Big Four Mountain

Big Four is a mountain summit in the Cascade Range, located about east of Granite Falls, Washington. It is situated west of Barlow Pass along the Mountain Loop Highway, near the Monte Cristo area, on land administered by the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Debris piles on the mountain's northern flank form as a result of avalanche activity. These fields of disturbed snow are able to remain year round in the shadow of the mountain. During the summer months snow-melt streams flow beneath the debris piles and cause caves to form in the ice. The caves vary in size from season to season and are unpredictably dangerous. The mountain is open to the public and a large snowfield can be reached by a short trail, but the snowfield itself is off-limits due to cave-ins and slides which have killed hikers in incidents in 1998, 2010, and 2015. History Big Four is not named for the five peaks on its top. Possible origins for its name include a figure four that is visible in one of its snowfields and a group of four brothers who were known to prospect and trap in the valley. The snow accumulation at the location of the ice caves was known as "Rucker's Glacier" (not actually a glacier), and is considered the lowest elevation permanent ice in the Cascades. Big Four Inn was a resort near the base of the mountain built by the Rucker Brothers in 1921 until it was destroyed by fire in 1949. The first ascent of Big Four was made July 19, 1931, by Forest Farr and Art Winder via the northwest ridge.