Central Sierra Peaks

                               The 4000 foot north slope of Silver Peak

     Freel, Jobs Sister and Jobs                                                                                 

• BLOODY MOUNTAIN el 12500 is south of Mammoth Lakes. From Vons, go south on Old Mammoth Rd to Sherwin Creek Rd. Take that to the Laurel Lakes Rd at N37 37411, W118 54402. Drive up this rubbly 4wd road for about 4 miles to a trail at 34745, 54337 el 9800. This is a good trail to the pass at el 10700, but switchback cutters are wrecking it. From the pass, go right up the ridge on a hiker trail to the summit at 33638, 54427. 4 hours, 2700 gain. The 4wd road is the hardest part of this trip. Backpackers could set up at a lake near the TH. Go up the trail a short way to see it. The VALENTINE/LAUREL LAKES LOOP is nearby off the Sherwin road. Use the Valentine TH or the higher Sherwin Lakes TH to get to Valentine Lake el 9600 at trails end. Go left along the shore,climbing a few boulders at first, then there is a trail at waters edge. When you get to the inlet creek, climb the slope along the left side of the creek to some nice meadows. Stay along the left side of the valley on easy terrain and finally enter a talus field then climb left to a saddle in trees at 34004, 55609 el 10700. Do it right and you only have to deal with talus for a quarter mile before the saddle. Go down the valley on the other side on easy ground and keep to the right side where it's easiest. In just over half a mile from the saddle you come to a drop off where you can see Laurel Lakes. The creek emerges at the bottom of the drop off. Move to the far left and go down a game trail and stay left of the creek all the way to the first lake then cross the inlet to the road. The road goes up a little then it's 4 miles downhill to the Sherwin Rd where you should have a bike or car waiting.7 hours, 3600 gain. The Valentine TH works best if using a bike for shuttle, the Sherwin Lakes TH is best with 2 cars.
• CARSON PEAK el 10900 is a craggy looking peak above June Lake. Luckily there is a wuss route up the back side. There is a cheater TH on the June Lake loop at N37 46743, W119 07767 el 7200. The real TH is a quarter mile north. It's a rocky, stinky trail to the dam at Agnew Lake. The correct trail forks left here at the sign for Clark Lake and you'll be glad to see horses don't use it. The trail goes up along the left side of the lake to a meadow at 44470, 07999 el 9900 where the trail levels off. I saw a bear here but he took off like a rocket when I showed him my fists. Hike up the left side of the meadow to 44251, 07743 where you can see the rest of the route. Aim for a main saddle at 44161,07529 el 10500 then it's an easy 3/4 mile stroll to the reg at 44865, 07460. 6 hours, 3900 gain. Only 2 or 300 feet is steep.
• DEADWOOD PEAK el 9850 is the most pleasant hike around. Take the paved Blue Lakes Rd from Highway 88 for a dozen miles to a T at Blue Lakes Basin. Go right for 1.7 miles to the dam at Upper Blue Lake el 8100. Walk across the spillway on a metal bridge and make a hard left before the dam. Now you're on the trail. It soon crosses a creek with a log for a bridge. Then it goes downstream along the right side of the creek before swinging to the right. If you get lost, aim for it at N38 37630, W119 56351. It's 2 miles to Granite Lake el 8700. The trail goes left at the far end of the lake. There is a good spring at 37422, 59088 el 9200 where the trail tops out. Stay on the trail as it dips 150 feet then get off at 37434, 59640 and walk easy slopes to the reg at 37729, 59960. Take a pipe wrench to open it. 5 hours, 2200 gain. Nice flowery meadows dotted with granite boulders. Another good hike nearby starts at MEADOW LAKE. Follow the signs to the lake TH. The last 2 or 3 miles is easy 4wd and would make a good mtn bike ride. Walk an old road to the lake then go left around it. You have to get past some granite slabs then go down to the high water mark and get on a trail. The trail goes along at that level a short way then goes up into the trees and on to the dam. Some ancient machinery is here. No real trail goes beyond the dam but it's easy to walk the left side above the creek. Eventually you will be forced to drop down to a small meadow then the canyon drops to falls and cascades. The falls are about 2/3 mile past the dam. It takes an hour to get to the falls from the TH.
• FREEL PEAK,  JOBS SISTER and JOBS PEAK can all be climbed as a loop,mostly on trails. Take Highway 88 to 89 and go north on 89 for 1.8 miles. Turn east on FR 51 and go 3 and a half miles on easy 4wd and park right after a bridge el 8300. Hike west across the creek on a narrow road until it ends in nearly 10 minutes at N38 49732, 119 54554. Skinny motor vehicles seemed to be allowed this far. Now go up a hiking trail to Armstrong Pass. Signs here ban everything but mtn bikes, so if you got your car this far,park it here. Go east from the pass on a trail marked Star Lake. I found a spring that looked safe along here at 51214, 54893. The trail steadily climbs to a ridge el 9700. Mtn bikes stop here. A sign on the ridge points to the right for the trail up Freel el 10880. It's 2 and a half hours and 2600 gain to Freel. A hiker trail goes east from Freel to Jobs Sister el 10820. It's 3 and a half hours and 3000 gain to that peak, counting from the start. Come back from Jobs Sister a short way then head south down to the main saddle crossing over to Jobs Peak. A hiker trail angles down to the saddle el 9800. Cross the saddle and get on a trail at 51473, 52518 that goes along the left side of the ridge. If you lose it, you're likely too low. The trail goes up and connects with the main Job trail at el 10200 which is easy to find because mtn bikers use it . Go left to Jobs el 10600, but don't tell him you were on top of his sister. It's 4 and a half hours and 3800 gain to Jobs. Or you can skip Jobs and go right on the main trail, but make sure you pass right thru waypoint 51035, 52233 to be on the right trail out. The trail stays high on the south wall of the canyon. At 9000 you hit logging roads that take you back to the start. The whole loop takes 6 hours, 3800 gain. Stashing bikes at the Jobs TH would save a mile of road walking. Go past the Freel TH for 7/10 mile and go left for half a mile to a circle. This is as close to the Jobs TH as you can get on a good road. Jeeps can go back from the circle and take the first right to get right to the TH at 50515, 52837 el 8900. It's 3 hours and 1700 gain just to do Jobs. I saw a low slung Mazda at the Freel TH in 2019.
• HIGHLAND PEAK and SILVER PEAK can be climbed as a loop. Spot a car at the Noble Canyon TH at mp ALP 22.8 on highway 4. This is at a switchback at N38 34983,W119 47357 el 7200. Drive up to the PCT just east of Ebbetts Pass and hike it south to Noble Lake el 8900. A hiker trail goes up from the lake to a meadow just above. Aim for a faint trail at 31814, 46220 that goes up to a saddle at 31782, 45993 el 9400. Now the ridge goes parabolic. Use a hiker trail right of center. At 10500 the trail contours right then goes up a chute between cliffs to the top of a false summit at 32216, 45523 el 10800. Now you have to cross a 300 foot deep saddle. Go down about halfway then move left of crags. Then the final push is on talus. Keep left of crags near the Highland summit el 10900+. Now drop down nearly a 1000 feet to the main saddle before Silver Peak. Decide here if you want to make the 2 hour side trip to Silver. Go up the ridge toward Silver but move right when the talus gets serious. Aim for a spot below a crag at 33840, 45588 el 10700 where you can see the peak for the first time. Now drop a little over 100 feet to cross a saddle then stroll on up el 10700+. Go back to the main saddle beween the peaks and start down a ridge at 33063, 46053 el 9600. You can go down at warp speed with no issues. Beware the ridge veers to the right around el 8500. Aim for 32865, 46871 el 8100 then it's less than a fifth mile down to the trail. It takes an hour to stroll on down to the TH.  8 hours, 4000+ gain for the whole enchilada. 6 hours, 3000+ gain just to do Highland and skip Silver. If you die on this trip it will be on the shuttle. Another worthwhile hike is to go up Noble Canyon to Noble Lake then come back some and take the trail to Ebbetts Pass. Use a bike you stashed there to coast down to your car at Noble Canyon TH.      
LEAVITT PEAK makes for a nice loop from Leavitt Lake. Turn off highway 108 at mp MNO 3.8. Drive nearly 3 miles to Leavitt Lake el 9500 on a bumpy 4wd road. Hike left around the lake on the main road and go left at a fork N38 16517, W119 36801 to get on the old road that goes up to the divide el 10600. Once on the divide, go thru a metal gate and soon you hit the PCT. Take that all the way to an easy ridge at 17228, 38443 el 10800 that has a hiker trail to the top at 17174, 39079 el 11500. Go back down and cross the trail and keep going down the ridge. Head for 17143, 37960 then drop to a trail below to the left. The trail goes a short way down canyon to a steep nose but go down the gully on the right. Koenig Lake is at the bottom of the gully. Use a road left of the lake that goes back to the start. 4 hrs, 2500 gain. The peak can also be accessed from Sonora Pass via the PCT. That route has similar stats but took me an hour longer. LEAVITT FALLS makes a good short hike. Park at the vista at mp MN0 6.2 on 108. Hike up the rim past the tables to a steep gully at N38 19278,  W119 33746 where you start down. If you go off a cliff then guess what? You went down the wrong gully.The main threat here is someone above kicking rocks down. Near the bottom there is a wall of brush.  Veer right across a log then head straight down a path to the falls. Take some pruners.It's about 400 feet down. This is NOT for tourists.   
• LOST CANNON PEAK el 11100 is the last 11000 footer going north in the Sierra. Take highway 108 to mp MNO 11.1 and turn into the Marine base. Show your ID and make sure there's nothing in plain sight that looks like bombs. Hide that bowling ball. Proceed past the guard shack on the public Silver Creek Rd for a mile and a half to a main fork. Go left for another couple miles to a main fork at N38 22646, W119 32687. Go right for a mile and a half to the pass el 9300. Hike up the slope aiming for a minor saddle at 23941, 32797 el 10300. Stay in the trees all the way. Go straight up from the saddle to 24103, 32952 el 10900 where there's a route thru the rocks to get over the spine where you can walk along the left side and get to the summit crag at 24319, 32946. I had to walk on talus above scrub trees. The summit crag is class 3 plus one 8 foot crack .Walk around to the notch on the north side. Go up exposed class 3 until you are stopped by the last block.Then go right on a wide ledge then go up a little to the 8 foot high crack, too narrow to chimney. One person could boost another up. I read later on the web that I should have crossed over from the crack to the east side then go north then up, but that looked more exposed than what I had already done. A 20 foot handline with ibis hook might come in handy. There is a north summit above 11000 that is easy to climb. 3 or 4 hours, 2000 gain. The Marines had a reg between the summits but that's all I saw. I didn't attempt the 8 foot crack. It's best to go on Sunday when the Marines are off. The name refers to a cannon that John Fremont left behind in the mid 1800s. Details here
http://www.longcamp.com/how.html. Parts of the cannon are on display at the Bridgeport ranger station.

