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Donner Peak

2024-10-19 · Hike

This website is still under construction. Some trip reports may be incomplete. I am also aware of some anomalies in the GPS track statistics, particularly in the elevation gain.

Trip Statistics

Distance
4.4 mi
Elevation Gain
940 ft
Trip Quality/10
2
Maximum Elevation
7968 ft
Fun Type
1

Route

A multi-sport Type-1 fun trip for the ages!

I was organizing a bachelor party that was staying at Donner Lake, and I needed a "high adventure" activity that was cheap, low commitment, and approachable for novices. Donner Peak (as opposed to Donner Summit, which is a mundane stretch of I-80) was a great choice.

The plan was to bike up from Donner Lake up Donner Pass Road up to Old Donner Summit, and finally hike up to Donner Peak. Donner. With us, we carried climbing gear to do a few pitches at the peak.

Photo 1
Photo 1: I cached a bear can with a champagne bottle and some cups the day before. It was undisturbed and nicely chilled the next morning.
Photo 2
Photo 2: The pitches were short, but the scenery is hard to beat. This pitch is Dessication Wall.
Photo 3
Photo 3: What bachelor party is complete without a blowup doll?

The scenery was perfect, and fun was had by all. This is a great area with a lot to offer. Highly recommended in the shoulder season, and there are some great trails to run.