Trip Reports

Tough day. If you aren't familiar with the area you may miss the hike. No signs are up that denote where the entrances are, just mile markers. You are tasked with figuring out the rest.

Decent amount of snow on the roads. Three feet of snow on the "path". Made it to the base of the Mountain, but was too tired and concerned about walking further into the caves. There were at least 3 avalanches heard today.

About 60% of the snow is hardpack, but there are some sections that I fell in waist deep as I walked.

See this report for images >> http://www.wta.org/[…]/trip_report.2013-05-02.8002335171

This hike/snowshoe begins at the end of the plowed section of the Mountain Loop Hwy (Deer Creek Rd).No permits required. Park on the side of the road.

Fresh snow this past week and sunshine/high clouds made this a glorious outing. The first 2 miles was on the well-packed unplowed Mtn Loop Hwy. We did this in hiking boots, trax make it easier but not necessary. A fair number of people were enjoying themselves, families, young adults, old foggies, dogs, mostly walking, some on x country skies. But all in good spirits. Nice views of the Stilly, mountains, the forest, perfect snow for snowmen and snowballs. The numbers thinned as we approached Big Four picnic area, which took about an hour. The picnic shelter was dry and perfect for lunch, with a flock of jays ready to fight over any crumb.
We set off on snow shoes at the east end of the parking lot, immediately going the wrong way, mistaking the sign that said Big Four trailhead as meaning this was the trail and not the connecting path to the summer parkinglot. No problem, we just got an extra loop out of it, but the direct way is to turn towards the river at the bathroom. Now for the solitude of snow shoes, but still a few groups of people with or without snowshoes. The path is well beaten. Caution on the bridges, they are passable but the snow is as high as the railings, generally melted on one side, with overhangs and sloughs. On the last we chose the low road on the bridge level. Most people did not go much past the river. We continued to the avalanche area and followed the tracks of others through the snow to the top of the hill. In summer this boulder and blowdown area is impassable, but today was a treat to see the mountains on all sides and the ghostly denuded trees standing like sentinels in the snow. We were perhaps unwise to go the last bit as when we looked over the ridge to the basin in front of the mountain, we heard a few rumbles. But fortune was with us and nothing was moving. We enjoyed some treks across the unmarked snow on the way back, with the four-footed one sinking and leaping. Skunk cabbage was spotted in the snowy marsh just before the picnic area. Roundtrip with lunch - 4 hours.

Wanted to go touch some snow, so we drove up the south fork of the Stillaguamish to the Big Four Ice Caves trail. There was a light coat of slush in the parking lot, but 100 feet later we were standing on untrammeled snow, which we proceeded to trammel on the easy, barrier free path to the caves. About one inch on the ground and snowing lightly, the trees and cliffs were adorned in a white winter mantle. Lovely.

 I was off today so wanted to get back into the mountains. Started this hike at Big Four at 10:30am and there was only one car at the trailhead. The trail was in good shape with only patches of snow here and there. The issue was the wooden boardwalks. It was frozen this morning and the boardwalks were very slick. Even with poles I almost lost it on the boardwalks a few times. An easy hike, but watch the kids if the conditions are like this. On the way back from the caves it had warmed up and it was not as bad. First time I had been here and the caves were interesting. Was done with the hike early so decided to hike Barlow point. A few blowdowns and some windfall issues, but was able to follow the trail. Even though the Barlow Point Trail is short there was some elevation gain on switchbacks. After the sweat to get to the top I thought the view was mediocre, but it was good to get out and have a good climb and really enjoyed the ice cave hike. First time I really tried the winter hiking and am enjoying it.

We arrived early 8ish and had the place to ourselves for an hour. The misty foggy morning made for dramatic photos. Reflections were good, trail was a bit icy on the boardwalks in places. An inch of snow closer to the end of the trail. We respected the caves from the trail. I'm not sure if i could handle watching people climb in or around them, glad it was quite this morning. I like to be safe. After this short one we headed to Lake 22 seperate report on that one for more photos.

Tip: Park at Picnic Area and pay $5 or park 1/4 mile down the road on the right and park for free.

From the picnic area, take the boardwalk heading south towards the Big Four Mtn and ignore the "Ice Caves Trail" arrow. The boardwalk route is MUCH more direct which we enjoyed as it was lightly snowing and we have 2 small children.

Conditions: Trace of snow, VERY slippery boardwalks, some ice but reasonable walking conditions. Trail starts flat then climbs slightly towards the end.

VERY cool hike and stunning views, especially at the end.

I had been on this trail a few times before, but always earlier in the year. It is way better this late in the year! The caves were huge, the Big Four Mountain was as menacing and awe-inspiring as ever, and the snowpile had crevasses in it. (I had not seen that before.)

My dad and I were wondering why there are so many blowdowns everywhere surrounding the trail. It seems there are almost as many trees on the forest floor as there are standing up. If anybody knows why, feel free to email me at worldseries.whitesox at gmail dot com. I don't know when the road-closing snow will come, but if you have an opportunity to get out here before that, I recommend it.

The trail is snow free and the only snow we saw was in the chutes that form the ice caves. We hiked to the west once we arrived at observation area and went to the furthest water fall and caves on the west end of the wall. The caves in that area are smaller and are much more unstable. They do offer interesting forms as they are very prone to forming arches and then collapsing.

I had not been on the trail without snow on it in awhile and so I was able to appreciate all the improvements. Even on a rainy day there was no mud to step in if you tried. The whole trail is gravel and board walks.

There were still a few late blooming flowers and color in the leaves of bushes up there and Blue Jays looking for handouts.

  Weather was sketchy today but I decided to head out to the Mountain Loop Highway to try and hike a trail below 3,000 feet since the snow level was at 2500 feet. I was trying to get to Lake Boardman but the truck started sliding off road several times at 2,000 feet where the snow covered the road so I went to the Big Four Ices Caves Trail for my hike #42 this year.
  I probably should have just parked my truck where I turned around at the beginning of the snow and hiked the last two miles up the road to the trailhead but oh well. The hike out to The Big Four Ice Caves was covered in snow for a big portion of the hike. It looks like this area may have gotten 1 to 3 inches over night. The sun came out but there was a good bit of fog and overcast so the pictures weren't perfect but well worth the hike out.
 I have been out to these caves several times during different seasons of the year and as always you get people who ignore the warning signs and enter the caves. I know statistically the risk maybe in your favor but we have lost a half a dozen people here over the years because of cave-in or avalanches overhead. I guess this will always be the case so for this couple it tuned out to be a good day with no incident. The sun was coming out over the mountain top but I did not stay long enough to see if it would shine down on the top of the caves. The trail has recently been repaired so there are some new bridges on this mostly smooth trail. The trail is only about 2 1/2 miles in length so it is quite easy to do for most people. Checkout the videos of this hike or over 235 other hikes I have done in Washington State on my youtube channel at lmm3181 or click on this direct link to this hike:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRKqioxNTGM

As always get out and see this beautiful state and enjoy your hiking!
Take Care
Mike

We had a great time going to the ice caves with two kids (2 & 6). The best part we liked about this hike was that strollers can be used. There were few portions were we had to carry the stroller up in arms but a comfortable hike overall. Nice weather but the trail was not crowded. Cold air from the caves was a good experience. Better carry a warm jacket even on warm days if you are planning to go near the caves. As always, it's advisable not to enter in or go on the snow fields. Entrance of some caves were about 12 ft tall and the interiors were dark endlessly. Great experience. On the way to the caves, the metal bridge will make you stop to watch the clear water flowing under it. Near the caves, we also saw some fall colors.