• MOUNT AGGIE el 11500+ is a wuss hike if you have a jeep or OHV. Turn off 395 at the sign for Mount Morrison Rd. Go a short way then turn left at the cemetery to get on the powerline road. Go south less than a mile then the road gets close to 395 then swings up a canyon. Go up the canyon but don't take a steep left fork. Soon it opens up and you'll see the switchbacks. It's not steep to the top but it gets loose at 9400. After that it levels off then stay right at forks to the end where the road is blocked at a fork el 10300. Mt Mcgee is an easy stroll to the left. Use the right fork for Aggie. The road fades in half a mile on the ridge top. Follow the easy ridge to where it steepens. Then angle right thru trees to a game trail at 33155, 50508 that angles up to the summit ridge. Now it's a short stroll to the summit at 32746, 50575 . 3 hrs and 1300 gain.Stunning views of Morrison's brilliant south face. The main reason for this hike is to play with your jeep.


• MOUNT CONNESS el 12590 is the highest peak in the range north of Tioga Pass. Drive east from the pass and turn at the sign for Saddlebag Lake. Go a mile and a half on bumpy 2wd dirt to the walk-in Sawmill Campground. Walk an old road to the pay station and get on a trail that shortcuts thru the campground and merges with the old road you started on. Soon the road crosses the main creek then there is a fork. Keep right and go on to a research station then on to a stream with some little falls on the right at N37 57689, W119 17786 el 10200. This stream is coming down from Alpine Lake. Go up the steep open slope to the right of the stream. I never saw a good hiker trail so pick your own route. Aim for Alpine Lake at 57747, 18167 el 11000. Walk along the right side of the lake staying near the water to get to the valley behind the lake. Go up the valley a short way then start climbing easy bedrock up to the left to get to where you top out at 58029, 18545 el 11800. Now there is an obvious ridge to climb. Go up along the left side of the ridge.There are a million hiker trails to choose from. This ridge tops out on the summit ridge at 57933, 18865 el 12300. Now go right nearly half a mile to the top, but you have to cross a long narrow neck. I didn't find it scary or unsafe in good weather,but a fear of heights will stop some. 6 hours, 3000 gain. A prettier hike than Mt Dana.                                                 
• MAMMOTH CREST makes a fine loop hike. Take the Lake Mary Rd at the west end of Mammoth Lakes. Go about 4 miles from the last light and turn left at the sign for Lake George Campground. Near the campground is the Crystal Lake TH at N37 36212,  W119 00672 el 9000. Go up it and keep right at a signed fork about half an air mile from the start. The trail goes up to 11200 then drops 600 ft to a basin containing DEER LAKES. There seems to be more than one trail to a lake at the upper end of the basin. At the far end of that lake is a talus slope. Stay low along the base of it and you hit a hiker trail that goes up into the saddle. Be on the trail by N37 33558, W118 58838. There's a peak 600 ft up to the right from the saddle with good views. Go thru the saddle on the trail as it heads for Duck Pass. The trail fades out in the flats,but just aim for a gully near the pass at N37 33518, W119 57823 (keep right of brush when you're a fifth mile from the gully) where you drop down and pick up a main trail to the TH at the upper end of Coldwater Campground. This trail is the roughest part of the hike.It takes 5 hours and nearly 3000 gain to go from TH to TH. To get back to Crystal Lake TH, go down a road on the left edge of the campground to a T. Go left at the T then follow the GPS back. It takes half an hour to walk back.
• MOUNT DANA el 13050 has a steep hiker trail to the top. Start at the Tioga Pass entry booth and head south on a good trail thru the trees. At el 12000 the trail gets splintered. Be attentive and stay on the main trail. Be on it at N37 54062, W119 13463 el 12500. 4 hrs, 3100 gain.It's the second highest peak in the park.
• MOUNT WARREN looms above Mono Lake. Use the signed 4wd Log Cabin Mine Rd across from the ranger offices on 120 not far west of 395. The steep road tops out then goes left thru a camp.area. Keep going for about 3 miles on rougher road and park near the north ridge where you go up at N38 00180, W119 11552 el 10000. Follow the easy ridge to a ridge left of the peak. When it steepens go left to another ridge then on to the top at N37 59393, W119 13410 el 12340. 3 hrs, 2400 gain. The easiest 12er I ever did. Lots of good camps along the road in.
• PICKETT PEAK el 9100 is south of Freel Peak. Turn south off Highway 88 across from where 89 goes north. Follow this 2WD Burnside Lake Road for about 3 miles and go left at N38 44710, W119 54862 on easy 4wd. When it tops out at a 3 way fork in nearly 2 and a half miles, take the middle fork and go nearly a quarter mile to a faint road at 45501, 53782 el 8500+. Walk the road to the east saddle at 45350,54037. Climb right to the top up 300 feet of talus. 1 hr, 600 gain. HAWKINS PEAK is nearby at 44324, 52350 el 10000. Stay on the Burnside Rd then take a left that leads to a closed road at 43449, 53474. I never saw a sign banning mtn bikes on this road. Walk the road to where it levels off on the spine and turns toward the peak. Soon a fork is reached. Take the right one which is lower. At the base of the peak, I prefer to walk the road left around to the end el 9650 on the north side where it's easier to get to the summit. 3 hrs, 1600 gain.
• RAYMOND PEAK el 10000 is accessed using the Blue Lakes Rd from Highway 88. Turn on the road to Tamarack Lake just before Lower Blue Lake. Go to its end keeping left at Indian Valley. The last mile is easy 4wd. Park at the Wet Meadow TH at N38 36625, W119 51588. Walk the trail for 500 feet to the PCT then go right and right again on an old road at 36774, 51377. Follow that to 36296, 50947 then 36250, 50807 then 36283, 50705 at the creek.Stay right of the creek passing good springs at 36080, 50618 then head for a wide chute at 36134, 50145 on the peak. From there go up to a saddle then right to another saddle then left to the top at 36224, 50002 el 10000. I filled up at the springs. 4 hrs,2000 gain. Mosquitoes at the start.   The Raymond Lake jct is about an hour further on the PCT at 37011, 49902. That hike just to the lake is a 4 hour roundtrip with nearly 2000 gain because the trail loses 5 or 600 ft. There is a hikers route down from the peak to the lake but returning that way is longer.
• RED LAKE PEAK and STEVENS PEAK can be climbed from Crater Lake. Go nearly 2 miles west of Blue Lakes Rd on Highway 88 to N38 43614, W119 57249. Turn right and follow the bumpy county road for nearly a mile and a half to its end at a fork where you go left on 4wd to Crater Lake at 43346, 58429. There is camping here and on the road in. Cross the dam and go up the ridge to the main ridge. After gaining 500 feet I veered right into a canyon and filled up at a spring at 43736, 58729 el 9000 then went up on the right side of the canyon. Once on the main ridge, go right to Stevens at 44030, 59081 el 10000. Then go back down and use a trail that goes right around a long bump. Then head up to Red Lake Peak at 42749, 59236 el 10000. Return down a steep ridge 42982, 58756. 3 and a half hrs, 2000 gain. Another way to do it is to start at Carson Pass and go up the peaks then come down to the lake and walk the road out. No 4wd needed.
• REVERSED PEAK el 9400 overlooks June Lake. Use the southbound lanes of 395 to get to an easy 4wd road at N37 50474, W119 04662. The nearest crossover is a mile and a half north on 395. Go west on the 4wd road and stay right at forks until you reach a T at a powerline. This is nearly half a mile from 395. Go right at the T then stay left at forks thereafter until the end of the road at 48521, 05618 el 8400, nearly 4 and a half miles in from 395. Go up the steep slope thru the trees to the reg at 48281, 05960. 1 and a half hours, 1000 gain. Some light brush at the top. Mtn bikes are feasible.The last half of the road is firmer and shady. Many shady camps. The peak is so named because it's downhill all the way to the summit, and uphill all the way back. Exactly the reverse of all other peaks. I've never seen anything like it. It's simply amazing!
• ROUND TOP el 10370 is near Carson Pass. Hike the trail south from the pass to Winnemucca Lake then on to Round Top Lake. Walk along the left side of the lake to a trail that goes up the left side of a gully. Take that to the main saddle then go left to a crag. The route goes left around the crag then follow the beaten paths to the first summit. Walk toward the east summit, then at a gap,drop down to the right to cross the gap. Go up a short class 3 chute to get to the top at N38 39817, W120 00061. 5 hrs, about 2000 gain. There is a parking fee at the pass. 

