Donner Pass - Flickr - Joe Parks.jpg
Joe Parks · CC BY 2.0

Snowshed–Snowshed North Face, 5 cliffs is a 4.7-mile out-and-back in Donner Memorial State Park near Donner, CA. The route passes Snowshed and Snowshed North Face before reaching Beaver Pond at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It climbs 1,190 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi6,109 – 7,179 ft · steepest grade: 21%5.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31710, -120.32830
Nearest town Donner, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Snowshed–Snowshed North Face, 5 cliffs

4.7 mi · ▲ 1,190 ft · 2 hr 10 min

Elevation 6,109–7,177 ft

Out & Back · Donner Memorial State Park

Trailhead: 39.31710, -120.32830

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

Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.3 miSharp right, heading SW.
  3. 0.1 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
  4. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  5. 0.2 miTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading SE.
  6. 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
  7. 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
  8. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  9. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  10. 100 ftPass Snowshed.
  11. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  12. 50 ftPass Snowshed North Face.
  13. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading N.
  14. 50 ftTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading N.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading S.
  16. 0.3 miTurn left onto Original Lincoln Highway Trail, heading SE.
  17. 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
  18. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  19. 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
  20. 0.2 miPass Beaver Pond.
  21. 400 ftReach Snowshed, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  22. 0.3 miSharp right, heading S.
  23. 0.3 miTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading SE.
  24. 0.3 miTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading SW.
  25. 50 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading SW.
  26. 50 ftContinue straight onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading W.
  27. 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
  28. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  29. 150 ftBear right, heading N.
  30. 350 ftBear left, heading N.
  31. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  32. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  33. 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
  34. 0.2 miSharp left, heading S.
  35. 0.1 miSharp left onto Donner Summit Lakes Trail, heading W.
  36. 0.2 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

84% dirt3% gravel13% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 80°F51°
Precip0%Wind10 mphUV8Humidity21%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue 82°59°
Wed 81°55°
Thu 85°54°
Fri 85°55°
Sat 85°56°
Sun 86°54°

Good to know

  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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