Ape Cave's deplorable condition

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NacMacFeegle
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Ape Cave's deplorable condition

Post by NacMacFeegle » June 30th, 2016, 12:05 pm

Last weekend I visited Ape Caves and was appalled by the graffiti, trash, and human waste I found there. The cave is in seriously bad shape, and is desperately in need of restoration. Something needs to be done to put a stop to the degradation of the caves - it is an awful shame to see this natural wonder treated so badly. I've written an extensive article on the subject on my blog: http://illuminationsfromtheattic.blogsp ... onder.html
Read my hiking stories and more at: http://illuminationsfromtheattic.blogspot.com/

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Guy
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Re: Ape Cave's deplorable condition

Post by Guy » July 1st, 2016, 9:07 am

Wow, surprised to hear that you found the caves in such poor condition. We hiked the hole length (upper and lower) back in May and saw very little litter within the cave and experienced no smell of human waste.

We did see all the terrible graffiti on the walls just past the upper exit which was very saddening but that was the only place we saw modern graffiti.

https://www.oregonhikers.org/forum/view ... =8&t=23871
Last edited by Guy on July 1st, 2016, 10:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
hiking log & photos.
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kepPNW
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Re: Ape Cave's deplorable condition

Post by kepPNW » July 1st, 2016, 10:09 am

Guy wrote:We hiked the hole length (upper and lower) back in May and saw very little litter within the cave and experienced no smell of human waste.
We were there in January, and didn't see/smell much in the way of litter or excrement, either.
Guy wrote:We did see all the terrible graffiti on the walls just past the upper exit was is very saddening but that was the only place we saw modern graffiti.
There was more.
  • Image
    Shortly above the lower entrance.

    Image
    Just above the skylight, carved into the cave slime.

    Image
    About 1/10 the entire mess above the upper entrance.
Really tragic that people just don't seem to care anymore. :evil:
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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NacMacFeegle
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Re: Ape Cave's deplorable condition

Post by NacMacFeegle » July 1st, 2016, 10:38 am

Guy wrote:Wow, surprised to hear that you found the caves in such poor condition. We hiked the hole length (upper and lower) back in May and saw very little litter within the cave and experienced no smell of human waste.

We did see all the terrible graffiti on the walls just past the upper exit which was very saddening but that was the only place we saw modern graffiti.

https://www.oregonhikers.org/forum/view ... =8&t=23871
Considering how crowded the caves were when we left I would guess that the caves are becoming more popular and the monument doesn't have the funds to cope with so many people. I also think that a lot of the problem comes from the caves being open and unattended at night.
Read my hiking stories and more at: http://illuminationsfromtheattic.blogspot.com/

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kepPNW
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Re: Ape Cave's deplorable condition

Post by kepPNW » July 1st, 2016, 10:53 am

NacMacFeegle wrote:Considering how crowded the caves were when we left I would guess that the caves are becoming more popular and the monument doesn't have the funds to cope with so many people. I also think that a lot of the problem comes from the caves being open and unattended at night.
Changes are in store...
The Columbian wrote:Limits proposed on access to Ape Cave

By Al Thomas, Columbian Outdoors Reporter
Published: October 28, 2015, 5:50 PM


COUGAR — Faced with heavy use and after-hours parties, drinking and fires at night and in winter, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest is proposing changes at popular Ape Cave, including closure gates in the off-season.

The cave, a 2.5-mile lava tube, is on the south side of Mount St. Helens. It gets an estimated 170,000 visitor per year. It is the longest continuous lava tube in the continental United States.

“There are regular acts of vandalism such as graffiti on the cave walls, litter within the cave, evidence of fire and human waste inside the cave,’’ said Deb Schoenberg, a recreation planner for the U.S. Forest Service. “This negative behavior typically occurs when the cave is unmanned, like at night or during the winter.’’

An open house to discuss proposed changes at Ape Cave is scheduled from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday at the Gifford Pinchot National Forest headquarters, 10600 N.E. 51st Circle.

Among the Forest Service’s proposals:
  • Installing vandal-resistant cave gates to restrict access in the off-season and after hours at the main entrance, upper entrance and upper skylight of Ape Cave.
  • Adding a public gathering area along the current access trail to the main entrance for talks about cave etiquette and resources.
  • Adding an enclosure fence surrounding the upper entrance to Ape Cave and from Ape Headquarters around the main entrance.
  • Filling in with boulders a human-dug entrance in to the upper cave. The hole was excavated over the years by cavers.
  • Adding a ladder or hand holds in the lava fall area in the upper cave.
  • Potentially adding a decontamination station along the trail to the cave entrance if white-nose syndrome occurs. White-nose is a fungal growth around the muzzles and wings of hibernating bats. The station would include a walk-through foot bath for cleaning the bottom of shoes with a mild detergent.
  • Building two exclosures inside Ape Cave for demonstration and educational opportunities. A barricade fence would keep people out of two small sections of the lower cave.
  • Installing four to seven interpretive signs for self-guided education tours.
  • Limiting access inside the cave to “business hours,’’ such at 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from mid-April through mid-October.
“There’s a need to limit access when staff can’t be on site,’’ Schoenberg said. “We believe this action will control access to those individuals that disrespect the cave.’’

If access is limited by season and hours, special groups still could have access by permit or reservation when Forest Service staff is not present, she said.

“Similar types of reservations take place in our cabins, lookouts, recreation rentals, etc.,’’ she added.

The Forest Service hopes to learn more about concerns and options from the public, she said.

An environmental assessment will be prepared this fall. A 30-day comment period will follow the release. A decision could be implemented by spring of 2016.
I have not heard any outcomes from these talks. Yet.
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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NacMacFeegle
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Re: Ape Cave's deplorable condition

Post by NacMacFeegle » July 1st, 2016, 3:04 pm

Thanks kepPNW for posting that, I knew there were talks of changes at the caves but I couldn't recall what they were or if anything came of them. The proposed changes would probably help, though I don't like the idea of installing barricade fences at the lower end of the cave, and I think it would be better for the caves to open at 7 or 8 AM rather than 9:30.
Read my hiking stories and more at: http://illuminationsfromtheattic.blogspot.com/

klossner
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Re: Ape Cave's deplorable condition

Post by klossner » July 21st, 2016, 12:49 pm

This is why the locations of so many caves are kept secret. Ape Cave is the sacrificial cave that the public is told about. There are several excellent lava tubes within a few miles that are free of vandalism and in which the bat populations still thrive (because we don't visit during their season).

sarahbethea
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Re: Ape Cave's deplorable condition

Post by sarahbethea » August 9th, 2016, 9:56 am

It is so sad to hear that litter is such a problem everywhere. I have been going to trails to do pick up.
Do you know of any other trails in OR or southern washington that are beautiful but heavily littered? I am looking to get a group out for hanging out, having fun, and picking up lots of litter, and I am looking for the right location. If you know of any places, please let me know the trail names etc..! Thanks!

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