             

• STANISLAUS PEAK el 11200 is the northernmost 11000 footer on the Sierra crest. Use the St. Mary TH el 9400 about 3/4 mile west of Sonora Pass. The trail goes up to a pass at 10400 about an air mile from the TH then levels off. It stays near this level all the way to the peak. I filled up along the trail at gushing springs at N38 21719, W119 38952. The south ridge at 22742,39934 is the standard route up. Stay on the trail until you're a third mile from the south ridge. Then cross a shallow valley to get on the ridge. Now you can turn out the lights 'cause the party's over. The ridge goes parabolic for 1000 feet to the top.Stay left of crags and aim for an easy chute at 22978, 40059 el 11000. Then it's a short way to the top. No reg in 2012. 4 and a half hours, 2000+ gain
• TRYON PEAK el 9970 has an old road up the west side to 9000 feet. Take highway 4 to the sign for the paved Highland Lakes Rd. This is nearly a mile and a half west of Ebbetts Pass. Go 5 miles on the Highland road then turn left a short way to the Gardner Meadow TH. The last 4 miles is bumpy dirt road. Hike the trail less than a fifth mile then veer left to the old road at N38 29919, W119 47550. Stay on it thru 30111, 47331 then cross the main creek and pick it up on the other side at 30340, 47081. Hike the road on up to the 9000 foot level where it fades.You can go straight up the ridge or wuss out like I did and use a trail on the right at 30893, 47083. This trail connects to the PCT at the pass. From the pass, I went up a little then contoured right under the talus. I filled up at a spring at 31230, 47019 el 9400. Get at it from the right side. Keep going below the talus then you come to a ridge to go up. The reg is at 31317, 47277. 4 hours,2000 gain. It would take 2 hours longer to use the PCT from Ebbetts Pass.
• WADE BENCHMARK el 9367 is about 3 miles south of Jobs Peak. The Horsethief Canyon Trail is the standard route but not shown exactly on the topo. Take highway 88 to the TH el 6650 at about a mile down from Sorensens. The trail goes up steep along a roaring creek then levels off at el 7700 and soon meets a logging road. It follows that to the right then up to el 8600 where I left it and walked to N38 49104, W119 51934 then to 49109, 51831 then 49167, 51710 where a passage led me down a stairway into a gorgeous forest with easy walking. The forest is really the main attraction. I went up to 48854, 51231 el 9150 then curved left to the BM at 49000, 50550. It sits on top of a brushy talus pile, but I walked left along the base to get around to the east side for easy passage.The reg goes back to the 80s. Then I went SW to peak 9390 at 48581, 51344 but found nothing so it must not be on a list. From there, I returned to the stairway and retraced back out. That took 6 hours, 45 minutes with a little over 3000 gain. I hauled long pants but never used them. New signs had been installed and trees cleared on the trail. The first good camp with a stream is at 47351, 52803 el 7750 and the last water I had is a stream at 48006, 52421 el 7950. Posted July, 2019.
• WATERHOUSE PEAK el 9497 is SW of Luther Pass on highway 89. I parked at the pass then walked a paved trail for 450 feet to a signed bike trail that goes to Scotts Lake. I followed that for half a mile to N38 46827, W119 56782 el 7700 then went up to 46819, 56861 el 7850 where I angled up to the left on a game route. I zigzagged up thru a gorgeous forest to the reg at 46568, 57906. That route kept me out of brush but not mosqitoes. 3 hours, 1800 gain, not steep. Posted 2019.
• WHITE WING PEAK el 10000 is north of Mammoth Lakes. Turn west off 395 at the sign for the graded Deadman RD. Go just over 6 miles to the TH at the end of the road. The correct trail has a bridge across the creek. Follow the trail and it becomes overgrown. I was able to follow it to N37 43164, W119 04572 where it emerges from the scrub trees. Weave around brush to get to the ridge top. Then walk in the forest on the left side of the ridge to pass a bump and get to a saddle at 43390, 03564 el 9400. Then go up the ridge and angle right to some rocks then go on up to the reg at 43520, 02784. I went down the south ridge with no issues. 3 hours, 1700 gain
  

West Nevada Peaks

On the way to Coffeepot Peak

Fairview Peak

                                         

• BATTLE MOUNTAIN has a cluster of peaks, North Peak el 8500 being the highest. Take Nv 305 south from I-80 for 6 miles to an easy 4wd road reading N40 34279, W117 01295. There is only the one main road to follow up Little Cottonwood Canyon and up to the pass. A few feet west of the pass is a fork. Keep right and go down canyon then turn right up a side canyon a short distance to get to another fork at 38286, 07545 el 6700. Go left and up to a pass. A steep section here is the only hard part on the road. Go over the pass then down along a fenced meadow. Right after that is a road going to the right up a slope and then fizzles at el 7700. It's an easy hike to the reg at 40502, 07953. Two more 8000+ peaks on the mountain are even easier hikes. Go back to the fork at el 6700 and take the other road. It climbs past mines then at el 7600 is a triple fork. Keep far right and go on up to within one tenth mile of LONG PEAK reading 37150, 06084. For ANTLER PEAK, go back to the fork just west of the first pass. Take the other road then stay left thereafter and the road goes up on the ridge just east of the peak. All these peaks can be done in one day. GALENA CANYON has a good road and a lot of mine stuff plus some shady camps. Posted 2014.


• BUCKLEY BM el 7888 is the high point of the Gillis Range. Go to Thorne Rd at the north end of Hawthorne. It's at a flashing light a mile and a half north of Safeway. Take Thorne until the end of pavement then follow graded dirt for 5 and a half miles to a faint 4wd track going up a canyon on the left. GPS reading here is N38 39162, W118 31344 el 5900. The 4wd track goes left of a dike and stays on benches for 3/4 mile and is fairly easy. It then drops into the wash and the going gets tougher. It's faster to walk the wash. I made it another mile up the wash on a heavy dirt bike. Then the badly eroded road goes parabolic up a ridge. I had a short but steep hike to the reg at 40975, 33040. From the graded road it would be 3 miles one way and 2000 gain, 4wds would have a little over 2 miles. Posted 2013.
• BUFFALO MOUNTAIN el 7990 has a road up the east side to el 6100, but it's for cycles only. Exit I-80 at Valmy, exit #216. Go south on the main graded roads for about 8 miles to a fork at N40 42314, W117 13260. Go right and the road swings west to a T at the foot of the mountain. The last 4 miles to this T have severe ruts that will slow vehicles with more than 2 wheels to a crawl. Go south from the T for a mile and a third to a grassy, easy 4wd track at 42670, 20531. Follow that to the end. Rocks near the end will stop 4wds (if they survive the killer ruts), but there is turnaround. Don't hike straight up like I did. Walk off the end of the road into a canyon and climb the other side to a saddle at 44467, 21891 el 6800. Now you're on the SW ridge and it's easy to the reg at 44939, 21283. Some minor crags are near the top but easily skirted on the right. 3 hours, 2000 gain. Some light brush and tall grass. The roads are not rocky, the ruts are the only headache. The west side approach starts lower but doesn't have road issues from what I've read. Posted 2014.
• CAIN MOUNTAIN el 8400 is a nice hike but the roads are a mess. Take Nv 305 to mp LA 72.7 and go west on the graded Antelope Valley road. In just over 10 miles the road makes a hard left. At that point go right on a bumpy road for 4 and a half miles to a 4 way at a cattleguard. This is Home Station Gap. I went south for 2 miles to a fork then right for a quarter mile to a faint track reading N40 01990, W117 26883. It's easy 4wd to here. Jeeps can make it a mile on this track to a fork. Right is badly gouged and for cycles only. I didn't check the left fork. I rode up the right fork nearly 3 miles to the 6300 level on a ridge. I was riding between the gouges on a dualsport cycle in street gears. Then I hiked over to the NE ridge, which is the next one north. I got on it at 01874, 31433. It goes directly up to the summit with one cliff that can be passed on the left. The reg is at 01439, 32605. 4 hours, 2200 gain. Another road goes in nearly 2 miles to the south at 00638, 27832, but it's a mess right out of the gate. Another option is to take the road west from Home Station Gap. That was the only one with recent tire tracks on it, or next to it. The map shows it goes to the NE ridge. A mtn bike might work on it. Check online to see what others are doing. The recent fire may have caused a spike in erosion. Posted 2014.

