Devils Head-9748'

[Kevin Baker]

I climbed Devils Head in the Ramparts with my parents on 6/8. This a short, scenic hike with a nice climb to a lookout tower on the rocky summit. A great place to take the flatlander relatives without hammering them too bad!

[John Kirk]

I've had plans to get Devils Head, Ormes, and Cheyenne on several occassions recently to finish off those counties on the prominence list, but weather somehow intervened each time (road too wet and closed or pouring rain with lightning in the late afternoon). I'm looking forward to getting these done.

How hard do you think Devils Head would be to ascend without the stairs?

[Layne Bracy]

Nice photo, Kevin! Amy and I did that hike a couple weeks ago.

Good question, John. I wondered the same thing.

One possible route involves scrambling up rocks to the left of the stairs but close to the ranger house. This would then lead to the upper portion of the rock, where the stairs would then be in the way of getting to the summit.

The other route I saw kind of goes under the stairs and then cuts into a cleft to the right.

Both routes had some sections I couldn't see. I just used the stairs since I felt neither my wife nor the ranger would appreciate my going "out-of-bounds."

[Kevin Baker]

I guess a prominence list has no rules as to how you attain the summit. I actually did go out of bounds to stand on the highest boulder right in front of the tower. Fortunantely there was no ranger up there so I could do it. I didn't pay attention to other ways of getting to the top, but I bet there are a few weaknesses. Excellent hike with great views of the LCW.