colingregory - May 18, 2020 12:41 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2020
Backpack
Backpacking
Marmaduke - Aug 9, 2016 5:01 pm Date Climbed: Aug 9, 2016
A lot of fun!
Really a fun peak to climb, great views. Via North Chute
Fairweather - Oct 27, 2015 12:23 am Date Climbed: Oct 27, 2012
SW slope
Not sure where I went wrong, but ended up fighting my way through thick willows for much of slope up to the ridge. I ended up going down more towards the West or NW on the way down, and it wasn't as bad (I found a drainage through the willows).
The ridge itself was pretty fun (once I got to it).
Solo.
Brian Asher - Nov 11, 2014 8:59 pm Date Climbed: Nov 10, 2014
Devil's Peak and Snow Mountain
Devil’s Peak and Snow Mountain
I drove up Hwy 80 from Sacramento and turned off the Soda Springs exit right by Sugar Bowl. You work your way over to Kidd Lakes Road which will take you by the entrance of the Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski location. When the road turns to gravel you continue for 3.5 miles ignoring the spurs to the left and right until you come to a large turn out and the Royal Gorge Devil’s Outlook Warming Hut. Parking here you the steep North face of Devil’s Peak is directly in front of you.
From the warming hut you continue down the dirt road which becomes rougher as you get towards the spillway between the two Cascade Lakes. Continue south on the trail(Palisade Creek Trail) for about a half a mile, until you get to about the middle of Long Lake. Here you will turn right off of the Palisade Creek Trail and begin heading southwest towards Devil’s Peak. If you find yourself heading southeast, away from Devil’s Peak, like I did, turn around and look for a trail heading more to the east. Follow this unmarked trail heading to the southwest until you hit a much wider 4wd road with switchbacks that leads you to the north side of Devil’s Peak. This 4wd road takes you up to the shoulder where you will want to take a steep trail leading straight south towards the peak.
Once you arrive close to the rocky gulleys of the peak you can start heading up. I headed up a hundred or two hundred feet in this fun class 3 scrambling. At the top of the scramble the true summit comes in to view. Here I did not feel safe going straight at the summit any more from the north side, so I traversed over to the southwest side to avoid the class 4 or 5 moves on the north side. After scrambling across the west side a much more reasonable scramble to the top towards a notch near the peak came into view. This class 3 scrambling was fun and felt safe as I worked my way to the top
From the top of Devil’s Peak Troy Road can be seen below to the west side of the peak. I decided to bushwhack directly towards paved Troy road. Next time I probably would have traversed back to the trail on the north side to avoid going straight down a creek bed towards the road.
Once to Troy Road you head south on the paved road for several miles and pass Huntley Mill Lake on your right. At the end of the paved road you will want to find a dirt 4wd road which heads to the southwest. On the way there I found 4wd roads that stopped and started, but on the way back I found the clear 4wd road which made going a lot quicker. This 4wd road seems to peter out somewhere about a mile or two from the peak. Staying on the aforementioned 4wd road heading southwest will save you a lot of time. Route finding on the way to Snow Mountain added about an hour on to my day.
From here it becomes a cross country ascent. Head a bit towards the west side of the peak before contouring east up the ridge for the final couple hundreds of yards. On top be sure not only to look at the views towards Devil’s Peak to the north but also towards the American River Canyon Gorge to the southeast. I started at 6:30 a.m. and was back at the warming hut at 12:30 p.m. and my route was exactly 14.3 miles.
ScottyP - Nov 9, 2014 11:29 pm Date Climbed: Nov 9, 2014
N Chute solo
Sketch ! At least for me being solo. Nice summitt
trexkerry - Apr 5, 2014 9:11 pm Date Climbed: Mar 22, 2014
4th time up
2nd time with the combo with Snow Mountain
AceSierra - Aug 8, 2013 12:02 pm Date Climbed: Jun 10, 2012
What a cool looking rock!
Looks so cool from a distance. Climbed SW ridge. I'm a scaredy-cat, but I think this is more like steep class 2 than "3-4". Views are quite fine from the top. Nice, small summit, makes it feel taller than it is.
trexkerry - Feb 18, 2013 2:20 pm Date Climbed: Feb 17, 2013
SW Face
Summit via SW Face - nice 1/2 day trip, should have started a bit earlier and combined with Snow Mtn. Fun scramble and enjoyed the traverse across the knife edge ridge.
mrchad9 - Feb 6, 2012 1:48 am Date Climbed: Feb 4, 2012
North Chute
A nice half-day outing up the north chute... good conditions overall but for a bit of inconsistent in the upper part of the chute due to previous avalanches. None on my trip though. Descended the west face, which is more like class 2.
WayneFry - Nov 30, 2011 2:09 am Date Climbed: May 28, 2011
NW Gully
Another fun day on this peak. Climbed the NW Gully w/crampons, scrambled to the peak, and did a little rappelling on the way down.