• CANDELARIA MOUNTAIN el 6600 is a minor peak south of Mina and the high point of the Candelaria Hills. It sits in the middle of a historic mining area. Take 95 south from Mina for about 16 miles to a sign for Candelaria. Go west for 6 miles to the end of pavement then keep going another 2.2 miles on graded road to a road on the left reading N38 09151, W118 07271. Follow that smooth road into a mining area then keep to the left side to circle up to the west ridge. The last good turnaround is at 09030, 06316 el 6400. Walk a tenth mile to a mine at the end of the road. Go right around the mine then up the west ridge a short way to the BM at 09005, 06201. 2wds could go a long way in.There is RV parking at the turnoff from 95 and a good VZ signal. Posted 2013.
  COREY PEAK el 10520 is the southernmost 10000 footer in the Wassuk Range. Take E Street south out of Hawthorne for about 4 miles to a sign for Lucky Boy Pass. Follow the graded road toward the pass then go right on a 4wd road at N38 26241, W118 44230 el 7500. Stay on that road to a main fork at 9700. The right fork goes to the towers peak el 10200. The left fork is the one for Corey. It goes level for half a mile then you come to a fork that starts climbing the slope. This part is rarely used by anything bigger than an OHV, but a jeep would fit. Every switchback has a turnaround. I stopped on my 125 at a parking area el 10200 where the road gets nasty. Scaredy cats can park at the 9700 fork and walk the road then come back down the ridge. BIG INDIAN PEAK el 10000+ also has a road most of the way. Take E Street south out of Hawthorne to paved Spanish Spring Rd. This is just before the Lucky Boy Pass turnoff. Follow the pavement to the end then keep going up into Corey Canyon. The road is good until a narrows where it becomes 4wd. Keep right at a main fork at el 7600. Here the road starts climbing the slope. The only issue is a boulder on the road at N38 28613, W118 47496 el 8300. It makes for a tight squeeze and it's a third mile back to a turnaround. The road goes on up to a locked gate el 9600. Then it's a short hike to the peak at 29291, 47924. It's just inside the military base but I could tell no one ever goes out there. Posted 2013.
  
EMIGRANT PEAK el 6780 is in the northern Silver Peak Range. A jeep track is the easiest way up. Take 95 to the ghost town of Coaldale. Get on a road at the eastern edge of the property, just left of the propane tank foundation. Follow this easy 4wd road for about 4 miles to a road on the right at 58937, 51787. Go right for a mile and a half to a rock outcrop on the right. The correct road goes left into the main wash. Go up the wash, past a decoy road, to 58655, 53004 where the correct road curves right and starts up the switchback. A turnaround is ahead at the upper end of the switchback el 5800. Then you can turn out the lights 'cause the party's over. The road now goes parabolic for 3 or 4 hundred feet to the ridgetop. Rigs with lockers and superb traction can make it. It levels off and you're home free for a couple of miles to the end at el 6400. Then it's a 20 minute hike one way and 400 gain to the reg at 57615, 53929. Figure 3 or 4 hours if hiking from the turnaround. The reg needs a glass jar and better book. I was just looking to kill a cold day in May but this turned out to be pretty good. Great views. Posted 2013.


• FAIRVIEW PEAK el 8300 has a 4wd road to the top.Turnoff US 50 at mp CH 62.3. There is a sign here for the earthquake fault. Go 6 miles south on a graded road to the 4wd road. This is 3/4 mile after the turnoff for the fault. It's 3 miles up the 4wd road to the towers.Not rough, but it goes parabolic. I had trouble riding a heavy motorcycle back down. It was like coming down a steep concrete slab with a layer of BBs on it.The bike just wanted to slide out of control. As of 2020 the 4wd road had not eroded much. It's so steep that I wouldn't take a 4wd rig without a rear locker or equivalent. I'll never ride a cycle on it again. Updated 2020.
• GOLD MOUNTAIN el 8150, north of Beatty, makes a good 4wd tour. Take US 95 to mp NY 100.4. Turn west on a graded road. There is parking here for RVs. Go west on the graded for 4 and a half miles then turn right on a crude road. Go a mile and a half to a semi graded road. Go left on that for 7 and a half miles to a pass right before towers. Go right here at a fork GPS reading N37 18076, W117 15781 el 7000. Go another mile and a half to a 3 way with signs. Keep right for half a mile to a fork then go left for 2 and a half miles to the key fork at 17285, 20059 el 6150. Go left for 2 and 3/4 miles to a fork with a shady camp. Go right for nearly half a mile to where the road tops out el 7300. Just hike left up the forested ridge as it curves left to the summit at 15112, 18333. 1 hour and a half, 900 gain. The left fork at the shady camp goes to a minor petroglyph site on Hanging Mesa at 15982, 17606 el 7450. You gotta wonder where they had to go for a drink. Another way back to pavement is to go back to the key fork then go left for a third mile to a graded road then go right for 6 miles trending north to the semi ghost town Gold Point. Pavement starts there and leads to Lida Jct. All roads are in good shape but there is sand. The fastest way to get at the peak is to go in from Gold Point. There are 6 miles of graded road to the key fork, but you'll need a map to navigate tricky forks. Posted 2013.
• JOB PEAK el 8780 is the high point of the Stillwater Range. A man made trail along the crest can be used from the north. It is visible on google earth. There is an upper TH and a lower TH, I only used the upper. Take paved road 116 coming north up the west side from US 50. When the pavement ends, stay on the graded road another 15 miles to the Poco Canyon road reading N39 38400, W118 20893. Go up that good road and keep right at forks for nearly 6 miles until you reach a fork way up canyon reading 36653, 15659 el 5650. 2wds can make it here. Left goes to the upper TH, right goes to the lower. Look straight up the right fork then up to the high crags. Right below the crags the trail can be seen going up and left. Drive the right fork for a mile on easy 4wd to the last camp spot at a corral. Then go another tenth mile to the end el 6400. Walk across a gully to a juniper at 36468, 14572. The trail is right behind it. It goes up and starts switching. One faint switch is at 36616, 14527 el 6700 where it goes left and straight over to the main ridge el 6800 where it is visible from the road below. I stopped here and was less than half a mile from the upper TH. Now the upper TH road is bad. Right away is a steep hill with a narrow bypass on the left. After that there are eroded sections, but no big obstacles. I've seen jeeps do a lot worse. The road ends at a good camp spot el 7300 next to a fence. The trail starts up to the left of a crag and is hard to see at first, but it crosses the fence at 36774, 14111. Or just walk over to the fence then go up along it to the trail. The trail goes along the east side of the crest and crosses a saddle el 7500. Two trails can be seen across the saddle, take the high one switching up. The trail will get faint at el 7900 where it goes left around a crag. It stays at the 7900 level until you need to leave it and climb a little to a viewpoint at 35690, 13819 el 8050. Now you can see the rest of the route. Just keep walking on the easy ground on the east side below the crest, and gradually gaining. Stay on the east side. The reg is at 34983, 14128. The last 300 feet is the only steep part, and game trails zigzag up that. 4 hours, 1500 gain from the upper TH. A top notch hike. Mtn bikes would work to the lower TH. WEST ROUTE: this is the standard route. Same driving directions, but about 12 miles from the end of pavement there is a cattleguard. Turn east there on easy 4wd then stay left at all forks. The road ends in Government Trail Canyon right below the peak. The last turnaround I would use if in a 4wd is at N39 35585, W118 14870 el 6500. Driving to the end would backfire because it's hard to hike across the creek to get on the ridge up. This route is simple but it's so steep that I would rather use the lower TH in Poco Canyon, which also has a better road. Posted 2014.
• LONE MOUNTAIN el 9100 is west of Tonopah. Turn south off US 95 at mp ES 55.6. Go 2 and a half miles on a crude road and then you merge with the road heading straight for the peak. After 6 and a half miles on this road you come to a fork. Go left for a mile and a quarter on easy 4wd then go right for a third mile to a 4 way at N38 01817, W117 27677. Go right then left at the next fork that goes up into Springdale Canyon. The road fades at a main fork in the canyon el 6800. Get on the bench at 01976, 28276 between the forks. Walk the bench along the left fork and aim for the next right fork at 01675, 28592. If you go to high on the bench you'll still hit the fork,in fact it might work better. Now go up that fork. Soon large boulders impede progress,so use the easy right bench. Aim for a game trail high up at 01501, 29242 el 8650. Use the trail to get on the ridge then walk along the right side of the ridge on trails to get to the last saddle at 01495, 29430 el 8900. Now it's a fifth mile to the reg. 3 and a half hours, 2300 gain.The ruins on top are said to be a survey station dating to 1880. More ruins are just south of the summit. I went up on a July afternoon and it wasn't too hot. I saw sheep prancing around high above, taunting me.There is another road at mp 47 on US 50 that might work too. There is a shady rest area nearby.
• MABLE MOUNTAIN el 8014, high point of the Garfield Hills, is east of Hawthorne. Go east from town on 95 to the Garfield Flat Rd at mp MI 41.2. Take that graded road for 17 miles to a 4wd road at N38 23163, W118 17388. The first 4 miles of the road aren't tough. The last mile goes parabolic and is eroded. I walked the last mile gaining 1000 feet. The reg is at 27395, 18491. The Garfield Flat Rd goes on to Mina. Posted 2013.
  
