We woke up on the dome to a thick and heavy fog bank stretching all the way up to the summit. Our bodies were totally spent but it Hurt So Good. Cheryl Talbert describes Devils Dome Loop, a 43-mile hike with views of Jack Mountain and Nohokomeen Glacier. - The trail crosses a fourth stream. This was as good as it could get. Check here for recent reports if in doubt. Personally I enjoyed the East Bank Trail and the lake views quite a bit. The dome is also fairly large so regardless of the traffic and fellow backpackers, there is plenty of space to spread out and find your own little camp perched up high on the summit. Sir Hikes A Lot joined for what was mostly a great day (one navigation issue noted below). This is definitely black bear territory, so be sure to use proper food storage and bear avoidance techniques. If you go clockwise, you will have a fairly boring first 12-15 miles, and then 30 miles of fun (though going that way would be harder to do if you had a bad day and had to do any of the last portion in the dark). , Another short break later, we donned on our helmets and started the class 2-3 scramble. There are a few campsites shortly after that junction as well. Trip Report By. After Anacortes Crossing we soldiered on to Devils Pass, a little over 2 miles away, traversing another ridge on our right, more patches of lupine with indian paint brush and columbine intermixed and more views of Jack Mountain. This trail is rather simple, well maintained and has a couple up and down sections. Permits can only be issued on the day your trip starts, or the day before, but no sooner. Just proceed cautiously. We did not hit the trail until 7pm so night hiking was required. The trail, as it had throughout the trip, continues to offer a great balance between sporadic tree cover and open meadows along the ridge, maintaining a good balance between shade and unobstructed alpine views. Absolutely, but full of heavenly ridgetop camps, North Cascades vistas, and surprising solitude. There was only one good campsite before the descent and it was fairly large but taken. Anything to keep me going, because every so often, wed see Devils Dome and it still looked just as far. Excited about backpacking but need help getting started?The Backpacking Trip Planner Workbook will help you start off on the right foot. Jackita Ridge Trail over Devil's Pass and back down to Ruby Creek. Seattle, WA 98104. 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. The climb is pretty much over. Lake Ann- -Maple Pass Loop. More information on food storage requirements, 810 State Route 20 This was as good as it could get. https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/permits.htm. They did not fail me, but I had major doubts. If youre unsuccessful with your first choice of permit application, you can still salvage your trip with these options: This one is easy. You can check out some other campsites to make the loop more reasonable for you! 608-666-2311. It's a little ambiguous, but the intersection occurs on the saddle in a grassy area. Devils Dome. 2015 National Park. We passed by a nice gentleman who made camp on the arm above the lake. 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. In Marblemount, we went to Mondo Restaurant for the second time to fuel up for the Devils Dome Loop. I love multi-day backpacking loop treks and the Devils Dome Loop in the North Cascades turned out to be a jewel. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an . Total mileage from State Route 20: 31.5 miles (51 km) 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. Plus at least soaking my feet in the lake to let them decompress. It quickly meets a trail intersection, continue straight, ignoring the trail to the right. First, a quick stop at the Marblemount Ranger Station to pick up our North Cascades National Park permit. 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. Eventually we crossed this beautiful suspension bridge, though it wasnt the easiest access point to water. Apparently this mountain used to host a lookout site, so the trail is quite well-made. Feet refreshed, we continued further. Sign up for Outside+ today. The trail then begins climbing up an open ridge, switchbacking a couple of times. Hike the other direction. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi there! It stood up and turned around and looked at us, eyes shining. 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. In a nutshell, the loop circumnavigates Jack Mountain with half of the trail along Ross Lake and Ruby Creek, and the other half almost all above treeline on Jackita and Devil's ridges. I could have had more but Cleo was perfectly content. 19.0 - The trail reaches a prominent ridge above the North Fork Devils Creek drainage. 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. 