White Mountains, Ca, Nv

Champion Mine cabin

Champion Spark Plug Mine

   

         

Falls Canyon

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• The WHITE MOUNTAINS have paved highways running all the way around them. You can start in Bishop and work your way north around to Ca 266. Benton and Dyer have gas, the most groceries are at Dyer. Dyer has an RV park at mp ES 8 on Nv 264. A quarry serves as a poor man's RV park at mp ES 14 about 6 miles north of Dyer. This free ebook from the University of Cal covers the Indian history of the range, among other things. Posted 2013.
•  SILVER CREEK has a steep 4wd road all the way thru to the main road on top of the range. Take US 6 for 3 or 4 miles out of Bishop then turn at the sign. There are no shady camps along the creek.
• PIUTE CREEK has a jeep track running up to 10300. Take US 6 to paved Chalfant road at mp MNO 3.4 then go straight up into the cyn.The road turns to gravel right after a building. Right inside the mouth on the left is the track going up. It has a thin layer of cobblestones most of the way. Don't get tricked by a track right  at the mouth. You can get there using dirt roads from Silver Creek, but a lot slower. 
•  CHAMPION MINE has a lot of well preserved buildings in big pines. Turn off US 6 at mp MNO 10.8 on to the road that goes to Milner Creek. Follow the paved road east along a ranch. When pavement ends, go left along a fence on a 4wd road. Soon it veers east then forks left and goes into a canyon. There is a main fork at N37 37005, W118 20593 el 5800. The right fork goes shortly to the lower TH. The left fork goes to the upper TH, but is very steep though not rough. It's a half hour hike to the mine from the upper TH, but the trail gets as narrow as your boot. The miners built the trail on up to 9000+. Champion mined here until 1945 for spark plug ceramics. Back on the road to Milner Creek, it goes up into the canyon then goes along the right side. Near the end is a left fork blocked by a cable. That fork can be walked a short way on the left side of the canyon to get to a one of a kind intake. Posted 2013.
• FALLS CANYON has 2 high falls near the 7000 level that aren't hard to hike to, it's the roads that are the headache. I turned off US 6 at mp MNO 16.9 where there is sign for the Falls Creek Ranch. A sign there says "Private drive. Right to pass by permission of owner". Several homes on a lake use this road for access. I went .8 mile on that graded road to a fork at N37 42437, W118 24872. I turned left there on easy 4wd and went a quarter mile to an open gate, passing 2 black tanks along the way. At the gate, I took a right fork and soon came to another fork at 42625, 24772. The left fork is overgrowing and goes 3 miles to the mouth of the canyon el 6050. But I took the right fork because it's smoother and then parked in 2 miles at el 5300 (that road goes on another mile to Pellisier Creek but there's nothing to do there). I then walked to a steep ridge at 44066, 22701 el 6000 but it would be easier to keep going north and get on the south rim next to the creek then go up to a little plateau el 6600 with a pinyon forest. Be careful not to disturb Indian rock rings along there. I kept going up the rim to el 7050 then merged left into a gully at 44378, 22210 el 7050 and stayed near that level to 44440, 22247 then on to 44482, 22274 where a stairway drops a little to the creek between the 2 high falls. I found a trashy campsite there, one item being a 30 pound cot. I wanted to go up to the top of the second fall, so I retraced to the gully and had no trouble getting up to a rock ring along the creek at 44540, 22069 el 7600. Just a little to the west on a point overlooking the canyon are more possible rings, but hard to tell. Going any higher would be difficult. I retraced back down and found the biggest ring at 44356, 22210 el 7100 then took a shortcut down the steep ridge at 44180, 22520 el 6550. It was about a 2 hour hike to the campsite between the falls with about 1000 of strenuous gain. Drive slow and quiet on private land and maybe it stays open. Posted May, 2019. 
• MARBLE CREEK is the only one still running unabated to US 6. Turn off US 6 at mp MNO 20.4. There is an easy 4wd road running up to the canyon where it fizzles. Stay on the roads running along the south side of the creek until forced to the north side.
• MONTGOMERY CREEK is right out of Benton. Take Christy Lane east to the transfer station then take a road going left. After 2 and a half miles of rocky 4wd road you come to a 4 way. Go right across the creek then left on a road going up canyon on the right side of the creek. Jeeps should stop at a camp spot at N37 50090, W118 24744. The road soon is blocked by slides. A short way up canyon is a 15 foot fall. A handline has been set up to get over it, but I stopped there. Posted 2013.
• BLIND SPRING HILL el 7200 is near Benton. Take highway 120 out of town for 4 miles then go left for 3 and a half miles to a multitude of forks at a cattle guard. Use a fork on the east side of the road, take the one that is most left. It goes 4wd for a couple miles then the Blind BM is a short hike to the east at N37 45881, W118 29006. Back at the cattleguard, there is a road on the south side that goes west for 3 miles to towers.
• MORRIS CREEK has an easy 4wd road to the mouth. Turn off US 6 at mp MI 1.8.
• BOUNDARY PEAK el 13145 has a crude trail to the top. Take US 6 to mp MI 2.5, which is 2 and a half miles east of the state line. Turn on to the 4wd Queen Cyn rd and go nearly a mile and a half to several forks. Stay on the main road curving left and go another 5 miles to the main saddle at N37 52918, W118 18885 el 9800. The last mile gets a little tougher but we made it easily in a Tacoma and never needed the locker. The trail starts next to the register and is easy to follow for a couple miles to Trail Cyn Saddle at el 10800. Now it goes parabolic but the only tricky spot is a fork at 51019, 20828 el 12370 that gets around a crag on the right side. Take the right fork a short way then it switches back left, but ignore that and keep going straight toward the peak along the slope below the crag. In about 300 feet there is a hiker trail going straight up to the ridgetop at 50955, 20839 el 12550. Now you're past the crag, so just go up the center of the ridge a short way then you'll see the main trail going off to the right side of the ridge then on to the summit at 50766, 21074. 7 hours, 3600 gain.
• SUGARLOAF PEAK el 9000+ has an easy 4wd most of the way up. There is an abandoned resort east of Montgomery Pass. Use the road at the east edge of town in front of a row of cabins. Stay on the main road then take an obvious fork that goes up the north slope. The BM and reg are near N37 56052, W118 18382.
• TRAIL CANYON RD is a few feet south of the jct of Nv 264 and 773. It goes for 15 miles to the TH. I saw a 2wd minivan at the lower TH for Boundary Peak at road's end el 8800. The Chiatovich Rd can be used to return on for a loop. It is a more major road but washboard was worse and it is not as scenic as the Trail Canyon Rd.
• CHIATOVICH CREEK RD is at mp ES 20 on Nv 264. Signs point the way on graded roads to the forest boundary at a fence. Jog right along the fence a short way then go left on rocky 4wd which was still easy for jeeps in 2018. In nearly a mile is a shady creekside camp then the road smooths out for a couple miles to a creek crossing. It looked like a mud hole but was solid. Jeeps can go another half mile then the road shrinks to an ATV track. I was stopped at a fallen tree  at  N37 48230, W118 16938 el 8600. This is one way to climb Dubois. Settlers Way is a graded road that connects north to Middle Creek road. That road is rougher than Chiatovich due to floods. 