• MAGRUDER MOUNTAIN el 9050 is near Lida. Take Nv 266 just west of Lida Summit to mp ES 15.7. Turn south a short way to a T then go right for half a mile to a metal gate and stone ruins. Go left thru the gate for a third mile to a fork reading N37 25151, 35602 el 7200. Go left on easy 4wd for a little over half a mile to a T. Go left a short way to a camp spot el 7600. There is a passage thru the trees to go up to the bald crest then it's a scenic stroll to the reg at 24626, 32846. A 1936 date is pecked into a rock. 3 hours, 1700 gain. TRAVERSE VERSION - to walk the main ridge on to Lida, just keep going from the summit to an Indian rock ring at 25801, 30484 el 8000. Keep going down the main ridge over a couple of minor bumps and Lida will come into view as well as the remaining route down the ridge. I started at the 2wd parking spot and the whole one way hike took me 5 hours and brush was not an issue. I had a second vehicle parked at Lida next to a historic marker but a good road goes south from the marker to get half a mile closer. 2WD VERSION - park on the highway at mp ES 17.1. A bad road el 7100 is in view 250 feet to the SW. Walk it a mile to the end at ridge a reading 25390, 33741 el 7600. Go up the ridge to el 8700 and level off and you'll merge with a major cow trail then the rest is obvious. Posted 2020. PALMETTO MOUTAIN el 8900 is north of 266. A good road goes up the west side but is gated. Go to mp ES 11.7 and turn north on a good road. Go 3 miles to a fork, then keep right for a mile to the gate el 7300. Hike or bike the remaining 3 miles on a good road to the towers. The road has a couple of minor dips. Posted 2013. BLUE DICK BM el 9300 is north of Palmetto Peak and has a road to the top. It's the high point of the Palmetto Mountains. Turn of Nv 266 at mp ES 11.7. Follow the main dirt road and keep left at major forks. It's an easy 4wd road all the way to the crest. Then it's another mile or more along the crest but the road goes parabolic. The reg is at N37 30371, W117 35465. 
• MILLER MOUNTAIN el 8700 is north of Dyer. Take US 6 to mp ES 2.2 and turn north on a dirt road. Stay on the main road for 5 and a half miles to towers el 7900. The first 4 miles are easy 4wd and it gets a little tougher after that where the roads enters a wash. From the towers, hike downhill losing 200 feet to a flat at N38 02742, W118 11375. Now there's a little peak in the way. Go around it on the right to a saddle behind it that is the same elevation as the flat. Then go up the easy slope to 03374, 11609 where you can see the rest of the route. The reg is at 03911, 11485. I could look east and see an old road/trail coming up to the crest. It must be what the loggers used. 3 hours, 1500 gain. Posted 2013.
• MOHO MOUNTAIN el 8800 is near Mina. It's the high point of the Excelsior Range. Take Nv 360 to mp MI 18. Turn onto a graded road and go about 3 and a half miles to an obvious 4wd road going up the slope toward the peak. It starts out rubbly then smooths out at el 7000. Go up switchbacks to a fork at N38 15866, W118 14729 el 7250. Left goes parabolic at el 7600 so forget that. Go right instead. Soon there is another fork, take the low road into the canyon that goes up east of the peak. At el 7900 there is a track going up a draw on the left. It soon ends at a shady camp. Hike on up the draw to the saddle then left to the the reg at 16779, 15581. 2 hours, 900 gain. The road goes on up canyon then follows the crest for miles. It's narrow but not rough, but I don't know about the descent. It would make a good jeep or cycle tour. Posted 2013. 
• MONTE CRISTO PEAK el 7996, high point of the Monte Cristo Range, is west of Tonopah. Take 95 to the jct with Nv 265. Go east from the jct for nearly half a mile and turn north on a graded road that winds thru the range, sometimes turning south. Eventually you come to a T at N38 07315, W117 42876. The main road goes left. Follow it all the way to a crude road at 10411, 42690 near the peak. Turn right and go just over a mile to a road forking to the right. Follow that to el 7000 near the base of the peak. Hike up the canyon on the north side of the peak, aiming for a witness BM on the crest at 08949, 40792 el 7700. Then just go right to the reg at 08823, 41144. I've never seen a witness BM that far from a summit BM. Under 3 hours, 1000 gain. To make it more interesting, walk on up the road to a saddle el 7300. Then go up a rocky ATV track that ends on the crest then walk back south to the peak. Come back down the canyon. I rode a 125 up to the crest but it wasn't worth the grief. The graded road in goes right by Cook Spring which had water and a BLM camera. NORMAN BM el 7400 is the high point in the west section of the range, and it's too easy to pass up. On the drive out, turn north up a wash at 05721, 45379. Go nearly 2 miles in the main wash to a fork at 06948, 46424. Go left for just over a mile to a rough track on the left. This goes for 3/4 mile to the base of the peak el 7000. Another option is to keep driving past the rough track and on over the divide and park at el 6850 near the easy north ridge. Hike up the north ridge at 07359, 48242 then it's nearly a mile to the reg at 06549, 58042. An hour and a half, 600 gain. CASTLE PEAK el 6150 is another hike to do on the way out. Turn off the graded road at 05033, 45197 and go a quarter mile to a saddle with the bright colored peak right in front of you. A gully at 05280, 44825 goes to the main ridge then it's short walk to the top. 1 hour, 400 gain. Great colors here and heavy sheep traffic. This range is good place to spend a weekend looking at mines.Though the main road had recently been graded, there were still sand traps. Posted 2013.
• MONTEZUMA PEAK el 8370 is right out of Goldfield. Go 2 and a half miles north from the center of town to a sign for Gemfield. Turn west on a good road and go 2.7 miles to a fork. Left goes to Gemfield, but go right for a mile to petroglyphs then keep going on the main road to a brushy 4wd road at N37 43319, W117 20341 el 6900. Go left here. Jeeps can make it 2 miles up canyon to el 7750. Average SUVs can make it halfway. Then hike to a clearing at 41751, 21416 that leads to the reg. 1 hour, 600 gain. Goldfield no longer has gas. I saw RVs camping on a vacant lot in the center of town on 95. Posted 2013, 2019.
• MOUNT AUGUSTA el 9960 is the high peak of the Clan Alpine Range. Turn off US 50 at mp CH 85.2 at a sign for Clan Alpine. Go 7 miles on a graded road to the War Canyon road. Zero your odometer here. The first 4 miles up the canyon are easy then it's bumpy 4wd as the road climbs over a divide into Cherry Valley. Near mile 9 the road splits. Stay right then you soon cross a fence where the eroded road drops into the valley. This is the steepest part and might stop some people. Once in the valley, the correct road is at N39 34593, W117 55745. Keep going south up the valley on easy 4wd until the road ends at a sunny sloping camp spot at mile 13 el 8700. You can go straight up the ridge then contour left into a high saddle at 9600 then it's a stroll to the top. Or you can wuss out and go left to a cow trail at 32801,55891 that gets into the canyon on the left. Then use trails on the left side of the canyon to get to a saddle with a spring. Then use a trail going up from the spring to get to the high saddle. If you drove the whole 13 miles then you've earned the right to wuss out. 2 hours,1300 gain. This hike would appeal to those with jeeps or OHVs who enjoy obscure roads. A jeep might burn $25 worth of gas on these dirt roads. The BM on top says Grant. I wonder what the one on Mount Grant says.
• MOUNT FERGUSON is the high peak in the Gabbs Valley Range. Turn north off Nv 361 at mp MI 10.4. Drive on easy 4wd to a T in Petrified Wash. Go left to a fork at N38 37052, W118 08205. Head right toward the peak back into Petrified Wash where the road goes up the wash. I parked at 38388,10918 el 7100+. Hike up the right fork in the wash past some tiny bedrock falls then angle right up onto the crest. Aim for a minor saddle on the crest at 39091,10303 el 7800. Then go on up left of center to the reg at 39436, 09669. 2 and a half hours,1300 gain. Nice pj forest. MULLER MOUNTAIN el 8300 is another major peak in the range. It has a jeep road up it. Turn south from mp 10.4 and drive a wide road to a fork at 33210, 02093. Go right on a lesser road to another fork at 32164, 00582 then go right again to the last fork at 31990, 01198 el 7400. SUVs can go left and easily get to a mine at 7700. OHVs can go right at the fork and get to 8100. Jeeps might still force their way up the right fork as of 2012. The reg is at 31827, 01703. The road as far as the mine is easy but bumpy 4wd.
• MOUNT JACKSON el 6400 looks more like a butte. Turn off Nv 266 at mp ES 25.7. Go north 2 and a half miles on graded road and park near fat wooden posts on a fence line. Hike east up a broad drainage and get on a ridge of bright bedrock. Aim for a break high up where the rock turns dark reading N37 28131, W117 22693 el 6000. Angle up to the right from the break until you're stopped by a cliff. Now switchback to the left a short way and then you can resume your original trajectory. It's an obvious route and it takes you to a broad slope at 28079, 22622 el 6200 where you can go straight up to the summit ridge. Now it's an easy stroll for a quarter mile to the reg at 28284, 22527. 2 hours, 1200 gain. This is essentially a wuss hike masquerading as a macho hike. It never gets very steep and is no more than class 2. Posted 2014.
• MOUNT LEWIS el 9700 has a graded road to the top. Turn off Nv 305 at mp LA 99.5. Go east about 2 and a half miles to a T. Go left for 3.2 miles then right for 12 miles to the towers. The OHV track down to Lewis Canyon starts between the 2 tower sites. The BM is on the east summit. Posted 2014.
• MOUNT MOSES el 8600 is the high point of the Fish Creek Mountains. A road goes to 8200. Trouble is, a 600 foot deep saddle is in the way. Turn west off Nv 305 at mp LA 80.8 and follow the main dirt road past a ranch and into Fish Creek Canyon. It's 16 miles to where the road merges with the main road from the north. Now the road becomes rutted and slows you down. Go another 5 miles to the towers then turn left just before them onto a crude road. Take that for a couple miles and park near a fence corner which is at N40 10444, W117 24203 el 8200. Hike along the fence down the ridge to the main saddle losing 600 feet. Now a crag is in the way. To get to the saddle behind the crag, walk level around the left side then angle up to 09722, 24396 where I placed a cairn. Now you can see a single fence post with blue sky behind it just right of the saddle. Walk to the post then drop a little into the saddle. Go on up to a smaller crag but definitely go left around it and now it's an easy ridge. The only other issue is a bump on the ridge at el 8200. At 09224, 24791 walk left around the bump to get to a saddle behind it el 8200. Now it's just a steep slope to the reg at 08830, 24925. 4 hours, 1700 gain, some light brush. There are 23 miles of dirt road one way, with some easy 4wd spots near the end. I wouldn't take a 2wd on this trip. The first dozen miles would make a good mtn bike ride. The road stays in the canyon bottom with one easy ford. No shade. Horses haven't trashed this range. Posted 2014.
