KAAAABOOOOOM ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

(if this repeated I appoligize, I'm not sure how to post)

This is one exciting and beautiful area. This new letterbox is high up
in the Cascade Mountains or Washington State; on the flanks of the
lower 48's most active volcano. Located in the washed out lahar area
on the Southside of Mount Saint Helen's . A lahar is a mud or debris
flow. This particular lahar occurred when Mount Saint Helen's erupted
on May 18th, 1980. The initial explosion instantly melted the
shoestring glacier and the lahar totally washed away a mile wide and
several mile long swath of the mountain. Needless to say the area is
uniquely beautiful.

Initially Cara and I wanted to hide the letterbox somewhere on the Ape
Canyon Trail. We carried the box up past timberline and then around to
the Plains of Abraham (a pumice field on the flanks on Saint Helen's
with a few small glaciers looming overhead). It is about 13 miles
round trip to the Plains of Abraham and I strongly recommend hiking up
there. The Ape Canyon trail parallels the lahar for 5 miles up the
side of the mountain. The trail mostly goes through an old growth
forest with trees that are thickly draped with goats beard moss.

We did not hide the letterbox on the trail though. It seemed too
difficult to come up with clues that would make the box semi-easy to
find. I would hate to have some one drive all the way out there and
hike all the way in only to get lost looking for the only letter box up
there.

So where is it?

The letterbox is hidden in the lahar area just south of the lahar
viewpoint parking area.


Driving Directions (to the South Side of Mount Saint Helen's)