Located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest near Mt Adams, these underground chambers are not too large or deep ( about 650 feet long), making them a fun experience for the novice spelunker.
The caves are filled with spectacular ice formations that resemble the stalactites, stalagmites, columns, fans and boxwork that require thousands of years to form in a limestone cavern.There are numerous lava tubes of the Mt. Adams volcano, some are small and some up to 2 miles long, which are different parts of a few once connected lava tubes. Portions of the Ice Caves are inaccessible, but you can find other sinkholes by following a surface trail.Even in the heat of summer, the temperatures in the Ice Caves can be quite chilly.
Before, the caves were used as "natural" refrigerators.The story tells of American natives, who stored there huckleberries in the cave. In 1860 the ice from the caves, was used to cool down the drinks in the taverns of Dalles City ( Oregon). Later, the owners of the caves experimented in using the cave as a cold storage.
Peterson Prairie Guard Station, a mile west of the cave, is rented by the Forest Service year-round. Peterson Prairie also has a summer campground. Back in Trout Lake, the log Trout Lake Motel and some bed-and-breakfast inns cater to overnight guests.
Directions to the Guler Ice Caves: Take I-5 South,take HWY 14 West,take Washington Route 141 north from White Salmon to Trout Lake, then head west on Forest Road 24 for 5.5 miles.
If you are interested in caving (speleology ) and want to attend a few trips with professional cavers in our state and Oregon, join the Oregon Grotto- the only chapter of the National Speleological Society in our region.There are lots of benefits of being a member of the Oregon Grotto !
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