• MOUNT TOBIN el 9770 has a jeep road to el 8600. Drive south from I-80 on Nv 305 for a dozen miles to a sign for Buffalo Valley and go west on the graded Buffalo Valley Rd. After some 30 miles, turn right at N40 13997, W117 27924. This is the Golconda Pass Rd. Go west over the pass to a road going north at a meadow reading 18579, 33659 el 5550. A sign on the gate reads " Permission to pass revocable at any time". Go thru the gate heading north then another gate in a half mile marks the northern end of the private land. Right after that gate, take a right fork and go up canyon to a road on the left at 19097, 31428 el 6350. It's easy 4wd to here. Go left here out of the canyon and soon is another fork, keep right. Now there is just one road all the way up the ridge with some very steep sections. I ran out of traction on my 125 at the 8200 level. But jeeps with lockers might get to the last saddle at 22194, 31243 el 8600. The road goes on to el 9000 right below the summit but no turnaround. The reg is at 22590, 31564. I had a 2 and a half hour hike with less than 2000 gain. Six Bighorns were waiting for me near the top. These 4wd roads are not rough or rocky, just steep in places starting at the 6600 level. This is a long drive for one peak, but the north road to Mount Moses departs from the valley road at 19031, 21300. The Buffalo Valley hot springs are a dud. Posted 2014
• PILOT PEAK el 9100+ is the high peak in the Pilot Mtns. Turn off US 95 about 4 miles south of Mina at N38 19829, W118 06169. Follow the graded road to a main fork then go left up into Telephone Canyon. The road is 4wd up the canyon then it zigzags up the slope to the towers. A flood in 2012 roughed up the lower half of the road. It would take all day to get an SUV up there until they fix it. OHVs can come back down Dunlap Canyon. From the summit, come down to the first right at a saddle.This road comes out at Mina. I came up that way on a 125 but had to push thru deep rubble. Even a jeep might be too wide to fit on the last part of this road. UPDATE: as of May 2013, the road was repaired. Not rough, but some steep sections.
• RAVENSWOOD PEAK el 8130 and ZENO BM are twin summits north of Austin. Ravenswood is the southern one and highest in this range. Take Nv 305 to mp LA 55. A few feet north is an easy 4wd road going west. It's 5 miles to the crest reading N39 49728, W117 09542 el 7200, just north of Zeno. The last third mile is overgrowing. The plan is to go left around Zeno to a saddle on its' south side. Hike toward Zeno then veer left up a minor ridge to a cow trail at 49502, 09766 which gets you to a saddle where you can go on around to the south saddle at 49262,10543 el 7800. A trail from there goes around the right side of a talus hill then stay on the right side of the ridge to skirt more minor bumps then you'll see where you need to move to the left side for the last bump. The reg is at 48815, 10674. It had no entries since placement 15 years earlier. I came back over Zeno. The hike took less than 3 hours with 1300 gain. There is a lot of light brush. An easy, mostly smooth 4wd road makes an interesting cycle ride in the south part of this range. Turn off 305 at mp LA 47 and go west nearly 2 miles to a 4 way. Keep going straight to the next major fork then go left. It goes up on the crest then south and back down to a graded road in the valley. Then it's a couple miles north back to the 4 way. Jeeps could still fit on this in 2014. COFFEEPOT PEAK el 7850 is what I call the one dominating the south end of the range. A logging road comes in from a pit mine to the south. Take highway 305 to mp LA 8.9 and turn on a graded road. Stay on that road for 6.2 miles to a fork. Go right on easy 4wd for nearly 3 miles to the mine. Drive around it then north another half mile where the road drops into a canyon at a saddle west of peak 7085. The road has slid but can be walked into the canyon then just keep going up canyon to the saddle el 7380. I detoured up the east rim and found a rock ring but it's not worth it. Another one is near the saddle at 40647, 15508 el 7400. The best is on up the slope at 40887, 15654 with another one next to it but not so good. Next comes the summit at 41051, 15718. I wandered off to the NW then down to a ring at 40996, 15924  and then to one on the rim of the starting canyon at 40475, 15826 el 7400. This is a 3 hour hike with 500 noticeable gain but my wanderings made it 4 hours. I wore shorts. Good forest but a lot of stumps. The seep was dry.  It's a better hike than Ravenswood Peak. Posted 2020.
• SAN ANTONIO PEAK el 8500 is the high peak of the San Antonio Mountains north of Tonopah. Go west from town on 95 for about 4 miles then turn north on paved Nv 89. Go about 12 miles to where the pavement forks. Go right for 6 miles to the gate of a huge mine. Go north on a crude road running along outside the fence. Follow the fence for nearly 3 miles then the road veers away from the fence and right away there is a fork. Go right and stay on that road for 5 and a half miles to the San Antonio Mine camp where many buildings still stand. Keep going up on the main road for nearly half a mile to a flat spot where 3 roads fork to the right at N38 19883, W117 14564 el 7400. Of the 3 roads, take the far left one, which is the highest. Now go just over half a mile to a big flat spot in a gully at the end of the road at 19576, 14664 el 7600. Hike south up the gully then contour some to get to a saddle on the crest at 19281, 14446 el 8150 or go to the next saddle to the right of it. Then it's less than half a mile to the reg at 18834, 14595. Under 2 hours, 1000 gain. The summit area is a horseshoe shaped plateau sprinkled with juniper. There are nearly 10 miles of dirt road. The first 7 are easy 4wd and mostly smooth. Then it gets a bit rougher but not an issue. The last half mile requires skinny rigs. Posted 2013.
• SHERMAN PEAK el 8650 is the high peak in the Paradise Range near Gabbs. Turn north off Nv 844 at mp NY 8.9. Follow a smooth road for 3 and a half miles to the pass el 7600. Hike up the shady ridge aiming for the saddle at N38 56310, W117 46520 el 8400. The reg and BM are a short walk east. I came down the west ridge following a mysterious rock wall. At 8200 I dropped to a road at 56697, 46941 el 7700 which took me back. The loop took 2 and a half hours, 1200 gain. I did this in shorts but long pants would save a lot of detours. There is a safe looking spring along the road another 3 miles past the pass. Nice easy hike, good mtn bike ride too. But I was expecting something more on my first trip in paradise. The east road up PARADISE PEAK is a washed out mess.
• STONEWALL MOUNTAIN el 8320 is south of Goldfield. From Lida Jct, go a quarter north on 95 to a graded road. Go east for 6.2 miles to a fork reading N37 33434, W117 06389. Go right for nearly 3 miles on a crude road to Stonewall Falls on BLM land, truly a bizarre sight. 2wd trucks and mtn bikes could make it as of 2013. I went up the canyon a mile east of the falls. I call it Cabin Canyon. A 4wd track runs along the base of the mountain. It's not the closest road to the base, but the second one out and it's just inside the military reservation. It goes up into the canyon a short way then is washed out at 32528, 02744 el 5700. From there hike up canyon and in half an hour you're in a pj forest. At el 6700 is a log cabin. A fifth mile past that is a right fork at 31236, 02379. Go up that to a broad saddle at 30934, 02531 el 7650. You can miss as much as 400 feet to the left and still be fine. Now you can see a tower. The real peak is right behind it, but there's a canyon to cross. Contour from the saddle at the 7600 level to cross the canyon without losing much elevation. Then go up canyon a short way to an easy slope to get on the bald ridge that goes up to the tower then go nearly a half mile more to the reg at 30004, 02406. 6 hours, 2700 gain. There's some light brush and lots of weaving around trees. ALTERNATE: the falls canyon is more direct but has more steep terrain. Go up the canyon to the right of the falls. Soon there is a gully on the left with 2 huge boulders. A sheep trail goes up the right side of the gully then moves to the left side above the boulders. Stay along the gully until it gets close to the rim at el 6100 then drop over into the falls canyon. It's not much more than a 100 foot loss. I stopped here, but I could see there would be a lot of light brush and trees to weave around. I would head south up the canyon and go left up a drainage at 30645,03655. Then keep going up to a saddle on the main ridge at 30656, 03268 el 8000. From there the tower should be visible. An interesting hike would be to walk to Cabin Canyon and go up that to the summit then come down the falls canyon. It's worthwhile to check out the narrows above the falls. A path goes along the right side of the brush. Burros haven't trashed it. Cabin Canyon and the falls canyon are on BLM land, but the peak is on the Nellis base.     Vic Priebe and I went thru the Stonewall Falls slot on Sept 14, 2013. The first minor drops had rock horns where we wrapped the rope around. Then came 3 big drops close together. We rapped the first 2 from the same anchor using a 150 ft rope doubled over. The 3rd drop is overhanging and we used a stopper knot for anchor in a crack near the lip on the right in the streambed.The 150 ft rope doubled over worked easily here. Next is the last rap and biggest. It's a double fall totalling about 130 feet. Right after that we handlined down the last sloping fall using a small hook in a hole on the right. We only had to anchor 3 times with webbing, and the stopper knot was the only nervous anchor. Next time we'll back that up with climber nuts or hardware store nuts for a half inch bolt. Or we may try rappelling past that anchor with a 200 foot rope and pull cord. 150 foot rope and pull cord is the minimum needed, but taking 2 150 ropes ensures not getting trapped. Only the last rap can't be done with a 150 ft rope doubled over. We used less than 20 feet of webbing. The whole adventure should take 3 hours. We never got our socks wet because pools were tiny, but that could change.



