Donner Lake from McClashan Point.jpg
J.smith · CC BY-SA 3.0

Snowshed–Snowshed North Face, 6 cliffs is a 9.1-mile out-and-back in Donner Memorial State Park near Donner, CA. The route passes Pacific Crest Viewpoint, Snowshed, Snowshed North Face and 2 more. It climbs 2,224 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 13/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,958 – 7,602 ft · steepest grade: 27%10.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Sugarbowl Village Path 39.30562, -120.33344
Nearest town Donner, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Snowshed–Snowshed North Face, 6 cliffs

9.1 mi · ▲ 2,224 ft · 4 hr 9 min

Elevation 5,959–7,601 ft

Out & Back · Donner Memorial State Park

Trailhead: Sugarbowl Village Path · 39.30562, -120.33344

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 80°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  3. 0.2 miSharp right, heading S.
  4. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NE.
  5. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  6. 0.1 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
  7. 1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NE.
  8. 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
  9. 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
  10. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  11. 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
  12. 50 ftPass Snowshed.
  13. 50 ftPass Snowshed North Face.
  14. 100 ftBear right, heading NE.
  15. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading N.
  16. 50 ftTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading N.
  17. 50 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading N.
  18. 0.3 miTurn left onto Original Lincoln Highway Trail, heading SE.
  19. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  20. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  21. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NE.
  22. 0.2 miPass Beaver Pond.
  23. 500 ftSharp right, heading NW.
  24. 0.1 miPass Beaver Pond.
  25. 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
  26. 300 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NW.
  27. 0.4 miReach Snowshed, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  28. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SE.
  29. 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
  30. 0.2 miSharp left, heading NW.
  31. 0.3 miSharp right, heading W.
  32. 0.1 miTurn right onto Original Lincoln Highway Trail, heading SE.
  33. 0.1 miTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading S.
  34. 0.3 miTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading N.
  35. 50 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading N.
  36. 50 ftContinue straight onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading W.
  37. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  38. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  39. 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
  40. 350 ftBear left, heading SW.
  41. 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  42. 0.3 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
  43. 1.1 miBear right, heading S.
  44. 0.9 miSharp left, heading N.
  45. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  46. 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

76% dirt1% gravel23% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 80°F51°
Precip0%Wind10 mphUV8Humidity17%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue 81°59°
Wed 85°55°
Thu 85°54°
Fri 85°55°
Sat 85°56°
Sun 86°54°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~36 min). Leave by 7:17 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:49 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Sugarbowl Village Path Trailhead