The Ape Caves are called so because they are named after a team of explorers, the Mount St. Helens Apes. These explorers were the first to discover and explore the caves back in 1951. The name "Apes" is said to be derived from the acronym for the "Alpine Pecking Explorers Society," which was a group organized by Harry Reese, one of the early explorers of the cave. The caves became known as the Ape Caves as a nod to these pioneers.
