We had heard about the Bearcat Caves located in the Monte Hills and we decided to try to find the caves then explore them.    We returned several times, each time exploring farther along the caves and fissures and trying new routes where there was safe access.   To get to the Bearcat Caves, we go to Monte Lake and at the north end of the lake, we take the Monte Hills FSR.     The area has been logged many times and there are lots of side roads.    We had coordinates for the caves area so we followed backroads that took us to the trailhead.    A geocache listing provided lots of useful information – Bearcat Caves.

There are no trail signs and there is lots of windfall, but there may be some flagging tape and a faint trail.     The holes/entrances are scattered over the area and there are probably more closer to the cliffs overlooking the Salmon River Valley.   The cave with the geocache in it was the easiest to get into.    We can hike right through that one.     We found 3 other caves/fissures that offered good scrambling.     In one of the caves is a 100 foot drop down the Ice Slide.    Without a rope, that would be a “keeper.”    Some of the routes are just deep fissures with light from above, but some go down tunnels.    Anyone who goes there needs to wear a helmet (easy to bash your head in the dark), needs to have a headlamp and/or a flashlight, needs to use good hiking boots, and may want to carry a rope.   Exploring these caves alone is not advisable and it would be unsuitable for children and pets.

I have done the caves a few times and have taken small groups through the fissures and into the tunnels.    It is not for everyone and generally speaking suited to fit, strong experienced adults who don’t mind going underground.

A YouTube video was assembled from photos a few years ago and it is shared here: