Everett, Wash.
Published: Saturday, May 16, 2009

Bridge to ice caves to be ready by July

The old bridge on the trail to the Big Four Mountain caves washed out in 2006; soon, work will begin on a new one.

By Gale Fiege
Herald Writer

 DARRINGTON -- Fans of the ice caves below Big Four Mountain can expect an easy hike to the beloved snowfield by mid-July.

Work on a new $425,000 bridge over the South Fork Stillaguamish River is scheduled to begin soon on the trail to the ice caves, said Peter Forbes, head of the Darrington Ranger District.

One of the most popular sights in Snohomish County and arguably the best-used trail in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, the one-mile walk to the Big Four ice caves has attracted tourists from around the world.

More than 50,000 people a year visited the ice caves before the old trail bridge was washed out in 2006, said Diane Boyd of the ranger district's Verlot visitors center.

"We have a photo that shows a steady herd of people approaching the ice caves on a summer weekend," Boyd said. "It looks like a freeway."

Back by obvious demand, the Big Four trail tops the list of Forest Service roads and trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail west of Glacier Peak, set to get some work this summer, Forbes said.

Current repairs, restoration and maintenance on roads and trails in the Darrington district of the National Forest will cost about $9 million. Another $2 million may be available through the federal stimulus program for additional work, Forbes said.

The popularity of the trail to the Big Four ice caves, a memorable childhood destination for many people in Snohomish County, is due to how easy of a trek it is, Forbes said.

The caves, formed by stream channels under the melting snowfield, normally don't appear until temperatures rise in August. No matter what the weather, the Forest Service warns against entering or climbing on the ice caves because heavy ice can fall at any time.

The trail's old bridge washed out in the fall floods of 2006, and the trail was officially closed. Since then, hikers going at their own risk have struggled to cross the river, walking over logs or wading through the icy waters. In addition, debris from an avalanche in 2008 blocked parts of the trail on the other side of the river, requiring extra trail work.

Located about 25 miles east of Granite Falls, the trailhead is along the Mountain Loop Highway at the site of what once was the Big Four Hotel.

Until Thursday the Mountain Loop Highway is expected to remain closed to motorists at Deer Creek, east of the Verlot Public Service Center. By then county road crews should be able to clear the snow on the road up to Barlow Pass and the picnic area at Big Four will be open.

Campsites in the National Forest are open now, but wintry conditions still exist in the higher elevations, Forbes said.

"It can be sunny down in Everett, but people should come prepared for snow up here," he said. It's always a good idea to call the Darrington office or the Verlot visitors center before you travel, he added.

The last six years of flooding, heavy snow and avalanches have been hard on public-use areas in the forest. "And fixing those problems is never easy or straightforward," Forbes said.

Trail users such as Steve Reppert are pleased to see the plans for summer work in the national forest. A member of the Everett-based Traildusters Chapter of the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington, Reppert said his group is prepared to help out by doing volunteer work on area trails.

"Funding for trail work has been so tight that anything the Forest Service does to make the area more accessible, we're happy about," Reppert said.

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427, gfiege@heraldnet.com.



For info about conditions on forest trails, roads and campsites in the Darrington Ranger District, call 360-436-1155 or 360-691-7791, or go to www.fs.fed.us.



Summer repairs

Other summer work highlights in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest include:

Restoration in the Canyon Creek area, with access to the Three Fingers Trail and lookout northeast of Granite Falls.

Repairs to the Whitechuck Bench Trail southeast of Darrington.

Repairs to washouts on the North Side Sauk Road near Darrington.

A new bridge extension over the Suiattle River on Rat Trap Pass Road.

A boat launch parking area at the Bedal campground south of Darrington.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA