Big Four Mountain, famous for its ice caves, rises above the Mountain Loop Highway near Hall Peak. The mountain’s name1 is thought to originate from either a distinct number 4 shape visible on the east face or from four brothers who prospected in the area. The Big Four Inn,2 built in 1921, once stood at its base until it was tragically destroyed by fire in 1949.3
See more trip photos here.
Big Four Mountain at a Glance
Access: Dickerman Mountain Trailhead
Round Trip: 6.3 miles
Elevation Range: 1760′-6170′
Route Info: Addison Williams
GPS Track: available
Essential Gear: helmet, ice ax, crampons, rock & rope (60m)
Dog-Friendly: no
Playlist: Afrobeats, Dark, Hopeful
A Perfect Time for Day Trips
While trying to limit this season’s outings to day trips, I figured I could continue visiting places I saw as a day hiker. These spots have long been on the back burner, and I may never get to them otherwise. Many are obscure and inaccessible during the snowy seasons when the forest roads are typically closed for the winter.
My first photo of Big Four Mountain was taken years ago from Vesper Peak on my first hike in the area with the late dogs. I intended to celebrate Pride Sunday on the mountain, but I slightly injured my right foot the day before. So, I waited several days until the condition improved and came here the day before the holiday.
An Early Start to the Mountain
The Dickerman Mountain trailhead was empty, though one car pulled in just before I crossed the highway into the trees. The weather alternated between overcast skies and brilliant sunshine, but was sunny for the better part of the day. Luckily, mosquitoes and flies were not too bad, thanks in part to a consistent light breeze.
Through the open forest, the route led me southwest toward the river shore with my objective overhead. There were many large, sturdy logs available for crossing the South Fork Stillaguamish River without much difficulty. Shortly, I returned to the trees through much log debris and tall plants that obstructed the way.
Finding a Path Through the Headwall
The terrain unexpectedly opened up just before reaching a dense swath of slide alder at the edge of the forest. I turned west there and only contended with a small portion before reaching the broad Dry Creek. The smoother path allowed me to walk in the dry bed toward the visible waterfall gushing down the headwall.
Underground water surfaced at around 2200 feet, and I crossed to the west another 200 feet higher. I skipped the northernmost gully, the preferred winter route, and scrambled above the one trending west toward the upper basin. The class 4 terrain involved a series of ledges and ramps, which made for an “engaging” climb.
Talus Fields Followed Slab Gully
While scrambling, I nearly disturbed a small wasp nest and quickly rerouted toward the gully after hearing the buzzing. Fortunately, while I swiftly retreated over the exposed terrain, the insects decided not to pursue me. I then continued straight up the gully using vegetation and the path of least resistance.
I headed north on milder ground onto a north-adjacent rib when the route ended below another headwall. A slab gully covered in light, running water soon appeared, which I followed until I reached the talus fields above. Plenty of streams and trickles of water were available throughout the approach, so it was never dry.
Ascending the Big Four Mountain Couloir
I continued to 4000 feet before heading south over several gullies to the bottom of the main gully, where I put on crampons. Reports I found focused on the rockfalls here, but luckily, I did not encounter any. It reminded me of Colchuck Glacier and Lemah Mountain, but significantly narrower and felt much more committing.
The snow ramp looked deceptively flat from below, but the incline increased drastically in the latter half of the climb. After seeing crevasses, I transitioned onto the rocks at the closest point around 4800 feet. From the slabs, it was clear the snow along the edge of the steeper incline was thin and overhanging.
Bypassing Moats Through Exposed Rock
Continuing up the snow ramp would have led to a broad and deep moat directly below a large waterfall. The snow had long peeled away from the rocks with thin overhangs not visible to the eyes. Soon, I walked up a small stream ramp beside the gap to the solid rock slope over sustained exposed terrain.
The same stream appeared higher up, where I crossed to the south below a chimney and up a short wall with some features. The upper half of the snow continued above the waterfall, so I returned to it to reach the top of the ramp. I couldn’t pinpoint the lower notch, but later realized it sat above the chimney with a sheer drop.
The Summit Views and Ridge Traverse
Instead, I scrambled the north-adjacent red slabs with an incredible adrenaline rush and ended up above the saddle. Steep terrain persisted up to the east ridge, but was manageable in several places just below the west. From the ridgetop, I briefly walked on snow beneath the first ridge bump before attaining the second one, the summit.
Then I traversed the rest of the summit ridge to its far end, a broad area perfect for views during my stay. Clouds moved in from the northwest earlier, obscuring the vistas there as the mist continued to shift. I got a clear view of Dickerman Mountain, Mount Forgotten, Twin Peaks, Sloan Peak, and the Monte Cristo Group.
A Tricky Exit on Big Four Mountain
A helicopter suddenly flew into Copper Lake below, which made me wonder if it was a rescue mission. Afterward, I carefully retraced my steps to the south ridge and continued down to the lower notch for the rappel. Without sufficient snow, my rope ended just above the sheer drop, where a chock stone provided a foothold for stemming down.
Afterward, I walked around the moat to the bottom of the rocks and picked up my tracks to head down. To bypass the steep snow in the main gully, I continued on rocks by the waterfall and returned to snow by the sloping slabs. Down in the lower basin, it took two full rope lengths and some downclimbing to reach Dry Creek.
- Big Four Mountain History. ↩︎
- Fire destroys the Big Four Inn (Snohomish County) on September 7, 1949. ↩︎
- View Peaks and the Past at Big Four Ice Caves in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. ↩︎