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neek Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2011 Posts: 2329 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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neek
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Tue Jul 11, 2017 2:00 pm
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The plan was to do the Devils Dome loop counter clockwise from the East Bank trailhead, hitting a few minor peaks along the way. I made it up Bear Skull and Little Jack but will have to save Angel Wing for another trip.
The route. Red = day 1, blue = day 2, yellow = day 3
Day 1: Devils Dome
20 mi, +8959' -3859' (probably exaggerated)
Took off from the East Bank trailhead around 10am. The big tree down at the start of the Jackita Ridge trail is indeed a pain but can be scrambled around. There was some other blowdown on this trail as well. Overall worse conditions than when I took kids there a couple years ago. Bugs weren't a problem until swampy McMillan park and even then not too bad as long as you kept moving. Near the Devils Park Shelter, trail runner John emerged from the trees and said he started the loop from the Canyon Creek trailhead around noon. I caught up to him again near the descent below Jackita, the first time any real snow is encountered. I scrambled around it; he went straight through. I kept up with him for the next couple hours but he sped away on the ascent up to Devils Dome around 7pm. Hope he found his way OK in the dark!
The flower display on the dome was quite lovely and I was glad to see the summit camp site unoccupied. I set up shop there and was kept up for quite some time by the wind.
1. The only creek crossing requiring special care. Early on the Jackita Ridge trail 2. Blowdown 3. Devils Park Shelter and deer 4. Crater and Jack from near Devils Park 5. Jackita Ridge 8. Jack 9. Backlit spiderweb 10. Lupine in evening light 11. Jack from Devils Dome 13. Full moon rise 12. Sunset 14. Hozomeen and sunset
Day 2: Bear Skull and part way up Angel Wing
8.75 mi, +3330' -6178'
Bear Skull is another fine viewpoint and anyone in the area should take a few minutes for the detour. There appears to be a trail that goes up to its W ridge but I took a more direct approach. The descent down the Devil's Ridge trail was fast, thanks to a WTA crew I encountered on the way. Great timing!
After reaching Ross Lake the crazy plan was to follow the ridge south of Devils Creek to Point 6486 aka Angel Wing. I made it up steep blowdown-rich forest and mossy boulders to 4000' but was running low on water and energy and decided to call it a day around 3pm. Enjoyed just hanging around snoozing until the mosquitoes came out in the evening.
17. Some mare's tail clouds 18. Baker 19. Bear Skull 20. Bear Skull SE ridge 21. Jack from Bear Skull 22. Weird conglomerate rock 23. Devils Creek gorge 24. Suspension bridge over Devils Creek 25. Hozomeen giving Desolation some little cat ears
Day 3: Little Jack 6745'
18 mi, +6639' -8896'
It's funny how much harder it is to stay on track going down a ridge rather than up. I went down too far on the Devils Creek side and had to traverse a bit through awful blowdown to get back on track. Once back down to Ross Lake I had a nice stroll along the East Bank trail and passed a couple huge groups of kids. I foolishly neglected again to think of water before reaching the Little Jack trail, not realizing the few miles before it would be dry. I decided to go up anyway, hoping to reach some or at least find snow. Finally at 5300' there was a little trickle that saved the day. The trail indeed ends at 6000' and it's an easy cross-country walk to the summit. Unfortunately the summit was in the clouds (it even sprinkled a tiny bit on the way down) so I didn't get any views. Will have to return some day. Trail has seen recent maintenance and is in great shape.
26. Lizard 27. Caterpillars 28. Columbine 29. Little Jack summit 30. I'm sure the view would have been grand 31. A very brief hole in the clouds 32. Tarn near Little Jack's summit 33. Descending 34. Meadows on Little Jack 35. View into the Skagit valley 36. Ruby/Panther confluence
Exhausting but rewarding trip, and perfect timing with water still running but most snow gone, not to mention recent trail maintenance. Note camping permit requirements within the Ross Lake National Recreation Area.
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Foist Sultan of Sweat
Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 3974 | TRs | Pics Location: Back! |
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Foist
Sultan of Sweat
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Tue Jul 11, 2017 4:02 pm
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Incredible effort, holy cow. And nice photos and report. I love that area. Thanks so much for posting.
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cartman Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 2800 | TRs | Pics Location: Fremont |
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cartman
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Tue Jul 11, 2017 6:01 pm
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Dang, that's a whole lotta walking. Ed and I took 4 days to do what you did in two.
Water can be sparse in that area, there's nothing past Devils Dome until reaching the trickle at Devils Pass. Better on the Jackita portion of the trail.
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Jaberwock Member
Joined: 30 Jan 2013 Posts: 722 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellingham |
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Distel32 Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2014 Posts: 961 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
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Distel32
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Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:20 am
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wolffie Member
Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 2693 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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wolffie
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Mon Jul 16, 2018 5:24 pm
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We walked the Devil's Ridge Trail 7/19-20/2018 from Holman Pass on the PCT to Sky Pilot Pass. Tread in mostly good shape, about half a dozen awkward blowdowns which we swamped-out and made detours. No saw this time. USFS or somebody is maintaining that trail -- logouts within the past year or three. These blowdowns looked quite recent. One might expect more of the same west of there.
All marked streams up to Sky Pilot Pass were running well.
Still enough snow for water on the ridge route from Sky Pilot south to Center Mt. and Chancellor.
Some people have better things to do with their lives than walking the dog. Some don't.
Some people have better things to do with their lives than walking the dog. Some don't.
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