Mount St. Helens, Ape Cave Lava Tube

Look closely, there is a deer right in the middle of the picture.  She hung out by our camp site in Cougar, WA.

Lava flows near Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens Ape Cave Lava Tube is the longest lava tube in the continental United 
States at over two miles in length.

About 2,000 years ago lava poured down 
the southern flank of Mount St. Helens in streams.  As the lava flowed the outer 
edges of the lava stream cooled forming a hardened crust which insulated the 
molten lava beneath.  This allowed the lava to remain hot and fluid encased in this 
“lava tube” and continued flowing months during the eruption.  The end result was 
the creation of this spectacular 13,042 foot long lava tube.  This formation is especially 
unusual at Mount St. Helens as this type of volcano usually erupts lava of a much 
thicker consistency which tends to block flow and build up pressure resulting in 
explosive eruptions like the blast of 1980.  

Going down into the cave - where the average temperature is 42 degrees F.

Headlamps - check, supplemental light sources - check, warm hoodie - check!

Let's go cave exploring!!

The lower Ape Cave is approximately is .75 miles long and can be hiked down and back in about an hour.  It is most famous for the “Meatball” - a block of cooled lava which fell from the lava tube ceiling while lava was still flowing through the cave.   Floating on the surface of the lava flow it was carried downstream until it became wedged in a narrow spot above the present cave floor.  

Warning - do not touch the walls - cave “slime” lives on the cave walls and is an important food source for cave life.

Seams in the lava...makes one a little nervous when you are a mile underground.....

The rocks sparkle beautifully when you shine a light on them....like an underground starry sky.

Cave self-pic

Huge lava-dimpled rock in the cave

Mount St. Helens has long been famous as an 
area frequented by Bigfoot, Sasquatch or “Hairy Ape” sightings.  We didn't see any this weekend unfortunately.

Beautiful green moss covers the trees in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Summer in the Pacific Northwest - beautiful

Mount St. Helens

Camping!  Getting ready to make some s'mores!  There was no cell or satellite TV service in the forest, so we had to get outdoors for some woodsy fun.....

Mmmmmmmm......

Moonrise over the mountains.