• MOUNT DUBOIS via Davis Creek north rim - this is the unsteepest route up to the peak. Use the Chiatovich Creek road. Go about a mile inside the forest boundary then go left on the road up Davis Creek for a mile to the end at a campsite el 7900. Follow a trail on the bank of the creek to the where the rim starts up at N37 47289, W118 15418 el 8400. Go up the rim to 47110, 16445 el 9600 then move to the right edge to get around mahogany. Go a fifth mile then come back to center where the mahogany set up one final Maginot Line to try and stop me. I went low around the left side then soon came back up to center and on up the ridge to a flat at 46481, 18305 el 11950. Then it's easy to go up to the crest and on to 46681, 20101 el 13400 where the rest is in view to the reg at 47000, 20611 el 13500+. A gushing spring is on the crest about a mile before the peak. For the return I wanted to detour into upper Davis Creek, so I retraced back to the rim and went down in the vicinity of 46475, 18015 el 11500, but that is so steep that I should gone down the head of the canyon or the south side. I hit bottom at falls then walked the north bank to 47079, 17010 el 9950 near the Maginot Line where it's easy to merge back onto the rim then retrace back to the start. The ascent took 5 and a half hours, the return took 4 and a half hours but might take only 3 and a half if I didn't take the detour. But the detour is worth it. The first 3/4 mile has some light brush then more is at el 10000, then it's clear above 10000. If I'm a backpacker with only a car, I can drive all but the last 2 miles. Then I walk the road to the end and on nearly a mile to el 8400 and set up near the creek. There are places to camp on the rim, the last is at 47154, 15899 el 8900 but no water. The hardcore can go up the rim to the Maginot Line. The reading there is 47170, 16655 el 9750. Then it's easy to merge into upper Davis. The last good camp I saw there is a grove at 46528, 17612 el 10400 with a creek. It looked easy to climb out of the canyon to the south rim. The spring near Dubois is at 46362, 20003 el 13100. I saw no sign of humanity in upper Davis, but there are some ancient cow chips. The falls are at el 10550 with a spring on the south bank. Posted September, 2018.
• DAVIS MOUNTAIN el 9400+ is a moderate hike. Use the Chiatovich Creek road. Go about a mile inside the forest boundary then go left on the road up Davis Creek. After .6 mile the road turns rocky el 7700. I parked there and walked the remaining half mile to the end el 7900 where there is a good camp. I kept going on a foot trail for 350 feet where I could cross the creek then went up a shady slope at N37 47733, W118 14928 el 8000. I just kept going up to what seemed to be the high point at 46916, 14238 but couldn't find the Indian benchmark. Then I walked SW down the rim to a game trail at 46721, 15389 el 9000 that got me to the last saddle. I dropped down there to the site of the Von  Schmidts marker, but that had gone missing too. It was easy to walk back on the east bank of Davis Creek. I saw obsidian flakes along there. 4 hours with nearly 2000 gain. Some light brush. Posted 2018.
• MOUNT HOGUE  and MOUNT DUBOIS have easiest access via Indian Creek. Turn off Nv 264 at mp ES 18.1. at the sign for Indian Creek Rd. Northbound trucks can take a shortcut at mp ES 16.7. The road had been bladed in 2014 for 5 miles to the mouth then it goes 4wd. At just over 7 miles is the main fork. Go right for another 4 miles, and a over a mile of that is rubbly. Jeeps can get to a turnaround at  the first switchback reading  N37 44723, W118 16081 el 9300. Hike up the shrinking road to brushy road on the left at 44436, 16548 el 10000. There is a path thru the brush. Also, another road forking left about 300 feet sooner might merge with the same path. It's a spotty hiker trail that goes on the old road then ascends a tree lined ridge at 44162, 16539 el 10400. The trail goes parabolic up the ridge then eases up and goes left to get on the high plateau. The trail fades and you follow the easy plateau to a rock shelter at 43887, 17114 el 11750. Now you have to go down a little to cross a saddle for the final push to the summit of Hogue at 44013, 18280 el 12700. The only running spring I found along the route in September was at 43999, 17872 el 12300. I didn't go to Dubois but it's an easy but long walk along the crest to get at it. The main left fork of Indian Creek has mine relics and a trail to CHIATOVICH FLAT. Drive up the left fork for nearly 2 miles to a gate which was open in 2013. The road as far as the gate is better than the right fork road. Jeeps can go another half mile on worsening road to a large flat in the canyon bottom at el 8400. Now the road shrinks to a rubbly ATV track. Hike up the track to where the trail forks  to the right at 44503, 13851 el 8750. It goes up the left side of a wide canyon for a tenth mile then starts climbing the left slope. It's easy to follow until el 9800 where it gets faint at a clearing. It goes up the clearing and on to a large fallen tree trunk at 43931, 13799. It soon tops out at el 10400.  I went back and rode the ATV track to the end  at el 9500. From there I hiked a brushy ridge to Chiatovich Flat. I'll never do it that way again. The trail is the best way. There are nice meadows at the flat el 10000+ and no horses or cattle. A good looking forest is on the south side of Cabin Creek.  It would make a good base camp for Hogue and Headley. If that trail is the only way to get cattle up there, then grazing is over. Posted 2014.  2020 update - the road in the main canyon was repaired but it's hard on paint and has a lot more bumpy little rocks. The left fork is driveable until a trench at 45598, 13394 el 7550. There is a turnaround. Large OHVs are getting around the left side but not sure about jeeps. There are no more big obstacles until the gate near the state line. The road is a goner beyond there. Both sides of the road have been posted at the gate but there was no sign or lock on the gate. I infer it's OK to cross to get to the trail. I walked up the trail and over to the rim of Cabin Creek. There is no trail down into it as the topo shows. That took me a bit over 4 hours. The trail wasn't affected by the deluge. The only water I saw on the plateau in late September was a trace at 43404, 14231 el 10200.
• LEIDY CREEK TRAIL - this trail goes to springs el 10500 near Perry Aiken Flat. The road leaves Nv 264 at mp ES  12.5.  The road is  bumpy for about 4 miles to the mouth of the canyon, then it's a jeep road up canyon for another 4 miles or so, then it shrinks to an ATV track then ends shortly at N37 41844, W118 13784 el 8300. The trail departs to the left at 42053, 13358 el 8000 and goes up a creekbed for a third of an air mile then switches up the left bank to a tiny spring in a meadow el 8550. It goes on up a creekbed from there then switches left at 41721, 13407 el 8650 and up to a ridge. It goes up the ridge and levels off at el 9600 and fades. It resumes again at 41456, 13146 el 9700 then on to 41286, 13208 el 9850 and takes a minor dip at 40706, 13404 el 10600 for the remaining 700 feet to the springs. A good shady campsite el 10450 is in a stand of trees a quarter mile before the springs. The flow was small. A funnel would help. A trough told me this trail was for cattle, but I saw no sign cattle were ever there. A good viewpoint is less than a fifth mile to the south. A roaring creek can be seen and heard flowing out of a high basin in one of the north forks of Perry Aiken Creek. I spent 4 hours with 2600 gain. Brush was very light. The topo is generally correct but the trail switches more than the topo shows. If I were to backpack here, I would drive at least to the mouth el 6000. That is always passable because there's an intake to service. I would have water up canyon to the Cabin Creek fork at 42268, 12681 el 7650. It has the perennial stream. If the Leidy Creek fork is dry there, which it was that day, that would mean no more water until the springs at the end of the trail. The tiny spring at el 8550 had enough water that day, but can't be counted on. I believe I could get from the mouth to the the campsite el 10450 near the springs in 6 or 7 hours. It's hard to find a better backpacking area in the Great Basin. Posted September, 2018.