We arrived at the main parking lot around 11:30 and it was nearly empty. There appears to be a trail maintenance project going on at this trailhead but you can still access the main trail to the ice caves via a .25 mile paved trail from the main parking area to the picnic area.

From the picnic area, the 1 mile trail is a combination of boardwalk, gravel, and dirt as it crosses a marshy area and ascends through the woods to the base of Big Four Mountain. Once you reach the base of the mountain, the trail flattens and proceeds along the side of a hill to a small viewing area. From this trail there are several spurs down to the rock field and the ice caves. The temperature drops about 10 degrees near the ice caves so it is a nice place to picnic on a hot day.

From the rock field and ice caves you can observe waterfalls rushing down the face of Big Four Mountain. You can also view Stillaguamish Peak and Mount Dickerman to the north. You need to be careful if you decide to climb on or near the ice caves, especially on a warm day. We observed running water inside the caves and saw small amounts of ice falling from them.

We haven't hiked this trail in awhile. We try to hike it at least once a year. It's one of our favorite hikes. The trail is well maintained. There is virtually no elevation gain and it's a short hike, making it very family friendly. We saw hikers of all ages and even some in strollers.

We picked Labor Day to hike this trail and we were certainly not alone. The trail was crowded as we expected. Despite the crowds, we really enjoyed our hike. We climbed the small hill across from the caves and sat on the rocks for over an hour just enjoying the views. Then we hiked a bit farther to see the caves furthest away from the trail.

To see more of our hike go to: http://1retromama.blogspot.[…]aves-723-mountain-loop.html

Hiked to the Ice Caves with the kids on Saturday afternoon. Great trail for kids. My 3-year old had not trouble walking the entire trail. The place is very interesting and unique for such an easily accessible trail. The only 'problem' is that the place was packed with people when we got there, around 3pm, but by 5pm it was nearly empty.

The caves are big, i would say that right now they are probably 10 or 12 feet tall. The air coming from inside the cave is really cold, something like a natural air conditioner.

The largest cave (in terms of height) is actually to the right side of the main caves - probably more than 15 feet high. However, the top of the cave is already getting really thin and melting quickly, so i would say that soon it will collapse.

When hiking back, we took the trail under the bridge to the river (after crossing it towards the parking lot) - it is a good place for the kids to play in the water.

The trail is very well maintained and easy.

Visited the Big Four Ice Caves on August 12, 2012. Arrived at 11:00 am. Parking lot was 95 percent empty (I expected 95 percent *full* on such a cloudless summer day), and it was only about 40 percent full when we left at 3:30 pm. Hadn’t visited since before the old bridge was washed out, so it had been a few years. I was surprised at how many huge fallen trees there were near the parking area, plus near the top (see photos at https://picasaweb.google.co[…]huser=0&feat=directlink). Elevation gain is supposedly only 200 feet, but I swear it’s more than that (400?), but the hike is easy and short (great for kids).

As for the caves themselves, they were far bigger and more numerous than I’d ever seen before, along the entire base of the mountain, easily with triple or quadruple the amount of snow compared to when I visited previously. The snow came all the way out to where the trail ends. Lots of fun to explore the entire area with my two kids (ages 6 and 8) for three hours at least. Many people were walking on the snow (we didn’t, except right at the edge), and some people went into very small ice caves, occasionally into the bigger ones (openings up to 20 feet high), although I understand that even the small caves are dangerous.

A highly recommended hike, and this year is definitely way more interesting than previous years (I talked with a few others there who were saying the same thing). Took the Mountain Loop Highway home via Darrington, which I’d never tried before (gravel road seemed to be in great condition). Not possible to see much scenery on this drive, since the trees are tall, but at least we’ve now tried driving the road.

Hit the trail at about 10:30 am with friends and kids in tow. Weather was beautiful. Got there before the big crowds. There are still no ice caves formed on the main glacier you see at the end of main trail. The snow is still almost all the way to the base of the trails end! Hiked around the knob to the other side and there are a few really good caves to peer into. The one on the far right is of course the best because the bigger waterfall clears a tunnel all the way to the base of the cliffs!

Crowds had shown up by 11:30 - Noon as we were heading back down.

Yesterday I took my 4 and 6 year old boys up to the Mtn Loop to camp at Gold Basin. I'd heard about the Big Four as something easy for kids to do so we went up there to check it out. Weather was fantastic. Trail is clean, incredibly easy, and crowded (on a Thursday).

There isn't too much to say. We saw some cliffs. We saw some ice. We saw some tourists (no packs, no supplies, no water). I'm not even sure I'd call this a hike. Not knowing exactly what to expect, I carried my normal day pack plus extra water and snacks for my boys. On top of that, my four year old was acting cranky so I carried him on my shoulders most of the way. Even with that load we passed others somehow struggling up the one mile "trail". It took us about 25 minutes from car to ice. We barely broke a sweat.

Have visiting family? Have small kids? Have grandma? First hike ever? Then by all means go. Otherwise, skip it. I probably won't go back. There are too many other places with more solitude, bigger challenges, and better payoffs.

The snow still covers most of the rock field, but if you hike around the hill at the end of the gravel-paved trail several Ice Caves have formed on the right hand side of the glacier. As always, pay attention to the numerous avalanche danger signs and do not enter the ice caves.
There are lots of little flowers in bloom on the hill right now.

As always, this trail was in great shape. The path is wide, the bridges and boardwalks are sturdy, and the grade is gentle. Fireweed is blooming along the trail and some berries are ripening. Multiple ice caves have formed.

If you haven't been here for a while, you'll find the trail much improved, easy for little kids, overweight people, old folks and probably even doable for those in wheelchairs.
The snow field has yet to reveal the main ice cave, and it can be tempting to wander onto the snow on a hot day, but channels have opened up just below the surface in many places, so please stay off the snow & ice.
Some of the blueberries along the trail are almost ripe, a couple months before their high elevation counterparts. Pretty wildflowers along the trail now too.

Wonderful, however short and easy hike to the ice caves. The route is easy to follow, there were many people on the trails since the weather was great. A lot of small streams long the way, and getting down to the caves themselves was over a rocky formation. It was a beautiful sight, and we of course watched from a safe distance.

No caves yet, but the waterfalls are crashing off the rock face of the mountain. The trail is completely snow free all the way up. There is a large hole in the boardwalk about half way up, wheelchairs would not be able to get around it. Blowdowns are cleared off.

Not much to add except it was a beautiful gorgeous day!! I decided to start late as it was an 80 degree saturday which only means every short hike would be INSANE!! I left my home in lake stevens around 3pm and headed up to arlington to drive the Mountain Loop HWY from north to south (my favorite way.) ALong the way I stopped to do a photo op in front of Fletcher falls and it was just spectacular. Moving on I figured the picnic area would still be more crowded so I parked at the trail entrance instead. I got to the trail head aroung 530. Less cars than I thought which was a nice suprise. I have noticed they have put up quite a few more "danger falling rocks/caving in snow" signs. Trail was the same as always and hiking with a 5 year old takes longer than it normally would (stopping to view whatever catches his fancy). There are still no caves to be had. the whole rock field is still covered in snow. Many waterfalls to be had coming down the face of Big Four. We stayed at the base for about 20 min and then headed back. Got back to the car around 7pm. Oh...and I think it may have been the time of day, but mosquitoes and flies were out and looking for a meal. :)

It was a warm day out, but a nice walk up to the snowfield. There was one small section where runoff was running down the path, but it was easily avoided by walking on the logs that formed the edge of the walkway.

The snow reached back to the observation area; definitely more than I have seen before.

