Views down to a pond below and the peaks to the northeast can be seen. A challenging 9.5 miles with 3000' up and 3000 . If youre thinking about hiking Devils Dome Loop, you might find these helpful: Hi there, Im Alissa. As of summer 2019 (and still in 2020) the bridge leading to Jackita Ridge Trail was damaged, making this trailhead only practical for Devils Dome loop during late summer or fall when the creek can be safely forded. Contributions to WTA are tax deductible, and we are committed to making the best use of every donation to our mission. But as with thru-hiking (hiking from point A to B without return), you have to keep your mental game up. Plus at least soaking my feet in the lake to let them decompress. 31.0 - Side trail leading down to Rainbow Point Campground So to be safe, we filled each of our backpacks main bladders, a Nalgene each and a couple of Platypus bladders to ensure we didnt run into problems if water was lacking further on the trail. The last two few miles down to the East Bank trail has only small trees across the trail. Sir Hikes A Lot joined for what was mostly a great day (one navigation issue noted below). Ruby Creek Trail. Cathedral Rock (6724 ft) Little Big Chief Peak (7225 ft) Middle Index Peak (5493 ft) North Index Peak (5357 ft) Prusik Peak (8000 ft) The Bull's Tooth (6680+ ft) The Citadel (7120 ft) The Mole (7240 ft) The Enchantment Temple (8292 ft) Theres more where this came from! 'Overlook Devils Park and the Cascade Crest from the Jackita Ridge Trail in the Pasayten Wilderness. Water is an issue and the most dependable source supposedly would be found at Bear Skull Cabin 4000 up. Learn how your comment data is processed. Rating. Seattle, WA 98104. Mile 0.0 - The path leaves the trailhead and shortly crosses Granite Creek on a nice bridge. We may have been very lucky but we faced no weather, few other hikers and almost no bugs throughout the entire trip. All in all, this loop is absolutely stunning. 10.0 - The trail reaches a small side trail to the right, which leads up to a high point along Jackita Ridge. Mosquitoes and bees can be a real nuisance along this trail. Just a good reminder to properly store food at night whether in a bear canister (bear canisters are not required along this trail) or strung up high in a tree. Trip Report By. This video captures my gratitude. 98284, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Heres what youll need in each to hike the complete loop. He confirmed the painted xs that wed see as our guide up the scramble. Trip Report By. Shuffling along the East Bank trail; Richard's photo. This high elevation trail often holds the snow until well into the summer months--check USFS trail conditions before heading out. Outdoor Tips. Devil's Dome Loop is located in the Pasayten Wilderness which overlaps with the North Cascades National Park. For me, it isnt counting every half mile Ive done, but just keep hiking till the next bend or ridge. We coming up a little hill and suddenly saw what both thought was a bear in a field. A number of other options exist, including extensions into longer loops of 70+ miles by heading further north to Castle Pass Trail, or further east to the PCT and beyond. Thunder/Fourth of July/Panther/Fisher/Park Creek Trails, Bridge Creek/North Fork/Twisp Pass/McAlester/Rainbow Lake and Creek/McGregor. Devil's Ridge Trail up and over Devil's Dome. 31.75 - Trail crosses May Creek, a rock hop late in the season. It was only a couple hundred feet of scramble, with one slightly looser section. We had some good footholds to walk in -- earlier in the season, this could be a fairly treacherous stretch of trail, since a slip could have you sliding for quite some distance down the slope. I am in awe of your stamina. And soon our leisurely, overcast stroll turned into a hot, muggy hike up the south side of the Devils Dome Loop trail. Some views to the mountains to the north and the eastern flank of Crater Mountain as the trail descends slightly. The scenery was amazing and the solitude was awesome. I couldnt muster a jog anymore uphill, so I walked it and I most definitely felt my feet scream back at me. Check out this 23.7-mile out-and-back trail near Marblemount, Washington. Shortly before the trail crosses into Ross Lake NRA, the trail quality improves, and the walking becomes pretty good again. It quickly meets a trail intersection, continue straight, ignoring the trail to the right. This section isnt wildly unsafe and the trail navigates down the switchbacks well, but there are some dried up water runoffs that cut through it at places and a bad step could lead to a very painful slide down the slope. Ive had the pleasure of hiking the Arizona Trail, Colorado Trail, John Muir Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, and countless shorter amazing trails throughout the US and abroad. Just north of Sundance is Devils Tower, the massive rock monolith featured in the movie "Close Encounters of the Third . Im happy to report back that yes indeed, Devils Dome Loop is a fantastic and challenging backpacking route. This lower elevation trail is usually snowfree by mid- to late-June. I love multi-day backpacking loop treks and the Devils Dome Loop in the North Cascades turned out to be a jewel. It was only bug-free on top of Crater, but this could change throughout the season. Im wanting to believe that theyre fairly rare since the other tiny patch I saw was by Easy Pass. Jack sort of looks a bit like Shuksan and it was really confusing! I used every other leg muscle to compensate for my tired feet, but to no avail. 