Deadman Canyon Loop

The grade is moderate to occasionally steep going into Sugarloaf Valley.

Down Into the Valley

Deadman Canyon Loop - By D.W.Donehoo (All rights reserved)

If you are like me and believe that life begins at 8000 feet, you reluctantly leave Ranger and Beville lakes and begin your descent of 1993 feet towards Sugarloaf Valley and the Sugarloaf, which can be seen from Ranger Lake. Your knees will be pleased to know the descent is a gradual one, with an uphill section thrown in for good measure. You begin by
descending from the bench holding Ranger Lake until you reach a meadowed area, where you begin to climb back up another 200 feet, crossing the outlet stream of Lost Lake (a favorite of horse packers) and then meeting the trail to that lake at 8802 feet. Not far beyond the junction you reach the high point of the climb on the shoulder of Ball Dome, where the rest of the way to Shugarloaf Valley is all down hill. You then descend into Belle Canyon and Sheep Camp Meadow to ford Sugarloaf Creek and meet the trail from Seville Lake and Rowell Meadow, where there is a seasonal Ranger station. There is camping in the area, but no bearbox. You head right on the fork going Northeast to continue the descent to Sugarloaf Valley. At last, at 5.5 miles from Ranger Lake, you come to Comanche Meadow (7680') and a wet ford of Sugarloaf Creek much of the year. The meadows make a good spot for a snack or lunch break, depending when you got started that morning and bearbox camping is nearby.

The valley floor is flat and sometimes fairly sandy. Evidence of past fires abound, which is a good thing.

Back on the trail, you continue your plunge to Sugarloaf Valley following Sugarloaf Creek. On a clear summer day you will feel the temperature noticeably rising these last few miles along with fewer stretches of shade making you glad you were not toiling in the opposite direction. Soon after passing through the gate of a drift fence, the trail levels off and you will be heading for the solitary sentinel of 1000 foot high Sugarloaf Dome, for which the valley you are in was named. It was along about here on my trip on this trail where a windstorm had knocked down many trees over the trail, all about a foot thick or so and all laying in the same direction. Being early in the season, those on hoof or foot had begun to make a new trail around these obstacles. Hopefully, the trail was cleared before any more unnecessary damage was done. (It was.)