I settled on tackling the Northern Cascades classic 40-mile loop Devils Dome for my 30th birthday after reading about it in Backpacker Magazine where it was touted as Switzerland on the cheap. The trail is a bit dilapidated until reaching the registration box, about a quarter mile after the intersection. Overview: More information on food storage requirements, 810 State Route 20 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. Past the hook bend in the trail the trail begins its climb up to Devils Dome. Go Hiking Hiking Guide Devils Dome Loop Devils Dome Loop. Moderate. Devils Dome Loop: Day 3. by hktreks; 2017-10-02 2017-10-02; Day 3 - Down to the Valley We Go [elevation = 2128m (6982 ft); day 3 distance = 0 km (0 miles)] So about that forest fire off far to the north. Maple Pass Loop. We held out on top of the dome until about noon when it finally lifted in hopes of getting some final stunning views of the landscape from the domes summit. We were carrying enough water to make it to Granite Creek, which turned out to be our choice for a campsite after about an eight mile day. Bass Lake Campground Map N1497 Southern Rd. Just prior to McMillian Park, theres a junction with trail 746, a climbers trail that cuts left up to ascend Crater Mountain. The gold leaf dome of the Capitol building is a favourite with sightseers and Des Moines is an important city in presidential politics as it is here that the first caucuses of the presidential primary cycle take place. Washington Trails Association Im Alissa, your virtual guide, here to help you make your biggest, boldest adventure dreams a reality. Bass Lake Campground Map N1497 Southern Rd. . Greg crossing a creek on the way up to the Crater Mountain trail junction. Visual kei artist list. Hike the other direction. Intimate views of Crater Peak and Jack Mountain are framed with alpine meadows covered in wildflowers are the reward on this 25 mile . First and foremost, this trail is absolutely incredible! Here is a basic overview map for planning purposes, not suitable for on-trail navigation. I'm on gmail: bataa32, I have run this loop twice and I agree with Luke.it is better done ccw. Self-issue permits are available at the kiosk in front of the Wilderness Information Center. Again, I liked being able to park between the eastbound and westbound lanes, instead of having to get on the Historic Hwy. This worked out fine since there were hardly any other backpackers on this loop. Contributions to WTA are tax deductible, and we are committed to making the best use of every donation to our mission. 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. 42.0 - The trail reaches the trail intersection. An ice axe is required to navigate the steep snows of Copper Ridge until July. No camping permits needed if you dont camp along Ross Lake (marked above). Im wanting to believe that theyre fairly rare since the other tiny patch I saw was by Easy Pass. Day 1: Canyon Creek to Devils Park Sign up for Outside+ today. We took advantage of the mild evening and dipped our weary feet into the ice-cold lake water from the dock at the boat camp. Im Cherlyn and I love to adventure, from climbing mountains to going down canyons. I went clockwise though and would recommend it. September 25, 2016 backpacking / washington. 10.0 - The trail reaches a small side trail to the right, which leads up to a high point along Jackita Ridge. Begin at the East Bank trailhead, and follow USFS Ruby Creek Trail #736 east, or start at Canyon Creek trailhead. Menu Find A Route; Contact Us Devil's Ridge Trail up and over Devil's Dome. Trailhead 3000', ridge above lake is 5000', Thornton Lake 4500'. Alas, it wasnt autumn so upwards we go. 13.5 - The trail crosses North Fork Devils Creek, which was an easy rock hop late in the season (probably an easy crossing any time of year since it is near the headwaters of the creek). Another factor is permit availability for the Ross Lake campsites; more detail below. Unfortunately that lack of sleep caused me to oversleep the sunrise, to my dismay. Just scouting it out. (LogOut/ We did have a nice campsite just off trail toward the cabin. Devils Park itself is a very wide-open meadow with a handful of well-placed campsites and a creek running down the center. I believe I got all that I could from my body on this climb so my training turned out to be totally justified. Backpacking Has Changed a Lot Over the Past 50 Years. You cross back into the National Park recreational area too here, leaving the Pasayten Wilderness. They are about 3 miles apart. When to hike: Parts of the trail can hold snow until fairly late in the summer. Day 3: Devils Dome to Devils Junction I was proud that we did this trip, but to be frank, I could have also been quite satisfied with an overnight trip on top of Crater Mountain. Plus there is a landslide just west of this crossing which forces you to ford the stream just to get around the landslide and back to the Devils Park Trail. Total mileage: 40.4 miles (65 km) Powered by WordPress, 5 Days In The Glacier National Park Backcountry. The scenery was amazing and the solitude was awesome. North Fork Devil's Creek headwaters; cross-country