The primary caves hadn't formed yet, but there were a smaller set off to the side. Reaching this area required scaling the large mound off to the side of the observation area or crossing the snowfield.

I had planned to go here with my grandkids tomorrow, but then I read this on the USFS web site: Notice of Temporary Closure: Big Four Ice Caves will be closed for hazardous tree removal requiring blasting June 27-29.
We'll still be hiking (to Boardman Lake & Beaver Lake)but I wanted to post here in the hopes of saving someone disappointment and a long drive.

This is a great hike for creaky knees, bad hearts and small children. I've done it with all three. Beautiful easy trail graveled all the way and very gentle elevation gain. My husbands' 'full metal jacket' of stents worked just fine. No caves are showing yet, but the snow is melted on the trail except for a little at the very top. We heard a couple of big cracks and saw a crevasse open up toward the top of the snowbank. Downed trees at the end of the trail should serve as a warning as to the power of sliding snow!

Took a quick walk to the ice caves - no caves have yet formed. We were a little disappointed by that but it was still very beautiful - great views of across the road as well as Big Four. Very wet though... There were several spots where the water was flowing three or four inches deep over the trail.

I’m thankful we hit the trails early because when we arrived around 9am there were only 3 cars in the parking lot, but when we returned a few hours later we saw well over 50 cars. This is a popular trail due to it’s 1-mile length, 200 ft. elevation gain, and great views.

We visited this area in the fall of 2010 but experienced cooler weather, fewer people, and we actually saw the ice caves. Today, the snow was still on the top of the trail and the caves are covered. We did hear a couple avalanches in the upper reaches of the mountain (and others viewed them) but there was no danger to us.

Pictures and our experience located on our site at http://www.brettandlaura.com/[…]/

road is open to trailhead and trail is in good shape, but wet in spots. hit solid snow after leaving forest close to where meadows open up to ice caves, which at the moment is simply a massive snow field. lots of waterfalls streaming down above. beautiful.

The Mountain Loop Highway continues to be gated and closed at Deer Creek. Its currently a 2.5 mile walk to the picnic area and the Big Four Ice Caves trail from here. Our group of 3 and a dog parked here and walked the road up to the trail. What a glorious day it was too. Warm and sunny blue skies lighting up all the mountains with their late season snow. We saw our one person on the hike at the picnic area. The road is 90% clear to the trail but once there the snow began quickly.

On the actual trail the snow begins quickly once you leave the first boardwalk and deepens quickly. The snow does not cover the entire mile up to the caves area but does most of it. I made it up just fine with trekking poles and my friends with none. Once at the top we ran into a massive snow field, no caves today but that was not unexpected. We stayed back, not wandering terribly far in case there was an avalanche. The cliffs had big waterfalls dropping and great views of the surrounding ridges were everywhere. More of a walk today than a hike but that mile of snow gave us all a nice little workout. A great day out in the sun with friends!

The road to the trail-head is closed at Denny Creek, about 2.5 miles short of the trail-head.

We walked 2 miles in before we encountered snow, which got steadily deeper until the entire road was covered and it became obvious my daughters tennis shoes were not up to the task of keeping the snow out.

We ended up turning around before reaching the proper trail-head.

This is always a beautiful short hike. We went up for some snowshoeing but the lack of snow kept that short. The trail is very icy most of the way so be very careful..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0kkSb6TB9s

The road out is perfectly clear, but the parking area is an ice rink. The trail itself is very icy and slippery, but can be done in hiking boots. Use extreme caution near the caves themselves. There are recent avalanches reaching quite far down the trail and the snow is very heavy and went.

Otherwise, it was a beautiful day and great fun for kids and dogs.

Great day for hiking with my wife and son. It was a cool and calm day, though some light drizzling ended in heavier rain around sunset. Pretty busy day for a Monday. A lot of snow but the trails are very icy and slick. If you have kids make sure you've got a good hold on them when crossing some of the bridges. We took our time to get to the end of the trail, about 2 hours. No avalanches occurred but there was plenty of evidence of prior ones. There were a couple small sledding "runs" at the end of the trail. I've been here about 4 times and every time is as beautiful as the last.

Took advantage of the clear day and hit the trail. The parking lot is snow covered and has ruts but my little car did just fine. From there pretty much the entire trail is either compact snow or bare ice. I would recommend some good gripping boots or more for the incline portions of the trail. Otherwise the snow covered mountains and trails where beautiful.

We headed up there just before noon today with the sun trying to peek through the clouds. Mountain Loop Highway is still clear despite the snow on the side of the road as you gain elevation. I'd caution going over bridges as there is more accumulation in those areas and they might be icy. Otherwise, my little VW Jetta had no problems.

The parking lot for the trailhead is closed to cars as there is now decent enough snow on the ground and the restrooms are closed for the season. However, 1/4 back in the other direction, the picnic area is still open for parking (the higher the clearance the better) and the restrooms are available.

The hike up to the caves is completely snow covered though very decently packed down. We went up in hiking books and opted to return with the spikes to reduce slipping on the icier portions of the path. The trail itself is in spectacular condition and was incredibly easy to navigate.

The ice caves were pretty awesome! The clouds had cleared enough that we could almost see the top of Big Four Mountain once we were by the ice caves. There were active avalanches while we were up there, I heard at least four, thankfully none were threatening the people enjoying the area, though there were a few who were being riskier than they should...

We hiked up and over the small ridge to see the other three caves and then opted to hike across the field despite our lack of snow shoes. I post holed a few times but I had gaiters and the hubbie had waterproof pants and we were fine. It was a lovely day with a light snowfall the entire time we were out. I can't wait to go back on a clear day, the views that we had promised some that must be amazing when there isn't a cloud on top of you!

The Mountain Loop Highway is snow free back to the parking lot of the Big Four meadow where the west trail head begins. The parking lot is not plowed and there is about eight inches of snow there. The trail back to the caves varies from no snow to several inches deep but it is mostly compacted by other hikers.

The area near the caves close to the end of the trail looks very dangerous. On the east of the caves there is a pile that appears to be six to eight feet deep. I hiked west over a small ridge and the snow was about two feet deep. Traction devices on the boots helped but snowshoes would have been better when you get off the beaten path.

Our first time hiking to the Ice caves. It was a perfect cool crisp fall morning. We arrived at the trailhead around 10:00am and we had it all to ourselves. The hike was very easy and short. 2 miles round trip with very little elevation gain. Be careful though because the boardwalks are very slippery with the early morning frost. We made it almost all the way back to the parking lot before we saw another person. A great short hike with outstanding views...Highly recommend!

Intended to hike up Dickerman, but too late a start and feeling up for a much more mellow hike, we ended up at Ashland Lakes. (Don't forget your Discover Pass for this TH.) Very pretty trail but lots and lots of slippery boardwalks. The going was slow to avoid slipping, but I slipped anyway, but luckily ended up falling backwards into the bushes rather than face first. Could not fully circle Upper Ashland Lake due to a gap the boardwalk that would have taken us into a pond. So we retraced our steps and headed up the highway to Big Four Ice Caves. (Don't forget your NW Forest Pass for this TH.) I hadn't been there in about 20 years. Very pretty views of fall foliage on the slopes of the mountain along with a good dusting of snow up high. Lovely trail. Lots of families out enjoying the views and on-again off-again sunshine.

