Big Four Ice Caves
Sep 11, 2009
by
Timinator
—
last modified
Sep 11, 2009 07:42 PM
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Big Four Ice Caves
- Region: North Cascades -- Mountain Loop Highway
- Agency: Darrington Ranger District
- Trails: Big Four Ice Caves (#723)
- Avg Rating: 3.88
- Be Aware Of
- Mudholes
The start of the trail head from the picnic area.
A perfect day for a perfect hike! This was our first time at this location. We arrived at 10am to see only one other car in the parking lot. The trail was the best maintained and easiest I have ever been on. The new bridge is up and looks like it could survive anything the river could throw at it. Crystal clear water flowed through the various rivers and creeks that we crossed over. The climb is only a couple hundred feet which is done via easily managed switch backs toward the end of the trail. A couple spots on the trail were muddy reroutes due to the groomed trail being knocked out by tree damage last winter. But it was still very easy to traverse. The wooded trail opens up to toppled trees and a rock bed from the winter avalanches. Clearing the trail, we arrived to an amazing view of a large ice cave at the base of the Big Four Mountain. The temperature dropped from mid-60's to around 45 as we got closer to the cave. Heeding all the warnings about not getting too close, not climbing on, or into - we managed to snap some amazing pictures. We took a break on the small rise of rocks to the right of the trail end and just took in the awesome beauty of the sheer vertical rock faces and water falls. After our rest, we ventured further to the right, only to discover another group of ice caves and waterfalls. This part of the walk was all on rugged rocks. Well worth the extra walking but be sure to wear good hiking boots or shoes. Tennis shoes just won't provide the necessary support for your arches. We took our time getting back to the picnic area for a nice lunch. Being a week day (Friday), there were only a few other hikers that we met on the trail. We plan on visiting this trail again and hopefully introducing some of our friends to it.
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You can tell it has been a dry summer. Taken from the new aluminum bridge.
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Yes, he's still quite a good distance from the front of the cave. We told him to start running if he hears ice breaking.
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This is why you don't want to venture too close to the top of the trail in the winter. Avalanches have knocked all these trees down and piled them up to the right of the trail.
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