travel from here up to Devil's Ridge; Richard (r) and Dave running toward Devil's Pass. Devils Dome-Jackita Ridge is a very strenuous backpack of 25 miles with 8,150 feet of gain. Lyndon Station, WI 53944 . Sometimes I almost wished I were running this like the two trail runners we saw. Posted on September 7, 2021, in Adventure, Backpacking, North Cascades, Pacific Northwest, Washington, Wilderness and tagged backpacking, Devils Dome, North Cascades National Park, Pacific Northwest Trail, PNT, Roland Creek, Ross Lake. It quickly meets a trail intersection, continue straight, ignoring the trail to the right. After McMillian Park, the trail levels out for a bit into a meadow and shows off the endless alpine vistas that will greet you on the following days hike to Devils Dome. Cascade River Road is closed for the winter season at milepost 20 (Eldorado), three miles before the Cascade Pass trailhead. Applications are processed in order by these numbers. Yes please! Pasayten Wilderness. Required fields are marked *. 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. WA Aggressive bear activity has been reported in all the camps along the PCT, especially Fireweed and South Fork. It definitely hit the spot. Your email address will not be published. It had been hazy all day but sunset was just about the right amount of pink for me. Northwest Forest Pass required, $5 per day. Beyond the intersection, the walking stays nice for several miles as it stays pretty much right at 6,000'. These are four of the most popular loop trips in the park. Its no use checking progress because youll inevitably be let down. Central Jackita Ridge; Anacortes crossing in the center background. Bikepacking & TouringTrips and RoutesGear and TipsTrip Planning Workbook, Hiking & BackpackingTrails and TripsGear and ClothingTips and AdviceTrip Planning Workbook, Adventure TravelExplore by RegionCamping and OutdoorsMindful Travel. Its so amazing to be able to point out all the mountains Ive climbed lately. vkgy So just keep walking, walking, walking. If youre unsuccessful with your first choice of permit application, you can still salvage your trip with these options: This one is easy. The trail then begins descending, and what was a pretty well graded and pleasant trail gets quite a bit rougher, with lots of brush overgrowing the trail and some steep descents. Significant flooding from November 2021 has damaged the road, there is no current access to Ross Lake or the Hozomeen campground via Canada. (Note that Ross Lake maps show other campsites in the area but these are boat-in only.). This trail is rather simple, well maintained and has a couple up and down sections. 623 m. 3.5-5h. Luckily, most of this uphill slog is tucked underneath shaded canopy. Elevation range: ~1550 - 6900 feet. An ice axe may be required to navigate the steep snows that linger on the north side of Bowan Pass well into July. 'Overlook Devils Park and the Cascade Crest from the Jackita Ridge Trail in the Pasayten Wilderness. Jack sort of looks a bit like Shuksan and it was really confusing! Road Road suitable for all vehicles . Views down to a pond below and the peaks to the northeast can be seen. There isnt a lot of elevation change either during this stretch until the final push up the dome which if youre sherpa-ing your water for the night and following morning is a very welcome fact. I couldnt have been more delight to see our final bridge to cross Ruby Creek at the end. So maybe I can help. Devils Dome Trip Report. Please e-mail us if you have trail conditions to report. Perhaps the Cascade's most accessible ski mountain , Mt . I am in awe of your stamina. What permit or permits do you need for Devils Dome Loop and how do you reserve campsites? Beyond this point, the trail climbs, fairly rapidly in places, as it climbs to the summit of Devils Dome (6982'). Water is an issue and the most dependable source supposedly would be found at Bear Skull Cabin 4000 up. Through this stretch, the trail crosses a couple of small streams. We disembarked at Hidden Hand Camp just off of the Ruby Arm at the southeast side of Ross Lake. 31.0 - Side trail leading down to Rainbow Point Campground or maybe it's the ignorance of it. It took us longer than expected because of the route finding and overgrowth/blowdown. Hiking the Maple Pass Loop in the North Cascades is a gem. Devils Dome Loop - Clockwise. . The vistas (in which there are many) in all directions are of craggy mountain peaks as far as the eye can see. 22.0 - The trail passes an unsigned trail that leads off to the right, stay left and continue to Dry Creek Pass. Gary Zink. At the northern end of the bridge, immediately turn right at the fork. 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. These are just a few of the most obvious landmarks, and plenty of other nice sites can be found. Trip Report By. Devils Dome Loop is definitely not the only good trail in the area. Checking off the box for a long hike (nominally 43 miles) for Cleo, and checking off the box for a scramble with sweet camp views for me. North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20. We casually enjoyed our evening as we watched the sun set behind Baker. Devils Dome Loop spans two different land management areas, the Ross Lake National Recreation Area (part of North Cascades National Park) and the Pasaytan Wilderness. . Well, we only found one campsite barely large enough for two tents which was just south of the creek as you enter the trees. 