The Cache: To
find the cache, hike up the
Big Quilcene Trail until you reach Marmot Pass. You'll depart
the trail here and hike own navigation to the cache site. The cache
is a cylindrical plastic container and is hiding in a cavity under
a boulder at about 6700'. The spoiler photo shows the boulder. The
coordinates are accurate and the satellite reception is excellent
at the cache site. If there is deep snow, bump the terrain rating
to five stars and bring an ice axe, snowshoes, and avalanche pole.
Don't limit yourself to only the area around the cache, explore the
whole ridgeline and take in the views. GPS reception was spotty on
the hike in, but excellent at the pass and the cache
site.
It is important that
you close the cache container correctly to prevent ingress of
water. Before you replace it, double check that the lid is
correctly and fully seated all the way
around.
The Trail:
The trail is the
Big Quilcene Trail.
Clicking on the link will take you to
the Olympic National Forest PDF file for the trail. Print the
page; it has the best and most current driving directions.
Leave it on the dashboard with your NW Forest Parking pass.
More information on the pass is available
here. The
trail is one of the best I've encountered. It begins by following
the river through a damp, ancient rainforest where the trees tower
above you and there is an abundance of moss, lichens, and ferns. As
the trail gently climbs, it becomes drier and more alpine. You will
cross two small slide areas that are rocky, but the rest of the
trail is packed dirt. You will cross a few streams as well, so good
boots are recommended. As you ascend the final switchback, you are
greeted with a beautiful view of the meadow and the pass. Beyond
the pass are more meadows and more stunning views. If you hunt this
cache during the rainy season it would be in your best interest to
stay as dry as possible.
Hypothermia
can kill you!
If you are hearty enough,
this cache can be reached via the
Tubal Cain Trail
#840 and you can pick up
the
Cache Landing at Tullis Canyon
and
Tubal Cain Treasure Hunt
for a terrific three-fer.
Kids and
Dogs: Kids should not have too much difficulty hiking
the trail to Marmot Pass, the biggest obstacle will be the
length of the walk. The hike from Marmot Pass trail to the
cache site is a bit steep but certainly not impossible. An
option may be to leave some of your party at the Pass and keep
in touch with them by FRS radios. They will be able to see you
(and vise-versa) for almost the whole accent to the cache
location, so radio reception will be excellent. Dogs will love
the Big Q trail as there is plenty of water along the route,
and only a couple rocky areas for their paws to deal with.
There are plenty of smells for their noses too. Watch them;
they will alert you to the presence of wildlife with their
better senses. Deer and elk frequent the meadow at the
pass.
