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Trout Lake Ice Cave LbNA #24501

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jul 28, 2006
Location:
City:Trout Lake
County:Skamania
State:Washington
Boxes:1
Planted by:kokopelli
Found by: Not yet found!
Last found:N/A
Last edited:Jul 28, 2006
Difficulty Level - Easy with a flashlight... extremely difficult without!!
Kid Friendly - Totally!!
Wheelchair accessible - sorry
Total time of hunt - Half hour tops with flashlight or headlamp... all day without!!

This is a great outting for a hot day if you're in the area. Just west of the small town of Trout Lake on Highway 141, there are a few different points of interest along the way between this town and Carson including this small group of ice caves and some natural land bridges.

From Hood River, OR/White Salmon, WA, take Highway 141 north towards Mt. Adams, past BZ Corners, to the small town of Trout Lake. Continue left at the junction and head west towards the town of Carson. The highway turns into a more primitive asphalt two-lane road that will lead you to the forest area with points of interest. The ice caves are on the south side of the road. Follow the information signs to the parking area. There is a $5 day use fee, but there's some great picnic areas if a picnic is on your agenda. You'll definitely want to have a headlight or flashlight to make your way through the caves to see the great ice formations and find the box.

To the box...
The main cavern is very close to the small parking area and surrounded by a log fence. Before entering the cavern, find the map kiosk to the left to see what you have in store. Head down the steep staircase into the cave. The temperature down there is very close to freezing, so you may want to take a light jacket. Good shoes are best as well. You'll find it close to impossible to find the box without some form of light, so be sure your equipped.

When at the bottom of the staircase you can go either left or right to begin your adventure. Left will take you to the Crystal Grotto. Right will take you through a dark cavern that can actually take you all the way through to another opening in the cave about a quarter of a mile away. Go right and make your way through to a large boulder "crawl over" that takes you the final yards to the end (when on top of this boulder pile, you an actually see daylight ahead). Before crawling over this wall of boulders, use your light source to scan the huge boulders that block your way to find a pair that look like over-sized tablets set upright side by side like a couple of books. Crawl up on top of these tablets and find along the wall they're propped up against, a ledge. On this ledge, on the right side, tucked in the corner behind two lava rocks is your prize!! Attempt to sign in there in the dark with the help of your light source, or take with you to the end of the tunnel to stamp by natural light, then rehide back in its hidey-hole.

Please be discreet when finding and re-hiding this box. The area wasn't busy when the box was planted, but it tends to get busy in spurts.