8.0 - The trail reaches Devil's Park Shelter and the meadows of Devil's park. Devil's Dome Loop is a 43-mile backpacking loop. View map below . . I love solitude, big views, and a good lightweight gear setup. When I first learned about Devils Dome Loop in the North Cascades I knew it was the perfect route for me. That means one of your days will be at least 14 miles long, which is probably easiest to do on your way out for more downhill. I met a group of thru-hikers on top of Devils Dome and they seemed to be enjoying the route. Devils Dome. Devil's Dome Loop. North Cascades. North Washington Cascades. More Details Visit Website. Devil's Dome Loop Wednesday, Jul. Into the Pasayten to the north and east, North Cascades National Park to the south and west, Mt. Follow the US Forest Service Hannegan Pass Trail #674 to Boundary Camp, then either head up to Copper Ridge or down along the Chilliwack River, depending on your permitted itinerary. After the creek crossing, the trail climbs back out of the valley bottom, steeply in some places. Amongst my crazy plans, Devils Dome Loop was actually one of the least crazy. . 31.75 - Trail crosses May Creek, a rock hop late in the season. I love multi-day backpacking loop treks and the Devils Dome Loop in the North Cascades turned out to be a jewel. Theres not too much elevation change here until you descend down to Devils Pass. You can check out some other campsites to make the loop more reasonable for you! Devils Dome Loop: Trailhead 2000', high point (Devil's Dome): 7000' Horse, hiker: 9/26 Devils Dome Loop re-opened. Explore the western edge of the Pasayten Wilderness, east of Ross Lake in the North Cascades. I let Cleo go ahead of me for much of this trail so I could take my time to take pictures and go at whatever pace I felt like. (6/17/2022) Print/PDF map. Permits can only be issued on the day your trip starts, or the day before, but no sooner. We began our first day at the East Bank Trailhead, barely finding parking in the pull off area. I used every other leg muscle to compensate for my tired feet, but to no avail. 5 Type of Hike Multi-night backpack. Ross Lake Boat-In Sites - Ross Lake is expected to reach full pool this season, visit the Boating on Ross Lake page for more information. Written by TrailChick. 35.5 - Trail reaches Hidden Hand Pass -- really just a small rise in the trail (tops out at 2550'). Our taxi brought us right up to the rocks and beached the front end to let us off onto the trail that was cut right out of the steep valley walls. Initially it was pretty minimal, but by 9 am it began rolling in thick from the valley below. Starting after at least mid-July is recommended to avoid significant snow travel, and August is ideal. Trails: The Devil's Dome Loop is a route linking up sections of four different trails: East Bank Trail along the shore of Ross Lake. I was low on fuel but didn't take the time to top up at N Bonneville or Cascade Locks. North Cascades. Again brush was thick and obscuring footing for some sections. You may get a little more wet earlier in the season. Large glaciers hanging from peaks to the south and west. Uphill was difficult in the sun, but downhill Id fly with gravity. It was a bright full moon night and I had no Problem coming down the winding roads. On the north side there is a campsite about a quarter mile up a steep trail from the stream. Snow . Sedro-Woolley I highly recommend this trip, even if Id only do this once. Trip Report By. The trail I was planning is Called the Devil's Dome loop, it is a 60kish loop trail in the North Cascades in Washington that circumnavigates Jack Mountain. Baraboo, WI 53913 More Details. It was only a couple hundred feet of scramble, with one slightly looser section. From here we took the East Bank trail back to our car at Canyon Creek. 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. Past the hook bend in the trail the trail begins its climb up to Devils Dome. We passed by a nice gentleman who made camp on the arm above the lake. I knew if we had a clear sunrise, thered be alpenglow on these mountains, so I made a decision not to stay up for astrophotography again. 