6.4 miles of hiking • 750' elevation gain •
Given the crappy weather today, decided to go underground :) I've been in Ape Cave once a few years ago (in lower cave only), so after 0.8 mile on a closed road I took obvious trail in the snow for about 25 more minutes until realizing the cave's lower entrance was back near the parking lot. Guessed the trail will lead me to upper entrance instead, and it was the case. The upper entrance is very narrow, like 2 feet and if not the tracks in the snow I'd not even go in there. The cave was fun, a lot of scrambling over fallen rock, and down 2 frozen vertical "lava falls" - one was ~6 ft tall, the other ~8 feet - the taller one has a rope, otherwise it would be difficult. Upper cave is filled with rock fall for more than 1/2 of the way; pretty slow going. It took me about 1:20 one way for the upper half, and only 20 minutes 1-way for slightly shorter but easy lower half.
When I re-emerged on the surface, the winter wonderland was gone; it was pouring rain and 2 feet of snow have turned into slush. This area is known to get some epic downpours (heard there was once recorded 17 inches of rain near June Lake in just 24 hours), and tonight was a good one, could hardly see in front of my car. Luckily, the road - except for last 1/3 mile - got plowed earlier today.
