Pahrump and Beatty area hikes

Charleston Peak

                                 

                                               

Agave pit on Nopah. Charred wood below.

                                     

• CHARLESTON PEAK can be climbed from the west in a loop of 5 or 6 miles. Use Basin Road at the traffic light near Home Depot in Pahrump. Go east about 10 miles or more on a graded road to where you dip into a big wash. Get on the 4wd road to Wallace Canyon at N36 16975, W115 49717 and go nearly 7 miles to the end at 17079, 43477 el 8050 where good campsites await in the pines. Hike up the canyon about one air mile to a major fork. Left goes shortly to WALLACE FALLS. But go up the right fork then it splits so keep far left at 16197, 43001. I climbed up the left slope here but the gully is easier and it goes on up to a saddle at 15917, 42763 el 9700. Keep left at main forks along the way. From the saddle, go up the ridge. Right away there are some minor crags. Stay on top just left of center to get thru. At about 10700 is a minor class 3 notch. A fat rope has been here for years but isn't needed. Go down the notch then along the right side of crags until you're 100 feet past the low point of the notch then angle back up. In another tenth mile is another problem crag. There are class 3 slabs on the right side. I left a cairn at the slab I went up.  Next it eases up all the way to the trail at 11500. Go up to the top then go north down the main ridge to a major saddle at treeline el 11300. The plan is to follow the major gully down from the saddle. From the saddle, drop down thru the trees along the right side of the major gully. Go down parallel to the gully keeping it in sight. At 16529, 42207 el 10100 go down closer to the gully to avoid crags. Walk down with the gully close on your left and crags on your right. The slope will guide you down to an avalanche zone where you can keep to the right in the trees then you'll get into a nice pine forest before you drop into the canyon you came up. 5 1/2 hours, 4000 gain.The terrain is easy but steep. This route will never be crowded. I've never seen hikers on the west side of the Spring Mtns. I encountered what must have been a marijuana farm at 16886, 42953. They left behind a mile of plastic water line. This is the best place around Vegas to spend a hot weekend. And only you and I know about it. Next time I may just drive around the barrier like everyone else. That would save over 10 minutes of walking. I don't want to be the only sap on foot.
  
