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
Getting there
Directions
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
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading S.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
- 1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftPass Snowshed.
- 50 ftPass Snowshed North Face.
- 100 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 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 SE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miPass Beaver Pond.
- 500 ftSharp right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miPass Beaver Pond.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NW.
- 0.4 miReach Snowshed, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Original Lincoln Highway Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 1.1 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.9 miSharp left, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 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
Weather
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.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Sugarbowl Village Path Trailhead
- Lake Mary 2.6 mi · ▲ 467 ft
- Mount Lincoln Road 3.5 mi · ▲ 1,086 ft
- Donner Peak–Donner Peak Viewpoint, 3 summits 4.2 mi · ▲ 1,068 ft
- Pacific Crest Viewpoint via Pacific Crest Trail 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,197 ft
- Mount Lincoln Viewpoint–Mount Judah Loop Loop, 3 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 1,375 ft
- Mount Lincoln Viewpoint–Roller Pass Loop, 4 sights 5.2 mi · ▲ 1,386 ft
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