WayneFry - Nov 30, 2011 2:01 am Date Climbed: Apr 30, 2011
SW Ridge
Fun scramble to the top and an awesome looking peak.
scoob - Aug 19, 2011 7:48 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2011
northern chute
fun solo scramble up the northern chute/class 3/4. slippery at points/good views from top. loved the knife ridge. impressive summit. good stuff... descent on same route.
srobinson - Jun 29, 2011 6:45 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2011
Memorial Day Snow
A serious snow storm on Memorial Day weekend made for a memorable day!
ckerth - Jun 23, 2011 3:14 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2011
Devils Peak and Snow Mountain
From Troy Road. Still several feet of snow above the train tracks, but it is melting quick. Followed the ridgeline between Devils Peak and Snow Mountain, first climbing Snow and then Devils on the way back. Some great views into the headwaters of the N F American, with many of the remote canyons having large waterfalls.
bryangast - Jan 22, 2011 11:24 pm Date Climbed: Jan 22, 2011
mini alpine
Fantastic winter climb. enough ice on the snow field for some front pointing. Cool class 3/4 rock and howling wind on top. Fun snowshoe in too.
bigsuit - Jul 2, 2010 12:43 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2010
Long Lake Loop
Hiked the peak from the north ridge with my girlfriend and my guitar, had a sweet jam session up top, then caught Long Lake on the way back to test out the zipline. Excellent hike!
biz - Feb 18, 2010 6:22 pm Date Climbed: Feb 10, 2009
Fun showshoe
A very enjoyable solo outing. The only other people out there were on snowmobiles.
Darren9 - Nov 3, 2009 1:58 pm Date Climbed: Oct 30, 2009
hidden gem
This peak is fun for all sorts of folks, providing a variety of routes from 3rd to 5th as indicated. We practiced climbing on some of the harder routes and did some rapelling. Rock is loose in many parts, but some of it is quite good. Plan to come back when there is more snow and climb the east face!
Amazing peak. You really feel like you are on top of the world! Took an informal trail that from the west side of Long Lake along a creek, past a small unmarked lake, to an unmarked logging road that runs across the north side of Devil's Peak. Logging road led to a trail up the north chute. Came back down the west side to meet the marked logging road. Down required some slipping and sliding and bushwhacking through the manzanita. Overall an amazing hike!
colingregory - May 18, 2020 12:41 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2020
BackpackBackpacking
Marmaduke - Aug 9, 2016 5:01 pm Date Climbed: Aug 9, 2016
A lot of fun!Really a fun peak to climb, great views. Via North Chute
Fairweather - Oct 27, 2015 12:23 am Date Climbed: Oct 27, 2012
SW slopeNot sure where I went wrong, but ended up fighting my way through thick willows for much of slope up to the ridge. I ended up going down more towards the West or NW on the way down, and it wasn't as bad (I found a drainage through the willows).
The ridge itself was pretty fun (once I got to it).
Solo.
Brian Asher - Nov 11, 2014 8:59 pm Date Climbed: Nov 10, 2014
Devil's Peak and Snow MountainDevil’s Peak and Snow Mountain
I drove up Hwy 80 from Sacramento and turned off the Soda Springs exit right by Sugar Bowl. You work your way over to Kidd Lakes Road which will take you by the entrance of the Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski location. When the road turns to gravel you continue for 3.5 miles ignoring the spurs to the left and right until you come to a large turn out and the Royal Gorge Devil’s Outlook Warming Hut. Parking here you the steep North face of Devil’s Peak is directly in front of you.
From the warming hut you continue down the dirt road which becomes rougher as you get towards the spillway between the two Cascade Lakes. Continue south on the trail(Palisade Creek Trail) for about a half a mile, until you get to about the middle of Long Lake. Here you will turn right off of the Palisade Creek Trail and begin heading southwest towards Devil’s Peak. If you find yourself heading southeast, away from Devil’s Peak, like I did, turn around and look for a trail heading more to the east. Follow this unmarked trail heading to the southwest until you hit a much wider 4wd road with switchbacks that leads you to the north side of Devil’s Peak. This 4wd road takes you up to the shoulder where you will want to take a steep trail leading straight south towards the peak.
Once you arrive close to the rocky gulleys of the peak you can start heading up. I headed up a hundred or two hundred feet in this fun class 3 scrambling. At the top of the scramble the true summit comes in to view. Here I did not feel safe going straight at the summit any more from the north side, so I traversed over to the southwest side to avoid the class 4 or 5 moves on the north side. After scrambling across the west side a much more reasonable scramble to the top towards a notch near the peak came into view. This class 3 scrambling was fun and felt safe as I worked my way to the top
From the top of Devil’s Peak Troy Road can be seen below to the west side of the peak. I decided to bushwhack directly towards paved Troy road. Next time I probably would have traversed back to the trail on the north side to avoid going straight down a creek bed towards the road.