• CREST BACKPACK ALTERNATE - a popular route to run the crest is to go over White Mtn Peak then keep going north and drop down at Middle Creek, but that's a killer shuttle. Another option is to use the Leidy trail to get on the crest just north of White Mtn Peak. Then just take a side trip up the peak and come back then walk on to Middle Creek or even Davis Creek for the descent. Posted 2018.
• PURPLE SAGE RD is at mp ES 9. It goes to the mouth of Perry Aiken Cyn. 4wd.
• McAFEE CREEK has a substantial flow. Turn off Nv 264 at mp ES 5.4 which is right at a cattleguard. Go west .4 mile to a fork which is right after a power line. The left fork goes to Iron Creek and Toler Creek, both dry at the mouth where roads end. The right fork goes to McAfee Creek in about 2.2 miles then keeps going along the creek for 3/4 mile to a washout. You can walk another 700 feet to a peculiar concrete structure then it gets too brushy. There are some shady tent sites along the creek. These roads are easy 4wd on smooth, slightly soft sand. The last 3/4 mile of road along McAfee Creek is a bit rocky. Toler Creek has rock house ruins at the mouth. Posted 2014.
• FURNACE CREEK has a road up it but is closed to motor vehicles at the mouth to protect the riparian habitat. The smoothest road to the mouth is off Nv 264 at mp ES 2. The locked gate is at N37 33670, W118 01050 el 5600. I hiked 2 miles up the canyon along a small stream. The road is easy to follow when it's up on the bank, but gets tricky when it runs along the creekbed. Numerous bogs make it hard to stay dry. I stopped at 33034, 02981, el 6500 because wading shoes would be needed for ankle deep bogs. For a shorter hike, aim for a big creekside cottonwood tree at 33077, 02255 el 6100. It would take less than an hour to get there. Take a ground cloth and have a picnic. Right there at that cottonwood is where the road drops into the creekbed then goes up a short distance then climbs out on the left. Posted 2014.
• INDIAN GARDEN CREEK had a road up it, but has overgrown. Use an easy 4wd road at mp MNO 6.8 on Ca 266. Go about 1.2 miles to the new wilderness boundary. I made a loop up canyon then down the rim of Cottonwood Creek.  I walked to a fork at the mouth and stayed right into the canyon. At about 2.2 air miles from the start, I stayed right at a main fork el 5850. At el 6300 I crossed a small stream to get on the left bank where I could see a trail. That was the last water. At N37 30872, W118 01838 el 6850 is where I climbed up a ridge on my left. I saw more than half a dozen rock rings on the ridge as I went up to the plateau el 8000+. I saw 2 oddball rings in a streambed at 30167, 02425 el 8050. Rings are scattered on top, a good one is at 30047, 02484 el 8100. I went on to a saddle at 29826, 02337 then another on the rim of Cottonwood Creek at 29387, 02059 el 8250 with a bad ring. A good ring is up the rim at 29378, 01892. Then I went down the rim to a ring at 29119, 01728 el 8100 then one at 28789. 01343 el 8050. I kept going to 2 rings at 28745, 01066 el 7900 then dropped down an easy ridge there and landed on a square ring at 28757, 00882 el 7650 in a gorgeous canyon. Downstream .13 mile is a ring on the far right bank then there are more good rings along the streambed. I goofed and stayed in the canyon to far, but should have gone up to a saddle on the east rim at 28403, 00040 el 7550 then skirted west along peak 7667 then on down the rim to N37 27651, W117 58656 el 6650 where an easy ridge goes down to Cottonwood Creek el 5800. I had a cycle there but a mtn bike would work too. This is an 8 hour hike with nearly 2000 noticeable gain. Indian Garden Creek has some light brush and short thickets that are easy to get around. With long pants it's not a factor. At the last spring on the map el 6450 it clears up and shorts work the rest of the way. The pinyon forest here is the main attraction. That's what attracted the Indians. Posted 2020.
• COTTONWOOD CREEK is lined with shady campsites. Turn off Ca 168 at mp INY 54.6 which is right at the county line. A graded road goes half a mile to  the creek then a crude road goes 4 miles up the creek. Cars might get to the first of 3 fords about a mile up the crude road. Mtn bikes would work on this road because it's packed sand. Overlooks of the creek are west on 168. Go west on 168 from the county line for 1.8 miles to a 4wd road forking to the right. Go 3/4 mile on that to a fork. Right goes a mile to an overlook. Staying straight at the fork goes past mines to an upper overlook in nearly 3 miles. These roads are smooth packed sand. Posted 2014. A good ride leaves camp going south to Eureka Valley for 13 miles. Then go left all the way to 266. Go left for a mile then left into Sylvania Canyon. After leaving the mouth a road goes straight across the valley to the Eureka rd. About 40 miles.
• CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN (Piper BM) el 7700 has a trail all the way and as of 2020 it's obvious enough that a GPS isn't needed. Drive to Gilbert Summit on Ca 168 at mp INY 51 (using the south side mileposts). Go south nearly half a mile on an easy 4wd road to a closed road on the right at a sign for Piper Mountain Wilderness. Some 2wds can make it to the TH. Hike the closed road a short way to a fork. Both forks go around a hill, but the left one is shorter. When the left fork fades, you can see the right fork a fifth mile ahead. Get on it then it goes into a canyon and thru an old gate. Now it gets faint, but it goes up a right fork reading N37 24694, W117 56480 el 6800. The road tops out on the crest and turns toward the peak. At 24700, 55774 is a foot trail that goes up to the Piper BM. On the way down is a trail forking to the right, but it doesn't go all the way down. I went directly back to the start down a ridge at 24874, 55912 el 7300.  3 hours, 1500 gain. This trail may have been built by the college kids. The easy 4wd road goes on south for 15 miles to the paved road in Eureka Valley. Some rocky sections. Posted 2014, 2020.
• WYMAN CREEK ROAD leaves Ca 168 at mp INY 47.3. It's 16 miles to the main graded road on the crest of the White Mtns. The first couple of miles to the ruins of White Mountain City are easy. There are some nasty spots in the middle section that I wouldn't attempt in a 4wd without a locker. I made it easily on a heavy dirt bike. Posted 2014.
• MOUNT NUNN el 7830 is south of Deep Springs College. Turn off Ca 168 at mp INY 43.8. Go east for a mile on a crude road running along the south side of a  fence and you'll come to a T. Turn right on this better road and go 3.7 miles to a closed road on the left. Hike from there less than half a mile to the mouth of a major canyon reading N37 18417, W118 00040 el 5100. Go up the creekbed, easily negotiating boulders. Then at N37 18329, W117 59758 el 5600 get on the right bank to pass some huge boulders. About 400 feet after getting on the right bank, you have to go up the steep right slope to the rim. Aim for N37 18257, W117 59632 el 6100. The slope is easier than it looks because you can zigzag. Once on the rim, go up keeping right of center to avoid boulders. You'll top out on a rim at N37 18214, W117 59564 el 6300. The prettiest part of the hike begins here. Now drop down from the rim a little into a sandy main wash and go east up that in a lovely basin. A boulder jam is encountered at N37 18075, W117 59259. Bypass it on the left in a gully and soon you're back to open sandy wash hiking. Follow the main wash until it becomes a steeper canyon at N37 17736, W117 59408 el 6700. Now go on up the canyon staying right of the creekbed. It tops out at N37 17438, W117 59382 el 7400. Now you can see the peak a half mile away reading N37 17040, W117 59587. Hike at that level to cross the last saddle. 6 hours, 2900 gain. If I were going to hike one of the steep ridges to the peak, I would choose one that tops out on the crest just south of  the peak. The reg had a metal kodak can with an entry by Doug Powell 1950.

