne Pioneer Trail and commonly called the Iron Horse Trail.  A major renovation to the walls, ceiling, and path were completed in July 2011 after a two-year closure.

What the heck is an APE cache? Check it out: Mission 9: Tunnel of Light. Originally placed in conjunction with the release of the Planet of the Ape's movie back in July 2001, 14 caches were placed with a unique icon. 

Alas, our beloved APE cache was stolen and archived in 2011. A tribute cache was placed called Mission 9: Tunnel of Light Reclaimed.

Due to the concerted efforts of a small band of cachers the original container was found about 300 feet down the hill and abandoned in the bushes, with some of the original swag still inside. With Groundspeak's blessing and the input of the community, the last Ape cache in North America was unarchived and reinstated in its place of honor in time for you to once again find the unique icon. At the time of writing this, the APE cache has 6916 finds and 2814 Favorite points!!! It was first placed here on July 18/2001

Seattle Bound!!

On the way down to Seattle we grabbed a few caches. One was called "Crazy Monkey Monopod", which I tried to get several years ago on a different trip. It was up in a tree, but my extendable pole would be of no use. I had to make the climb. 

The first part of the Tree of about 8 feet, there was no branches or anything to grab onto. We brought down a 3 step ladder to get me high enough to grab something to pull myself up. That was our TOTT of the day. lol. 

Here I am retrieving the cache.

Our next stop was Seattle to do a webcam cache, a couple of vituals, an AL and grab some gum. lol

 

We visited Pike Place Market, it was the evening so a lot of stuff was shut down, but that just made it easier to grab the caches and Adventure Labs we needed to get.

NOTE: The highlighted or underlined words in my blog can be clicked on as they are links to other cool stuff!! Also if you click on any of the pictures they become bigger!!!

There is a cool Virtual at the Market, which takes you to some cool spots, including the First ever Starbucks.

No visit to Seattle and Pikes Place Market is complete unless you visit the famous Gum Wall. The fact that there is a cache there also helps. lol. I found the original cache that was there years ago, but this is a new cache. This one was easier to find.

We even bought some gum, and each left a piece on the wall. Cause that's what you do!!!

Here we are getting a rare Webcam cache, that many have not been able to get as the camera changes from North to south view quite often, and you need to get it when it is pointing South!! That is us at the corner just to the right and Susan is wearing a pink hoodie as you can see in other pics of us this evening at Pikes place Market, and the gum wall!!

After wandering around the area and visiting the pier to grab another Virtual called "BIG WHEEL" we decided to call it a night.

We then headed to the hotel as we planned on getting up early for the next days adventures!!

PS: On the right hand side of this webpage is where you can find my YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram, links. Please feel free to check them out and follow or subscribe!!!

The next morning we headed towards the event, but were able to grab a gadget cache, a couple of traditionals, a TB Hotel and a Virtual along the way. We went to another gadget cache called "It Takes THREE" but we couldn't do it as you needed between 3 and 6 people to access the cache box. We couldn't do it so we thought we will come back thru here anyway after the event and hopefully some people will be here, so it can be done. 

Can you see the cache?? Tricky part was getting it open, as you need at least three people.(PS it's not the port a potty)

WSGA's Going Ape XI

We made it to the event and then went and signed in.
This is the log sheet for the "Going APE XI" event. He was only the first of 4 creatures we would see today.

Didn't we just see this guy at Geowoodstock up in BC, Canada?? He sure does get around!!!

And then it was time to head thru the Tunnel to the APE cache!!!

 You could feel the temperature drop as you got about 200 metres before the tunnel. And it was like entering a whole new world. Such a cool feeling.

Inside the tunnel on the ceiling there are icicle shaped formations hanging from the roof. These are called "Speleothem's." There are similar to the Stalactites, you would find in a cave.We saw a lot of these. Very Cool, and it was also part of an earthcache that I did not get when thru the tunnel last time.

In the middle of the Tunnel there is a cache. It has been here since 2004 and the CO comes here for the event, dresses up like a werewolf and hangs out at the cache to scare cachers and other passerby's. 

I got my picture with him in 2013 when I walked thru the tunnel for the first time. Had to get one this time as well!!

We came out of the 3.625 KM long tunnel and headed up the trail to the coveted APE cache, grabbing other caches as well. While there we got a picture with Sasquatch.

One of the caches we got called "The Iron Horse Express", while here, had this posted on the Cache page:

 July 22nd 2011. 5 or 6 of the caches along the Iron Horse Trail were vandalized / stolen, including this one and the A.P.E. Cache. 

So it wasn't just one cache that was targeted to be destroyed or stolen. We met one of the cachers who organized the hunt for the APE cache, and he showed us where they found the original cache container. Here is the story: "Long Lost APE cache is Found"

Here is a picture of Susan and I, just above where the APE cache was tossed, and 5 years later found, a mere 300 feet from it's original hiding spot. 

Once we spent a bit of time and chatted with others, on this side of the tunnel, we decided to head back thru the Tunnel and to the parking lot. 

We put on our headlamps and off we went.

On the other side of the tunnel we finished up the last of the Adventure Labs that were placed for the event. Next stop would be back to "It takes THREE" to grab it this time. There were several cachers there, so finding it was easy. (We had a plan if no one else was there, that involved tape....shhhh) We then grabbed some gadget caches on the way back to BC.

There are several gadget caches in the Seattle area that were placed by a cacher named "Bouncebounce."

If you get the chance to grab any of his caches, I highly recommend it. The next three caches we grabbed on the way back north, were his and they did not disappoint. Here are some pics of them, but without seeing them in person, you don't get the same feeling.

This one had 100 feet of chain that you had to pull out of the pipe to get the cache at the end of it.

"Super heroes in Jeopardy" was an amazing electronic cache. We were there at least 20 minutes, to solve it, and get into the cache box.

We then headed for a couple more caches on the way back across the border, including a challenge cache and a very spooky cache, which we found in the woods just as it was getting dark.

So in total this weekend(Actually just a day and a half) we found:

35 caches

24 Adventure Lab locations

1 webcam

5 virtual caches

5 gadget caches

1 challenge cache

1 BIG Wheel

1 Gum Wall cache

1 APE cache

2 earthcaches

1 Free little Library cache

1 High Five!!

1 Tree climb

1 Letterbox

1 mega event

2 puzzles

1 multi

1 werewolf

1 Sasquatch

1 Signal the Frog

1 signboard on an Ape

1 Looooong Tunnel

Such an awesome time, looking forward to my next Geoadventure with Susan!!

Well that's it for this month,

Keep on caching!!

Chris Yuill

Magicman65