My husband and I went to Outback Kangaroo Farm this morning, it was awesome! Here's the info in case your interested http://www.outbackkangaroofarm.com/
Totally worth the drive and the $8, but go quickly they close for the season at the end of this month!
After this tour we hit the mountain loop hwy. Not many people out at all for a Sunday afternoon. Fall colors are just starting. It was a little cloudy but it usually is in this area, at least when I'm up here. The trail is perfect for families & dogs it's short and sweet and lots of waterfalls right now.

We had family in town so we decided to go on this popular hike. This is a great hike that the whole family will enjoy. Very little elevation gain and not very far to get to the caves make it a perfect hike for those with little ones.

The toilets were out of service at the parking lot so we took the path to the picnic site to the toilets there and took up the trailhead from that location. There is a trailhead at both the parking lot and the picnic site.

Along the trail we saw birds and frogs. My son also saw a snake up by the caves. We also saw different types of mushrooms, berries, and flowers.

This is a great time of year to see the caves. We hiked this back in July and no caves had formed yet. Today there were plenty of caves to look at.

The trail was nice and clean (thank you!). You could tell the work crews had been out cutting fallen trees. There were plenty of them that had fallen across the trail.

Bugs were a little bit of an issue, but not enough to warrant use of any bug repellant.

And if you are new to this hike read the warning signs. The caves can and do collapse, injuring and killing people.

It was an easy hike in to the ice caves this morning on the well maintained trail and I had the trail all to myself. There are four caves opened up in the snow field, with waterfalls behind them. It was well worth the short hike in to see these ice caves.
The restrooms are now closed for the season, but there are signs pointing you to the restrooms a short walk down the path at the nearby camp.

I ended up spending too much time shooting photos & videos atop Pilchuck and at Lake 22, so when it finally came time to head to the Ice Caves, I was left with precious little daylight.

New to the area, I'm curious to see what the caves look like when they've really grown big. Last time I was there about a month ago, the first main cave's opening was only about 4 to 5 feet high -- it now looks big enough to drive a good sized car or van into. Further down was another cave, possibly larger than the first. Far across the cirque appears to be the biggest of them all.

However, this trip I had to turn around & hightail it out as fast as I'd marched in. It was rapidly growing dark, and though I had several lights with me and know the trail well, I wasn't in the mood to linger & get ticketed by a ranger for being there after dusk. I'll definitely make it a point to come back again to see the growing caves in better light.

The trail is in excellent condition plus has some new warning signs. A ranger was out today as well, possibly counting how many people visited the ice.

 Vehicle break-ins are occurring on an irregular basis,coinciding with the presence of valuables (car stereos with their removable face-plates in them,GPS units and Satelite Radios on the dash on console,binoculars,high-end sunglasses,garage door openers (along with your registration makes for easy home access at a later time)wallets,purses,and other bags with enclosed,unknown contents (put the contents out where they can be seen if they cannot be completely locked in the trunk (not a vehicle with a retractable or roll-top type trunk lid. With a flashlight it is very easy to see items stored inside through the cracks/openings around the edges of them.

BRING ONLY THOSE ITEMS WITH YOU THAT YOU INTEND TO PACK WITH YOU ON YOUR HIKE! LEAVE THE REST AT HOME FOR THE DAY.

4-Day weekends (LABOR DAY THIS COMING WEEKEND) and sunny days attract more of the criminal types.

Follow the above suggestions and you WILL have a safe, and care-free day in the
forest.

Enjoy you outing and visit us again soon.

I started my day with a hike up Mt Dickerman, which is essentially right across the road from the Ice Caves trailhead, but my trip was cut short due to snow covering the trail, and later a sprained ankle. Still in the mood for a few more miles, I opted to check out the ice caves again, though I'd been there less than two weeks before.

Caves are really starting to open up, all across the snow field -- I saw at least five, maybe six. Even on a warm day, you get quite a chill by standing in front of a cave opening -- the blast of cold air reminds me of walking into huge commercial freezers. My hands & legs got quite cold as I shot photos & video, but it was a nice respite on a warm day.

A quick video of the conditions from the day can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nRwV7_V8_0

The trail to the ice caves was in great shape. The ice caves themselves are just beginning to form. There were many families on the trail today and a forest service crew moving some rocks near the end of the trail, most likely trying to create more of a barrier between hikers and the unstable snowfield.

I had always steered clear of this hike because "manicured trails" aren't really my favorite thing. But, we were already out at Perry Creek and I figured I should at least take a peek at the caves.

The good: the view of Big Four above the caves is very pretty. The ice caves themselves look like they are probably pretty cool, but....

The meh: ...if you stay the safe distance from the caves, you can't really get a good look. The trail is very manicured. The trail was very crowded. There were tons of people ignoring all the "Danger" and "Warning" signs and wandering all over the place with their small children in tow. Pretty scary to watch.

Nice easy walk. The caves are just begining to form. Trail in is good, although it looks as though there was alot of blowdowns this last winter. I was a bit worried about a few people that were playing up on the top of the caves, the dangers are posted... but were ignored.

Decided to stop on the way home to see how the snow effected the ice caves. The trail was clear and dry, and the bridge has been rebuilt so no more sliding down the dusty (or at times muddy) hill. However, the ice caves were a different story. There is still so much snow on the fields that the cave is very small and avalanche warning signs are everywhere (there were a few people going for a closer look, but most hikers stayed in the nice seating area).

The reason to stop and do this hike now is the roaring waterfalls cascading off the face and the amazing wildflower display--probably the most beautiful I have seen them on this trail.

My third trip to the Ice Caves have finally yielded results! Our long, cool spring has finally broken, and warmer weather has allowed at least three caves to begin forming in the snow fields below Big Four. They're sure to grow much larger in the next few weeks.

Unfortunately, numerous visitors seem fine to ignore warnings of danger, as I saw many who ventured out on the field & into the first cave. I'm new to the area and new to mountain hiking, but I've post-holed on nearby Pilchuck enough times already to respect how easy it can be to break through warm summer snow, so you won't see me out on the field.

Those who might be seeking wildflowers but don't want to (or can't) climb to higher locations should consider this hike -- many different kinds of flowers can currently be seen in bloom among the talus piled in the middle of the low cirque.

For anyone who might want to see some of the current sights in motion, I shot & compiled a short video of the current conditions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EjzUaZJ7M8

After a tiring hike to Barlow Point, we went into our car, and only 5 miles away, is the Big Four Ice Caves trailhead.

The trail starts out nice and easy and flat ; there weren't a lot of people yesterday, and that was really nice! Looks like that various changes were made to the trail, including making a bridge across a river and platforms for walking! There are no steep inclines, but at parts, there ARE inclines.

After a while, we crossed a bridge, with a river gushing below. The water was gorgeous, a light crystal blue. Continuing onto the trail, I noticed a lot of dead trees on the side of the trail, and looked up. I saw the ice caves. We were almost there.

There are benches for the tired when we got near the caves and one sign warning of avalanches, but we pushed on. There are plenty of waterfalls cascading down the caves and THE ICE CAVES WEREN'T ICE CAVES AT ALL! It looks like a big avalanche covered the openings to the caves! Not many people were walking across the ice and I assumed that they were scared about last year, when a girl died right at the Ice Caves. R.I.P.

It was a bit cold if winds blew your way but otherwise it was just a great August day. I think that I'll come back next year, and check out the Ice Caves once again, as they are ginormously popular.

Since we were in the area we decided to do the quick trail into Big Four. The first thing I was amazed at was how many trees have blown down recently. Its really amazing to see.
The trail has been really well taken care of. Very surprised to see a new bridge at the avalanche shoot. No need to do the ol stream crossing any more.
This hike is easy and accessable to just about anyone. Just make sure to bring water.
The ice cave is just starting to form. With the amount of snow still here I wonder if it will melt out fully this year. Its really impressive to see the huge amount of snow!

