Ice Caves Loop

Really nice hike. Much closer to moderate than hard. We saw four or five other groups of hikers on the trail and completed the clockwise circuit in just under 5 hours with stops for lunch and the ice cave. Look for the markings on the rocks for the entrance to the cave, and bring a headlamp (other light source) to create some fun photos.

Went today 7.11 and trail 100% clear and dry. Worth doing the loop to take in the view from the Grandview point.

Hiked the trail on 7-9 2020 starting at the campground trail head. The first three miles are a VERY steady climb then it plateaus along the top ridge. We got into the ice cave but snow was still covering most of the opening, then continued on around to Grandview and down. The views from up on top of the ridge are all "grand" views. You can see Lewiston, Judith and other communities from up there.

Trail is still snowy ... had to be close to caves maybe a 1/2 mile away. Turned back because we couldn’t find the trail anymore and we were falling waist deep in the snow. Super slick coming back down with so many people coming up. 6/13/2020

We tried it today, June 7, 2020. We made it up 1500 feet, falling 700 feet short of the caves due to snow. It's not safe to pass. Wait until it melts. Still, great views of the mountains and lake.

Road to campground until 6/2/2020. Can walk 6 miles up the gravel road to Crystal Lake. Lake is very cold but worth getting in. Pretty views of trees and mountains the whole way. No water, pack it in.

Hiked up the south face to the ice cave. Trail signs are deceptive the trail is longer than posted due to switchbacks. Great views, little evidence of deer or elk. But came across fresh bear scat and tracks. No water on trail, bring plenty.

Was a great trail with beautiful views and the ice caves were awesome! Definitely a hard trail though, jumping in over 2,000ft in altitude. Took us 6 hours to do, but we were also dinking around and taking pictures and stopped for lunch after hanging in the caves for a bit.

The trail is definitely not hard aside from the length (11.6 miles on my GPS). It really should be labeled "Moderate." The slope is not too steep from either direction. I recommend starting on the Ice Caves side because it covers a shorter distance to get to the top. The views from up there are fabulous! I could see how some caves are hard to find, but the observant hiker should see the entrance. The rock piles help if you need them to stay on the trail. Overall, if you're unsure, it's probably going to be ok. It's the easiest 12 miles I've hiked, and consequently the most rewarding.

Completed this trail 7/1/18. Parking lot for main trailhead for ice caves was behind a locked gate, so we started our hike at a lower trailhead. Turned into a 21 mile day. Hike was strenuous, including a short section over loose rock. The summit section is mostly flat, no ground worn trail, you have to follow large cairns to the ice cave itself. Definitely worth the hike, beautiful scenery.

The parking areas around the lake are open, what a great hike went up through grand view, just hard to find the second ice cave