Silver Peak Range, Nevada

  Hot springs with Icehouse Peak on the right.

 Collapsed Indian dwelling

                 

Mud Springs narrows

                                   

Peculiar treeless high benches.

                                                                             

DYER has groceries, a shady RV park, and 24 hour gas.

• HOT SPRINGS ROAD leaves Nv 264 at mp ES 19.7. It's 7 miles to the springs and restroom. A weeks worth of hikes can be done using the hot springs as base camp. The road goes on across the range to the town of Silverpeak. Many forks are encountered after the hot springs, but just stay on the widest, most used road. It jogs north a short way then crosses lake beds then takes an eastward path thru the range. In 2013, there were signs for Mineral Ridge that could be followed. The only shade is at the pass. Just over 9 miles past the hot springs is a road on the left going up a wash, right at the foot of Rhyolite Ridge. That would be a good camp area.
• ICEHOUSE PEAK el 8550 towers 4000 feet above the hot springs. Turn south off the hot springs road at N37 49809, W117 54408 and go up a sandy wash on a mine road. In a half mile the road crosses to the right over a low ridge and into Mud Spring Wash. Jeeps can't drive up the wash, but cycles can make the mile up the wash to 48106, 53793 el 5750 then climb up the right slope into a low saddle. Now you're on the long NE ridge that goes to the summit. At el 7000 some minor rock outcrops are in the way but are easily passed on the right. At el 7300 are 2 big crags. Go around the right side of those on a sheep trail and the last saddle comes into view. It's easy to go along the right side and up into the saddle at 46928, 54778 el 7850. There are no more crags so just go straight up. At el 8050 it eases up and is just an easy stroll thru a pristine pj forest to the high point at 46281, 55444. No sign of humanity. To make a loop, use a sheep route on the east ridge to drop back into Mud Spring Wash. Walk down the east ridge to a cliff at el 7600. Go left a few feet to 46468, 54620 el 7550 to a sheep trail that goes along the base of the cliff and back to the center of the ridge. Then go down and take a ridge branching left to a viewpoint at 46512, 54364 where the rest of the ridge down to the wash is in view.  Once back down, you walk the easy wash back. One side trip to consider in the wash is the narrows in the main fork at 46034, 53775. It is visible from the summit. The loop took me 4 and a half  hours with nearly 3000 gain but I rode a cycle up the wash to el 5750. Jeeps have to add over a mile each way of walking in the wash. 2wds will have over 2 miles road/wash walking each way.Add nearly an hour for the narrows side trip. Posted 2013, 2017. 
• ARGENTITE PEAK el 8350 is what I call the one on the west rim of Argentite Canyon. I made a loop up the jeep road on the canyon floor then back on the rim. I saw nearly 2 dozen rock rings. The jeep road leaves the hot springs road at N37 48518, W117 51055. I parked on it at 46861, 51237 el 6700 then walked on up the road to a side canyon at 45463, 49737 el 7600. I followed that to a saddle el 7800 on the rim but took a short detour to a mine road at 45272, 49640 el 7700 that leads to a deep shaft with wooden ladder. I went up the slope from there to a road that goes to the saddle and ends then I just went up the easy ridge. Rock rings started showing up, the  first good one at 45312, 50132 then one at 45338, 50178. The summit is just beyond with some survey junk at 45394, 50335. I went down the other side a few feet to a small plateau where it started raining rings. I saw 3, the best at 45402, 50470 then I went down to a saddle at 45559, 50438 el 8100 where there are 3 or 4 rings. I stayed on the rim to another good one at 45630, 50423 then another at 45751, 50597. I kept going north along the left side of peak 8246 to a good ring at 45951, 50693 then an average one at 46014, 50758. Just past that is a double ring then I went on up along the left side of peak 8266 and saw a good ring at 46148, 51553. There are bound to be more around there. I kept going down the north ridge to 46287, 51575 el 8100 where I skirted left of boulders. I could see a minor bump ahead, I went over it and stayed on the center of the north ridge down to a ring at 46669, 51545 el 7400 then dropped down a drainage on the right to get back to the start. That took 5 hours with less than a 1000 noticeable gain, but I wandered a lot. It's a good forest with rocky patches. Jeeps can go on thru the canyon and keep going south to the McAfee Canyon road then out on that. South of the Mohawk Mine, the remaining roads had been bladed in recent times. Posted 2020.
• ICEHOUSE CANYON has a jeep track up it for 2 miles. Drive east from the hot springs for a mile and a half and go right at a fork. Go south to another fork at N37 50707, W117 58501. The left fork is the one, but if it looks rough, stay straight for 2 miles then cut left and go SE across a lake bed and hit the left fork. Follow that to the next fork and go left to the mouth.The road had been graded to the mouth sometime after the 2013 floods. Jeeps can go up canyon as far as a rock barrier at 45575, 57083. If that doesn't stop you, there's a boulder jam in another fifth mile that will. There are cottonwoods about half way that make a good camp spot on hot days. The best way to see this area is to hike a loop using the west rim.  Park at a side canyon at N37 45719, W117 57492 el 5600 then it's a 20 minute walk up canyon to the boulder that blocks vehicle travel. Keep going up the main canyon staying left at tricky forks to a fork at 44024, 56182 el 6650. Go right up that arm for .42 air mile to another fork then go right for .25 air mile to another tricky fork. Stay left to the last fork at 43410, 56281 el 7100. Go right at that one to a saddle el 7300 on the rim in less than a fifth mile where you turn back. It's obvious how to skirt left of a bump to a rock ring at 43493, 56708 el 7500. Then go up the rim staying just right of center to skirt the next bump then comes a smaller bump. Stay left along that one then comes peak 7813, the highest on the route. Peak addicts can go over it but I skirted along the right side to the saddle el 7450 behind it then peak 7599 is in the way but it can be skirted on the right as well. Keep going down the rim to 44452, 57292 el 6900 where you could likely drop down into the canyon on the right but staying on the rim leads into it anyway. Then its a smooth streambed back to the start with one problem fall 20 feet or so high. A sheep trail goes along the right side of it then sheep go down a class 3 gully and some go a litte more then down a slope. It's easy. That took 4 hours, 50 minutes with less than 1000 noticeable gain, none steep. Posted 2020.
• ICEHOUSE PEAK WEST ROUTE - a loop can be done up Icehouse Canyon then back on the rim. It's the best hike on this page. Drive into the canyon as far as possible. I could have drove a jeep to el 5800. I walked up the main canyon from there until a thicket got in the way. I went up the right bank to a minor saddle at N37 43922, W117 55904 el 6850 then dropped back down past the thicket but then another one in a few feet caused me to get on the left bank. The canyon bends left there so I followed it to 43582, 55254 el 7200 where I climbed up a ridge on the left. It levels off at el 7550 then I took an easy angle to a spotty trail at 43623, 54920 el 7650. That led me to an unexpected rock ring at 43612, 54808 then I kept going to a saddle on the rim at 43708, 54682 el 8000. I then walked at about that level along the east side of peaks to a saddle on the rim with a huge ring at 44755, 55268 el 8050. Then I walked the top of the rim to a bald, wide saddle el 8100 and then stayed right of center to the last saddle at 45876, 55345 el 8100. That's the descent point. The peak is another half mile north at 46282, 55445 el 8550. At the saddle, sheep go down the center until it narrows then move left to 45838, 55460 where they enter the narrow part. Then it's just a few feet down where they exit on the right and go down to 45902, 55585 el 7400 where they get on an easy ridge down. At el 7000 there is a minor cliff with easy ways down, but it's better to swing wide left on a slope to get on a ridge with white bedrock that leads to point 6437 where there are two options. I went directly down the canyon at 45706, 56561 el 6300 but then had a tricky class 3 chute near the mouth. I think staying in a gully against the left wall would be class 2. It's only a quarter mile more walking to use the next canyon south. That took 7 hours, 20 minutes with about 2000 noticeable gain, no brush. It's a good forest. I saw no water in late September but sheep are gettting it somewhere. Posted 2020       
• BLIND SPRING, JEFF DAVIS SPRING - I hiked to those two springs in September 2017. I was day tripping but it makes for an outstanding backpacking trip with an opportunity to go up Piper Peak. I went in the same way as for Icehouse Peak and started hiking miles downstream from Mud Spring and went thru the narrows to Marijuana Spring where a small stream was flowing in a thicket at N37 45849, W117 53451 el 6750. A marijuana farm here appeared to have recently been discovered, likely from the air. A mountain of trash was left behind. I went along the right side of the thicket for a fifth mile and reached the 4wd road shown on the topo. Then I went on to Mud Spring and found no water, but one next to it had a trace. I kept going up canyon and came to two small dry falls, 10 or 15 feet high, at 44470, 52941 el 7350. They can be bypassed, but the first was easy and the second one had good holds on the left but exposed. Next, I came to Blind Spring at 43782, 52771 el 7700. It had a small stream out of a pipe. I cut over to Jeff Davis Spring at 43753, 53373 el 7700. It had a small stream out of the ground and another small stream 150 feet on down. I walked that canyon back north and came to a fall el 6800 in a narrows at the mouth. It was easy to drop down the right side of the fall on class 2 and walk out thru the narrows then back to the start. There are springs just to the SW of the narrows, but it's a long thicket and I couldn't hear any water. This hike was all smooth washes and easy pj forest except for the fifth mile along the thicket where I was using crummy sheep trails. Horse and burro impact is light. A helicopter I saw might have been taking some out. The springs monitor rode an ATV in on the Mud Spring road, but hardly anyone else comes in. That road took a beating in the 2013 floods. Posted 2017.
• SILVER PEAK el 9300 has a jeep road to el 9100. Use the rough Argentite Cyn jeep road that leaves the hot springs road at N37 48518, W117 51055. It goes up and joins the main north/south road high in the range, but it becomes a hardcore jeep road nearly 5 miles after leaving the hot springs road. The rough stuff starts at 45612, 49942 el 7500. If you get thru, follow the main road south and turn east at N37 43639, W117 49468 el 7800. Follow that past good mine ruins and go left at 43531, 48731 el 8200. The remaining road is tougher but jeeps should have no trouble. The road tops out at a tower. The peak is half a mile north. A sheep trail goes around to the north side then it's an easy stroll the rest of the way. The main north/south road can be used to get down to the hot springs road at 47645, 47760 but was badly eroded by 2013 floods. The best way into the high country is the route described in the Piper Peak hike.  The main north/south road had been bladed in 2020 going south to north but not far past the Silver Peak turnoff. The Argentite road had been improved and posed no problem for jeeps. Posted 2014, 2020.
• RHYOLITE RIDGE el 8550 is a bizarre natural sculpture. You'll think you're in Utah. Turn north off the hot springs road at N37 47633, W117 47691 and go a mile on 4wd to a 4-way. Either go left up a ridge for a bit over a mile to North Spring or stay straight for about a mile and then go left to the spring. The road ends a third mile past the spring at a knoll el 7450. Walk around the right side of the knoll and go on up the ridge to a cliff band. A break in the cliffs is a gully at 49414, 48317. I moved left to get right under it then zigzagged up bedrock to it. Once thru the gully just go left a short way to the top.The reg is at 49299, 48580. I took a direct route down on steep dirt at 49468, 48267 but I wouldn't want to go up that way. 2 hours, 1100 gain.  The spring had a tiny stream from a pipe in May. Posted 2014, 2018.