You will need a NORTH WEST PASS ($5 day or $30 annual) and you can get that from the Verlott Ranger Station (11 miles outside of Granite Falls on the Mountain Loop Hwy).
Had the pleasure of going to the ice caves this week. I heard that it is just so unbelievably big. Well, uhmm it was pretty and breath taking, however the "caves"....not so much. It was way cool to enter the parking lot, you see the 6k + feet mountains, then you see snow (avalanche) right below them. The trail is a mile long, it's stroller accessible. There are lots of blow downs along the way but not on the trail. As you get closer to the mountains, you will begin to feel the temperature drop. There are a bunch of waterfalls and the avalanches are spectacular. It is NOT safe to walk on the ice/snow, the waterfalls are due to melting which makes it very unstable. There are signs all over reminding viewers of the dangers as well as a death.
It was very neat to see, but will have to return earlier in the season to possibly get a view of the caves.
Don't forget your camera

There were no ice caves at the top of the trail yet. The ranger advised us to come back in the middle to end of August. It was nice to have hiking boots on the kids so their feet did not get cold as they played in the snow and built little snowmen.

We hiked with 4 little kids, 3-4.5 and all four did well on this trail which is very flat at the beginning then slowly creeps upwards towards the last half. Lots of flowers and a really nicely maintained trail. Well worth the long drive in from Seattle. The park fee is $5. The parking is ample but began to fill up at about 1 pm. We arrived at 1030 a.m. Perfect hike for little kids.

Ice Caves are nowhere near opening up. Even so, well worth the short walk in. The trail is in excellent condition. We easily pushed a baby stroller all the way in. My 3 and 6 year olds easily walked in and out. Quite a few people started showing up between 12pm-1pm. As we were about to leave, and ranger dropped in and asked everyone get off the edge of the glacier...

My family and I really enjoyed this hike. I recommend layers when clothing children and the trail is well maintained and the hike was easy. Once at the end of the trail the ice formations were breathtaking.

Today was a beautiful, mostly sunny day with temperatures in the upper 60's, low 70's. The parking lot at the Picnic Area was only about 1/2 full when we arrived at about 2:30 pm. As we (myself, daughter & son-in-law and their 3 children ages 3, 5, and 6) were getting ready to head out on the trail, a dog went racing off down the trail. About a minute later someone went running after it.

The foliage along the trail had recently been trimmed and the weather has been mostly dry for the last week or so, so the trail was in very good shape. We were treated to a huge snow field as we approached the area where the caves have usually started forming by now. There was even snow on the trail! My grandkids had a great time playing in the snow in July!! We are looking forward to coming back in about 4 weeks to see the differences.

On a sad note, two hours later as we were leaving, those people were still looking for their dog. We certainly hope that they find their dog! Let this be a lesson to those who decide to bring your four-legged family member, use a leash! This is a great trail to bring them to, but we wonder if that unfortunate family will ever see their dog again - she could be anywhere in the Cascades by now! :(

Big Four Ice Caves:

Mountain Loop Highway east of Verlot has several areas where road work is being conducted and there are areas of gravel, and loose dirt. Also several abrupt dibs and bumps. Easily passable by most vehicles, but drivers beware and go slow as some of these areas are not advertised. Motorcyclists should use extreme caution!

Parking lots:

Both picnic area and trail head lots are open. During this day, both lots had a Ranger presence. A work party conducting clearing work at the trail head lot and one patrolling the lot at the picnic area.

Trail conditions:

The trail is clear and beautiful until the upper vista area. This is still covered by snow. Hikers using jogging strollers, or the like can make it to the upper area with little difficulty. Use caution if hiking out on the snow field, as it can be unstable as the weather warms up.
All in all a beautiful day for hiking. The scenery here is beautiful with lots of blooming flowers and beautiful views of the waterfalls.

On Sunday, June 5th, 2010, my family decided to hike to the Big Four Ice Caves in Granite Falls. We’d wanted to check out the ice caves for a few years, and finally decided to go for it. From various websites, the hike sounded to be around 2.2 miles roundtrip, family friendly and easily hiked. Boy, we were in for a surprise. When we arrived, we found that the road to the trailhead was closed. About 20 cars were parked along the road at the gates, with other folk hiking to the ice caves. “How bad can it be?” we asked ourselves. Well, 4.5 hours later, having walked 14.5 miles according to our GPS, we returned to our car exhausted. On the hike, my daughter said, ‘I hope these ice caves are worth it! I have high expectations!’ After climbing over and under more groups of felled trees than we could count, trudging through snow piles, sliding over icy patches, we finally arrived at the ice caves. “Those aren’t ice caves,” I mumbled, exhausted, “those are ice *humps*!” On the hike back to the car, my daughter posited how ironic it would be if we got back to the gate to find our car gone. When we finally arrived, hungry, footsore, leg-weary, and exhausted, at the gate, we discovered that – while not missing, our car had been broken into - front passenger window smashed, everything gone. We were one of the last few folks at the park when we got back from hiking, but the car behind us had also been broken into. While we were surveying the damage, another hiker returned and when he saw our cars, stated that he would not be returning – according to him, he hikes the area regularly and sees cars broken into every time. We all wondered why, if this is such a huge and common problem, nothing is being done – there were no signs anywhere along the road warning that this is a high car prowl area, no security cameras (such as you see at Snoqualimie Falls or other high car prowl areas), nor any law enforcement officials doing regular drive-bys. Where were the other hikers when this happened? Where was any suggestion that anything is being done to rectify or at least alleviate this problem? We rode home amid shards of safety glass, with my daughter periodically and jokingly asking me to ‘roll the dang window up’.

To sum up: the website(s) are sorely lacking on detailed current info on trail and road conditions. The ice caves, apparently, are only ‘caves’ in warmer weather – although there were MANY beautiful and amazing sights on the hike – we could have hiked somewhere else closer to home. The gate should have had some type of notice as to how many miles to upcoming trailheads. And, please: do something about the car prowl problem – judging by the info we have learned since Sunday, this is a severe, chronic problem, and I’ve been told by several hiker friends that they no longer hike these trails as a result. :/

Due to the complete failure of the road at mile post 21 of the Mountain Loop Highway just west of the Camp Silverton area,the Mountain Loop Highway has been posted "ROAD CLOSED" at mile post 18.3 at the River Road/FS Rd 4037 adjacent to the Red Bridge Campground.

Persuant to RCW 47.48.040- Those who choose out of their curiosity and or defiance of the road closure are subject to arrest. This charge requires a MANDATORY COURT APPEARANCE,up to a $1000.00 fine and/or 90 days in Jail, and is being STRICTLY ENFORCED!!!

The Snohomish County Road Department had been working on restoring the roadway,but with funding becoming an issue,all work has come to a stop at the location. Currently there is no estimated date of re-opening the roadway.

There is currently 17 inches of snow at the Big Four parking lot,avalanche are constantly occurring,and access to the area is limited to walking or biking the Mountain Loop Highway the 5 miles from Red Bridge to the Big Four Trailhead. The
Mountain Loop Highway is snow-free to the Big Four Trailhead. The Deer Creek Winter Gates are still closed at MP 23.3,but allow easy pass-thru for pedestrians and/or bicyclists.

Due to the EXTREME AVALANCE DANGER, travel should be limited to the north side (the side nearest to the trailhead)of the bridge across the South Fork Stilliguamish River.

The best views are from the trailhead area with binoculars for close-up view of the snow and ice falls.