• BARE MOUNTAIN is the highest peak in the range of the same name at Beatty. From the stop sign in Beatty, go a mile and a quarter toward Vegas then turn left on a good road. Go nearly 5 miles then take a right fork toward a tower. In a third mile go left at a fork. Go another mile and a half,passing a spring, then go right up a valley for a mile and park at N36 51623, W116 40325 el 4700. Hike south up the valley to a saddle at 50909, 40690 el 5600. Now go left up the ridge to the peak at 50578, 40475. 2 1/2 hours, 1500 gain. The last mile and a half of road might stop some 2wds.
• MCFARLAND PEAK el 10745 - a dramatic loop can be done using the divide trail.  Take Basin Road east from Home Depot in Pahrump. It soon becomes graded dirt. Keep going east and turn left on rd #601 at N36 17163, W115 49617. Go about 2 and 3/4 miles on easy 4wd to rd #566 reading 19248, 49464. Turn right and go a mile to a main fork. Keep left on the Buck Spring road for nearly 3 miles and park 500 feet from a wash which is at 20429, 46354 el 7300. Go up that wash for .17 mile to a minor gully on the right. Go up that to the top of the rim then go left down to the ducked route at 20300, 46138 and into the creekbed of what I call Rosebud Canyon. Stay close to the left bank and go up the creekbed to 20375, 45528 where you go right to the main creekbed near the mouth at 20338, 45405. Now it's a smooth gravel creekbed under the big trees. About a half mile up from the mouth is a main fork. Keep right and follow the main canyon as it curves left and then the divide trail crosses at 20936, 44219 el 8500. But there's no need to go that far. Instead, go left at 20893, 44348 then keep going another tenth mile and hit the trail. Now the trail shortly goes to Wood Spring el 9000. It had a fast drip in May but dry in October. Leave the trail at a switchback reading 21271, 44570 el 9400 and walk south then east on very easy ground to get on the crest at the south face of Bonanza Peak. Now walk up the center of the crest until a bright crag is in the way. Go left around it to a game trail and go down a little and it levels off. Stay at about that 9700 level to get into a major saddle. It reads 21168, 43952 but it's obvious. This saddle can be reached by coming directly up from the trail, just steeper. Keep going south on the crest and stay on center. There are a couple of minor class 3 drops and some steep bedrock, but don't wander off center until 20772, 43624 el 10100. At this point, cut over to the right and walk along the right side of center at the base of cliffs. It's obvious how to walk on up and eventually merge into the main gully then stroll up to the summit at 20473, 43545.  There are 3 descent routes. Return the same way, return to the major saddle and drop to the trail, or use the steep SW gully that Vegas hikers come up. To get at it, walk to the top of it at 20520, 43688 el 10500. Start down on soft dirt. Soon a minor drop gets in the way. Cairns mark a bypass on the left, or go down to the drop and climb down a tree on the left. It's class 3. Keep going down to one more class 3 spot with exposure. Scoot down that and go straight down to the new trail, or use a shortcut trail that hits it at 20239, 43787 el 9500. Walk the trail back into Rosebud Canyon. I stayed on the trail to 20583, 44293 el 8700 then got off it and went down an easy ridge. In about a fifth mile I moved right to stay on high ground and soon hit bottom and then walked the canyon back out. I tried more direct routes down into the canyon, including the south rim, but they are too steep and rocky.  8 hours, 3500 gain, and very little is steep. Take a 30 foot hand line if using the SW gully on the descent. I never use a line, but might start using one and a hook too. Posted 2016.                  
• BONANZA PEAK el 10400 makes for a good loop in the pines. The plan is to go up the canyon ( which I call Rosebud Canyon) between McFarland and Bonanza and hit the divide trail then follow that to the summit, then come down the west ridge.  Take Basin Road east from Home Depot in Pahrump. It soon becomes graded dirt. Keep going east and turn left on rd #601 at N36 17163, W115 49617. Go about 2 and 3/4 miles on easy 4wd to rd #566 reading 19248, 49464. Turn right and go a mile to a main fork. Keep left on the Buck Spring road for nearly 3 miles and park 500 feet from a wash which is at 20429, 46354 el 7300. Go up that wash for .17 mile to a minor gully on the right. Go up that to the top of the rim then go left down to the ducked route at 20300, 46138 and into the creekbed of Rosebud Canyon. Stay close to the left bank and go up the creekbed to 20375, 45528 where you go right to the main creekbed near the mouth at 20338, 45405. Now it's a smooth gravel creekbed under the big trees. About a half mile up from the mouth is a main fork. Keep right and follow the main canyon as it curves left and then the divide trail crosses at 20936, 44219 el 8500.  But there's no need to go that far. Instead, go left at 20893, 44348 then keep going another tenth mile and hit the trail.  Now the trail shortly goes to Wood Spring el 9000. It had a fast drip in May.  The trail is easy to follow all the way to a hiker spur trail at 21710, 44899 el 10200. Go right less than a fifth mile to the summit reading 21572, 44841. From the summit head west down the steep slope on soft soil under the big trees. I hit the trail again and walked a segment. Start down the ridge below the trail at 21544, 45068. Soon comes a minor cliff. Go down along the right then  aim for 21493, 45429 el 9300 where a defined ridge forms. Walk that down staying close to center aiming for the end of  the Buck Spring road at 21334, 46172 el 8000. Now it's a mile back to the start. 5 and a half hours, 3100 gain. Rosebud Canyon is the prettiest I've seen in the range. I should have thought of this hike sooner. I'll never hike from the east side again. Posted 2016.

