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Planet of the Apes

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Formed nearly 2000 years ago from lava streaming down the southern flank of Mount St. Helens, Ape Cave is the longest continuous lava tube in the continental US, at 2.5 miles long. Hiking the cave is truly a unique experience. The temperature stays at a constant 42 degrees F, and despite the total darkness, “cave slime” bacteria is able to thrive, and coats the walls of the caves. I used my headlamp to illuminate the twisting passageway of the cave in this photo, and the silver-green color of the walls and “roof” of the cave is actually the aforementioned “cave slime”. Ape Cave, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington.

Copyright
Joseph Priola
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1280x1920 / 3.4MB
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Contained in galleries
American West
Formed nearly 2000 years ago from lava streaming down the southern flank of Mount St. Helens, Ape Cave is the longest continuous lava tube in the continental US, at 2.5 miles long. Hiking the cave is truly a unique experience. The temperature stays at a constant 42 degrees F, and despite the total darkness, “cave slime” bacteria is able to thrive, and coats the walls of the caves. I used my headlamp to illuminate the twisting passageway of the cave in this photo, and the silver-green color of the walls and “roof” of the cave is actually the aforementioned “cave slime”. Ape Cave, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington.
Joey Priola Wilderness Photography