Gary Zink. Resort Address: 27625 Gables Road Webster, WI 54893 Campground : 715-544-7398 Bar Address: 27622 Gables Road Webster, WI 54893. 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. Outdoor Tips. Bar Phone: 715-866-4509 We came across some bear scat a couple times, so just beware around the bends in the trail and make sufficient noise to keep Baloo alerted. Difficulty: Strenuous. Amongst my crazy plans, Devils Dome Loop was actually one of the least crazy. My girlfriend and I did the Devil's Dome loop through the Pasayten Wilderness and North Cascades NP from August 12-15. In the Pasaytan Wilderness where most of the loop lies, camping is allowed anywhere within Leave No Trace guidelines (camp in previously used sites, on durable surfaces, not immediately next to water sources). Camp closures are listed on the Fire Closures page. The only complication may be camping along the Ross Lake section of this trail. The climb from the other direction is probably easier due to water and switchbacks, but 4000 is a tough climb especially for an old backpacker. Initially it took interest and watched us traversing above, but eventually continued on and turned down towards the valley below. I personally saw two bears in two days along this trail! Sedro-Woolley I love solitude, big views, and a good lightweight gear setup. 39.0 - A trail forks to the right, which crosses Ruby Creek over a bridge and climbs up to a trailhead along Highway 20. Day 3: Devils Dome to Devils Junction 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. The numbers: 43 miles, 5 to 6 days The hike: The devil looms large on this rugged loopyou'll pass Devils Creek, Pass, Park, Junction, and Domeand you may curse like Satan during the initial 3,300-foot, 4-mile climb to McMillan Park.Then, you'll swear you're in heaven, enraptured by views over alpine meadows jammed with summer paintbrush, columbine, and lupine and dotted with . Baraboo, WI 53913 More Details. North Cascades. Loop; Difficulty: Easy; The Cascades Trail, one of the most . First, a quick stop at the Marblemount Ranger Station to pick up our North Cascades National Park permit. I researched this route, hiked it, and reviewed a number of other trip reports as part of writing this guide. Fire Lookouts. The meadow is an excellent place to drop packs for a bit and enjoy the breathtaking view. 16, 17, 48, and 49. Hi Eric, we did it counter-clockwise from the East Bank Trailhead. 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. 31.75 - Trail crosses May Creek, a rock hop late in the season. 36.5 - Side trail to the right, continue straight (left). Thanks for your reply. If youre thinking about hiking Devils Dome Loop, you might find these helpful: Hi there, Im Alissa. 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. Bridge Creek Trail/PCT- The temporary bridge at North Fork and Maple Creek will be removed for the season on Nov 1st, 2022. 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. Spectacular as it is, this is a pretty tough hike. 705 2nd Ave, Suite 300 Get out a mapthe possibilities are limited only by your imagination! Dog and Mountain Crazy 5 Type of Hike Multi-night backpack. Climbing high above alpine lakes, it skirts the North Cascades National Park boundary for views deep into the rugged and . A good test of your mental and physical endurance, but if you take more days, youll probably suffer less than I did. I like big mountains, bigger views, and varied terrain. See this guide to using bear cans to learn more. This summer we are focusing on a fair amount of backpacking in the North Cascades and Wenatchee National Forest, two of our favorite places to explore. Add a day to explore some cross-country (off-trail) areas, especially around McAlester Pass, or to fish. 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. And it was flowing heavily! Thanks! 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. (My girlfriend wasnt as sure on that point). 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. Beyond, the trail drops gradually. Shortly before the trail crosses into Ross Lake NRA, the trail quality improves, and the walking becomes pretty good again. See Trailhead Parking below for more details. Copyright 2023 Exploring Wild, All Rights Reserved. The trail description here follows a counter-clockwise course around this loop. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi there! When we finished that loop, we ate there again for a third time! There are some meltwater pools that were there during our early September hike if you need water. Chilliwack. It took us longer than expected because of the route finding and overgrowth/blowdown. vkgy is a visual kei library maintained by overseas fans. An ice axe may be required to navigate the steep snows that linger on the north side of Bowan Pass well into July. Half way up our biggest hill for today. Since that portion lies within North Cascades National Park, you must check in with the ranger station to reserve your campsites in advance. This should not be the law, but in my experience, it often happens that way. 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. 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. Seattle, WA 98104. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Sometimes my posts contain affiliate links, and if you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. An ice axe is required to navigate the steep snows of Copper Ridge until July. Just prior to McMillian Park, theres a junction with trail 746, a climbers trail that cuts left up to ascend Crater Mountain. We did have a nice campsite just off trail toward the cabin. Length: 38.5 miles. Initially this section of the trail is quite beautiful and stunning as you enjoy the last bits of the alpine environment along with new but stunning angles on Jack Mountain, including finally getting a good glimpse of its major glacier, the Nohokomen, along the northwestern face. There were definitely signs of trail clearing, removing troublesome limbs and fallen trees, but the brush itself was very thick. 