Learn more. North Cascades. There were many switchbacks to keep me entertained and even a stream crossing where I walked barefoot to keep my shoes dry. 11.4 km. The seasons are changing rapidly in the North Cascades, we skipped over fall and went right to winter! - The trail crosses a fourth stream. Theres more where this came from! If you need water, there is a spring 900 feet away along the trail heading off to the right (I didn't verify this, so I'm not sure if it's a reliable spring, but there is a sign for this at the trail intersection). Its a monumental change in scenery, leaving behind the humbling and expansive alpine environment and entering down into Ross Lake: gorgeous yet different. The magic of the sprawling, lonely, fantastically wild forest was imprinted on us a long time ago, and we couldn't wait to get back within its borders. Posted by ghsmith76. The trail cuts back and forth upward on the southern side of Crater Mountain up through first McMillian Park before climbing a little further and then turning south into Devils Park. Road Road suitable for all vehicles . Once out of the Ross Lake National Rec Area you can camp where you like (using leave no trace principles), so strong hikers going clockwise from East Bank Trailheadcould in theory push past the boundary ~13 miles in before camping. For two miles From Dry Creek Pass toward Ross Lake the trail is veryovergrown and there are 10-15 major blowdowns. This is where rocks are stacked to create a wall in a semi-circle for wind protection. Breakins are unfortunately common here. Total mileage from State Route 20: 31.5 miles (51 km) https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/permits.htm. But arguably this backpacking trip was worth it. Alas, it wasnt autumn so upwards we go. 4.20 out of 5 . I had to drag them slowly up each switch back to the top of the dome where Cleo was waiting for me. Today we were aiming to cover 13.5 miles roughly and a total of 3500 of climbing. Length 23.7 miElevation gain 3,169 ftRoute type Out & back. I love solitude, big views, and a good lightweight gear setup. The trail over to Granite Creek was one of the most pleasant and beautiful stretches of hiking that I have ever experienced. Devil's Lake State Park- Baraboo.Map S5975 Park Rd. The trail maintains a much gentler grade than the past several miles. Tips for Keeping Warm While Backpacking in the Mountains, Lightweight Backpacking Tips for Easier Miles, Black Diamond Carbon Distance Z Hiking Poles: Long-Term Review, Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ Hiking Poles: Long-Term Review, Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite (Womens) Long Term Review, 9 Ways to Care For Hiking Gear Before Packing It Away For Winter, East Bank Trail along the shore of Ross Lake, Devils Ridge Trail up and over Devils Dome, Jackita Ridge Trail over Devils Pass and back down to Ruby Creek. Length: 42.5 round trip miles Low Point: 1740' High Point: 6980' Season: Summer/Fall Scenery: 3/5 Difficulty: 2.5/5 . There is a campsite to the right of the trail, just past the trail intersection. We were again surprised that campsites were not more plentiful except for 2 to 3 miles up from the start of the descent. WA Now you get to finish up the trek with a gentle 3+ mile hike along the stream. 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. 20.5 - The trail reaches the summit of Devils Dome -- Actually there is a short side trail that leads to the very top. I won't forget the coming twilight, wandering the meadows just to the east of Devil's Dome with Jack Mountain dominating the southern view, the sun pushing its last rays of light through the crags of mountains to the west attempting to light the deep valley bottoms. But it did turn out to be a good site for setting up in the dark. And most definitely airy at times. 608-666-2311. Hard-sided food canisters are required at select backcountry camps and cross-country areas. We did not hit the trail until 7pm so night hiking was required. 10+ north cascades national park backpacking itineraries; a larch guide | 20+ crowd-free washington hikes; washington hike-to-scramble progressions . Report all bear sightings to rangers at any North Cascades National Park contact station: Agnes Gorge: Trailhead at 1700', trail ends at 2000' Hiker only: The trail is a bit dilapidated until reaching the registration box, about a quarter mile after the intersection. 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. 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. As the trail enters a cirque, 2 miles past the intersection, it begins to climb slightly. 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. 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. Please e-mail us if you have trail conditions to report. I was a bit surprised to come across it only finding a few trip reports. August-September will be much better conditions, but it was a great time-on-legs day for all of us. A long weekend calls for a long trip. Both the boat camp and stock camp offer water sources, one being the lake and the other a small stream. A trip report from a 3 day solo backpack of the Devil's Dome loop in the Pasayten. Heres what youll need in each to hike the complete loop. North Cascades. The scenery was amazing and the solitude was awesome. For my 3-day itinerary I spent night 1 at Devils Creek, and night 2 in a lovely little meadow near a stream about 2 miles south of Devils Pass. Though the trail is fairly well worn and maintained, it was a good feeling to see confirmation as to which trails were which. Plus extra water is a, added workout, right? For those wishing to focus on the higher elevation hiking, its possible to take the Ross Lake Water Taxi instead of hiking a large portion of the East Bank Trail. 19.0 - The trail reaches a prominent ridge above the North Fork Devils Creek drainage. The Three Sisters are closely spaced volcanic peaks in the U.S. state of Oregon.They are part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Cascade Range in western North America extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California.Each more than 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in elevation, they are the third-, fourth- and fifth-highest peaks in Oregon. Powered by WordPress, 5 Days In The Glacier National Park Backcountry. Choose the other campsite and adjust your itinerary. We filled up on water again at Nickol Creek. Mile 0.0 - The path leaves the trailhead and shortly crosses Granite Creek on a nice bridge. Pictures are from my own hike, which unfortunately was affected by wildfires in the area. Read more. My friend Mike Chastain and I ran the Devil's Dome Loop in the Pasayten Wilderness on Saturday, circumnavigating the 9000+ foot Jack Mountain, and finishing up on the East Bank Trailhead on Ross Lake. 10.0 - The trail reaches a small side trail to the right, which leads up to a high point along Jackita Ridge. Elevation range: ~1550 - 6900 feet. A few of my pictures (my PhotoShop is not working; when it's fixed I'll stitch some of the panos and hopefully post some pictures from Dave and Richard, as well as their trip reports): Currently, there still is significant snow in the central and northern portions of Jackita Ridge, especially in the North Fork Devils Creek valley (up toward Anacortes crossing). Highest Point: 6980 ft. Im happy to report back that yes indeed, Devils Dome Loop is a fantastic and challenging backpacking route. Feet refreshed, we continued further. This helps me keep this site running, financially speaking. 