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. Devil's Lake State Park- Baraboo.Map S5975 Park Rd. In my opinion, it is solidly class 3 when it is class 3. Our interest was the Alpine views, so the quick shortcut down along the lake to the East Bank Trail (736) wasnt robbing us. This worked out fine since there were hardly any other backpackers on this loop. I'm on gmail: bataa32, I have run this loop twice and I agree with Luke.it is better done ccw. Sep 7. The walking is great! Dog and Mountain Crazy 5 Type of Hike Multi-night backpack. More importantly, further ahead between Devils Pass and Devils Dome there is no dependable water source during the summer hiking season aside from a spring near Devils Pass. North Cascades National Park Hiking Guide . There is ample water along every section of trail (longest distance without maybe 4-5 miles from Dry Creek Pass, which has water, down to Ross Lake). There is a sign off to the left, which is where you want to head. des. 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. First and foremost, this trail is absolutely incredible! North Gunsight Peak (8190 ft) White Goat Peak (7800 ft) Central Cascades Crags. To improve your chances, arrive an hour or more before opening or even the previous day, and be sure to take a number from the board by the door when you arrive. The latest gear, trips, stories, and more, beamed to your inbox every week. The walking is nice, easy, and there are views throughout since the trail stays right on the edge of the treeline. More on Road Conditions Elevation gain: ~10,500 feet. Another party was on the lower middle section of the dome, but we never exchanged a word. 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. Most people seem to go counterclockwise. 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) There is a small campsite just past the creek. 5 Type of Hike Multi-night backpack. 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. The first day along the lake is a relatively gentle warmup, whereas going CCW it might be anticlimactic after the higher elevation hiking of the previous days. Which direction to hike? The views to the south are great. Overview: The next day, we took a lazy start before heading back down the scramble, back to the lake and to the intersection we stopped for lunch the previous day. 3 Comments. Water is an issue and the most dependable source supposedly would be found at Bear Skull Cabin 4000 up. The last day required us to descend down to Canyon Creek which was rather easy considering the number of switchbacks. However, more campsite information would have been helpful. 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). (My girlfriend wasnt as sure on that point). 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. Lookout is at 5968'Hiker only. Devilishly steep? Thanks for reading! Thanks! 31.0 - Side trail leading down to Rainbow Point Campground Devils Dome-Jackita Ridge is a very strenuous backpack of 25 miles with 8,150 feet of gain. We double checked we had everything in our packs and left everything else in the trunk of the car. A long weekend calls for a long trip. (6/17/2022) During this stretch, the trail crosses several small streams. 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. 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. For much of the trip, the trail stays pretty high on ridges. The last 3 miles were rough for my feet. Long story short, I learned that long distance hiking does not agree with my feet and Id gladly take more gain over more miles. Excited to finally sit and lay down, we found a neat campsite all to ourselves. We were about 20 yards away. My knees hurt just reading this post! Why not jam pack as much as you can? Bar Phone: 715-866-4509 Jul 4, 2016 - Score Swiss-Alps scenery without the trans-Atlantic flight on this 43-mile, 5- to 6-day rugged loop through the Pasayten Wilderness. Day 3: Devils Dome to Devils Junction You may get a little more wet earlier in the season. Our goal was to finish in 3 days. 10/26-Trail is closed at Whatcom Pass due to fire activity. Poles were quite helpful here! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Though the trail is fairly well worn and maintained, it was a good feeling to see confirmation as to which trails were which. We casually enjoyed our evening as we watched the sun set behind Baker. This lower elevation trail is usually snowfree by mid- to late-June. Length. 608-666-2311. This loop is known for its wonderful wildflower displays and views of the Pasayten, and many other mountains. 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. 5.0 - The trail enters McMillan Park, a beautiful alpine meadow. 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. Loop; Difficulty: Easy; The Cascades Trail, one of the most . Large glaciers hanging from peaks to the south and west. The view here is absolutely surreal and will only continue to inspire throughout the day. However, the rock is very solid and secure, giving us comfort as we traversed narrow ledges. Bryce and I slogged along and finally reached the Cabin after a 6 hour climb. Go Hiking Trip Reports Devils Dome Loop Trip Report. 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. Devils Dome and Rainbow McAlester in the wilderness areas are OK loops, they are somewhat busy but they will be somewhat . 0.5 - The trail crosses Canyon Creek on a bridge. 