6.5 - The trail crosses Nickol Creek, which was mostly dry for our Sept 3 crossing. Well this is one of the best loop hikes I have done. Kenai Fjords National Park for Glaciers and Marine Life. There are two trailheads along Highway 20 where you can start and end this hike: East Bank and Canyon Creek. I couldnt muster a jog anymore uphill, so I walked it and I most definitely felt my feet scream back at me. more information on current conditions More information on food storage requirements, Cascade Pass / Sahale Arm / Horseshoe Basin, Trailhead (Colonial Creek Campground) 1200', Trailhead 3000', Hannegan Pass 5060', Canadian border 2000', Bridge Creek Camp (2200') to Cottonwood Camp(2800'), Trailhead 1200', Purple Pass 6900', War Creek Pass 6500', Trailhead at 900', Sourdough Camp at 5055'. Difficulty: This is a physically challenging hike. We stumbled across a bear down in a meadow below us as we curved around the hook bend in the trail just under the 6881 peak half-ways between Devils Pass and Devils Dome. There are even places for a couple of tents at the summit. There also is overgrowth on the Ruby Creek trail going east from the East Bank trailhead. Supposedly there is water on this 6 mile stretch but I dont remember seeing any. Hi Eric, we did it counter-clockwise from the East Bank Trailhead. And it was flowing heavily! Length. Devils Dome Loop Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017. In my opinion, it is solidly class 3 when it is class 3. We opted to go to the creek assuming there would be campsites. Im sure at other times of the year, you can easily rock hop your way across. But we decided to load up our water bottles at the Crater Lake (not to be confused with the famous Oregon lake). Take the Ross Lake Water Taxi to bypass the stretch along the lake. Road Road suitable for all vehicles. We double checked we had everything in our packs and left everything else in the trunk of the car. We kicked off our Labor Day weekend with a 3-day/2-night solo backpack of the Devils Dome . Devil's Lake State Park- Baraboo.Map S5975 Park Rd. Up till now we were also sharing the trail with the Pacific Northwest Trail, PNT, but that would end as we approached Devils Pass. After that, we began so say our goodbyes to the alpine wonderland and began the long but steep 6.5 mile and 5000 descent down into Ross Lake. The highest point is just over 6,900' on the summit of Devil's Dome. 5.0 - The trail enters McMillan Park, a beautiful alpine meadow. And we did keep commenting on this lack of traffic especially on the long Labor Day Weekend. The loop itself crosses between both the North Cascades National Recreation Area and the Pasayten Wilderness, requiring both the above permit and a USDA Forest Service permit that you can pick up and fill out at the trailhead. . My weary feet were done. Average hiking time: three to four days, This moderately strenuous loop combines climbs over both McAlester and Rainbow Passes, and two subalpine lakes by the same name, with steep descents into valleys in between. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Copper Ridge. Photos (47) Directions. If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing so more people can benefit from it: Hello! 608-666-2311. Resort Address: 27625 Gables Road Webster, WI 54893 Campground : 715-544-7398 Bar Address: 27622 Gables Road Webster, WI 54893. North Cascades. The trail starts at the East Bank Trailhead. Follow the Jackita Ridge and Devils Ridge Trails as you roll along the ridges of the Pasayten Wilderness to the east and north of ice-draped Crater Mountain and 9,066-foot Jack Mountain. The meadow is an excellent place to drop packs for a bit and enjoy the breathtaking view. Cheryl Talbert describes Devils Dome Loop, a 43-mile hike with views of Jack Mountain and Nohokomeen Glacier. We woke up this morning, and well that magical view we had was now a cloud of smoke. Shortly before the trail crosses into Ross Lake NRA, the trail quality improves, and the walking becomes pretty good again. Please read the "general" condition for each trail when there is no recent update available. Average hiking time: four days, This strenuous loop trip combines the best of North Cascades terrain: a rare ridge walk with expansive mountain views, and one of the finest old growth forested hikes in the park, along a salmon river. Best done early summer with wildflowers (after most of snow has melted) or in the fall with larches. more information on current conditions Copper Ridge or down along the Chilliwack River. North Cascades. This is an immensely popular area and the sites along Copper Ridge fill quicklycome prepared to be flexible with your first-choice itinerary. Add a day for a side trip to scenic Whatcom Pass, with views of Challenger glacier and peak. Subscribe to our free email newsletter for hiking events, news, gear reviews and more. 14.5 - The trail reaches the intersection. Day 2: Devils Park to Devils Dome This was as good as it could get. Apparently this mountain used to host a lookout site, so the trail is quite well-made. I love multi-day backpacking loop treks and the Devils Dome Loop in the North Cascades turned out to be a jewel. Hood features two connecting roads that loop around the slopes for easy entry to many elevations, while the ski resort lift systems make navigating the sidecountry a smooth affair. There was even a bivy site set up! We clearly have different strengths in hiking and hers is definitely long distance. Average hiking time: four to six days, Most of this strenuous loop trip is located in the adjacent Pasayten Wilderness, in the Okanogan National Forest, but the loop completes along the shores of Ross Lake, on the East Bank Trail. Thunder/Fourth of July/Panther/Fisher/Park Creek Trails, Bridge Creek/North Fork/Twisp Pass/McAlester/Rainbow Lake and Creek/McGregor. During this stretch, the trail crosses several small streams. Baker. The loop combines the Bridge Creek (Pacific Crest Trail), McAlester Lake, Rainbow Creek and Rainbow Lake trails. 