Mount Stephens–Snowshed, 6 cliffs is a 4.7-mile out-and-back in Donner Memorial State Park near Weeks Tract, CA. The route passes Beaver Pond, Snowshed, Snowshed North Face and Mount Stephens before reaching Chinese Catfish Pond at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It climbs 1,199 ft, with sections as steep as 37% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi6,073 – 7,241 ft · steepest grade: 37%5.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road 39.32388, -120.30111
Nearest town Weeks Tract, CA
Directions
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Mount Stephens–Snowshed, 6 cliffs
4.7 mi · ▲ 1,199 ft · 2 hr 10 min
Elevation 6,073–7,242 ft
Out & Back · Donner Memorial State Park
Trailhead: Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road · 39.32388, -120.30111
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 86°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Beaver Pond.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Original Lincoln Highway Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading SW.
- 0.3 miPass Snowshed.
- 50 ftPass Snowshed North Face.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 150 ftBear right, heading W.
- 350 ftBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading N.
- 0.1 miPass Chinese Catfish Pond.
- 450 ftReach Mount Stephens, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading SW.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 350 ftBear left, heading E.
- 150 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Original Lincoln Highway Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
89% dirt3% gravel8% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 86°F52°
Precip0%Wind10 mphUV8Humidity20%
Hourly temperature
90°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue
86°62°
Wed
86°58°
Thu
88°58°
Fri
88°59°
Sat
89°59°
Sun
90°57°
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Trailhead
- Beaver Pond & Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road 2.2 mi · ▲ 430 ft
- Tunnel Rock–Snowshed, 5 cliffs 3.2 mi · ▲ 906 ft
- Snowshed East Face–Snowshed North Face, 4 cliffs 3.2 mi · ▲ 894 ft
- Donner Peak–Donner Peak Viewpoint, 9 sights 7.4 mi · ▲ 1,906 ft
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