BE AWARE that local residents who live in the Silverton area do have access to their properties and will be traveling the highway with you from the Red Bridge area,so normal pedestrian-vehicular precautions should be exercised. County snow removal equipment may also be encountered Mon-Thurs from 7am-4pm.

Enjoy stay and visit us again!
  

Mountain Loop Hwy is still closed at Red Bridge, due to significant flood damage from March & April. Parking lot for Big Four Ice Caves not accessible just yet.

Sorry these are old pictures but I really wanted to share!!!

We found this to be a great hike. It was short and doable even for a tired pregnant lady. The Cascades likely got its first snow this past weekend, and while it rained elsewhere all day, we had no rain for a great hike in the late afternoon. The trail was in good condition with just a few puddles. The bathrooms reek terribly. My husband wore our toddler in a pack on his back. The fall colors were beautiful too and the newly snowcaped peaks were a lovely sight. We would definitely come back here again and bring our parents for a very doable hike.

Another gorgeous weekend in the Seattle area provided the opportunity to hit the trail. We got a mid-morning start today and headed back to the Darrington District on the Snoqualmie-Mt. Baker National Forest where we hiked the Big Four Ice Caves trail – located about 1.5 hour north of Seattle on the Mountain Loop Highway.

Despite the beautiful hike, the drive up to the trailhead is as much fun as the hike. The Mountain Loop Highway is spectacular this time of year as the deciduous trees prepare for the winter months. There are a few small towns that dot the landscape but it’s pretty much just forested land along the Stillaguamish River.

The weather was a little cool this morning and produced ice on the boardwalks in the lower part of the trail. Ethan loved scarping all the ice off the boardwalk planks and resting benches. He also liked to taste it which we tried to put a stop too. He is an explorer and is very comfortable on a trail. He’ll explore anything and everything along the trail which is why it took about an hour to go the one mile length of the trail, and 45 minutes back down. We answered his questions and identified flora along the way. We also gently persuaded him to keep trekking. Don’t get us wrong, we know it’s all about the journey and not the end, but there are only so many mushrooms we enjoy viewing.

Autumn yapped most of the way up before succumbing to yapping fatigue and fell asleep. We woke her up for pictures, which she kindly obliged us with, and fell back asleep. This was her first hike in our Kelty Child Carrier and she did superb. It was nice for Laura to move around a bit more and I was happy to not have to chase Ethan.

We actually avoided the ice caves. We stayed on the trail and viewed them from a far where our kids were safe. There are plenty of warnings to not go near them or in them because of the chance that the ice will fall. Just a few months ago an 11 year old was killed while near one. But from what we could see it was a neat formation to visit.

We’re glad for the mid-morning start because when we got back to the trailhead the parking lot was almost full. There is no doubt this is a popular hike. The trail is one mile up a gentle slope to the base of the Big Four Mountains. The trail is in great shape with the first 1/8 mile paved and the rest either a wood boardwalk or compacted crushed rock. There is/was a lot of trail work that has made this a very accessible hike.

This is definitely a hike we’d do again with friends and family. It’s an easy hike for children (Ethan did the entire hike except for stream crossing where the bridge was being repaired) and a great drive through the forest.

Read more, and view photos, at http://www.brettandlaura.com/2010/10/17/ice-caves-hike/

We started out about 10:30 am on the trail head to the Ice Caves. It took only a short time and we were there, about 30 minutes. It was overcast just minutes before we started and very quickly it was perfect weather for the hike. It was about 70 - 75 degrees in the direct sun, however it was a very nice easy hike due to the forest shade. We still used sunscreen, because we knew that once we were up there it would be full on sun and no shade except for the ice caves and you never want to venture in due to the instability of the caves, no matter what time of the year.
The trail is very nicely manicured with a few places to sit and take a rest if you need to. It even seems a little wider then it use to be. A few of the smaller wooden bridges were washed out, but the river bridge was spectacular and the view of the river was even grander. The river washed out a tremendous amount of earth making the bridge even longer than before, but the forestry service did a wonderful job of creating a sturdy bridge to last for years, we hope. You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
The trail seems to have fared better then the bridges. Itl is still a combination of crushed rock and some dirt in places, but solid. It is still highly recommended you are sure footed and have some good shoes with some kind of traction on the bottom. Flip flops were seen but not suggested especially for the craggily deep fields of rock and boulders to travel over in order to get to all of the caves. A good pair of old running, hiking or water shoes with some tread are a good idea. Flat sold shoes are not a good idea since the trails getting to the caves and waterfalls to the right over a small incline are very loose, dusty dirt mixed with rock fragments. Without good shoes it will be very difficult to go up and over unless you choose to walk on and around the rocks.
The waterfalls on the other side are incredible and you can get to the bottom of two of them without having to go into a cave. Which I have already said is not a good idea. I can compare the beauty of these waterfalls to some I have seen in Hawaii, without the foliage. We also found the water to be warmer than thought would be. We figured that the water is warmer than suspected due to the fact that it isn't traveling threw the ice anymore. It falls from the cliffs above and heats up in the sun above and while it falls to the rocks below. They are spectacular to watch. It is possible to see one flowing over a ledge above before it travels over to the last ledge to fall to the rocky floor. There is one especially spectacular water fall all the way to the right behind the small upper field or around the rocky corner and over a short incline. It drops from a U shaped crack at the very top of the cliff of dark rock dramatically reaching out from the edge part way down to splash on some very large rocks a third of the way up from the bottom. Then the water splits in two directions to flow on either side of one huge boulder at the bottom. I don’t suggest climbing them, although it is tempting, unless you are nimble and have good grippy soles with tread. It's really cool to stand at the base of the waterfall and look up to the crack the water comes from. The spray from the water hitting the rocks is refreshing and in the right spot you don’t get drenched. It then trails off down into the wetlands.

The purplish blue and some pink wildflowers have not bloomed in the small upper field yet. This is located to your right at the end of the trail. Some appear to be ready to soon though. I would give the purplish blue ones a week or more. They didn't even have buds like some of the pink ones did. I only saw the smallest wild flowers bloomed, like the reddish and yellow Columbine, little white and yellow Daises, pink and red Bleeding Heart and some very small purple Lupine. I am coming back specifically to see the wild flowers bloom. They bring out the humming birds in droves and it is a most wonderful site to sit and watch during a rest.
It feels really nice to stand in front of the caves too cool off in the mist or breeze of the wind traveling through the caves. It is very refreshing.
We saw lots of people show up after about 1:00. There were several young kids, under 6, and we even encountered a courageous couple with a new baby in a stroller. It is possible, but only if you expect to carry the stroller over a few small rocky streams and over the rock and bolder field to get to the caves. A baby saq, wrap, baby bishorn, or alike would be a better idea. But for those that like the challenge, go ahead. Some of the wooden bridges that survived the washouts are a little sunken, but still work just fine. We also saw lots of dogs of all sizes. One little dog we saw was a cross between a Begal and a Corgi and overweight, but he was trucking along just fine, slow, but fine. He just needed a little water now and then. His owner was tending to that when we saw them last. We left the Ice Caves at about 1:30 and reached the parking lot at about 2:10. It took us a little longer because I tripped on a rock and needed a few minutes to brush off. That said, do not forget to bring your first aid kit as well as other essentials when hiking in secluded or semi secluded areas.
It is important and you all probably know to drink water when you exert yourself, however do not drink the water at the caves. Even if it is dripping clear from the glacier it is not healthy to do so. You must filter it first. You can filter it with a proper pump from REI or other sporting goods stores. Straight from the glacier is not the same as bottled filtered glacier water. Bringing a camel back water pack is nice if you can afford one. That helps avoid the need to carry a water bottle or two. Some kind of snack is highly recommended as well. It makes the trip especially nice if you plan for a small picnic while you are there. It makes for a very nice end to the walk and beginning of exploring the things that nature has to offer there. Like I mentioned there is a lot to see like the many waterfalls, wild flowers, different rocks, and all around beauty of the Big Four Mountain and Ice Caves.
I hope you have as wonderful of a time as we had and know that it is a great quick and easy trip to take with your kids and or dogs. Have a great summer and enjoy more trails this year than you did last year.