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. Im Alissa, your virtual guide, here to help you make your biggest, boldest adventure dreams a reality. . I did this loop going counter clockwise starting f. 6.5 - The trail crosses Nickol Creek, which was mostly dry for our Sept 3 crossing. Here Ive collected all the essential logistics for planning your Devils Dome hike, including route information, permit details, campsite locations, and other important logistics. Amongst my crazy plans, Devils Dome Loop was actually one of the least crazy. The climb is pretty much over. The view here is absolutely surreal and will only continue to inspire throughout the day. North-Central Cascades Crags. More information on food storage requirements, 810 State Route 20 From Crater, we could already see how far wed have to walk and it just seemed impossible. Here you get your first views though on the other side of Jackita Ridge and far out towards Deception Pass and Shull Mountain along trail 752 eastwards. And thus begins the slow slog of 15 more miles to Devils Dome. Afterwards it heads south along Jackita Ridge and ends at the Canyon Creek Trailhead. Length: 42.5 round trip miles Low Point: 1740' High Point: 6980' Season: Summer/Fall Scenery: 3/5 Difficulty: 2.5/5 . The distance and vertical are very similar to the Timberline Trail but the the effort was far greater. Trailhead 3000', ridge above lake is 5000', Thornton Lake 4500'. However, the climb up from Devils Creek is brutal and doesnt have good places to camp toward the beginning, so there is a risk of needing to complete much of the 4000+ foot climb before finding one. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Devils Dome loop is located within Pasayten Wilderness with the tail end of the hike entering into the North Cascades National Park as you descend down to Ross Lake. Within the Ross Lake National Recreation Area, camping is only allowed at designated sites and reservations are required (see above). Devil's Ridge Trail up and over Devil's Dome. On the other side, if there is any question on how many switchbacks it takes to ascend into Devils Park, its 68. Our goal was to finish in 3 days. Kenai Fjords National Park for Glaciers and Marine Life. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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. And soon our leisurely, overcast stroll turned into a hot, muggy hike up the south side of the Devils Dome Loop trail. August . . I believe I got all that I could from my body on this climb so my training turned out to be totally justified. Mile 0.0 - The path leaves the trailhead and shortly crosses Granite Creek on a nice bridge. 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. The Ultimate Roommate Compatibility Test: Backpacking the Oregon Coast Trail, 9 Hiking Adventures to Make Your Spring Pure Gold, 9 Spectacular Early Spring Backpacking Trips You Can Do Right Now, The 10 Best Loop Hikes in the United States, Bad News for Pacific Crest Trail Hikers: The Northern Terminus Is Closed Due to Wildfires, Grizzly Fatally Mauled Woman In Rare Predatory Attack, This Hiker Just Completed the 6,800-Mile Great Western Loop in Less than 200 Days. Thanks Eric, and thanks for being there with that ice-cold water! 40.0 - Trail crosses back out of Ross Lake NRA. 0.5 - The trail crosses Canyon Creek on a bridge. Overview: Fastpacking Routes. Hike the other direction. Lyndon Station, WI 53944 . Bring bug repellent! Explore the most popular trails in my list North Cascades with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. But arguably this backpacking trip was worth it. The last 3 miles were rough for my feet. Alas, it wasnt autumn so upwards we go. Light packs, swift feet, passing everything at a faster pace, keeping motivation high when the scenery changes that quick. It stood up and turned around and looked at us, eyes shining. It would be lovely to stay here in the fall with all the gorgeous red huckleberry plants and the golden larches amidst a mini cirque of bellowing waterfalls. 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. The loop combines the Bridge Creek (Pacific Crest Trail), McAlester Lake, Rainbow Creek and Rainbow Lake trails. Theres not too much elevation change here until you descend down to Devils Pass. The trail is steep during this climb. . Just proceed cautiously. Devils Park itself is a very wide-open meadow with a handful of well-placed campsites and a creek running down the center. Backpacking Has Changed a Lot Over the Past 50 Years. or maybe it's the ignorance of it. Much of this trail is high ridge walking above treeline, as you circumnavigate Jack Mountain. 35.5 - Trail reaches Hidden Hand Pass -- really just a small rise in the trail (tops out at 2550'). I met a group of thru-hikers on top of Devils Dome and they seemed to be enjoying the route. And the slowest plod up the hill back to the car, passing several more energetic people. View map below . Plus at least soaking my feet in the lake to let them decompress. There is a small campsite just past the creek. Upper Stehekin Valley Trail/Stehekin Road. Highest Point: 6980 ft. 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. Trip Report By. Pictures are from my own hike, which unfortunately was affected by wildfires in the area. I had trouble with them in both my campsites. Central Jackita Ridge; Anacortes crossing in the center background. Beyond the intersection, the walking stays nice for several miles as it stays pretty much right at 6,000'. Eventually the trail opened up to a meadow where Cleo had last camped at. Next the trail plunges downhill through some very thick brush mixed with fields of lupine. 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. A trip report from a 3 day solo backpack of the Devil's Dome loop in the Pasayten. So as soon as it flattened out, my slow jog began. We were surprised to find a flowing creek just below the dome on the western side, which for campers on the summit, could easily use as a water source with just a short hike. Highest Point: 6980 ft. 3 Comments.
Day 2: Devils Park to Devils Dome You are dwarfed from the east by the northern most section of Jackita Ridge, showing off jagged granite walls while out to the west lies Jack Mountain and a wonderfully glacier carved valley that winds its way out to Ross Lake (still out of view). 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. For on-trail navigation I recommend the National Geographic topographic map of North Cascades National Park, available here. 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. This loop is known for its wonderful wildflower displays and views of the Pasayten, and many other mountains. This time, we were doing it in 3 days and making it even harder by tagging Crater Mountain. 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