Both of these boxes may be inaccessible during the snow months (about
November through about May, depending. Call ahead for conditions.), due to
road closures. Also, be sure to check the Climber's Registration on your
way past for fire/seismic/eruption hazards, and don't even think about
climbing the whole mountain without a $15 permit. (You don't need it for
these boxes). The fine for not having one is steeper than the steepest of
trails.

That said, the clues!

Box Name: Lahar Viewpoint
nearest town: Cougar
placed by/on: Eliza B/9-14-02
County: (either Cowlitz or Skamania, I'm not sure where it falls on the
county line thingee)
difficulty: clues and hike are very easy/child-friendly.

Directions: From Cougar, follow the 503 spur east to the
mountain. (honestly, it's hard to miss a giant volcano. Really.) Follow
the signs that will have you turn left, then right to the first box
(below), and from there, on to Lava Canyon. The Lahar Viewpoint is the
first on your right when you hit the Lahar area.

CLUES:

Park by the kiosk that has you singing "row, row, row your boat" in your
head for the next four hours. (Or maybe that's just me. I'm
suggestible.) Take the trail to your left as you look at all the pretty signs.

At the first choice, go straight (30 degrees). You'll pass a huge log
unearthed by mudflows from the eruption. (In fact, the whole landscape is
pumice from the eruption of '81, but don't be a dork and take any of
it. Leave no trace means not horking rocks, either.) Follow the trail
until it goes just over a little "lip" of a hill, and curves sharply toward
the mountain. Enjoy the view for three adult paces and notice the big rock
and small pines that are growing in front of you (Well, the trees are,
anyway. The rock's pretty much done growing.). Under the tree at 320,
there's your treasure, under a few pumice stones.

Be careful removing this one, this is a fragile landscape.

BOX NAME: A IS FOR.... (Washington Abecederian Series #1)
PLACED BY/ON: Eliza B/9-14-02
County: uh. Cowlitz or Skamania
Nearest town: Cougar
Difficulty: clues and hike are easy, kid-friendly

From Cougar, follow 503 Spur to St. Helens. Follow the sign for Ape
Caves, which requires a NW Forest Pass for parking (as do most of the
attractions in this vicinity these days -- it's worth investing in.).

Go up the concrete path to the gaping mouth of the cave. Behind you as you
face down into the abyss, is a sign letting you know that the trail is
maintained by some kind of Grotto. Take that trail.

Just past the two parallel, embedded logs, in the second stump on the left,
at the base in a hole and under one piece of bark and another of pumice, is
the Ape. Don't worry, he doesn't bite. But *I* do, if you don't use
caution putting this one back -- it's a well-travelled trail. Take care
not to be discovered.

Wimpy box hikes aside, after you get these two easy boxes, follow the signs
to Lava Canyon (about a mile or so past the Lahar Box). I used to hike
this all the time when I lived in Portland, and thought it was the World's
Hardest Trail because of the grade (insane), the Indiana-Jones-Type
suspension bridge (utterly nuts), and the sixty-some-odd-foot ladder at the
end that takes you to the trail for Smith Creek and, ultimately, the PCT
(out of their friggin' minds)....and while I still think it's very hard,
it's a walk in the park compared to some of these letterbox hikes, and the
scenery is unparalleled in beauty/visual interest. Don't take kids on the
hardest trail and watch 'em close -- this is a dangerous place due to the
1400+ feet of waterfalls (separated into a series that will leave you
breathless...).

There'd be more letterboxes here, but I left them in the car. *sigh* Next
time....
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