Wednesday, February 1, 2012

California Desert Peaks

                              Big Maria Mountains               
  • ARICA MOUNTAINS is a tiny, jagged range at the north end of the Palen / McCoy Wilderness. The high point is a twin peak. Take higway 62 to mp SBD 107.2 at Rice. Turn south on the graded but sandy Blythe / Rice Rd. Go 3.7 miles then veer right on road #1366. Stay on the main road right up into the pass in the range. The last mile has some tricky spots but no problem for jeeps. Start hiking at the pass on a mine road reading N34 01170, W114 55830 el 1500. Follow it around the base of the peak. It shrinks to a trail and goes to the west ridge at 01442, 56171 el 1700. Now just go up the ridge to the reg on the south summit at 01474, 55990 el 2100+. Hikers with levels say the north summit is 3 feet higher, but I could see no safe way up it from any side. It's also omitted from topo maps, therefore it's a mirage so just ignore it. 1 hour, 700 gain. A lot of mine stuff is in the area. It's worth camping here to poke around. Posted 2016.
  • For BIG MARIA high point, take the Lovekin exit at Blythe. Go north about 14 miles on the paved road toward Midland to a 4wd power line road. Go north on this about 7 air miles and park near pole # 448 at N33 52627, W114 41664. Head up the wash to an easy ridge on the left at 52813, 40991. Go up the ridge then veer left to a saddle at 52667, 40622 el 2000+. Go across a shallow canyon then angle up the other side and continue up the ridge to the top at 52078, 40143 el nearly 3400. 3 hours, 2300 gain. As of 2013, the power line road was improved. Some 2wds could make it. For LITTLE MARIA high point, keep going north on the Midland road past the the power line road for about 3 and a half miles to the Arlington Mine Road. It starts out graded then becomes unmaintained as it forks to the left just before the huge Standard Mine. Go west for many miles to a sandy 4wd road at N33 49905, W114 56291. Turn north here and go 3 or 4 miles to a valley south of the peak. Keep to a road on the left edge of the valley and drive as far as possible. I decided to take a crack at an improbable frontal assault. And got lucky. I walked the road on the left of the valley and stepped into the main canyon at 53473, 55887. I stayed in this canyon as it took a right turn and climbed to a saddle at 53883, 55743 el 2200. This saddle overlooks the basin below the massive cliffs of the summit area. From the saddle, I went up the ridge keeping right of center and crossed over to the left at 53939, 55768. From there I angled up to the left to get on the main summit ridge. The peak is to the right at 54014, 55572 el 3000+. A chute on the right side of the summit block makes it easy. The Buck BM is on top but no reg in 2012. 4 hours, 2000 gain. Take a stick. A very interesting peak. And unloved, except by sheep. No falls to climb, only an occasional easy class 3 move.
  • CHOCOLATE MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 3040 is on a gunnery range, so it's for outlaw hikers only. One way in is to drive to mp RIV 7.4 on highway 111 and turn east on the paved Parkside Rd. Go to a T then left for a fifth mile to big power lines. Go right on the 4wd power line road for a quarter mile to a cable fence. Then veer left a short way to get on the canal road. Signs say stay off but nobody does. Follow the good canal road east for over 7 miles to the kiosk for the Bradshaw Trail reading N33 30362, W115 45958. Turn east there and follow the bumpy 4wd road for 5 miles to a trestle. Turn right and go along the west side of the trestle and soon the road is just tire tracks going into a main canyon, ending at a natural spillway about a mile and a half from the trestle and about 3 air miles NW of the peak. The best way to hike around the spillway and a fall right behind it is to walk the left rim, but it's a cliff. Use a parallel tributary on the left about 500 feet before the end of the road to get on the rim. There is a fall at the mouth so use a sheep trail on the left at 30141, 39601 then get in the tributary and go upstream and soon it's easy to get on the rim. Stay on the rim to 29905, 39306 where you can easily drop in to the main canyon at a second spillway. Go up canyon on spillway after spillway to a fork at 28441, 37615. Go right to the rim of another wash at 28454, 37400. Go DOWN that wash a short way to a gully on the left at 28321, 37351. Go up the gully and over into the wash on the other side. Go up that wash to a fork at 28480, 37208. Take the right fork and get on the ridge on it's left side as soon as there is an easy way up. The ridge is steep for 400 feet to the reg at 28531, 36990. 5 hours, 2000 gain. Pruners are a must to deal with occasional catclaw. And a good stick helps on the final ridge. I've never seen a canyon in the low desert with so much bedrock. I didn't see any loose bombs lying around nor any chocolate. If you get blown up, don't come back and try to haunt the military. It's your own fault. I didn't see anyone on Christmas 2013. The road to GUCCI SPRING is on the east side of the trestle. It's 2 miles to the spring at N33 32794, W115 40853. The last third mile is in the wilderness but everbody drives it. CANYON SPRING is up a wash at 32190, 38918. Go up 3/4 mile to a main fork where the dry springs are shortly up each fork.


