Little Chief–North Pass, 7 sights

13.4 mi · ▲ 1,553 ft · 5 hr 15 min

Little Chief–North Pass, 7 sights is a 13.4-mile out-and-back near Ponderosa Palisades, CA. The route passes Little Chief before reaching North Pass at the turnaround, 6.7 miles in. It climbs 1,553 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 43/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi6,168 – 7,130 ft · steepest grade: 22%14.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Springboard 39.31302, -120.18908
Nearest town Ponderosa Palisades, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Little Chief–North Pass, 7 sights

13.4 mi · ▲ 1,553 ft · 5 hr 15 min

Elevation 6,167–7,130 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Springboard · 39.31302, -120.18908

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Springboard, heading W.
  2. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  3. 200 ftTurn left onto Sawtooth Trail, heading S.
  4. 200 ftTurn right onto Compass Skills Upper Loop, heading SE.
  5. 0.3 miSharp right, heading SE.
  6. 50 ftSharp left onto Happy Face, heading SE.
  7. 0.7 miBear right onto Skidder, heading S.
  8. 0.1 miSharp left onto Happy Face, heading S.
  9. 50 ftContinue straight onto Skidder, heading S.
  10. 250 ftTurn right onto Bobbles, heading S.
  11. 50 ftBear left onto Skidder, heading S.
  12. 1.2 miTurn left onto Bobbles, heading SW.
  13. 0.4 miSharp left onto Boulder Dash, heading W.
  14. 0.3 miTurn right onto Sawtooth Trail, heading SE.
  15. 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
  16. 0.6 miTurn left onto Bobbles, heading W.
  17. 0.2 miBear left onto Big Chief Trail (Lower), heading SW.
  18. 2.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
  19. 500 ftPass North Pass.
  20. 350 ftReach Little Chief, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 2.5 miBear right, heading NE.
  22. 0.2 miTurn right onto Sawtooth Trail, heading W.
  23. 0.7 miTurn left onto Boulder Dash, heading E.
  24. 0.3 miSharp right onto Bobbles, heading NE.
  25. 0.4 miTurn right, heading NW.
  26. 1 miContinue straight onto Skidder, heading N.
  27. 0.1 miBear right onto Bobbles, heading NW.
  28. 50 ftTurn left onto Skidder, heading NW.
  29. 200 ftContinue straight onto Happy Face, heading NW.
  30. 50 ftSharp right onto Skidder, heading NW.
  31. 0.1 miBear left onto Happy Face, heading NW.
  32. 0.7 miSharp right, heading NW.
  33. 50 ftSharp left onto Compass Skills Upper Loop, heading NW.
  34. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  35. 200 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  36. 150 ftTurn left onto Springboard, heading NW.
  37. 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 6:04 AMSunset 8:11 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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