Today was the big day - cache #150!!!! Mission 9: Tunnel of Light.
Mission 9 is located in the Cascades about 10 miles East of Snoqualmie Falls. We got a relatively early start and arrived at trailhead at 10:30 AM. George and Barb - very good friends - arrived about twenty minutes later and we headed off - and up. The trail winds its way up through incredibly thick forest and emerges on a rails-to-trails railroad bed about a mile up from the parking lot. And then one heads east along the trail for another mile, and voila, tucked under a giant stump is the Ape cache!
After we did the Ape cache, we continued east for another half mile to a two mile long train tunnel built in 1912. The tunnel is part of the trail and is totally cool. Very very very dark, dripping water, a total blast. As Barb observed, the perfect Halloween location! We wandered about 1/2 mile into the tunnel before we decided to turn around and head back - it was tempting to go the whole way. Very tempting. But, rational minds prevailed.
We did another cache near the opening of the tunnel and then headed back down.
It was a great day - we lucked out on the weather front - just light rain and mist. And perhaps even a touch of snow up at the tunnel. As we were leaving, the rain really started come down.
We capped off our great expedition with an exquisite, albeit late, lunch at the renowned Salish Lodge.
Talk about the perfect day!
Oh - and I wore my new Asolo hiking boots that we picked up yesterday at the REI Mothership here in Seattle. The hiking boots were a very spiffy birthday present from the Ski Boy. They were great - provided tons of support, kept my feet dry during our creek fording, and best of all - no blisters!!!!
Now for the photo log - there are a ton of pictures. This area is unreal on the scenic front.
Speaking of scenic, here's your typical creek in the mountains photo:
George, Barb and the always connected, Ski Boy:
George and Peter negotiating the creek crossing. I can hear Scott asking, "What Creek Crossing?". It's a long story...
Barb, Me, George and the humongous cache!
George, Barb, and the Ski Boy. My camera comes through in the deep dark pitch black of the tunnel.
Me and Peter - amazingly not blinking - that flash was pretty harsh.
The tunnel opening - I wish I had been able to get a better shot - this one is sort of lame.
Barb and Peter in the hobbit-like forest on the way back.
My attempt at an artsy mushroom-moss-tree stump photo.
5:46:06 PM 
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