  • EDGAR PEAK el 7160 has an interesting route from the west. From Kelso, cross the tracks and get on a left side dirt road immediately that parallels the highway. At about a fifth mile from the tracks is a 4wd road going left. Most will be stopped at a steep spot after 4 and a half miles of routine 4wd. As of 2013, jeeps with lockers and fat tires could still make it. In another mile the road gets close to an agave pit at N34 58512, W115 34227 el 3400 at wash level. Park here. Hike up the broad wash left of the pit. It swings right then gets bouldery and steep before reaching a saddle at 57526,32688 el 6060. Go left and up slightly to a break at 57514, 32643 and on around the right of a bump to saddles just before the climb up to the peak which is at 57336, 32186. It's the one on the right. Go up a right chute just before the saddle between the twin summits. On the return, there's an agave pit at 57546, 32930 el 6100 at a saddle west of the 6060 saddle. I went down the fork to the north but it's tricky and harder than just returning the way you came. Near the bottom I went to a colorful saddle at 57786, 32845 on the left. Then thru and over to the left wall and down to a broad steep drainage that drops right down to the fork with the canyon I came up. 8 hrs, 3700 gain, take long pants. Add 300 feet and 45 minutes round trip if starting from the steep spot on the road. If all I had was a car, I'd hike the 6 miles in from Kelso and set up camp near the agave pit. Then see if Cornfield Spring has water. I didn't check it, but water was flowing downstream from it as far as 58476, 34941 in April.

    • The FISH CREEK MOUNTAINS are near Anza Borrego State Park. For EAGLE BM, the high point, take Split Mtn Road from Ocotillo Wells to the RR tracks at the gypsum mine. Go east on a sandy 4wd road on the north side of the tracks. Park at 6 miles. Head up a rocky canyon at N33 00477, W116 00371. Keep left at a fork at 900 feet. You top out on a flat with trails. Head toward the peak then veer right to a tiny saddle at N32 59440, W116 00263. Go thru the saddle then left on a miner trail that goes toward the peak. Aim for an old camp at N32 59131, W116 00162 that has a very old all metal cooler. From here,pick a ridge to go up. The high point is at N32 58683, W116 00109 el 2300. Follow the miner trail back and go to a shaft at N32 59441, W116 00115. I returned from here on the easier east ridge. Follow a low ridge to N32 59750, W116 00083 where I started down. 6 hours, 2500 gain.                                                     
    • GLASS MOUNTAIN el 11000 is east of Mammoth Lakes. Use 120 on the east side. At mp MNO 45.3 is the jct with the graded Sawmill Meadow Rd. Take that west and keep right at a main fork. At 7 and a half miles from 120 you come to a T. Go left for 3.6 miles to a closed road next to a fence at N37 46433, W118 41032 el 9200. Walk up the road for 5 minutes then it shrinks to a sandy hiker trail that is easy to follow to the top at 45979, 42220. 2 hours, 1900 gain. Bad camping at the TH, but a shady table is on the left about a mile and a half past the T. A free small campground is half a mile past the TH at Sawmill Meadow. All graded roads. SOUTH GLASS PEAK el 10150 has a 4wd road to 10000. Use the paved Benton Crossing Rd to get to an easy 4wd road at 39283, 43483. The road crosses east over the crest south of the peak and connects back to the Benton road at 39834, 35480 on the east side. Turn north off this road on the crest at 40631, 38921 and follow a harder road along the crest all the way to the peak. The reg is at 44047, 39324. Some steep bumps on the crest can be bypassed. Posted 2012.
    • GRANITE PEAK is in the southern part of the Mojave Preserve. There is a scenic route from Budweiser Spring. Exit I-40 at Kelbaker Rd. Go north a little to a 4wd road at N34 43738, W115 40729. Expect mild sand and a million little dips. Go left at every fork and you eventually begin heading SW. About 4 miles in the road swings north in a wash. It ends at the spring in another 4 miles. Hike up the main canyon along side a stream. A 40 foot fall is encountered a little over half an air mile in. It had a trickle. This is the only fall of this size I've seen on the preserve. I went around on the right but left might work too. Beyond the fall is a large basin. I went up a ridge at 47004, 44020 to a main saddle at 47129, 43249 el 5700. It's easy to go up the ridge from there and skirt the bumps on the right. The west BM is at 46373, 44655 el 6600+. The east BM is nearly a mile to the east and a little higher. It takes 40 minutes to get there and is easier than it looks. 6 hours, 3000 gain,take long pants. Add an hour and a half if doing the east BM too. I came back to the main saddle then stayed on the ridge to get back. Study that terrain before starting in case you choose that route on the return. I wouldn't go up that way. Legend has it that the spring got its name because beer flowed from it. Maybe that's why they had to fence it off.     
