Team Mud ‘N Blood* spent a memorable day caching in Snaqualmie Pass. The intent of this 4 hour drive from home was to visit the famed “Tunnel of Light.” This is a 1,600 acre Washington park that is only about 10 feet wide. It is a converted railroad bed that runs from Seattle to points east. The trail itself is nicely packed gravel and an easy walk. Nothing overly special. But the highlight is the tunnel.
Almost half a mile up the trail from the parking lot, you see the opening of the 2.7 mile tunnel.
Arriving at the Tunnel
After a slight dogleg, the light fades behind you and all you see in front of you is the smallest pin prick of light in the distance. The walls are black with the soot of trains gone by.
Inside the tunnel... no lights except the flashlights we carried
There is a cache hidden inside the tunnel. And we were able to locate it on the first pass through. The ultimate goal, however, was the Project A.P.E. cache. Hidden in 2001 by the movie studio that produced the remake “Planet of the Apes,” this cache has become one of the most sought after caches in the sport.
The Cache
The trek back through the tunnel was equally as interesting, although it took us 20 minutes longer as we were looking for another hidden cache. But no luck on that one.
The eastbound entrance to the tunnel.
We figured we’d be alone on this trek, but this is one popular spot. We passed more than 100 bikers, walkers, and even a group of unicycle riders that were enjoying this hike.
Overall, we found 10 caches today. But by far, the Tunnel of Light will be one of my favorite caching stories of all time. What fun!
leave a reply