Ape Cave
Car camping trip to Paradise Point State Park with exploration of Ape Cave on Saturday.
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Beyond the usual packing and planning for a car camp, I would like to point out these additional details for this particular trip:
FOOD
Scouts will need a sack dinner for Friday night.
Scouts will need money for lunch on Sunday. Depending on what time we leave camp, we'll probably hit Burgerville in Centralia or Carl's Jr. in Olympia.
GEAR
In addition to the standard camping gear, please consider these notes:
Hiking boots that provide ankle support and have good traction are required for Ape Cave. No boots, no entry.
Long, sturdy pants are required. Scout pants will need their legs zipped on for the cave.
Caving helmets, bicycle helmets or hard hats are strongly recommended. Same for sturdy, grippy work gloves. (Scouts will be clambering over rocks, some of which are sharp.) Knee pads (gardening, skateboarding, etc.), if already owned, aren't a bad idea, either.
The caves are a constant 42 degrees. Dressing in layers is a must. Troop fleece or some kind of hoodie is advised for an outer layer, along with a knit cap under the Scout's helmet.
Everyone should have a day pack for the cave, so they can add or remove layers of clothes. Everyone should have a minimum of two light sources for the cave, and three is better. (One preferably a headlamp.) Everyone should have an unbreakable water bottle for the cave.
PASS
Drivers taking their vehicles to Ape Cave will need a NW Forest Parking Pass ($5) available at the general store (cash only) in Cougar, WA, or online here.
RULES
No food or beverages in the caves.
No rock collecting or damaging cave features ($200 fine).
Do not touch the walls -- Cave slime lives on the cave walls and is an important food source for cave life.
No disturbing creatures in the cave, especially bats.
REVIEW
Excellent write-up on TripAdvisor.com. Strongly encourage all to read it, so you know what to expect and what to bring.
If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask!
Directions