• 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 N37 58937, W117 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.
• RED MOUNTAIN el 8950 is south of the pass where the hot springs road crosses the range. Take the hot springs road to the pass. A spur road goes a short way south from the pass to el 7400 where the standard route starts. There is a jeep road that gets closer. Drive back west to N37 47192, W117 45652 and go south on the jeep road for nearly 2 miles. Then the road goes left up a wash for a mile to the ridgetop el 7600. This road is easy for OHVs and cycles, but jeeps will lose a lot of paint. It's a short hike to the reg at 45593, 45623 but the last 400 feet goes parabolic on scree. 2 hours, 1400 gain. Posted 2013. The jeep road is too far gone, but I didn't check another road to the west that merges with it. It's best to use the pass road. Posted 2018.
• CRYSTAL PEAK el 7050 is an interesting bright colored peak which stands out looking east from the hot springs. Take the hot springs road to a narrow jeep road at N37 49270, W117 52197. Take that for nearly half a mile over a low ridge to a wash where there is a fork. Keep left for a quarter mile and park. Hike up to a saddle between the peak and it's dark neighbor to the right. Then the route is obvious. 2 hours, 1200 gain. Add an hour if using 2wd. Posted 2013.
• 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.
• PIPER PEAK el 9440 is the highest in the range. Turn off Nv 264 on to Eagle Rd at mp ES 4.8. Go east to a T which is McAfee Rd. Turn left and stay on the good main road up into McAfee Cyn. At the head of the canyon is a 4wd going left to the lower spring. But stay on the main road a little more to another 4wd road in a wash at N37 40151, W117 54492 el 7300. 2wds can make it this far. Go up the 4wd road nearly half a mile to a turnaround in the canyon and park. The road narrows after that. Hike a short distance to the upper spring and thicket at the end of the road. It had a fast drip in October. Go left around the thicket then come back to the right at a gap in the brush. Shortly after that is a sheep trail on the right side of the creekbed at 40720, 54735. That trail goes a long way on the right side just above the creekbed until the creekbed comes up to meet it. Then go on up the creekbed to a fork at 41143, 54621. Go up the right fork to a saddle then go left up the slope to the BM at 42257, 54531. No reg. 4 hours, 2000 gain. The west ridge of the canyon also works but there are a lot of rock piles to weave around. The McAfee Rd turns into easy 4wd and goes over the divide and down a scenic canyon for 5 or 6 miles to a T which is the main north/south road high in the range. It can be used to get to the Silver Peak hike.
• WHITE WOLF CYN RD departs the highway just south of the state line. It goes for 15 miles to join the McAfee Rd at the divide. It's an easy road but 4wd because of sand traps.
 



Rock ring on the rim of Icehouse Canyon






Icehouse Canyon

Massacre Rim Petroglyphs

 

      The name may refer to some historical event, but the only thing to get massacred nowadays is any truck that tries to go in there. This site is nearly a mile long. The photo above is Massacre Lake.

Peaks around Hawthorne, Nv

                                   Alum Canyon, Wassuk Range.                     

Hawthorne is a good place to spend a week if you have a jeep. Many peaks in the area have 4wd roads to or near the summit. A paved road runs the length of the Wassuk Range on the east side. The north end of town has dollar stores and a Safeway. The best camping is in Alum Canyon about 6 miles south of town off Nv 359. Go to mp MI 27.3 then turn on a good dirt road for 3 or 4 miles to campsites under ponderosa pines. Sharp dips in the road will stop RVs until they grade it. The stream was flowing near the upper campsites in June 2013. In 2020, it had even more dips.

