Icicle Ridge via Fourth of July Creek — Saturday, Mar. 29, 2025

Short version: If you want a short spring hill climb and views across the valley, the switchback around 3550ft (approximately 1.7mi from the car) makes a good resting and turn around point until the snow above that melts out. Just keep an eye out for ticks.

Conditions

• Drive: There were a couple snow-patches on Icicle Creek Rd prior to the trailhead although dodging the potholes felt like more of a hazard than the short sections of shallow snow.
• Obstacles: 1 tree down at 0.25mi that requires climbing over or pushing your way through brush around it. You'll also need to carefully rock hop at both crossings of Fourth of July creek.
• Trail Snow: A handful of sloppy snow patches that are easy to walk on/in during the first 0.5mi until you cross Fourth of July creek the second (and final) time. From there the trail is predominantly dry until you transition onto the west-facing slope of the draw around 3900ft. From here the patches of snow start coming back and are firmer, requiring more careful foot placement or kicking steps. This becomes especially true as you get into the narrow side drainage around 4400ft (about 2.5mi from the car), which is where I decided to turn around for the day. The issue is that the sun doesn't hit this area until mid-afternoon which briefly softens it up before it refreezes into a hard ice surface overnight, making it challenging to hike in the morning or even mid-day.
• Bugs: I found one tick (likely male Rocky Mountain wood tick) in my clothes once I got home despite keeping an eye out and being careful on the trail.
• Other Animals: I saw one male [dusky?] grouse and a squirrel during my ascent.
• Lost and Found: If you lost part of a trekking pole near the second creek crossing, I moved it down to the otherwise empty trail register.