    • IRON MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 3330 has a decent route up the south canyon. A power road runs along the east side of the range. Take highway 62 to where it meets highway 177. Go east on 62 about a mile to the power road. It's graded but sandy. Go NE on the power road for 2 and a half miles and look right  to see the chapel at Patton's camp. Keep going to a crude road on the left reading N34 07368, W115 08872. You'll have to pick a wash to drive the quarter mile to get on the road. The road forks in a few feet, keep right and go on to the base of the range where the road fades. A wash can be used  to get to another road at 07409, 10174. That road soon ends in a deep wash. Get on the south bank of the wash and walk a faint track to the mouth of the south canyon at 07318, 10852 el 1600. Go up to a right fork at 07516, 10914 el 1700. Go up that fork using the left bank. A shady seat is at 07724, 10960. Go up the canyon to el 2700 and step left into a saddle reading 08047, 11090. Now go up the ridge and keep left around a rough peak then the rest is obvious to the reg at 08273, 11212. 3 and a half hours, 2000 gain. Drive out the same way. The graded power road ends at private land. Posted 2016.
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    • LITTLE CHUCKWALLA MOUNTAINS are south of I-10 and west of Blythe. Go south on Wiley Well Rd from I-10 for nearly 9 miles to the Bradshaw Trail. Go west on this good road for nearly 5 miles to the Government Pass Rd at N33 28066, W114 57843. Go south for nearly 2 miles on easy 4wd and park near the east canyon. Head up the canyon at 29712, 58177 keeping in the main drainage. At 29737, 58863 start angling up the left slope then go left at the next fork. Follow that to the top 29727, 59180 el 2050. This is the high peak. 3 hrs, 1100 gain.
    • McCOY PEAK is west of Blythe. Exit I-10 at Wiley Well Rd. Go left around the rest area and around the west end of a dike then east behind the dike keeping right of a kiosk and dunes. Soon the road goes left across a wash to a power line road. Go right on the power line road for a few feet then take a left and go a mile to a hidden road at N33 37571, W114 53377. This hidden road is just before a stone house. Go east for half a mile to a T at a post. Now go left. In about a mile the road swings to the right across a wash and on toward the peak. The road ends at a canyon west of the peak. Hike up the old track at 38777, 51918 then canyon to a right fork at 38890, 51576. Go up that to the ridge then go right keeping left of a bump. Climb up and around to the north side of the summit block and go up into a notch at 38971, 51200 then right to the top el 2000+. 3hrs, 1300 gain. All roads easy 4wd as of 2013. McCOY MOUNTAIN el 2835 is the highest peak and you can drive to the east base. Exit I-10 at exit 232. Get on the graded north side frontage road and go west a mile and a half to a good dirt road. Go north for 2.6 miles to an easy 4wd road. Go left. The road keeps right of a residence and after 4 and a half miles on it you come to a metal pipeline sign on the left. Turn left here. The road has faded so aim for it less than half a mile away at N33 42357, W114 46594. Keep going on the road to a faint track on the left at 42581, 48991, which is just before a deep gully. Take that for a mile to a T at the base of the range. Go left here for nearly half a mile on a rougher road and stop at the mouth of a canyon reading 41719, 49570. Walk along the right side of the canyon and soon you come to the main deep channel. Stay on the right bank and keep going until you're about a half mile from the start and the bank starts to fade. Now it's easy to cross over to the left side and walk an eroded track on up canyon. At 41134, 50243 get off the "road" and cross back to the right bank and stay on that as much as possible until reaching the ridge of ascent at 41026, 50449 el 1750. Go up the ridge to where it broadens out at el 2300. Now it's easy to angle to the right and up into a saddle at 41173, 50710 el 2600 which is just left of a pointy peak. Start up toward the pointy peak then angle along the left side and soon you see the real McCoy. But there's a class 3 knife edge right before it, with some minor exposure. A chicken route runs below on the left side. To get at it, drop down to the next level in a minor gully at 41257, 50722. Then go along at that level for 225 feet then go back up and it's a short walk to the reg at 41352, 50677. Only 7 pages of entries were made for the previous 40 years. 5 hours, 2000 gain if starting from the T. The last 8 miles of dirt road are risky for 2wds, but it's mostly firm enough for mtn bikes. Drive back the same way to avoid rocks and gullies.                       
