Big Four Ice Caves — Sunday, Jul. 28, 2024

My hiking buddy and I were coming back from Boulder River, and thought it would be fun to go through Darrington and around Mountain Loop Highway to have a quick leg stretcher at Big Four before heading home. I heard recently that the Forest Service had regraded the 14 miles of unpaved highway, and it was lovely. No potholes, even surfaces and moderate gravel for the entire time. Quite a change from the last time I drove the entire Loop.

We opted to park at the picnic grounds for Big Four instead of the trailhead. Arrived around 2PM and had no issues finding a spot despite the large volume of people. I'm not sure why they removed the two bathrooms at the picnic area, so you have to hoof it to the trailhead parking lot instead. Only two of the bathrooms were open, and you could get a whiff of them from 50 feet away. Foul, but needs must.

The new boardwalks and bridge were nice, and the Ice Caves themselves are coming along. The high temps earlier in July definitely contributed to them forming, and there was visible water run-off everywhere.

Pleasantries aside... PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THE ICE CAVES. DO NOT GO IN THE ICE CAVES. DO NOT GO ON THE ICE CAVES. We always see bad behavior here, but this was a banner visit. There have been multiple fatalities at the Ice Caves and they are extremely dangerous. Especially during a summer like this one with weeks of record high temperatures in a row. Please exercise caution and don't be a casualty. The view from the platform is just as good, and it's not worth putting yourself, your loved ones, or your hiking party at risk by getting up close.