Stonewall Falls

               




  Monte Cristo Range

                    




Crystal Peak
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• SYLVANIA PEAK el 8160 is the high point of the Sylvania Mountains. Drive to mp ES 11.2 on Nv 266. Turn south onto a good road and go 1.8 mile to a main fork. Go right on easy 4wd for 1.3 miles then get on a bypass road on the left bank. Keep going up canyon for another mile and a half to the end of the road reading N37 23060, W117 41759 el 7600. There is a tiny turnaround here. Hike on up the canyon for half a mile to the reg at 22626, 41875. 45 minutes, 600 gain. Sylvania Canyon has some mine stuff. Turn off Nv 266 at mp ES 10.2. Follow a good road over the ridge and down into the canyon. The road was recently graded but sand makes it 4wd. It goes thru the canyon then comes back to 266 about 3/4 mile east of the state line. Posted 2014.
• VOLCANIC BM el 7400 is the high peak in the Volcanic Hills north of Dyer. Take US 6 to mp ES 10.9 then turn south on an old paved road that soon turns into easy 4wd. Follow it for 3 miles to the end in a canyon el 5500. Hike up the easy wash for a mile to a fork at N37 59088, W118 04983 el 6000. Go up the right fork and soon you see a guzzler up on the left. But keep going up the main canyon to a fall. Go left around the fall on a sheep trail and you enter a large basin. Now it's easy to go right and get on the NE ridge. Follow that to a reg at 58699, 06332. Another reg is south at the BM with a better view. I retraced my steps a third mile then dropped back into the canyon and soon came to a little fall. I stepped down the right side and stayed on trails on the right side all the way to the guzzler. Then it's about a mile down canyon back to the start. 3 or 4 hours, 2000 gain, not steep. I saw sheep on the way up and again coming down. The north slopes are easily accessible from US 6 but you'll be on rocks for nearly the whole hike. Nice colors. Posted 2013, 2017.
• WEEPAH PEAK el 7700 is what I call the high point of the Weepah Hills. Take Nv 265 to a dirt road a few feet south of mp ES 14. Go NE for 4.3 miles to a 4 way reading N37 58171, W117 40324. Turn south for 7 miles to the Weepah mine area. Go left on easy 4wd for 9/10 mile to a wash on the right reading 55881, 32775. Go up the wash for 2 and a half miles then the road exits the wash on the right. Go another half mile and park, no further than 55649, 29698 el 7200. The peak is a half mile away. I went up the west ridge then right around a false summit to the reg at 55342, 29381. 1 hour, 500 gain. The road had recently been graded as far as Weepah mine area, but I wouldn't take a 2wd because of sand. Posted 2014.
• WHITE THRONE MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 4950 is next to US 95 south of Fallon. Turn off the highway at mp CH 10 and follow a 4wd power road for about a mile and a half then turn left and go a short way to the end at the base of the peak. I walked left a few feet into a low saddle then went right up the center of the broad drainage. The Lava BM is at N39 14784, W118 43371. 1 hour, 600 gain. DESERT PEAK el 6400 is across the highway. Turn off at mp CH 7 and go west nearly 5 miles on easy 4wd to a side canyon at N39 12333, W118 48838 el 5600. Hike up the canyon until it starts turning the wrong way then climb out and home in on the reg and BM at 12709, 49913. 1 and a half hours, 800 gain. Easy. Posted 2014

Western Utah Peaks

                                                         Notch Peak

                                 Tule Hardpan                                                                      

NOTCH PEAK has a northern approach that is more scenic than the southern route. It has good views of the north face. A good road starts up North Canyon. There are several ways to get there. I went north from US 50 near mp 48. After about 7 and a half miles on a good road I turned left on a mostly smooth crude road and went west along the base of the range. After nearly 8 miles there is a T at the good North Canyon road. The road goes up canyon and eventually gets so steep that 4wd is needed. When the road tops out,just keep heading along the crest on main roads.Keep right at tricky forks. The last mile before the end at Pine Peak has some nasty spots.Sane people park no further than N39 10104, W113 24638 el 9000. Start hiking from the road on a game trail at 10046, 24458 on the east side of the crest. It trends down a little then you just work your way thru mtn mahogany without going up or down very much. Aim for a clear strip at 09553, 24574 and follow that down along the right side of a minor draw. The next point is 09287, 24396 at cliffs but stay in the clear strip, going downhill a little, until within about 250 feet then go up to it. From there,walk left along the cliffbase to get on the crest for the first time. It's gets pretty now with the big trees. Next, go over a peak on its right side on a game trail. A minor saddle awaits on the other side at 08920, 24413 el 9250. The next peak has to be passed on a left side game trail to get to the next lower saddle at 08697, 24265 el 9150. From here you can see the last saddle and the remaining route. 3 and a half hours, maybe 1000 gain on the way up, 400 gain on the way back. Long pants help for the first mile. Shady camps are along the crest road with flowing streams in early summer. The road is smooth and firm enough for mtn bikes but has steep ups and downs. The Delorme Utah atlas shows the main roads to access North Cyn.