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. North Cascades. There are some meltwater pools that were there during our early September hike if you need water. Between Ross Lake and the high elevation views, hikers will face several thousand feet of steep climbing and descending on forested slopes. No alpenglow to be seen with such thick haze that turned overcast. Copper Ridge. A good test of your mental and physical endurance, but if you take more days, youll probably suffer less than I did. The bear was 200-300yds away and maybe 500 or so feet below us. Trailhead 3000', ridge above lake is 5000', Thornton Lake 4500'. There is a lot of climbing (3300' of total climbing). This loop requires a water taxi either to or from Little Beaver to complete the final legthere is no connecting trail along Ross Lake that joins Little Beaver landing to another trail. Here Ive collected all the essential logistics for planning your Devils Dome hike, including route information, permit details, campsite locations, and other important logistics. Road Road suitable for all vehicles. Location. Permits are competitive, especially on summer weekdays. So I stopped and turned on my car lights on. But Cleo was determined not to let either of us down (I was open to camping on the lower summit or even on the shoulders of the mountain), so we slowly made our way towards the top. 360-degree views of rugged mountainous terrain is seen from the top of this beauty. We passed on the far encounter with the park rangers who believed the curious traveler to be a black bear. Summary: TRAIL. The walking stays fantastic, in some places staying just above the waterline, occasionally carved into the stone cliffs. Devil's Dome Loop passes through two of the area's prettiest wildernesses: Ross Lake National Rec Area and the Pasaytan Wilderness. Beyond the summit, the trail drops slightly, crosses some permanent snow (nothing too treacherous here), and continues to descend encountering a small stream. 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. Turn right to complete return to the trailhead. 6.5 - The trail crosses Nickol Creek, which was mostly dry for our Sept 3 crossing. vkgy Reservations are required and the per-boat fee makes more sense if hiking in a group. Hard-sided food canisters are required at select backcountry camps and cross-country areas. Trail Conditions Minor obstacles posing few problems . The first time, we used rocks as "ice axes.". Devils Dome Trip Report. Bear canisters arent required on this route but arent a bad idea anyway. 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. Devil's Dome Loop. However, 4000 mostly straight up does kick your butt. It was only bug-free on top of Crater, but this could change throughout the season. We enjoyed some views of the mountains and valleys lying to the east of Devils Pass and Jackita Ridge before continuing our journey westward along trail 752 with about 5 miles remaining to Devils Dome. 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). We did have two very curious and fearless deer that kept lingering around our campsite though, so make sure to begin storing your food properly at night. There are even places for a couple of tents at the summit. As the trail enters a cirque, 2 miles past the intersection, it begins to climb slightly. Devil's Dome Loop is located in the Pasayten Wilderness which overlaps with the North Cascades National Park. We kicked off our Labor Day weekend with a 3-day/2-night solo backpack of the Devils Dome . I highly recommend this trip, even if Id only do this once. Supposedly there is water on this 6 mile stretch but I dont remember seeing any. Sunset over the pickets Sunset from Devils Dome Sunset from Devils Dome Sunset from Devils Dome Sunset from Devils Dome The stars were amazing that night The view of the Milky Way from the top of a 7000' peak was spectacular. So maybe I can help. Bridge Creek Trail/PCT- The temporary bridge at North Fork and Maple Creek will be removed for the season on Nov 1st, 2022. For those interested in the water taxi, the service is phenomenal and allows you to enjoy the long expanse of Ross Lake without having to endure the lengthy trek down the coastline. Hello! Bring camp shoes to let your feet relax from your hiking shoes! 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. This . Im Alissa, your virtual guide, here to help you make your biggest, boldest adventure dreams a reality. They are about 3 miles apart. The title of this post is partly inspired by the ever popular worship song by Hillsong, Oceans. This moderate, beautiful forested loop combines the best of two old growth valleys: Big Beaver and Little Beaver. Intimate views of Crater Peak and Jack Mountain are framed with alpine meadows covered in wildflowers are the reward on this 25 mile . Shortly before the trail crosses into Ross Lake NRA, the trail quality improves, and the walking becomes pretty good again. If you buy through these affiliate links I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Moderate 4.6 (57) Ross Lake National Recreation Area. North Cascades -- North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20. But we decided to load up our water bottles at the Crater Lake (not to be confused with the famous Oregon lake). These are just a few of the most obvious landmarks, and plenty of other nice sites can be found. The trail passes through Blowing Rock, largely following the Blue Ridge Parkway in this area. One bummer for the trek was finding that thieves had stolen Bryces Catalytic Converter off his Toyota 4Runner. North Cascades. 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