There is minimal ice and snow on the trail. A few blowdowns just before the bridge but extensive work has already been done there. A few other minor blowdowns and solid snow only at the very end. Not as many avalanches coming down as expected, but a calm afternoon typical of the Casacades and a great hike. As usual during the week, the mountain loop highway was practically deserted.

This is the first time I've been on the this trails since the contractors began upgrading it. The new construction is very nice but I think perhaps they've gone a little over-board with all the yellow caution tape. There's lots of it strung all over the place along with the well placed signs warning of avalanche danger. There's compact snow and ice along most the trail. I reached the end of the trail in late afternoon after the sun had already set on the impressive northern wall of Big Four. There are no ice caves open.

My dog and I chose a nice day to go here. The road has about 3 inches of fresh snow but was otherwise clear. The parking lot is closed so you can only park on the highway. There were about 5 - 6 major blowdowns along the way which were easy to navigate. Although I wore snowshoes, they really weren't necessary. Except for a few slushy/muddy spots, the trail is completely covered in snow as are the caves.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month... I rolled out of bed. Got to the big four ice caves picnic trailhead before 4 PM, the trail is generally in good condition--the 'accessibility' work (or whatever insanity it is) has removed all the steps on the trail, added a few new not-yet-open, bridges, and made a few sections much muddier than before. Oh, and a tree fell parallel to the trail, ripping out most of a short section. Snow is melted all the way out in some places, and the caves are enormous, the mini-crevasses numerous. The furthest cave is the most spectacular. Waterfalls are partly frozen, but were also breaking off in cascades of ice.

Weather good - little too chilly for shorts standing right in front of the caves though. Ice caves still there - mountains looked great. Trail a little muddy in places. Some great work been done on the board walk part of the trail - kudos to the people who have worked on it this summer. Lots of people ignoring the signs and going in. One small group inside trying to cause one to collapse - such a shame, spoiled the photographs of the best looking cave as well as putting themselves and others at risk.