43.0 miles, roundtrip. A challenging 9.5 miles with 3000' up and 3000 . Learn more. Devil's Dome Loop. Its situated way up north in Washington state, close enough to the border that the lake it lies beside Ross Lake extends into Canada. Elevation gain: ~10,500 feet. He mentioned going up to the summit earlier and he looked so peaceful lounging in solitude. Dougald MacDonald Feb 5, 2015 National Park. Devils Dome Loop " North Cascades National Park My favorite hike would be the Devils Dome Loop. Point 7248' (South Jackita) is an easily-attainable ridge bump above the Jackita Ridge trail with excellent views to the . Length 23.7 miElevation gain 3,169 ftRoute type Out & back. Absolutely breath-taking views, Greg. | vkgy () vkgy is a visual kei library maintained by overseas fans. So I stopped and turned on my car lights on. There is a campsite just past the creek crossing and after the trail climbs slightly out of the creek's gully. Bugs Bugs were an annoyance. The views are great through this stretch of trail, stretching to the south and the string of peaks along Ragged Ridge. This should not be the law, but in my experience, it often happens that way. 6 miles downhill to the lake, another 6 miles along the lake, and the last 6 miles that were a bit more rolling hills to the car. Pictures are from my own hike, which unfortunately was affected by wildfires in the area. From Ruby to Snowfield slightly west of us, Eldorado further behind. North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20 . The distance and vertical are very similar to the Timberline Trail but the the effort was far greater. There was only one good campsite before the descent and it was fairly large but taken. Jack Mountain is visible to the west, and there is a campsite to the west of the trail just past the creek crossing. By the way nice finish at WR50! Afterwards it heads south along Jackita Ridge and ends at the Canyon Creek Trailhead. The climb to Devils Dome or at a minimum Bear Skull Cabin was going to be the make or break for my body which is why I had been putting in extra vertical training in recent weeks. It stood up and turned around and looked at us, eyes shining. And yes, as always, summits are so worth the 360 views you get. 42.5 Trailhead and the end of the hike. Devil's Dome Loop passes through two of the area's prettiest wildernesses: Ross Lake National Rec Area and the Pasaytan Wilderness. Sedro-Woolley This is where rocks are stacked to create a wall in a semi-circle for wind protection. Dog and Mountain Crazy 5 Type of Hike Multi-night backpack. 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. If not using one you should absolutely hang your food properly. The last climb was a bit precarious as you had to climb up a scree field with a few long switchbacks but also with a few really steep slippery sections. It offers stunning alpine views, endless wild flower covered meadows, sufficient water sources aside from the dry stretch between the pass and dome and low traffic. They did not fail me, but I had major doubts. Excited to finally sit and lay down, we found a neat campsite all to ourselves. Get out a mapthe possibilities are limited only by your imagination! Did you run clockwise or counter clockwise? Light packs, swift feet, passing everything at a faster pace, keeping motivation high when the scenery changes that quick. This trail is absolutely phenomenal. North Cascades National Park Hiking Guide . We did not hit the trail until 7pm so night hiking was required. While water isn't too big of an issue, it can be several miles between water sources, so extra consideration should be given when choosing campsites and making sure you have enough water as you hike. Be prepared for varied weather conditions. And the slowest plod up the hill back to the car, passing several more energetic people. Most people approach the loop counterclockwise since the initial 4000 climb is more moderate thanks to switchbacks. 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. 10+ north cascades national park backpacking itineraries, a larch guide | 20+ crowd-free washington hikes, things to do in the off-season // how to hike in the rain, beginners guide to snowshoeing | resources for 20 washington hikes, the ultimate beginners guide to backcountry skiing | washington, checking em off | switchback + martin peaks, very nearly enchantments | lake ingalls backpack, hunting for larches | golden lakes loop backpacking, double trouble | boston-sahale traverse c2c, meet me in the afterglow | eldorado peak overnight, Start/End at East Bank Trailhead in counter clockwise loop, Camped on Crater Mountain and Devils Dome. It is . This time, we were doing it in 3 days and making it even harder by tagging Crater Mountain. -Devil's Dome Loop via East Bank on SR20 at 40.4 miles . 608-356-3381. We, however, opted to camp about 500 below the actual dome to be more protected from the wind and found a flat section right before the final ascent turns into a series of switchbacks.