    • OROCOPIA PEAK el 3800 is east of Indio. Take I-10 east from Indio for 2 dozen miles to the exit for Mecca. Go toward Mecca for a third mile then go east on the wide semi paved Pinto Road. Follow that for .6 mile then go right on a sandy road which is #133. Go a mile then just past power lines go left at a fork. Keep going for 2.2 miles to a main fork reading N33 36771, W115 47043. Road 133 goes left, so follow it to the end in about a mile reading 35891, 46713 el 2500. Hike the closed road until you're about a quarter mile from the mouth of a canyon which is at 34926, 46625. Stay on low benches to get to the mouth. Go up the canyon to a main fork at 34619, 46703 then climb up the ridge right between the forks. Look for a good trail going around the right side of the last bump before the peak. The peak is at 34142, 46792. 3 hours, 1300 gain. The peak west of Orocopia Peak makes an interesting hike. Drive the same to Pinto Road but only go a couple hundred feet to rd #131. Stay on that sandy road for 4 miles to a rock house reading 36149, 48756. If signs are gone, just stay right at main forks. Walk to the rock house then get on the bench above to the left. Stay on the high ground all the way to the reg at 35740,49202 el 3400. I went west along the crest on a sheep trail for half a mile to the last high peak. Then I came back and went down the ridge at 35992, 49409. I followed that down to just before a bump then then veered right to get down to a bench. I got off the bench at 36289, 48708 then walked back a short way on the road. 2 hours, 1000 gain for the whole loop
    • PALO VERDE PEAK el 1800 is south of the town of Palo Verde. Go south from town on 78 for over 5 miles to graded Stallard Rd. Go right for 2 and a half miles to the dump. Go along the left side of the dump on easy 4wd. In a third mile is a fork where small rigs can camp. Take the left fork for over 4 miles and start hiking up a little rib at N33 20235, W114 46887. Head for the main north gully at 19933, 46648. Go straight up to the headwall. Keep to the firmer left channel near the wall. At the wall, go left and circle up to the peak. 2 hrs, 1200 gain. The map shows other ways to drive in but I have no specifics.

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    • SCHWAUB PEAK el 6400 is near Furnace Creek. Take the easy 4wd Echo Canyon road for about 10 miles to the end el 4100. Hike on up a mile to a big wash at N36 29978, W116 39990. Go up it as it curves right to a ridgetop at 29014, 40030 el 4900. The plan is to go up the ridge then come back in the canyon to the right of it. At about 5700 there is a minor crag in the way. Go left around it a short way then come back up and stay mostly right of crags to the reg at 28425, 39175. Come right back down from the reg in a scree gully then at 28502, 39142 move right for a couple hundred feet to get on an easy little ridge that goes to the canyon bottom. Go on down canyon and out. 4 1/2 hours, 2400 gain. For WINTERS PEAK el 5000, park on the Echo Canyon road at a closure sign about 2 miles up from the narrows. Go up a smooth wash at 29893, 43985 all the way to the divide then go left to the summit at 31063, 45303. Easy grade to the divide then steepens at the last 400 ft. 3 hours, 1900 gain. Good views of the valley.
    • STEPLADDER MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 2900 -  a tedious road comes in from the NE. Take US 95 to the jct with Havasu Lake Rd at about mp 37.5. Go NW from there along the big towers  for 11 miles on a graded road but sandy. Then go left on another graded road (which goes to US 95 at mp 45.7) for half a mile to road #254. The reading there is N34 40717, W114 47465. Go south on that for half a dozen miles to the wilderness boundary. There are a million shallow ruts crossing the road the whole 6 miles, like inverted speed bumps. A 5 mph cruise control is needed here. Walk the flats for a couple miles to a valley at 35157, 50481 el 1800. It's an easy walk up the valley to the peak. A 1964 date is on a left boulder along the way and right after that is the Black Knight wagon reading 35278, 51476. At the peak, get on the NE ridge at 35346, 52300 el 2500. A hiker trail can be seen there and it goes straight up the ridge to ledges that zigzag up to the reg at 35258, 52370. The ledges are wide as a car. No stepladder needed. 4 and a half hours,  800 feet of gain from the base. I was expecting to be hiking on tire tracks, but that wasn't the case. Posted 2016.
      • THIMBLE PEAK el 6381 is accessed via the Titus Canyon road at Death Valley. Leave Beatty on Nv 374 for about 6 miles 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.

      • WHALE MOUNTAIN is a high peak in the north Chemehuevi Mountains near Needles. Take exit 153 off I-40 next to the Az border. Go south to a T at a 4wd gas road. Go west for about 3 miles and park near a burro trail at N34 42041, W114 33604 next to a main wash. Walk the trail along the right side of the wash until it drops you in then keep going up the canyon. Using benches makes the walking easier. Stay in the main canyon. It gets steep then go on up to a gully on the left at 40889, 33041. Follow that up on some intermittent bedrock to the high saddle at 40823, 32913 el 2500. Then go left and keep right around bumps to get to the peak at 40990, 32620 el 2700+. 4 hours, 1800 gain. The reg was placed in 1984 but no one signed in for 26 years. The gas road can be accessed from 95 and should be easier.
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