Big Four Ice Caves Snowshoe
North Cascades
As of March 26, 2026, conditions for Big Four Ice Caves Snowshoe are variable. The Mountain Loop Highway is clear to the Deer Creek gate, but snow appears from the gate onward, becoming more consistent on the trail past the Big Four picnic area. Reports from March 15th indicate deep, wet, and heavy snow requiring snowshoes, while a report from March 23rd suggests microspikes were sufficient for a less deep snowpack. Blowdowns are present on the trail, requiring crawling or stepping over. The ice caves themselves are reportedly completely covered in snow and not visible (March 15th). Parking can be limited, with cars sometimes parked on both sides of the road, narrowing passage.
generated from 28 reports
Conditions at a Glance
Trail
Minor obstacles posing few problems
1 of 1
Snow
Snowfields to cross - could be difficult
1 of 1
Road
Road suitable for all vehicles
1 of 1
Bugs
No bugs
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Sources
I got a late start and decided to do an easy hike so I could bring my cat along with her harness and cat pack, big four seemed like a good choice!THE ROAD: parked at deer Creek gate road was free from...
Arrived to the gate at deer creek around 7 am, and was the 3rd car there. Road was clear of snow up until the gate. Snow on the road past the gate was well tread by snow mobiles, so it was easy going ...
The quality and quantity of snow was Not Great, but it was a gorgeous day nonetheless. Consistent coverage begins about .75 miles beyond the gate at MP25 and is fairly icy/slushy until you turn off at...
We didn't actually hike this trail as there was no snow at the start and I wanted to find the snow, so we ended up going to Kelcema Lake. There were a few cars parked at the bottom, so other people p...
8 people in the parking lot around 11:30, probably due to the Seahawks game. Not too many people on the trail but we definitely ran into some. The road isn't snow covered until the gate + then it's pr...
I am a day behind writing this trip report, will try to keep it brief and to the point.Headed out from Granite Falls around 9am. Road to the gate was icy almost the entire way, max speed was probably ...
Stopped at the ranger station for clean restrooms on the way there. Watch out for black ice on the shady curves. AWD and good tires are important. We slipped on the curve just before Lake 22 but we’re...
Just going to add a few things that might vary from most recent reports. The road past Verlot has some pretty icy spots. On my way back, about 2pm, there was a 2-3 vehicle collision near the Lake 22 T...
Today was an amazing day to be outside, I love a good closed mountain highway road walk and this was a great one! (Tomorrow I’ll hit Highway 20) The road from the closure to the Big Four trailhead is ...
The winter trek to Big Four Ice Caves is a great beginner/intermediate trek for folks who want to have fun in the snow but don't want to worry about avalanche danger. Snow is fairly compact on the roa...
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