GENERAL OVERVIEW: This saddle facilitates north/south travel on the western side of the Le Conte Divide. It gives you access to Lucifer's Pass 1 which is a relatively easy class 2 route. On its southern approach, Lucifer's saddle is class 1 and although it gets a little trickier traversing over to Lucifer's Pass, the real fun stuff begins as you descend (or, ascend) Lucifer Pass 1.
CLASS/DIFFICULTY: Class 1
LOCATION: South of Devil's Punchbowl Lake
ELEVATION: 11,150 ft.
USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Mt. Henry; HST map: HST Map
This route connects Bench Valley and Blackcap basins in the south to Red Mountain Basin (and, Hell-for-Sure Lake) in the north along the western side of the Le Conte Divide. The eastern approach to Lucifer's Saddle 2 is the ideal starter route for someone just getting used to off-trail travel. It's wide open with interesting geology and even some flowers and water. The terrain is mostly either sand, gravel or grass. It gets a bit more gnarly once you leave the ridge and start clambering over toward Lucifer's Pass 1 as the photos will show. But, after the nice warm-up, how bad can it be?
- Distant view of Lucifer's saddle from the southeast
- Getting closer to the saddle!
- View back of ascent to Lucifer's saddle
- Approaching the ridge of Lucifer's saddle: view southeast
- Le Conte Divide from the saddle
- View west from Lucifer's saddle
- View of Lucifer's Pass 1 from Lucifer's saddle 2