• SHADOW MTN el 5000 has a miner trail part way up the north ridge. Turn off the State Line road at N36 19611, W116 15800 on to a  track. The steep embankment stops all but cycles. Jeeps can get around. Go nearly 2 miles up this track and park at a washout. Hike up an easy, rocky ridge at18298, 15972 to a saddle at 17709, 15702 el 3100. Go left and pick up a miners trail at 17338, 15413. Stay on that as it passes bumps. It goes around the last bump on its right at 16809, 14967 and fizzles at 3900 ft. Go up the remaining slopes to the top reading 15813, 15490. I set up some ducks. 5 hrs, 2600 gain. The State Line rd leaves Pahrump as Bell Vista Rd. 2WD ALTERNATE: a mine road is right next to the State Line road at N36 18960, W116 13727 but a sharp ditch is in the way and parking is tricky. Good parking is a bit over a half mile to the west. I rode the mine road for half a mile on my cycle to a wash. It's not worth riding any further. From that point or the good parking spot on the highway, walk to a rocky wash at 18399, 14554. Go up that for a mile and a half to the miner trail on a low ridge at 17509, 15294. It's best to get on the right bank a half mile before the trail. The trail starts out faint and goes up the ridge and soon it switches up a steeper slope and joins the other route. It took me an hour to get to that point, but 2wds will have an extra half mile of easy hiking each way. The miners must have walked to the trail because it's too rocky to drive to it.  Posted 2015.
•   CHANCE BENCHMARK el 4862 is at the south end of the Last Chance Range and is the best hike around Pahrump. Take Bell Vista Rd to Corbin at N36 15827, W116 05686. Go north on Corbin to a T then left to Cabo. Go right and park at the end of Cabo. 4wds can get 3/4 mile closer. At the T, you'll see a weird house on a hill in front of you. Use a road along the east side of their fence. In a mile and a quarter you'll be within a half mile of the ascent gully which is at 17588,05937. Go up the gully to the ridgetop and go up the ridge until you hit cliffs you can't climb at el 3900. Then go left on a skimpy game trail along the base of the cliffs. Aim for a wide gully at 18192, 05462 el 4100. Go up the gully to get back on the ridgetop. As the gully opens up, it's easier to go right to a viewpoint on a neck then on up the ridge to the summit at 18495, 05485. Stay on the center of the ridge for this last part. There is a gully to go up at el 4600 then some minor class 3 but easy to deal with. For a loop back, go north on the easy crest for .55 air mile to a minor saddle. Then go left down a ridge for a quarter mile to the descent point at 19107, 05538 el 4500. At the descent point, drop left down a gully. Soon you reach a cliff band. Move right just a little to get in an easy chute then it's clear sailing into the black canyon below that drains back to the flats. The hardest obstacle in this canyon is a 10 foot class 3 fall. Or as an alternate, from the bottom of the cliff follow an obvious sheep trail to the west rim of the canyon and on to the Giesler guzzler at 18960, 06047 el 4050. Then walk left of center down the rim on trails. The trails will fade but just stay on the rim all the way down to the wash then walk the flats back. 4 hours, 2000 gain. Some class 3 but not dangerous for the experienced. Near the descent point one year I came down on 9 reclining sheep. It was a Mexican standoff until I finally moved and they took off. I saw one sheep there in 2018.
• LAST CHANCE RANGE TRAVERSE - this route goes up the  crest from the south end and over Chance BM then on to the high peak 4985 then down the east canyon. A few easy class 3 spots is as tricky as it gets. Take highway 160 to mp NY 17.5 and turn on Leslie St. Go about 2 miles to Mountain View then go north a bit over a mile to a T. Go right a  few feet then turn left and park on what the BLM map shows as public land. Then go back to Leslie and turn right and go 3 miles to a gas station. Turn right there on Bell Vista and go 2.5 miles to Corbin.  Go north on Corbin to a T then left to Cabo. Go right and park at the end of Cabo el 2700. Walk the flats to the ascent gully which is at N36 17588, W116 05937 el 2900. Go up the gully to the ridgetop and go up the ridge until you hit cliffs you can't climb at el 3900. Then go left on a skimpy game trail along the base of the cliffs. Aim for a wide gully at 18192, 05462 el 4100. Go up the gully to get back on the ridgetop. As the gully opens up, it's easier to go right to a viewpoint on a neck then on up the ridge to the summit at 18495, 05485. Stay on the center of the ridge for this last part. There is a gully to go up at el 4600 then some minor class 3 but easy to deal with. Keep going using sheep trails on the crest and it will drop below el 4400. The Giesler guzzler is in view on a west ridge. Then at 19498 04968 el 4350, drop off the crest and directly down to the west to a shelf el 4100 next to the N on the topo. A sheep trail runs on that shelf on top of a bright layer. Walk it to the south gully of peak 4985 and go up that to 20039, 05015 el 4700. Then go directly up a short way and it levels off then it's a short stroll to the peak where sheep were patiently waiting for me. The descent route is posted on peakbagger.com as a GPS track. They saved me the trouble of scouting it. Retrace from the peak a few feet then drop to 20118, 05003 el 4850 where you're looking down a gully. Go down it until a fall near the bottom then angle to the right and walk on down to a major saddle. Then go east down the canyon to the flats. Be on the lookout for a right bend in the canyon near el 3600 where it enters a rough narrows. It's easier to walk the right bank around that. 6 hours with about 3000 gain. Using a bike for the shuttle would be 10 easy miles but there's no bike lane. I started hiking at 16639, 05992 and ended at 19357, 02981. Posted 2018.
• PAHRUMP PEAK el 5700 is west of town. Take 372 to 178 then go to a dirt road just east of mp 53.50. Park at the closed road sign el 2400. "Closed" means I walk and everybody else just keeps on driving. It's 2 miles up the road to the canyon mouth. Start up canyon on the right at first then look for miner trail remnants to use. Don't miss the one at N36 05618, W116 09420. It goes along the left bank for 400 feet then crosses to the right. Go up to a main fork at 05825,08900 el 4100. Keep to the right fork and go up to 05874, 08594 el 4700 where you go up the slope on the right to get to a saddle on the ridgetop at 05825, 08521 el 5000. Go up the ridge staying left of crags then an obvious hiker route takes you up a chute back up to the ridgetop at roughly 05823, 08525 el 5400. The remaining 300 feet has some minor crags on the way to the reg at 05948, 08395. 5 hours,3300 gain. A good stick helps. On the way down,a shortcut trail can be used at the main fork. It's hard to find on the way up.


