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Trip Report    

Backpack - Devils Dome/Jackita Ridge

A spectacular uncrowded loop around Crater and Jack Mountains, with the option to camp on Devils Dome.

Richard Lambe Richard Lambe
August 24, 2017
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • Trail is brushy in sections, particularly: between Granite Creek trailhead and intersection with the unmarked Crater Lake trail, between Jackita Ridge and North Fork Devils Creek, and between the intersection with the Panther Creek Trail and the Granite Creek trailhead.  We encountered stinging wasps on the Ruby Creek Trail between the intersection with the Panther Creek Trail and the Granite Creek trailhead.  We dry camped on spectacular Devils Dome, and carried water 4 miles from Devils Pass.

A beautiful and uncrowded loop, that well deserves its inclusion in Harvey Manning's 100 Classic Hikes in Washington.  We had near ideal weather, with no rain, little wind, moderate temperatures and only occasional clouds.  

We did the complete 43 mile loop (which includes side trips to Crater Lake and Jackita Ridge), with 11,950' of climbing.  We took 4 days, 3 nights, as follows:

Day 1 - Hiked from Granite Creek Trailhead to Devils Park, with a side trip to Crater Lake.  While scenic, Crater Lake was too shallow for swimming.  We camped about 0.1 miles past the Devils Park shelter to the right (SW) of the trail.  8.6 miles, 5,070' gained.  We saw only 4 hikers today.

Day 2 - Hike from Devils Park to Devils Dome, with a side trip up Jackita Ridge and  Point 7,248 on the ridge.  The best part of the trip! While it would not be suitable in windy or stormy weather, our campsite on Devils Dome was spectacular.  The sunset photo included with this report is on the Dome.  We saw only 2 hikers today.  13 miles, 4,600' gained (and 3,600' descended).

Day 3 - Hike from Devils Dome to Rainbow Point camp, with a side trip to Devils Creek dock on Ross Lake for (pleasantly cool) swimming.  Parts of the trail between Devils Creek and Rainbow Point are right along Ross Lake, with some sections blasted out of rock.  We camped at Rainbow Point on Ross Lake, where we had the scenic site to ourselves.   11 miles, 400' gained (and 5,600' descended).

Day 4 - Hike back to our car through the woods.  The trail to the Panther Creek Trail intersection is well maintained.  The final 3 mile section from the Panther Creek Trail intersection is poorly maintained, with many blowdowns and large rocks in the trail.  For future trips, I would consider staging a second car at this trailhead, and skipping the last 3 miles.  10 miles, 1,800' gained (and 1,500' descended).