Drive to a nice scenic viewpoint of the Nason Creek valley. Looking
north is Round Mountain (mountain goat country) and looking south
is the Chiwaukum Mountains. The hike to Lake Ethel is 9 miles round
trip with a 3300 ft. elevation gain. Lake Ethel is part of a group
of lakes called Scottish Lakes, which consists of Lakes Ethel,
Eileen Julius, and Donald. (You don't have to hike to Lake Ethel to
get this cache. It's practically a drive-by cache).
The Snap Crackle Pop you hear coming from the transmission lines
is caused by corona. Corona occurs when the voltage of the line
exceeds the insulating capability of air. Corona is higher on misty
days because the air has a lower insulating ability when wet.
Transmission lines carry power long distances. High voltages (up
to 765kV) are used because less power is lost as heat. Steel towers
can be spaced nearly a quarter of a mile apart. The cable is made
with aluminum wire. Aluminum is a good conductor that is much
lighter than copper. With lighter wire the towers can be spaced
more widely so that fewer are needed.
BPA operates one of the world’s largest networks of
long-distance, high-voltage lines. This system has more than 300
substations and more than 15,000 miles of transmission lines,
almost 4,400 miles of which are operated at 500,000 volts. BPA’s
lines make up the main electrical grid for the Pacific Northwest.
The grid delivers large blocks of power to substations located near
load centers. Public and investor-owned utilities and rural
cooperatives take delivery of the power at these points and deliver
it to the ultimate customers.