• HIGH PEAK el 4000+ is the high point of some jagged hills west of Pahrump. Take Bell Vista Rd to an ATV track at N36 16250, W116 07164. Jeeps will fit on the track. Go south for a mile and park within a third mile of a canyon mouth which is at 15499, 07680 el 2950. Go up canyon a short way to a fall and pass it on the right. Next you come to a fork at 15349, 07714. Go up the right arm to a fall and pass it on the right. Keep going up the canyon to a saddle on the main ridge at 15289, 08131 el 3800. Now go left up the ridge to a notch at 15109, 08132 el 4000 where you can see the summit 400 feet away. A complete horse skeleton was on this last stretch. No reg. 2 hours, 1200 gain. 2 wds will have a 3 hour hike. Posted 2014.
• EMIGRANT BM el 5800+ is a major peak on the crest south of Nopah Peak. The east ridge is a good route but steep in places. Drive the Tecopa highway to a cattleguard at N35 57033, W116 00013. Follow an easy 4wd road west for 2 miles to the end el 3200. Walk the flats for a half mile to a wide gully at 57302, 02352. Go up the gully to the saddle el 4250. Half way up the gully is a smooth rib on the left side of the creekbed that works. When it fizzles just stay on the left bank. From the saddle, it's an obvious route to the reg. There are no hidden saddles to deal with. At about 57513, 03032 el 5000 I started angling up to the left to lessen the grade and avoid scree. I stayed left of center on sheep routes all the way to the reg at 57644, 03564. 5 hours, 2600 gain. The reg had no entries since placement 14 years earlier, but there was no pencil. This mountain has a million sheep beds. I didn't see any sheep. They may have gone into town for a cold beer. This place is parched. Posted 2014.
• THIMBLE PEAK el 6381 is accessed via the Titus Canyon road. Leave Beatty on Nv 374 heading for Death Valley then turn just AFTER the sign for Titus Canyon. Go about 13 miles on a decent dirt road to Red Pass el 5300. This is the second pass. There is a hiker trail heading south up the ridge. It's easy to follow but there's a 300 foot deep saddle in the way. Go across the saddle then up to the summit. One 5 foot high class 3 step is the only obstacle. No reg in 2013. Under 3 hours, 1700 gain. All but the drivers would have the option of returning down the drainage heading north from the deep saddle, eventually hitting the road much lower. In April 2013 the Titus Canyon road was firm enough for mtn bikes, but that can change. I would start pedaling at the park entrance el 3600 about 2 miles in from 374. It's 11 miles and nearly all uphill to Red Pass with a little over 2000 gain then 15 miles of coasting to the highway on the floor.
• GRAPEVINE PEAK el 8738 is the highest in the Grapevine Mountains at Death Valley. Take Nv 374 from Beatty for 4 miles then turn at the sign for Rhyolite. Go 3/4 mile then left on another paved road. Follow that for 2 and a half miles to a main fork, which is right after a sharp right bend. You should be reading N36 53706, W116 51943. Go left for 8 and a half miles to a fork, staying on the main road which is decent high clearance 2wd. The fork is the Strozzi Canyon road at N36 58851, W116 55880. Go left for 2.7 miles and you'll see a road on the right climbing at a backward angle onto a bench. The Phinney Canyon road is on top of the bench. Follow that for nearly 9 miles to the best campsites in a pj forest at N36 57275, W117 06541 el 6600+. In another third mile is the short bad spot in the road el 6900. Rigs without lockers will have a tough time getting up. Then it's another 