Mountain Loop Road is open and only one patch of rough road. The trail is in good condition and the fallen trees are clear.

This was our first time in over a year hiking back to the ice cave area. There is evidence of downed tree removal along the trail keeping it in good condition. We were there on a Monday and while we were there there were few people on the trail but on our way out just after noon there were a lot of people coming in. On the way back to the cave viewing area we heard an avalanche that lasted for several seconds. There is a small opening at the edge of the snow formation that flowing water is emerging from to form a new cave for the season.

Since the Mountain Loop Highway has opened we headed to the Ice Caves for a family outing. Even though it was a Saturday and we didn't get to the trail until around Noon, it wasn't too crowded. The weather was absolutely perfect and it was a pleasant surprise that there were no bugs to bother us! The trail is in excellent condition but the snow pile that forms the caves has not melted away enough to form the cave opening. There are lots of waterfalls coming off of the Big Four Peaks and we spotted trillium, "yellow" violets and a few Pacific bleeding hearts starting to unfurl. We even had a raven come to stand guard over us from the top of a small tree while we ate our lunch! All, in all it was a delightful day. After the ice caves we ventured a few more miles along the Mountain Loop Highway. It was in good condition, with the usual pot holes and some branch debris after Barlow Pass. I also noticed that the gravel road leading to the Goat Lake and Elliot Creek trails was closed.

Today is the first day that the remainder of the Mountain Loop Highway trail opened, which permitted access to the Big Four Ice Caves. The road to the trailhead is mostly great with no obstacles. There is a short area of road that is covered in gravel and has some potholes, but there is a warning to decrease speed to 25mph. All vehicles will be able to cross it. My boyfriend and I arrived around 1PM at the trailhead and there were only 3 other cars parked. This is a very quick, easy hike (more like a walk). The first half is through marshland, and the second half is through a forested area. There is quite a bit of blowdown, but the trails have all been cleared so it is a non-issue. The end of the trail has a couple rocks to sit on and stare up at the jagged rock face. The mound of snow at the bottom is enormous - probably 3x what it would usually be in the summer time. No real "caves" yet - nothing you can look into. But still an amazing sight to see! I highly recommend stopping to look at all the waterfalls, especially the ones in the crevices of the rocks. My boyfriend and I spotted probably a dozen - which makes for a very beautiful scene, even on a cloudy/drizzling day like today. Great hike for people with children or dogs. The dogs we saw were off-leash, but the owners were considerate and gave us a warning before they approached.

Hiked up with my brother even though the road was closed, the trail head was open. There was lots of fallen trees across the trail. All in all, a very beautiful hike, totally worth it. I can't wait to go back.