• EXCELSIOR MOUNTAIN el 8670 is SE of Hawthorne. Take Nv 359 south from town to mp MI 17.3. Go east on a graded road for 2 and a quarter miles then go right on a decent road that goes around a farm and keep going for about 8 and a half miles to a 4wd track on the right at N38 19246, W118 25161 el 6500. Go up the rocky track for a mile to the end el 7000. A couple of saplings need to be cut out of the way. Start hiking up the slope at 18554, 24570 which is right next to the parking area. It starts out steep and seems to be the wrong way but it soon eases up on the ridgetop and circles to the peak. At el 8100 keep to the right of a minor bump. It's a very pleasant grade and had a good flower show in late May. The reg is at 18089, 23506. A unique quadpod is just to the north and still standing in 2013. I went straight back down on a steep slope. 3 hours, 1700 gain. This is a much nicer hike than Moho. Posted 2013.
• 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.
• 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.
• POWELL MOUNTAIN el 9540 is in the south end of the Wassuk Range. Take Nv 359 to mp MI 17.3 and turn west on a good road into Powell Canyon. Go about 4 and a half miles to an easy 4wd road at N38 20191, W118 39597 el 7200. Take the 4wd road toward the peak and keep right at forks. In about 2 miles it ends at el 7900 but it will cost you some paint. I had a simple plan. Just go up the canyon south of the peak and then up into a high saddle behind the peak and come back to the summit. But the canyon is clogged with aspen. I had to go directly up the SE ridge. The first 500 feet is too steep and loose to be any fun. Here's what I would do next time. From the end of the road, walk up the aspen canyon on the left bank to a left side canyon at 19167, 41215. Go up that to a broad basin. Then go right to 18742,42534 where you can easily pass back into the aspen canyon then aim for the high saddle at 19435,42672 el 8800. The reg is at 19665, 41984. Then come down the SE ridge. This loop looks like 5 miles. It took me 3 hours to go up and down the SE ridge. I saw bear tracks in the aspen canyon. Posted 2013.
• NORTH CANYON PEAK 8860 is what I call the high one at the head of North Canyon- drive the same as Cory Peak to the 4wd road N38 26241, W118 44230 el 7500, but turn left on FR 753 and stay straight on it to a T then go left to a gully at 25169, 43764 el 8100. Go up that to where it tops out at 25071, 43565 el 8600 then go left on class 2 to the summit at 25160, 43479. It's easy to walk south to peak 8850 that has survey junk then down the obvious ridge to the road. 90 minutes, 1000 gain, no brush. The road goes on to a mine then switches down but that part is eroding. Posted 2020.
•  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 a half mile before the Lucky Boy Pass turnoff. Follow the pavement to the end then keep going up into Cory 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 road goes on up to a locked gate el 9600. Then it's a short hike to the peak at N38 29291, W118 47924. It's just inside the military base but I could tell no one ever goes out there. Posted 2013, 2020.
• BULLER MOUNTAIN el 9450 has a jeep road most of the way. Go south from Hawthorne on Nv 359 for about 4 miles to the sign for Lucky Boy Pass. Take the graded road  west for a dozen miles then turn left at a sign for the Borealis Mine. Follow this good road past the mine then it loops west around it. After more than 4 miles from the Lucky Boy Rd look for a jeep road on the left at N38 22359, W118 44929 el 7200. The first 3 miles to el 8200 are easy 4wd, then it gets steeper and rubbly. If you make it to the treeless summit plateau area above 8500, you can camp with good views of the Sierra. I saw bear tracks on the jeep road. There is a smoother 4wd road going up Jim Canyon to el 8800, but then there is a 300 foot peak in the way. The main dirt road at the base of the range goes on thru Powell Canyon back to 359. Posted 2013.
• BULLER MOUNTAIN EAST APPROACH - Cottonwood Creek has a trail to el 7200. Take highway 359 to mp 23.8 and turn on easy 4wd and go up canyon nearly 3 miles to the end el 6800. A shady camp area is 2.3 miles in at el 6600. A trail goes on up canyon to cabin ruins in an aspen grove el 7200. I left the trail just before at N38 23119, W118 38890 el 7150. I took an angle up to the right to get on a ridge. It goes parabolic but I could zigzag up. At 23330, 39386 el 8250 I walked level to the left to get to a saddle el 8250 on the rim. I went up the rim and hit a game trail at 23180, 40348 el 8700 and just kept going up the bald ridge to the reg at 22870, 41255. On the return I retraced back then stayed on the rim past peak 8374 and took a ridge directly back to the TH but had to deal with clutter to get past that peak. It's better to retrace back the same way. 4 hours, 45 minutes, 2800 gain. I can do this in shorts. I saw no water in September but an ancient pipeline along the trail means there was some once. This is the best hike on this page and next time I'll descend into Alum Creek and it will be even better. Posted  2020.
• BULLER MOUNTAIN from ALUM CREEK - this is one of the best summer hikes in the state. Take highway 359 to mp 27.3 and turn on the decent road that goes up the canyon. Cars might have trouble at several dips. The road ends at a major fork in the canyon el 6400 with camps under ponderosa pines. Stroll up the left fork for nearly a mile to a main fork and start up the ridge in between. The reading there is N38 24073, W118 40403 el 6950. Go up to el 8000 where brush gets in the way. I moved right to 23518, 40333 and that worked OK, but moving left might be less steep. Just keep going straight up to the rim of Cottonwood Creek el 8600 or so then it's easy to the summit at 22870, 41255. Then descend to a ridge at 23131, 41088 el 9100 and on past peak 8161 to 23767, 41035 el 8100 and the rest is obvious down the main ridge to the start.  4 hours, 2600 noticeable gain, no brush. The east rim of the canyon would make a good alternate descent as well as Cottonwood Creek. I don't even know how far you have to go in Nevada to find a pine forest as good as this one. Posted 2020.
• JIM PEAK el 9311 is what I call the one at the head of Jim Canyon. Turn off highway 359 at mp 17.3 and follow a good road up Powell Canyon for nearly 4 miles to FR 168. Turn right onto that and stay left at main forks to the end a decent camp el 8800. Walk a game trail extending from the end of the road for a quarter mile or so to where it turns a corner then go up a ridge to Jim Peak at N38 22120, W118 40745 el 9311. A faint road connects over to Buller. The reg is at 22871, 41258. 2 hours for both peaks, 1200 gain, short patches of very light brush. The roads are smooth but will soon be for OHVs only. Posted 2020.
• ALUM PEAK el 7700+ is what I call the prominent peak at the mouth of Alum Creek canyon. Take highway 359 to mp 27.3 and turn on the decent road that goes up the canyon. Cars might have trouble at several dips. At N38 25627, W118 39909 el 6000 there is a brushy road branching to the left. It soon gets narrow then no more turnarounds. It ends at a fall el 6200. It's easy to walk around the fall to the creekbed at the top then go up onto the left rim and just keep going up in a nice forest. A good Indian rock ring is on the summit at 25515, 38709. 2 hours, 10 minutes, 1700 gain, no brush. PEAK 7711 is another easy one up canyon. Drive to the end of the road el 6450 in Alum Creek then stroll up the left fork. At the next main fork el 6650 there was a tiny stream. Stay left at that fork then start up at 24060, 40313 el 7000 and walk an easy angle up to the left to get on a ridge. Go up that to el 7500 then cut left to an obvious saddle el 7550. Keep going to rock rings at 24402, 40093 el 7600 then to a saddle at 24616, 40121 el 7500. The peak is a fifth mile beyond that. Then head down the west ridge to 24720, 40368 el 7450 and then at el 7250 there is a rock ring. Just below that get on the final ridge at 24663, 40514 el 7200 and follow it down. 2 and a half hours with 700 noticeable gain, no brush. This has a great ponderosa pine forest. Both peaks could be done together with a shuttle. Posted 2020.
• NORTH CANYON is the next major canyon west to Alum Creek. It has a decent high clearance road then it's easy to walk the creekbed but I didn't go far. Posted 2020.
• BLACK MOUNTAIN el 8100 is at the north end of the Wassuk Range. The roads are so tedious that it's not worth it unless you're going out to the west and maybe doing nearby Bald Mountain as well. Leave 95 a few feet north of mp MI 74. Go west a short way to a T at the old highway. Go north on the old highway a short way then go left on a decent one lane dirt road. The first 6 miles are on packed sand then comes another 6 miles on bumpy rocks. You'll merge with a better road on the west side valley floor then go another mile to a 4wd road reading N38 52182, W118 56721. Take the 4wd road north for 4 miles to a bad spot in the canyon where bedrock is exposed, but it's not a big deal. Right after that keep right at a fork that goes onto the right bench of the canyon. Soon you're at another fork reading 54826, 54153 el 6500. Go left at this fork and start climbing the left slope of the canyon. The road looked wide enough for a jeep but I didn't see any tracks wider than an OHV. As usual the switchbacks have turnarounds. The road tops out above el 7000 in a valley with two lake beds. I rode on another 2 and a half miles to the end of the road at 56790, 55038 el 7800. From there it's a third of a mile to the BM at 56655, 54739. The actual high point is a bit to the south. The surveyors erected a 15 foot high pole at the BM to rise above the trees. The reg was placed in 2009 but no one had signed in since. One way to cut down on driving bad road is to use a short spur road shown on the map at 55650, 54822 el 7500. It seems to go to el 7700, but will have more walking on lava rocks.   Posted 2013. BALD MOUNTAIN el 9000+ has a road up it from the west. Drive the same as Black Mtn but turn south at N38 51735, W118 55718. Stay on the main road and don't take any left forks. I tried one for a shortcut and it was washed out. The main road will swing far west to major power lines. Go south along those to a road with wooden power poles at 44812, 57615 el 4950. Now there is just this one road to follow east to the summit. I made it on my 125 to el 7700 where the road goes parabolic. I couldn't get traction but a Dodge truck had no trouble. In a 4wd I would camp on the summit and hike the crest north to the last 9000 footer. Posted 2014.
• DRY CANYON is on the west side of Walker Lake. The road in it is washed away except on benches. Cycles can still get part way. Turn off US 95 at mp MI 65, right across from the Sportsman's camp area entrance. I rode up about 1.8 air miles from the highway to a 4 foot high dry fall. One tricky spot along the way was in some cottonwoods. There was nearly always a narrow channel to ride in. One potential hike here is to go up Dry Canyon and cross over to Copper Canyon then down that to US 95. About a half mile south on US 95 is another 4wd road in better shape. It goes up to a mine at el 5700. It's easy to there, then the road narrows and gets rubbly. I was stopped by deep rubble at el 6100. Turnarounds are scarce beyond the mine. Posted 2014.