3/4 mile to the main saddle el 7500 with good camping. Hike the ridge from the saddle toward the peak. There are several bumps on the ridge, and you have to go nearly over the top of most. But one can be completely passed. At a saddle at N36 57668, W117 07590 just drop down a little on the left side to get on easier terrain and walk that level until you're a third mile past the saddle where you then get into the next saddle which is 100 feet higher. There is spotty trail along the way. It's easier to find on the way back. Then stay close to the ridgetop all the way to the last saddle at N36 57808, W117 08321 el 7900. From there it's an easy ridge to the summit. 4 hours, 1600 gain, pj forest all the way. There is parking room near a mine just before the bad spot. That adds 700 of gain and nearly a mile one way if starting there. Some high clearance 2wds might make it to the bad spot, but it's over 20 miles to get help. No water. Posted 2013.
• STEWART BM el 5200 is the high point of the Resting Spring Range. Drive to mp 58.5 on Ca 178 and look for a pullout to park. Hike to a valley at N36 08806, W116 10245 and go up that to a gully at 09098, 10972. Walk NW along the gully thru a low saddle then drop a little to the main canyon. Go up canyon a quarter mile to some tricky little falls. It's easy to bypass them on the left and then you'll be in a minor wash running parallel to the main wash. Stay in the minor wash and it will connect to the main wash. Keep going up the main wash to 09705, 11660 where you have to go up the left slope to pass bigger falls. Aim for a saddle at 09696, 11716 where you drop back in the main wash. Go on up to 09754, 11912 el 3800 where you start up the ridge on the left. A hiker trail goes up the steep ridge to the BM at 09975, 12482. 5 hours, 2600 gain.
• MANSE BM el 5100 is short.  Go up the South Wheeler Pass Rd just over 2 miles then go right for 2 miles to an old quarry. Start up the canyon just west of the quarry then go up a ridge on the right at N36 12282, W115 52324 el 3900. Stay near center to 12161, 51884 el 4900 then go along on the left below the ridge top. Soon the terrain takes you back up then it's a short stroll to the BM at 12077, 51706. 3 hours, 1300 gain.  ALTERNATE DESCENT: from the BM, walk north on the ridgetop. There are 2 places where skinny crags get in the way. Go along the left side of the crags in both cases. Cross a major saddle then go over a peak then down to a nice plateau.  I went down the obvious ridge right back to the start. That ridge has some minor rock outcrops but easy to negotiate. All class 2 . Posted 2015.
• PEAK 1734 - start up the same canyon as for Manse BM and keep going to 3 forks el 4250. Right is tedious, middle is blocked, left has class 3 falls, but easiest to use the left rim of the left fork then come back to the main canyon and walk the left rim then up a ridge at  N36 12287, W115 50931 el 4900 to a saddle where the rest is in view. Coming back down the right fork of the 3 forks works since it's downhill. 4 hours. ALTERNATE - in 2024 I came back over Manse BM. I stayed right of center on the main ridge toward peak 1612 and leveled off at 12149, 51002 then up a little to 12149, 51139 to get back on center. I went on to the summit block of Manse and up a class 3 chute then right on a ledge and up a class 4 chute about 10 feet high to get on top. I went on to a saddle at 12100, 51812 then down to the right along a cliff base then down a ridge at 12163, 51902. 4 and half hours and the app said 2300 gain but little is steep. Posted 2022, 2024.