DONNER PEAK (8,019') AND MT. JUDAH (8,243') CLASS 1-2

Location: Donner Peak is 3/4 mile ESE of Old Donner Summit, and Mt. Judah is 1.5 miles SE of Old Donner Summit.

ROUTE A
Drive: Ongoing construction work about the trailhead makes these directions subject to change (July 6, 2010).

Take I-80 to "Soda Springs" Exit, which is 11.5 miles west from the junction with Highway 89 South, just west of Truckee, or 57 miles east from Maple Street Exit in Auburn, CA. Drive 3.9 miles east on the Old Donner Summit Road, and turn right (south) on an old, graveled, road just before the parking lot for the former ASI Lodge, now the Sugar Bowl Academy. Construction may now make this road obscure or inaccessible. The property here may charge for parking ($5, 2000) in their lot, or will have your vehicle towed. Going through the parking lot, drive 0.25 mile on the side road, past a closed gravel road, coming to pavement. An unsigned parking area, with room for about 8-10 cars, lies on the right (northwest) side of the road. The left side is designated "no parking." The closed spur road left (east), about 25-50 yards back, arrives in a few yards to an information board "Donner Summit Backcountry Area Map" with a smaller sign "PCT Mount Judah 1 1/2 Mt. Lincoln 2 1/2" just left past the big board.

As of July 6, 2010, a new, paved road, about 100 yards west (on the Old Donner Pass Highway) of the old access road at the Sugar Bowl Academy, heads right (south) at a large sign, "Sugar Bowl," and "Mt. Judah Parking." Turn right (south) on this road, with fresh blacktop, about 150-200 yards to another road, partially paved, going left (east). A sign, "petroleum pipeline," marks this road. Turning left, then, go another 150-200 yards to unsigned parking on the left (northwest), on a rough shoulder with markings. This is the same, unsigned parking area as mentioned above. A head-in parking lot has now been removed, and you must park parallel. There is room for only about 8-10 cars. Many "no parking" signs on various spots on this road should be obeyed. They will tow and ticket.

Possible overflow parking has existed along the Old Donner Pass Highway. You will have to obey the signs, and if parking is impossible, maybe ask a local for advice. This is admittedly a poor situation, and limited space and terrain forces these restrictions.

Climb: Take the signed PCT south, climbing and switchbacking up the trail. After about 0.5 mile and several hundred feet gain, come to a trail junction with a metal pole. This point is about where the wide, resort, ski run intersects this trail. The other junction roughly 1 mile further to the south is signed, "Mt. Judah Loop." Take this trail left to climb Donner Peak first. Hike this main trail eastward, then come to a flatter area marked with some signs.
A use trail heads up left (north) to the rocky, low mass of Donner Peak. You may come to a short, class 3 step, or a rocky dead-end. The use trail goes back, around left (west), vaguely about a hundred feet. A maze-like slot route goes through the wind and water carved rock. No more than a few, very short, rocky sections, with some class 2 scrambling, lies on the west side, with this route up the peak. Several yards of rocky class 1-2 scrambling leads further northward, and then to the highpoint, with its benchmark and fine view of Donner Lake.
To climb Mt. Judah, continue right (south) from the flat area, with the various signs, on the official loop trail. It climbs up to the east side of the main ridge, then crosses directly past the summit cairn, to switchback and descend back to the PCT. The southern summit of Mt. Judah is apparently the highpoint, although there is little difference in elevation.

This loop may be taken either from this described way, or in reverse.

WINTER SKI ASCENT: Limited parking is available in winter along the south side of the Old Donner Summit Road well west of the former ASI lodge, now the Sugar Bowl Academy. Obey the parking signs. Parking is strictly enforced, and the tow truck operators can be quite ruthless.
Follow Route A, although almost any route will do. There are a variety of runs, with respectable angles, off almost any side of these peaks. The north side of the north summit of Mt. Judah, with its snow deflecting structures, often offer great powder, with colder conditions, through a moderately steep tree run. The east sides have been known to avalanche, so it seems best to avoid these areas completely.

TRIP STATS: Route A, 1,200 feet gain, 4.5 miles round trip, with an additional 200 feet gain and several hundred feet one way for the side trip to Donner Peak's summit; winter ski ascent, maybe 50 feet extra gain and an additional .015 mile one way from Old Donner Summit Road.

Notes: This trail loop was built during 1996-97 as a detour of the PCT, agreed upon during the construction of a new ski lift and run for the adjacent Sugarbowl ski resort. The lift towers run high on the west slope of Mt. Judah. The PCT now runs under the lift towers between the two ends of the loop.
During the ski season, the thousands of users will certainly detract from the winter backcountry experience. Please do not interfere with the resort guests, and use extreme caution if crossing through the ski run. It may be thought wiser to not traverse along the PCT and instead ski only along the summit ridge, avoiding the resort completely.

For rock climbers, there are plenty of bouldering routes, amidst the summit rocks of Donner Peak.

Back to Northern Sierra Peaks Home Page