Mt. St. Helens Motorcycle Trip 30+ Years Ago

  I didn't let a little ol' sign stop me.

    I went right up into the crater and cooked my dinner.

                           This was right after it was re-opened.

Plomosa Mountains, Az

               Ibex Peak and Haystack Peak.                                                                

• IBEX PEAK el 2800 is in the middle part of the range. Use the paved Plomosa Rd out of Bouse. Go to mp 8 and turn east on an easy 4wd road. Stay on the main road going east, keeping left at a fork nearly 2 miles in. In about 4 miles from pavement you come to a rock house ruin at N33 46941, W114 02452. Use the road to the left of the ruins and it ends in less than a mile at the north base of the peak. There is a sheep route at the base of the big west facing cliff near the summit. It's an obvious route and has one minor class 3 spot.When you top out just go left to the reg, but stay far right to avoid cholla. 2 hours, 1200 gain, steep. Mtn bikes would work as far as the ruins but there are some rubbly spots. . The west route starts at a nearby canyon at 46401, 02527. Go up canyon to a saddle at 46149, 02315 el 2100. Go down the other side less than a hundred feet to easier ground then go to the cliff base at 46075, 02150 el 2200. Look up to the left at a Saguaro lined main gully going into a notch. Go up that, passing 46111, 02142, then soon look for a lesser gully on the right. It's before the main gully tops out in the notch. Go up the gully on the right and it soon goes back left then up ledges to the summit area. The reg is at 46098, 01995. Not scary, but take leather gloves and a cholla whacker. 3 or 4 hours, 1400 gain. This is not as steep as the direct north route, but takes longer.
• HAYSTACK PEAK el 2700  is right next to Ibex Peak. Drive the same as for Ibex Peak, but at the rock house ruin take the far left fork. The road heads for plains in the distance, and don't take any right forks. After .6 mile from the ruin, go right across a wash to the end of the road in 3/4 mile at the base of the peak. Hike left around the base for a mile on game trails then go up to a smooth bedrock creekbed at N33 46443, W114 00771 el 1700.  Stay in that until it fizzles then go up to 46415, 00919 where a hidden class 3 ledge is just above you. Get on the ledge and go up to the left to get on the ridge above. Follow the ridge up keeping right of center with a few class 3 obstacles. Aim for an arch on the ridge top at 46405, 00957 el 2300+. Step thru the arch and you're home free to the summit dome at 46439, 01254 where a little more class 3 rock awaits. It's easier to walk thru an arch at the summit dome. 4 hours, 1500 gain. Of several ways up, this is the most interesting route. Updated 2020.  I went up the south side years before but can't remember driving directions.Go up the main south canyon and get on the ridge at N33 46233, W114 01165 and head up to the summit dome. 1200 gain. 
• BLACK MESA el 3639 is the high point. Exit I-10 at the Gold Nugget Rd about 8 miles east of Quartzsite. Take the south side frontage road going east for 2 and a half miles to a dirt road. The frontage road is the old highway and still had pavement in 2013. Go south on the bumpy dirt road. In about 3 miles is a fork. Both go, but right is shorter. Keep going south in and along Apache Wash. At about 5 and a half miles in from the frontage road you leave the wash on the right side. This is the start of the DRIPPING SPRING BM hike. But keep going on the road for over a mile to a nasty spot el 2400. Hike a short way up the road then go left on a trail at N33 35099, W114 02507 el 2600 (Jeeps can make it that far). The trail goes up the south ridge but fades as the ridge goes parabolic for 400 feet to the top of the mesa. But I found it easy to move right into a drainage and up that then right again to gain the plateau. Then it's an easy mile to the BM at 35935, 01313. 3 hours, 1200 gain. No reg in 2013 but a new one was there in 2021. EAST SUMMIT el 3500 - a rocky canyon splits the mesa. I walked on to a point on the rim then down the right side at 35763, 00624 el 3400. I drifted to the right into a drainage then went up the other side in an easy drainage and on to the reg at 35179, 00320. Placed by Bob Packard in 1998, only a few had signed in. One was Emma age 12. I took a sidetrip for a mile to the east on the easy plateau then came back and skirted left under the summit to the SW ridge at 35128, 00489 el 3400 then down it to 34845, 00857 el 3050 where I could see a road below. I angled down to the right then dodged cholla to hit the road where it ends in a saddle el 2600. I stayed on the high ground walking SW and left of center to keep level then went left at 34563, 01471 el 2600 to get into a wash then up the other side on a sliver of bedrock. Rocks had eased up by then and I walked west across a flat to a miner trail at 34402, 02174 el 2300 that took me west thru a saddle and on to a closed road that soon led to the starting road. The whole loop took 7 hours but one hour was for the side trip, so count on 6. Gain is about 2500 but hardly any is steep. Rocky slopes are stable. It's also possible to drive roads in Apache Wash. They are softer but less erosion. Posted 2021.
• For DRIPPING SPRING BM el 3400, use the road to Black Mesa and park at a wash at N33 35938, W114 03240. Hike up this wash, using the left bench, to a main fork. Go up the left fork but it's easier to use the right bench at 35567, 03399. The left fork leads to a ridge at 35306, 03884. Go left up the ridge and it hits a cliff band then go left for 500 feet to a class 3 ramp at 35134, 04154 then up to the top 35132,04286. It's best to aim for a saddle 150 feet left of the summit. 3 hrs, 1100 gain. We came down the south ridge then dropped back to the wash, but had to deal with cholla.