SWASEY PEAK el 9600+ can be climbed via the west ridge. Turn north off US 50 west of mp 57. Follow a graded road for over 20 miles to its end at a shady camp area on a cliff top el 8000. You can also drive a fifth mile closer on a crude track, but will still need to drop to the cliff top. Hike along the cliff top to a draw at N39 23322, W113 19721. Stay off the gullied terrain to your right. Go up the draw to a saddle at 23611, 19577. Start up the ridge but first veer left around a short patch of brush. The ridge soon goes parabolic for the next 700 feet but has no cliffs. You'll be in big trees all the way up. The reg is at 23285, 18979 and has been approved by the Postmaster General. 2 and a half hours, 1700 gain. This route can be done in shorts. The south ridge is recommended for those who prefer thrashing around on hot brushy slopes.

HOWELL PEAK el 8300 is the next big peak north of the Notch Peak area. Use the good Marjum Pass road. About 2 miles east of the pass is a jct at N39 15369, W113 19666. Two roads come in from the north. Use the primitive one on the left. Go about 3 miles on easy 4wd. Start hiking the easy ridge on the right at 16775,21356. Or drive further up canyon on the overgrown road. I made it a mile to the 7100 ft level. Use the right ridge to get to the peak at 18662, 21932. From the peak, walk west to Bell Peak overlooking the valley atop sheer cliffs. Then walk south down the ridge to the head of the canyon you parked in. Either go down the canyon or walk the escarpment and drop down later. 4 hrs, 1800 gain. Less the further you drive in.

For CONGER PEAK, turn north off US 50 at mp 16 onto a good road. After nearly 4 miles go left on another good road. After another 6 and a half miles,a faint track goes right just as the main road goes left into a wash. The track was still open in 2012 but?  Follow the track to a fork in the wash where it goes up between the forks. Keep going and park at N39 12779, W113 43595. Head for the main cyn right of the peak and go left up a draw at 13383, 42877 to a saddle then left to the top at 13758, 43380 el 8144. 1400 gain, 3 hours. It would be easy to circle the peaks of the summit area.

KING TOP is an easy hike but you'll lose all your paint. Turn south off 50 at mp 24.5. Drive toward the towers then go left just before them. In just over 2 miles is a T. Go left for a couple of miles down a gentle canyon then the road makes a hard right up another canyon. It ends 7 miles from the T. The last 4 miles is overgrowing 4wd. Walk up the gully on the closed road. When the road cuts hard left, stay in the gully over the rise then hit the rd again. Follow it thru a gap then go left to King Top at N38 58858, W113 31834 el 8350. 2 hours, 700 gain. Nice pj forest. Now go home and repaint your truck. Mtn bikes would work starting from the towers as there are no steep grades from there.

INDIAN PEAK el 9790 has a good route up the south ridge. Turn south off Utah 21 at mp 37.3 or west of mp 42. Go about 15 miles on a graded road to a fork at N38 19609, W113 43323. Go right on a good road for 6 and a half miles to a cabin and pond at the WMA camp area. Go another third mile then left at a fork. Go across a stream then take a right fork. Go 2 and a half miles on easy 4wd to the base of the peak at a T. Circle left for 2 and a half miles around the base to the fence at the WMA boundary. Hike a trail along the right side of the fence.When it fizzles in a gully,keep going up with the fence to your left and the crest to the right. When the slope steepens, move close to the fence then aim for a saddle on the crest at 15492, 52479 el 8900. The rest is obvious. The reg is at 16023, 52523 and approved by the Postmaster General. Mtn bikes would work for the last 5 or 6 miles. I'd be nervous to take a passenger car in here.

The MOUNTAIN HOME RANGE has an easy 4wd road on the crest to get close to the high peak. Turn west off Utah 21 at about N38 37898, W113 51281. I think this is around mp 24. Follow a good road SW and keep right at a main fork. At the foot of the range is another main fork right before water tanks. Veer right here and go NW along the foot of the range for a mile then the road turns into the range and starts turning south. There is a crappy section of road here but it smooths out soon. Keep going south and the road will climb onto the crest and end at 9300 feet. Then just walk down to a saddle then go left around the base of Battleship Rock. Once past the rock it's an easy stroll to the Needle BM and reg at N38 29396, W113 57479 el 9480. Not approved by the Postmaster General. 2 hours, 800 gain. I came down east off the crest on a good road but it kept going south so I used a rough ATV track to go down Cottonwood Cyn to get back. The road up is smooth enough for mtn bikes once you get past the crappy section where the road enters the range. It gets steep but you get to coast nearly all the way back. Battleship Rock looked climbable.

The BURBANK HILLS are near Baker. Turn south off US 50 at mp 16 and proceed on a graded road to a fading road at N38 57522, W113 45455. Follow this easy 4wd road west into a canyon then into a pj forest. Park within a quarter mile of a ridge which is at 50150, 49121. Hike up the easy ridge to the Juniper BM at 49923, 48596 el 7800 which is the high point. 1 hour, 800 gain. There are many ways in here, but no water.

GRAHAM PEAK el 7560 is the high point of the Silver Island Range. There are 3 or 4 ways up, the north ridge is a cake walk IF you can get there. There's nothing to stop jeeps getting there, just slow going. Take I-80 to exit 4 and go north a mile and a quarter then take a left fork that goes 3 miles to Leppy Pass. Go right of a building on a major dirt road for over a dozen miles to a 4wd road reading N40 57760, W113 53175. This 4wd road and the last 6 miles of the main road were hit hard by August 2015 floods.There were a million minor ruts across the main road and some deep ones. The Donner party would have turned back on this mess, but I saw a grader headed that way the next day. Drive up the 4wd road to a fork at 57764, 49771 el 5100. The right fork goes to a guzzler which had water then the road soon fades. But take the left fork for a fifth mile to another fork el 5200. Look for a faint road dropping down to a wash on the left. Soon that road is overgrown, but it's easy to hike east up the wash into a canyon and on into the obvious low saddle el 6200 on the north ridge. If you get confused, aim for 57989, 47724 el 6100 where some bolts and hangers were installed. Huh? Just keep walking up the ridge from there. There are some minor bumps on the north ridge but its easy to walk the right side of them and cut off 20 or 30 feet. As the ridge starts to top out, stay on the left side to a saddle at 57256, 47292 el 7400 then it's a fifth mile to the reg.  4 hours, 2300 gain. A nice, unspoiled area. This hike is so easy you might want to carry a sack of rocks just to keep from feeling guilty. Posted August 2015.

Rock and Roll Panel

A panel was started then the rock rolled over and another panel was started. A unique site.

Lewis Lodge

  Lewis Lodge was named after the surveyor who found it in 1956. Many artifacts were left in place but disappeared. I can't imagine what happened. On a nearby plateau I stumbled onto a pottery hotspot. Hundreds of fragments as big as my palm with a ring of rocks at the epicenter. I was still seeing pieces a quarter mile away.

Little Horn Mountains, Az

                                       Little Horn sheep

                                              Royal Arch

           Coyote Peak                                         

For LITTLE HARQUAHALA high point,  take exit 53 off I-10 and go north on graded road for 2 miles to a main fork. Keep right for nearly 6 miles just past a quarry and turn left for a third mile. Hike west thru a saddle then get on the ridge at N33 42335, W113 36653 that goes to the summit and Harquar BM. 1000 feet gain, 3 hours. Interesting mine ruins are east of the main dirt road on 4wd roads.

For ROYAL ARCH in the LITTLE HORN MOUNTAINS, go south from exit 53 off I-10 for just over 10 miles on the graded Hovatter Rd to a stop sign at the foot of Coyote Peak. Go left for 3.8 miles to a 4 way. The graded road continues straight and passes within a mile of the arch. It would be an easy hike across the flats to the arch at N33 23913, W113 39799. Or go left at the 4 way on a crude road for 3 and a half miles. Then go right for a mile and a half to the arch. This route would be an easy mtn bike ride.You'll never find a flatter 5 miles. I'd come back the same way.

For LITTLE HORN BM,go past the 4 way as described above for 6.2 miles to a crude track at N33 21895, W113 39874. Go left for a tenth mile to a short spur road and park at the end of it. Walk up the valley on the right side and aim for a bench on the left side of a gully at N33 21810, W113 39375. Follow this gully up on the left side, staying close to the bed.This avoids most of the basalt. When you top out on the ridge, the basalt thins out and it's an easy stroll to the reg at 21205, 37133. 4 hours, 1500 gain.

• COYOTE PEAK has a possible class 3 route. I went up to the notch north of the summit then contoured left of the ridge center to get east of the summit block. I went up to an exposed section then a bee stung me.That's all the excuse I needed to turn back. I'll return with a rope and beekeeper suit.