What an amazing day! For someone who is overweight and not in the best physical shape, I have been determined to get my exercise this summer by taking up hiking. I was thrilled to hear about the Ice Caves from a friend and got a group of girls, including a 7 year old, together for this hike. What I saw today took my breath away. Granted this is the first time in a LONG time that I have been on a trail, I haven't seen such beauty in quite a while. I loved crossing over the river on the steel bridge as we entered the trail. Amazing trees, nursing logs, plants of all types, and the blue sky guided our way up to the Ice Caves. Simple tennis shoes did the trick for me but I'm very tempted to invest in some hiking boots which would have been helpful while crossing some "make shift" bridges or rocks to the caves.

I was under the impression that this was a flat hike so that took me by surprise. While the hike was easy enough, I am a beginner and the switchbacks and incline in the heat were a little tough and required me to stop a couple times just to catch my breath. I felt a little embarrassed as kids passed me by with no problem but everyone has to start somewhere, right :)

When we reached the ice caves I was blown away and it made the incline there worth every single step. Nothing is more refreshing than standing at the caves' entrance and feeling the gush of cold air whoosh across your entire body. Of course we took tons of pics and I'm still beaming with joy.

The hike down was awesome, isn't it always?! We made sure to hike down to the river for a little snack and water before hiking back to the car. My only downfall of the day was wiping my hand across a bunch of nettles within the first 5 minutes of our hike :)

This is a great hike, especially for beginners! I hope you have as much fun as I did!!

This has to be one of the most beautiful short hikes around. WELL LOVED BY FAMILIES, big kids, little kids, babies in back packs, along with moms and dads, gramas and grampas, and the family dog all oohing, and awwing at the grandeur. Lupines in fields of blue, waterfalls in plenty dancing down cliffs, high and sheer, and the ice caves, with water dripping, echoing and
flowing from the ceiling. The warning signs to stay out of the caves seem to be ignored by many people. Looking from the outside, and listening to the water gurgling, bubbling and splashing is enough. There is a short paved trail through the marsh, in a loop to admire the rock walls and waterfalls from a distance for people in wheel chairs, and babies in strollers.

We were hoping the weather would be completely dry, but this hike was still fine in a light drizzle. There's one section of trail with an old bridge washout near the end that has been bypassed by a short trail with a ford over the stream next to it. This was a little tricky with having to carry my young son over, especially since this bypass trail was VERY muddy and slippery. Also, near the end of the trail, the second to last foot bridge has collapsed into a V, but is still sound enough to walk on (just a bit steep).

None of the ice caves are visible right now, but even without that, there is enough neat scenery with the waterfalls, the sheer mountain face, and the myriad of streams to be worth the short hike.

I was a fun day of watching avalanches at Big Four. Some fairly loud and sizeable ones too. It would be wise not to get too close to the face of the mountain in light of this (even though others do and will). None of the caves have surfaced. They're all covered up with avalanche debris.

Some of the boardwalks toward the end of the trail are broken, but you can easily cross the itty bitty streams beside them. There's about an inch or two of very slushy snow on the trail. No traction needed. Plus given how warn its been I wouldn't be surprised if that snow's already disappeared.

All in all, it was a fun trip, though extremely short. This would be a good hike to do with kids or to do in addition to Lake 22 or another hike on Mountain Loop.

based on report pictures I headed up to the Ice caves today. It was snowing the whole hike today. Got to check out my goretex because it was a very wet snow. Was very disappointed because there was not a single ice cave opened up. They had all been buried by avalanches in the last 2 weeks. There were a lot of waterfalls coming off the cliffs and did catch one lengthy avalanche coming off of the se. most peak. There was fresh snow on the trail and the upper boardwalks and bridges were covered with slushy snow

The Road was clear and the parking lot at the campground also pretty clear. It was snowing lightly when we got there and the trail was completely covered in snow the whole way, although it was pretty easy going. We heard several avalanches so don't get too close to the cave. You can even see where the snow is going down the hillside. It was dumping snow by the time we got back to the car.

This was an amazing winter outing. I highly recommend it.

After being unable to reach the trailhead for Ashland Lakes due to snow on the road, and lacking time for a longer hike, we decided to take the short hike to Big Four Ice Caves as a consolation.
On the way to the parking area, we came across a black bear (although his fur was more reddish brown) heading down to the Stillaguamish River, probably looking to do some fishing. This was about halfway between marten Creek and Deer creek, and judging by his appearence the fishing must be good, because he looked plump and healthy, none of that "skinny, just woke up from a long winters nap, having a bad den hair day" look about him. Seems Mr. Ursis is up and about early this year.
There was a couple inches of slushy snow in the Big Four parking lot, and the walk to the ice caves was a bit like walking in sand, feet slipping back a little with each step until I stopped and put on some YakTrax.
As soon as you cross the wetlands you'll first smell and then see lots of skunk cabbage blooms, like the bear a sure sign of spring, even if the trail looks more winterish than it has since last year. The snow increases a bit as you gain 200' in elevation, with maybe 5 inches on the ground at trails end.
The cave itself is fairly large and well formed now, but please stay out. You can see some large blocks of ice that have recently fallen from the roof, thankfully while no one was under them. There were quite a few small avalanches while we were there, perhaps one every 2 to 3 minutes, beautiful little white "waterfalls" of snow, noisy but (usually) harmless. "Don't like the weather? Just wait 15 minutes...". We had sunshine, rain and a few feeble snowflakes, occasionally all at the same time. Tomorrow promises to be more eventful, lots of wind and snow, but alas I have to help a friend move Friday. Too bad. I love stormy weather!
Speaking of storms, check out the forest edge by the caves, where trees in an an area of almost 100 square yards have been sheared off 10 to 15 feet above ground and lay like a giant set of pick up sticks, victims not of an avalanche but of a devastating microburst of wind.

The first day of spring and the weather was great so it was time to go out hiking again, my fifth outing of the year. This time I brought a friend who had not hiked in some time and had never seen the Big Four Ice caves so off we went first thing in the morning. We were at the trail head by 9:30 and were happy to find only one other car there when we arrived. I had stopped by here later in the day a couple weeks ago and found the lot packed and full of people so I had lunch and left!

This was my first trip here in nearly 5 years and my first look at the new bridge over the Stillaguamish that opened last year. Just a note if you plan on visiting soon, the trail head parking is still closed so park in the picnic area if you plan on hiking. The trail is in excellent shape up to the ice caves. Near the top there are couple footbridges are washed out or breaking but not hard to get around. There was a couple inches of patchy snow across the glacier field around the cave and was slick in places but easy to cross. It was nice to see the glacier looking pretty big as the last trip I made here it was looking pretty sad. We found the other hiker when we arrived at the cave proper and he was on his way out leaving us alone with this natural wonder for the rest of our stay. My friend and I stayed for about 1/2 hour before we moved on to our next hike of the day. We saw several hikers on the way up the trail and by the time we arrived back at the parking lot it was half full with more coming and this was before 11am.