• IBEX BM el 2777 is just north of I-10. The west canyon is one route. Exit at Golden Nugget Rd about 8 miles east of Quartzsite. Go north on easy 4wd, keeping right at forks. At 3/4 mile from the exit, go left at a fork and follow the road around the base of the range. At about 4 and a half miles from the exit, turn right at N33 43027, W114 06701. Go another half mile and park at the mouth. Hike up into fork at 43242, 05631. Go up this bouldery fork to a dam. A waterhole along the way had sheep bones. It's easier to pass the dam on the left. Right after the dam, go left at a main fork and go up to about el 1850 where it opens up. Now go up the right slope to the ridgetop at 43452, 05233 el 2000 which is between the forks. Now it's easy to walk into the head of the right fork then up to the main saddle. Then go right a short way to the BM at 43355, 04849. The knob to the NE is higher. I came down the cholla infested west ridge, which runs along the south side of the canyons I went up. 4 hours, 1600 gain. Nice canyon. No reg in 2013. Don't confuse this with Ibex Peak to the north. NE CANYON ROUTE - this is a good route, maybe not as interesting. Take the paved Plomosa Rd to mp 5.5 and turn SW on a major dirt road. Go a about 1.1 miles to a 4-way then turn left on easy 4wd road #78 and keep going to a secret fork at 44897, 04262. Turn toward the peak for 1.3 miles and park in a wash el 1480. Walk to the NE canyon and go up along the right side to a tiny saddle at 43453, 04428 el 1950. Then follow sheep trails on up canyon to 43263, 04475 el 2350 and make an obvious right turn and on up to the reg. 4 hours, 1300 gain. Posted 2020. 
• IBEX BM EAST SUMMIT el 2840+ - a secret road comes in from the east. Take Perry Lane on the west side of Brenda to the end of pavement then go a little more to the road going west. After a mile and a half comes a tricky fork. Go right and on to another fork where the road enters the mountains. Go right again for a short way to the end next to peak 1772. Walk NW into a wash and up that until a half mile from the start then over a saddle at N33 42766, W114 02794 el 1800 and into a main canyon. Go up that a fifth mile to a mess of forks then stay far right in the main arm. Use the left bank at 43063, 03558 el 1800 and keep going up canyon bank to bank on sheep trails. At 43174, 04358 el 2600, cut back to the right on a shelf to get at the NW saddle el 2750. But stop 50 feet short of the saddle and stay low around the right side of the summit block to 43108, 04184 el 2800 then go up to the reg. 5 and a half hours, maybe 1000 noticeable gain. This scenic canyon is one of the best in the range. A guzzler is the only eyesore. I could do it in shorts. The roads are bumpy high clearance and mtn bikeable.  PEAK 2800+ is next to the freeway. The east ridge is easy. At the tricky fork, stay left to the end el 1600 near the east ridge. I went up that on a spotty sheep trail to the reg at 40949, 02452. I could see a decent ridge running down to the north so I went down that to a main wash. The banks only work for short spurts until 41260, 02008 el 1750 where the right bank goes for a tenth mile then to the left bank then far right bank at the last mile. 3 hours, 1200 gain. This is better than it looks. Nice bank walking. Posted 2021.
• BLACK BEAUTY PEAK el 2520+ is what I call the one a mile south of Ibex Peak. Take the paved Plomosa Rd to mp 5.5 and turn SW on a major dirt road. Go a about 1.1 miles to a 4-way then turn left on easy 4wd road #78 and go straight into the mountains then stay left at main forks to a 4-way at N33 45534, W114 03251. Take the one dropping into a wash and follow it east a half mile to another fork. I parked there and walked the left fork a short way to a guzzler along a wash. I walked up that wash and came to a short narrows. I used a trail on the right bank to get on bedrock and walk the rim of the narrows then on up canyon to the main saddle at 45453, 01953 el 2050. An invisible guzzler is near there. I wonder how sheep find it? I went on up from the saddle staying low and left of center to a saddle el 2350 which is .13 mile from the summit. Then I had a class 2 knife edge but wide enough to be safe. Chickens can walk lower. The reg is at 45126, 01600. Placed by M&L in 2002, only one other party signed in. I kept walking the main ridge to a saddle at 44987, 01516 el 2450. I dropped down to the west and went straight along a cliff base for 250 feet then I could move left onto the ridge. I walked down the center of the ridge a short way and a tiny crag blocked me. Well I showed him. I dropped down along the right side of the crag and followed a cliff base down to the creekbed. A couple of minor drops in the creekbed were easy to bypass then at the mouth I cut thru a saddle at 44722, 01739 el 1800 and followed a trail up onto the high right bank then turned into a canyon going  back toward the start. I followed the main canyon to the saddle 45018, 02569 el 1900 and down the creekbed on the other side, but might have been better off to use the right rim. I shortly hit the road and strolled on back. That took 3 and a half hours with maybe 800 noticeable gain. This is one of the more pleasant hikes in the area. The road going north from the 4-way goes on out, but is rougher. Posted 2020.


• PLOMOSA  BENCHMARK el 2273 - take the paved Plomosa Rd to mp 11.9 and turn on a decent high clearance road. Follow it and stay right at tricky forks to a key fork at N33 49749, W114 04787. Turn toward the peak there on road #93A and keep going toward it to get close. Hiking routes are obvious but all can be summed up with just two words - " cholla city". To avoid that, I crossed a gully at 49989, 05624  el 1450 then walked the low  ground to 50239, 05807 el 1600 where I went up to the main ridge el 1700. I stayed on center of that for 400 feet to the only major bump and went right of that on sheep trails then on to the reg at 50184, 06160. 2 hours, 700 gain. I  didn't get any cholla on my boots. The nearly 3 miles of dirt road is easily mtn bikeable. FOUR PEAKS is to the north but only the second highest peak is safe to climb. Retrace back to the key fork and go north on road #94 and go nearly a mile to a main fork. Go left to a T at 51307, 04842. Turn left there on road #80 and it goes to a guzzler on the west side of the peaks. It's a 30 minute hike to peak 1785 with 400 gain. Those roads may need 4wd. Posted 2020.
• LAMOSA BENCHMARK el 1904 - take the paved Plomosa Rd to mp 16.7 and turn on a decent road for .8 mile to a 4wd road at N33 53608, W114 02690. Follow that to a fork at 53759, 03285 and go right across a wash then stay on the main road to the south canyon. Drop into the wash and go a few feet then up a right fork to the end of the road el 1350. Walk that fork to the end and thru a low saddle and on to the SE canyon at 54574, 04902 el 1400. Go up that to top out on the ridge then on to the reg at 54716, 05183 which dates back to 1964. M&L placed a book decades later but didn't see the earlier one. It's a 90 minute hike with about 700 gain. The 3 miles of dirt roads are mtn bikeable and on the topo. There are no good south or west routes to the summit, but north canyons might work. Posted 2020.


Indian trail cutting thru the range along the I-10