Big Four Ice Caves
| Distance: | 2 miles | |
| Time: | 1.5 hours | |
| Elevation Gain: | 200ft | |
| Rating: |  |
Description:
This is one of those hikes halfway in you dont feel like you are going anywhere in particular. But soon after, you realize you are onto something quite special. The trail starts on a boardwalk through a marshy area, crosses the liquid-glass South Fork Stillaguamish, and then switches back gradually through the forest before opening onto a rocky plain below 6,153-foot Big Four Mountain.
At the base of the stony peaks north face, a permanent snowfield lies exposed in the summer months, with creeks carving massive ice from beneath its surface. Up closer, the walls of the ice caves are alluring, but venturing into the caves themselves can be-and often is-extremely dangerous. Early in the when snow still covers the cave openings, avalanches are an all-too-common danger for hikers who venture too close to the base of Big Four. Ice can collapse from the cave ceilings any time of the year, and avalanches on this mountain face are common in winter.
Directions:
From Seattle drive north on Interstate 5 to Exit 194/City Center/Stevens Pass. Drive six miles east on US 2 to the Highway 9 exit near Snohomish. Follow Highway 9 north to US 92.Turn right and follow US 92 eight miles east to Granite Falls. At the end of town, turn left (north) on the Mountain loop Highway. Drive to the Verlot Public Service Center and another 14.5 miles to the Big Four Picnic Area on the right (south) side of the road. We will begin the hike at the old fireplace, so look for it. Bring a lunch and dress for weather.