Once to Troy Road you head south on the paved road for several miles and pass Huntley Mill Lake on your right. At the end of the paved road you will want to find a dirt 4wd road which heads to the southwest. On the way there I found 4wd roads that stopped and started, but on the way back I found the clear 4wd road which made going a lot quicker. This 4wd road seems to peter out somewhere about a mile or two from the peak. Staying on the aforementioned 4wd road heading southwest will save you a lot of time. Route finding on the way to Snow Mountain added about an hour on to my day.
From here it becomes a cross country ascent. Head a bit towards the west side of the peak before contouring east up the ridge for the final couple hundreds of yards. On top be sure not only to look at the views towards Devil’s Peak to the north but also towards the American River Canyon Gorge to the southeast. I started at 6:30 a.m. and was back at the warming hut at 12:30 p.m. and my route was exactly 14.3 miles.
ScottyP - Nov 9, 2014 11:29 pm Date Climbed: Nov 9, 2014
N Chute soloSketch ! At least for me being solo. Nice summitt
trexkerry - Apr 5, 2014 9:11 pm Date Climbed: Mar 22, 2014
4th time up2nd time with the combo with Snow Mountain
AceSierra - Aug 8, 2013 12:02 pm Date Climbed: Jun 10, 2012
What a cool looking rock!Looks so cool from a distance. Climbed SW ridge. I'm a scaredy-cat, but I think this is more like steep class 2 than "3-4". Views are quite fine from the top. Nice, small summit, makes it feel taller than it is.
trexkerry - Feb 18, 2013 2:20 pm Date Climbed: Feb 17, 2013
SW FaceSummit via SW Face - nice 1/2 day trip, should have started a bit earlier and combined with Snow Mtn. Fun scramble and enjoyed the traverse across the knife edge ridge.
mrchad9 - Feb 6, 2012 1:48 am Date Climbed: Feb 4, 2012
North ChuteA nice half-day outing up the north chute... good conditions overall but for a bit of inconsistent in the upper part of the chute due to previous avalanches. None on my trip though. Descended the west face, which is more like class 2.
WayneFry - Nov 30, 2011 2:09 am Date Climbed: May 28, 2011
NW GullyAnother fun day on this peak. Climbed the NW Gully w/crampons, scrambled to the peak, and did a little rappelling on the way down.
WayneFry - Nov 30, 2011 2:01 am Date Climbed: Apr 30, 2011
SW RidgeFun scramble to the top and an awesome looking peak.
scoob - Aug 19, 2011 7:48 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2011
northern chutefun solo scramble up the northern chute/class 3/4. slippery at points/good views from top. loved the knife ridge. impressive summit. good stuff... descent on same route.
srobinson - Jun 29, 2011 6:45 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2011
Memorial Day SnowA serious snow storm on Memorial Day weekend made for a memorable day!
ckerth - Jun 23, 2011 3:14 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2011
Devils Peak and Snow MountainFrom Troy Road. Still several feet of snow above the train tracks, but it is melting quick. Followed the ridgeline between Devils Peak and Snow Mountain, first climbing Snow and then Devils on the way back. Some great views into the headwaters of the N F American, with many of the remote canyons having large waterfalls.
bryangast - Jan 22, 2011 11:24 pm Date Climbed: Jan 22, 2011
mini alpineFantastic winter climb. enough ice on the snow field for some front pointing. Cool class 3/4 rock and howling wind on top. Fun snowshoe in too.
bigsuit - Jul 2, 2010 12:43 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2010
Long Lake LoopHiked the peak from the north ridge with my girlfriend and my guitar, had a sweet jam session up top, then caught Long Lake on the way back to test out the zipline. Excellent hike!
biz - Feb 18, 2010 6:22 pm Date Climbed: Feb 10, 2009
Fun showshoeA very enjoyable solo outing. The only other people out there were on snowmobiles.
Darren9 - Nov 3, 2009 1:58 pm Date Climbed: Oct 30, 2009
hidden gemThis peak is fun for all sorts of folks, providing a variety of routes from 3rd to 5th as indicated. We practiced climbing on some of the harder routes and did some rapelling. Rock is loose in many parts, but some of it is quite good. Plan to come back when there is more snow and climb the east face!
hvilhauer - Sep 20, 2009 1:48 pm Date Climbed: Sep 19, 2009
Northwest Chute to SummitAmazing peak. You really feel like you are on top of the world! Took an informal trail that from the west side of Long Lake along a creek, past a small unmarked lake, to an unmarked logging road that runs across the north side of Devil's Peak. Logging road led to a trail up the north chute. Came back down the west side to meet the marked logging road. Down required some slipping and sliding and bushwhacking through the manzanita. Overall an amazing hike!
fedak - Sep 13, 2009 8:00 pm Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2009
Ridge Traverse from Devils to SnowFrom the Cascade Lakes. Cross Country around the east side of Devils, backtracked to summit devils and then followed the ridge to Snow.
Rained for about a half hour between the two peaks.
Took the forest roads on the return trip.
Pics are here.