I hiked from the Deer Creek gates up beyond Big Four entrances and then came back and hiked from the Trailhead parking lot (2 restrooms open!) out to where it meets the trail coming from the picnic area and wetlands and then back to the picnic area.
The Mountain Loop Highway was mostly bare after the Deer Creek gates until maybe 3/4 mile before the Big Four Picnic Area entrance. Staying on the MLH, it remained covered with crusty snow/ice for about a mile and then was bare again as far as I went (almost to Dickerman trailhead). It's unusual, but sure makes walking farther easier. I did use walking poles on the non-bare parts, and didn't really have much trouble. The parts of the Big Four trail that I walked on were pretty crusty snow/ice covered, but not terrible. Probably would have been worth putting on microspikes if I'd been walking more of the trail.
It was chilly today...especially when the sun goes behind Big Four so early...but a beautiful day even though snow is non-existent in places and much less than usual this time of the year everywhere else.
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