Next up for us was Barlow Point. I figured we would get real solitude there and as it turns out I was right. It was a short drive to Barlow Pass from Big Four and parking here was filling quickly too with people setting out for Monte Cristo. The Barlow Point trail leaves from the parking lot on the north side of the road. I'm surprised this trail is not more popular with its ease of access and incredible view. I had done this trail another time before in hot weather (bring water) and nearly overheated but knew it would be good on a warm spring day. My friend wanted a workout and with 800 feet gained in a little over a mile this trail delivers. The trail starts by strolling up and down and around a couple big rock outcroppings before it starts switch-backing its way up the ridge. It is steep in places and we found a few blow downs but only one that was a small challenge. This blow down has fallen on the corner of a switch-back and forces you to cut the corner right now. Other than that the trail is in good shape and easy to follow. Once at the top we found a couple inches of snow covering the rock again and while slick in places was easy to cross. The views from Barlow Point are amazing. You can see up the Sauk River valley looking north and get a great view of Big Four Mtn. looking west and to the south. We had lunch on the rocks and enjoyed the view in the warm sun before heading back down and home. A great day spent with a good friend!

Found the gate to the trailhead closed, so left the car there, squeezed among a dozen other cars. Didn't realize there was another parking lot at the picnic area (though that appeared to be quite full)...

The trail was neat and easy, as expected, except for one small detour with a makeshift bridge over a small creek. Crowding on the trail wasn't too bad, but there were quite a few people around the big ice cave (and in and on top of the cave)... There were almost constant avalanches coming down the cliffs (but none big enough to reach the bottom).

Continued off-trail to check out the smaller ice caves and waterfalls.

Big Four Ice caves is an easy mile or so hike with little elevation gain. The trail is broad, uncluttered and gently graded. This is a good short hike summer or winter. The new aluminum bridge over the river is very sturdy and impressive. There is one avalanche blowdown section toward the end but an easy detour around it. The main ice cave is very impressive - biggest I have ever seen it. It is worth while to hike off to the right to see the other ice caves. Very light snow on the trail but the wood bridges and puncheons can be slippery.

Did a quick trip up to the Big 4 ice caves after returning from Dickeman. The trail is mostly snow free, but there are some patches of thick polished ice. All the borad walks and bridges are iced over as well. To my dismay, i quickly filled my trash bag with trash discarded by carless hikers.

Pack it in-Pack it out.

The Mountain Loop Highway out of Verlot was clear. About four inches of snow covered the closed parking area. I put on my snowshoes out past the trailhead tho closer to the Stilaguamish River the trail was bare. Past the river snow to the ice caves.

Lovely for a first outing of the year!!

Originally started the day planning to go to Mt. Pilchuck but decided to go where the snow was and boy were we pleasantly surprised. Although I have not been here during the summer, there is something to be said about the fresh snow covered trails and the clouds gracing the mountains.

The trails were very wet but given all the wooden/bridged paths it is not too bad. But the plus side to all the water is there were dozens of waterfalls that ordinarily would not have been there. Over all a fun hike!

The Mountain Loop Highway way clear to the parking lot at the Big Four meadow but snow had already been plowed from the road as seen by small banks on the roadside. The parking lot had three or four inches of snow. Most of the trail had just a trace of snow except for the bridge decks. As Ii approached the first cave from the end of the trail I could see several Sseattle Mountaineers practicing rescue operations in snow and ice conditions. A bit of an extention of the walk to the west goes to several smaller ice caves with a goood flow of water coming out.

While I was in the area of the inc caves there were several small avalanches of snow. Even as small as they appeared they boomed throughout the area. Even with that there were people walking on top of caves and people inside the cave openings.

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.

Trail to ice caves is in excellent condition, suitable for children and families. The forest service did a good job restoring the trail and the new bridge looks great. 5 ice caves are visible with fairly large openings. Two of them towards the end of the trail have started to collapse. Remember it is dangerous to go into or near the opening of any caves since large ice blocks can break off at anytime. Here's a picture a friend took a few years ago of one collapsing, the picture shows a chunk of ice breaking off.


http://www.fitclimb.com/[…]/big-4-ice-cave-collapse?context=latest

Even on a hot, hot, hot, Monday, the trail was busy with families, young children, and senior citizens. The trail is easy and in very nice shape. There were some brave and hardy souls continuing to work on the trail near the new metal bridge -- thank them if you see them for their efforts!

There were lots and lots of annoying, biting flies along the trail, so wear your citronella. Our dog was badly bothered by them, as they bit her big ears repeatedly. I recommend putting some citronella on dogs' ears, too, if you bring them along.

There are several new, quite small ice caves in the snow field that offer sweet, cool relief from the heat, fairly blasting refrigerated air out of their mouths. There are two larger, lovely ice caves on the west side of the rocky hill in the snow field. These caves had big collapses during the three hours we were there. People (children and adults) were going inside the caves, which is beyond dangerous on a 90 degree day, even if you're just going inside the mouth.

We saw columbine, lupine, bleeding hearts and lots of yellow asters at the snow field. All in all, a super day.

The trail is in great condition all the way to the snowfield. The new metal bridge is wide and impressive.

There is a substantial snowfield at the base of Big Four Mountain. The main snowfield has no ice caves, at least not yet. However, there's more to the snowfield on the other side of the little hill beside where the official trail ends. One can climb between the little hill and the cliff along the snow, or take a rude, scratched-out trail over the hill. About about midway across and at the far end of this part of the snowfield are ice caves.

One's advised to stay off the snowfields and certainly out of the ice caves. If you stay on the edge of the snowfield I'd venture it's safe enough at approach and look into the ice caves from a safe distance. Anything more - you judge the risk.

The hike was beautiful. There were no blow downs or snow over the trail and the new bridge is nice. Unfortunately for taller people the top support arch for the bridge blocks your view off the sides but it definitely looks sturdy and will hopefully last longer.

The ice caves are not visible yet but it was still very nice and snow free up until the cave area near the end.

Puget Sound was foggy, stinky, and cold but we were up the Mountain Loop Highway with blue skies, sunshine, and fresh clean air. The Mountain Loop Highway is cleared and dry up to within a quarter mile of Coal Creek. There is a turn around there to park and from which to hike. Snowmobiles have flattened out a nice trail at least as far as Perry Creek but probably all the way up to Barlow Pass. Snow is about 5 foot deep and crusty hard in most places. We were able to navigate on the road and cross country with trax. The Big Four campground area is a winter playground. Lots of fun for snowshoes or trax. The bridge to the ice caves is still destroyed. The outhouse is clean and well supplied with paper! Who would have thought?

The Perry Creek road is totally covered with snow and snowshoes are needed. We did not get all the way to the trailhead. It was warm enough that the snow softened in places and even with snowshoes we were breaking through.

   In the past week many areas suffered badly from the heavy rains and lost a vast amounts of snowpack,but the Mountain Loop Highway on both the Darrington and the Verlot sides fared very well. We lost about a foot or so of snowpack,and the four feet of snow remaining beyond the Deer Creek Gates at mile post 23.3 on the Mtn Loop Hwy was reported as being in good condition. The walk in was reported as having a firm base of snow for easy walking (especially with snowshoes) or skiing. There were reports of lots of avalanche activity up on the Big Four Mountain Peaks,but only a few events were actually viewed due to low cloud cover. With the snow level on it's way up to 12,000 feet in the next few days,the snowpack with likely be impacted.The Mountain Loop is bare and wet leading up to the Deer Creek gates with some slush in places beyond the Town of Silverton.
                            Enjoy your outing!
                               
                            ForestPatrolDeputy