Mount Judah Loop

[Ron Berry]

I need some good, recent, hopefully local directions to the Mt. Judah Loop Trail that is about 5-6 miles long. Thanks, Internet directions have not got me there yet.

[Billy Ray]

Drive to the high point of Old Highway 40.
Turn south through the western edge of Sugar Bowl Academy parking lot.
Park on the side of the road just beyond the parking lot.
Hike down the snow/ice covered road.
Turn left at the bottom of the hill onto a blocked off old dirt road.
You are now at the trail head.
There is a sign and trail map here.

I did this yesterday. I took snowshoes, but did not need them.
It is mostly snow and ice covered, but boot tracked.
It's pretty easy to follow the trail right now. In the summer you can't miss the signs.
But now you need to follow the tracks.
If it snows during the current storm it will be hard to locate the trail.

Billy

[Ron Berry]

Perfect reply, thanks. Found it today, and summited. I came back down the east face. snow was really deep. Post holing waist deep.

[Dave T]

Should post in Pre-Trip Planning…

(BPL is somehow unable or unwilling to move this Web Site Support Forum further down to keep from confusing tons of people, especially new folks!)

[Billy Ray]

Yea, the east side would have deep drifts from the last storm…
I avoided that yesterday by taking the ridge all the way to the large microwave reflectors, and the rock on the NE ridge where the wind sweeps it clean of snow.
So I didn't have the pleasure of the post-holing.

Glad you found it.

Billy

[Bob Gross]

A good spot to visit is at the south end of Mount Judah, on the saddle before it goes up to Mount Lincoln. That is the so-called "roller pass." That is where the ill-fated Donner Party finally escaped Donner Lake after the bad winter. They had to use logs as ball-bearings, and they had to pull the wagons up and over the cliffs there.

But, back there in 1846-1847, they brought a whole new meaning to the phrase "take a friend to lunch."

–B.G.–

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