36.5 - Side trail to the right, continue straight (left). Half way up our biggest hill for today. Yes please! Lyndon Station, WI 53944 . Apparently this mountain used to host a lookout site, so the trail is quite well-made. And yes, as always, summits are so worth the 360 views you get. My advice, I originally planned to camp at Devils Creek on the 1st or second night to set up better for the long climb up to Devils Dome. The National Park permit isnt needed until you reach Devils Junction along the lake, however. The campsites along Ross Lake (Roland Creek and Devils Creek) are managed through the backcountry permit system of North Cascades National Park, and thus you need a reservation to camp at them. I love multi-day backpacking loop treks and the Devils Dome Loop in the North Cascades turned out to be a jewel. However, more campsite information would have been helpful. This was as good as it could get. I did this loop going counter clockwise starting f. This would require gaining upwards of about 4000 of elevation over 8.5 miles. Gary Zink. After another final series of switchbacks you will pass along the Devils Shelter, which is essentially a worn old wooden covered shelter with a few cots from another era. At the northern end of the bridge, immediately turn right at the fork. Wonderful photos, too. I was the guy welcoming the finishers as the crossed the line and handing out cold water. . Copyright 2023 Exploring Wild, All Rights Reserved. Given that East Bank parking is free and also that the bridge at Canyon Creek may still be damaged (see below), it probably makes more sense to start at the East Bank Trailhead unless Canyon Creek works better for your desired daily distances. Explore the western edge of the Pasayten Wilderness, east of Ross Lake in the North Cascades. Our bodies were totally spent but it Hurt So Good. Do you feel one has an advantage over the other?Thanks. If you buy through these affiliate links I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Theres room for 2 tents to fit comfortably, possibly three 2-person tents could be made to work. After Devils Pass, the trail continues to traverse along side the ridge line now leading up to Devils Pass with Crater and Jack Mountain now lying across the valley to the south. Hiking the Maple Pass Loop in the North Cascades is a gem. 1.25 - Trail reaches the registration box, and begins switchbacking up the the hill. Long distance enthusiasts may be intrigued by the routes overlap with the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail, which stretches over 1200 miles into Idaho and Montana. Highest Point: 6980 ft. If you are planning a trip to the wilderness, be sure to check the weather forecast, snow level, and driving conditions beforehand, and leave a detailed itinerary with a friend or family member, including the date and time you plan to exit the backcountry. 6500 feet of gain is no easy task especially with overnight gear. However, 4000 mostly straight up does kick your butt. Elevation. This . And most definitely airy at times. Backpacking to Heaven on the Devils Dome Loop. Here is a basic overview map for planning purposes, not suitable for on-trail navigation. We woke up to another hazy morning, the kind where you can see the sun, a glowing circle through the clouds. Initially it was pretty minimal, but by 9 am it began rolling in thick from the valley below. You can see from where you came from and where youre going. Camp with full hookups and wifi at seasonal or primitive Campgrounds.Find exactly what you need to fit your vacation style! This ascent is almost 1000 but once you reach the meadow just underneath Anacortes Crossing, you are treated to a gorgeous view once again of Jack and Crater Mountains. You seek to do so much without consideration of potential suffering, or maybe its the ignorance of it. We pushed a couple hundred feet further and further to finally rest at the intersection for a quick lunch break. No alpenglow to be seen with such thick haze that turned overcast. Begin at the East Bank trailhead, and follow USFS Ruby Creek Trail #736 east, or start at Canyon Creek trailhead. Hello! It's a little ambiguous, but the intersection occurs on the saddle in a grassy area. Beyond the summit, the trail drops slightly, crosses some permanent snow (nothing too treacherous here), and continues to descend encountering a small stream. The day was clear with some cloud cover moving in later, temperature at about 60 and no wind. Sedro-Woolley The next day required another 1000 climb up to Devils Dome which lived up to the hype for a fabulous 360 view of the North Cascades looking into Canada. So just keep walking, walking, walking. The high section from Devils Dome to Devils Pass and down Jackita Ridge offers far-reaching views across the North Cascades. Fire Lookouts. . Make sure and look for recent trip reports on water too; we went early enough that we were soaked all day, but I know by August that many of the streams dry up when the snow is gone. Hidden Hand, as many other trailheads are, is literally just that, a trailhead immediately on the lake. Devil's Lake State Park- Baraboo.Map S5975 Park Rd. Lake Ann- -Maple Pass Loop. Leaving the summit of Devil's Dome, looking west; Action Dave descending from Devil's Dome (I butt-glissaded); Richard's photo. This loop is known for its wonderful wildflower displays and views of the Pasayten, and many other mountains. However, many more loops are possible, by combining neighboring US Forest Service trails with park trails, using a water taxi service on Ross Lake, or staging a vehicle at either end of a long trail. There also is overgrowth on the Ruby Creek trail going east from the East Bank trailhead. After the creek crossing, the trail climbs back out of the valley bottom, steeply in some places. There are two trailheads along Highway 20 where you can start and end this hike: East Bank and Canyon Creek. 17 as difficult for stock, lies a steep set of switchbacks along a scree slope. More Details Visit Website. We hiked about 6 mile to Devils Creek Landing on Ross Lake where we had lunch and a rest before the big climb. I could not for the life of me figure out Mesahchie amongst all the point peaks, but at least Black Peak was prominent to the east. My common backpacking partner, Bryce, was gonna be challenged with getting there at a reasonable time on September 1st so I opted for a campsite halfway along the East Bank Trail at Roland Creek. There is a campsite to the right of the trail, just past the trail intersection. At mile 20, camp atop Devils Dome for sunset and sunrise views over the endless peaks of British Columbia and west to Mt. Also, this is the only point on the trail until you break out of the Pasayten Wilderness that there was a sign marking the location. 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