Bearcat Caves are a fairly recent discovery in our area and the details cannot be found in any book nor on any website.   We heard about it about a year ago when a geocache was placed inside the caves.   We finally got to it this fall.     Thanks to Glenn Dreger for some of this information.

A local hunting outfitter named Mike Ritcey was out cougar hunting and the cougar they were pursuing took refuge from the dogs in the caves.   On another trip, a bear did the same thing.   Mike’s guiding territory is called Bearcat Oufitters, hence the name.   Local cavers have been exploring the caves since that time.

Bearcat Caves resemble a fault line in an old lava flow.   There a numerous caves along this fault line and some of them require climbing equipment to enter.   One of the caves has a vertical drop of 85 feet before branching out into horizontal tunnels.   A geocacher also wrote this about one of the caves:

” We have been exploring these caves (Fishers) for almost three years and every time we are left amazed with what we see. This day we didn’t repel into the depths below but we did descend down the “Ice slide” and had a snow ball fight. Yes, snow 12 months of the year.  We climbed “Mario brothers” which is a cave that you can bolder in that is 1 to 3 feet wide, 100 feet side ways and 100 deep all lava, The ultimate climbing gym.”

For the average hiker, here is what you need to know.   The access road is the Monte Creek FSR.   One end of it starts at Monte Lake.    Right at the north end of the lake, follow the road and as you cross the bridge, you will see a sign naming it Private Main (even though it is a public road).   It is an active logging road, but on weekends we always see dozens of vehicles going into the back country.     This is a good road, but we bumped along lots of small potholes along the way.     You will stay on this road for 16.5 km then you need to turn onto the signed Wood 200 Road.   Continue on this road as it winds among low hills and climbs into a logged area.   There are a maze of roads here so a mini-map is included below.

Wood 200 Road can be a little rough so if conditions aren’t dry or if you have a low clearance vehicle, you may choose to park somewhere along the road and hike in.   When we went in in October, we had a little bit of mud, some puddles, and a some debris on the road, but we never used 4WD all the way in.

You will park in a logged area  and from there the route in to the caves is only about 800m.   The first 150 m is across a logged open area and you can pick your own route.   As you approach the hill, the line to the Caves is straight up, but the  area has been subject to pine kill and windfall, so you will find the going very difficult.   Instead, swing around the south-facing slope of the hill, staying south until you are on the back side of the hill, then bear north.   There is no visible trail, nor could we see a marked route in or out.   On our next trip in, we will bring a saw and flagging tape to clear and mark the route, but for now you will need to use a GPS and aim for N 50° 23.600 W 119° 50.905.   Without a GPSr, you could head over the south end of the hill, and continue around the back side until you intersect the cleft, but it is not an obvious spot from afar.   The area has been heavily covered in windfall and is equally challenging right at the caves area.

Once you are at the caves, you can peer down at various points, but one cave (south end) is very accessible, has some light filtering down from above at several points, and can be hiked from end to end.   The entrances are at either end and are a short dirt-covered ramp down to the bottom.   Once down, the floor is mostly dirt-covered.   You will want a flashlight or headlamp, but almost the whole way can be navigated without one.

The Bearcat Caves are in a remote spot.   There is no trail in and the windfall is a considerable challenge.   Standing on top, you will be able to follow the rift and peer down.   If this is all you plan to do, you may wish to skip this hike.  If you come prepared to enter the accessible cave, then this is a rewarding hike and scramble.

You Tube Video

For an additional short hike, drive down to the end of the road and park.   You will see a trail heading out to the top of a lava wall above the Salmon River Valley.    A wonderful place to have lunch and enjoy the view.

Afternote – This 5 year old article does not describe the current route into the area.   The road has now been deactivated and now we have to go in via the Salmon River Valley.   At some point, I will head back there and post updated directions (using real sentences).