98284, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Upper Stehekin Valley Trail/Stehekin Road. vkgy You can see from where you came from and where youre going. Devils Dome Loop: Trailhead 2000', high point (Devil's Dome): 7000' Horse, hiker: 9/26 Devils Dome Loop re-opened. After crossing the river, I decided to take another run at Devil's Rest. There was only one good campsite before the descent and it was fairly large but taken. . My knees hurt just reading this post! It quickly meets a trail intersection, continue straight, ignoring the trail to the right. Early on this section of the trail comes the most difficult stretch. Im Alissa, your virtual guide, here to help you make your biggest, boldest adventure dreams a reality. 42.5 Trailhead and the end of the hike. The smoke took a bit of the wow factor away from the views, but I can assure you it was a spectacular route nonetheless. 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. The trail description here follows a counter-clockwise course around this loop. Id make sure to rest and massage out my feet every 6 miles to keep them fresh. Trailhead 48.706524, -120.918482; Canyon Creek, milepost 141 on WA 20, 36 miles east of Marblemount, Red tape free NPS backcountry permit for camping at Ross Lake (obtain at Marblemount ranger station); plus Northwest Forest parking pass. Its not a bad idea to make noise and avoid startling them (I was hiking solo and probably too quietly). A challenging 9.5 miles with 3000' up and 3000 . Go Hiking Hiking Guide Devils Dome Loop Devils Dome Loop. I've got lots of experience with the North Cascades, I lived nearby for 6 years and backpacked every weekend as well as many week long trips. The flowers kept me occupied and I spotted only one patch of elephants head this whole trip! Profiles, biographies, member histories. 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. Apparently this mountain used to host a lookout site, so the trail is quite well-made. We were again putting in about an 8 mile day planning to camp just before the final descent down to the Devils Park Trail which would take us back to our East Bank Trailhead parking lot. Lookout is at 5968'Hiker only. Devils Dome is the ultimate objective in this hike, and its absolutely worth the efforts to get there, placing you on top of a 7000 broad dome with breathtaking views of the Northern Cascades in every direction. Plus Cleo wanted a redemption hike after completing it in 4 days a few years . From Crater, we could already see how far wed have to walk and it just seemed impossible. At the crossing area over to the the Trailhead there is no longer a bridge, however, the stream ford is not to difficult. Trail closures are listed in each area drop down area below. (6/17/2022) Lyndon Station, WI 53944 . 20.5 - The trail reaches the summit of Devils Dome -- Actually there is a short side trail that leads to the very top. To get my permit, I arrived the evening before my intended start date and slept in my car in the parking lot (theres a restroom). Plus at least soaking my feet in the lake to let them decompress. Otherwise you are in Wilderness and it's self-issue. Long story short, I learned that long distance hiking does not agree with my feet and Id gladly take more gain over more miles. 6.5 - The trail crosses Nickol Creek, which was mostly dry for our Sept 3 crossing. You cross back into the National Park recreational area too here, leaving the Pasayten Wilderness. Backpacking Has Changed a Lot Over the Past 50 Years. Simply one of the best vantage points I have personally seen, taking into account a month long trek through Alaskas Chugach range and numerous trips on Mt. Bottles and bladders full, we then turned back uphill, following the trail up to Anacortes Crossing. A backpacking guide for Sahale Glacier Camp in North Cascades, WA. 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. We were about 20 yards away. It is . Delicious American-Korean food made by a very . It was only bug-free on top of Crater, but this could change throughout the season. Overview: 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. (LogOut/ Hiking the Maple Pass Loop in the North Cascades is a gem. We started and finished at the I believe I got all that I could from my body on this climb so my training turned out to be totally justified. Going straight across would continue the loop, but I was set to camp on top of Crater Mountain. A hike with this great of rewards should cause some pain I guess. Trails: The Devils Dome Loop is a route linking up sections of four different trails: Trailhead: From Seattle, the route lies about two hours and forty-five minutes northeast by car. If you want to camp along the lake, heres the official map of choices: Crater Mountain is a significant Class 3 scramble but also well marked by yellow xs and arrows. The climb is pretty much over. They are about 3 miles apart. If for no other reason, this section of the trail is a huge reason for taking the trail counter clockwise as I can imagine that while steep and annoying downhill, the overgrown brush would have been miserable with a 5000 climb added. He confirmed the painted xs that wed see as our guide up the scramble. In essence, I am not made for thru-hiking (yet). And thus begins the slow slog of 15 more miles to Devils Dome. The miles beside the lake, sometimes just a couple steps away, are peaceful and unique. And I kept getting Mt Logan confused with Boston and Forbidden. 10/26-Trail is closed at Whatcom Pass due to fire activity. There was even a bivy site set up! Luckily the people there had scouted the area and found a hidden campsite a short distance behind theirs which turned out to be perfect for Bryce and I. I was a bit surprised to come across it only finding a few trip reports but that may have something to do with the difficulty of the vertical climb to start the loop in either direction. Washington Trails Association is 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Camp closures are listed on the Fire Closures page. 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. 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