Resting Spring Range Wilderness

Trump BM as viewed from the head of State Line Canyon
Pahrump has a Walmart and everything else. Shoshone has gas but it's nearly two dollars higher than Pahrump. Tecopa and Death Valley Junction have no gas. Posted 2017.

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  STEWART BENCHMARK el 5200 is the high point of the Resting Spring Range. Drive to mp 58.5 on highway 178 and look for a pullout to park. Hike to a valley at N36 08806, W116 10245 and go up that to a gully at 09098, 10972. Walk NW along the gully thru a low saddle then drop a little to the main canyon. Go up canyon a quarter mile to some tricky little falls. It's easy to bypass them on the left and then you'll be in a minor wash running parallel to the main wash. Stay in the minor wash and it will connect to the main wash. Keep going up the main wash to 09705, 11660 where you have to go up the left slope to pass bigger falls. Aim for a saddle at 09696, 11716 where you drop back in the main wash. Go on up to 09754, 11912 el 3800 where you start up the ridge on the left. A hiker trail goes up the ridge to the BM at 09975, 12482. 5 hours, 2600 gain.
• RESTING SPRING PEAK el 5000+ is what I call the next high peak north of Stewart BM. I went up the north ridge in 2014 and then the NE ridge in 2017. The latter is easier. A canyon, which I call Stewart Canyon, draining to the NE into Stewart Valley makes a good but long approach. Stewart Lake must be bone dry for this. Take highway 127 into Nevada for half a mile and turn at the sign for Ash Meadows Rd. I have been driving across the lake bed, but it's rough and soft. It's better to stay on Ash Meadows Rd to N36 16061, W116 10398 and use a road there to get on the edge of the lake. Then drive to 15188, 11695 to get on the west side road and follow that south for a mile and a half to near the wilderness boundary running along the state line. Hike to the mouth of the canyon  at 13725, 12045. Hike up canyon to where it makes a hard left then start up the right rim at 13682, 12437 in order to bypass a fall. The rim levels off after gaining 200+ feet and you'll be standing on bright colored soil. I went down a steep gully but there's a sheep trail at the west wall that works a lot better. It will be obvious when you get there. You'll hit bottom up from the fall. It's 15 feet high and slanting. Go up canyon and stay left at a tricky fork then get on a low ridge at 12623, 12820 el 3150. Follow that up and it's obvious how to skirt minor bumps. Go up thru 11603, 13419 el 3850 where it steepens and the ridge tops out at el 4800. Then use south side sheep trails to a break at 11084, 13642 el 4800 and a trail goes on thru that to the last saddle el 4850. Then stay right on trails and hug a cliff base for firm footing up to the summit area. The reg at 11020, 13903 was in a crumbling jar. I retraced back to el 3600 and dropped down a ridge at 11951, 13203 to get back to the main canyon and out. 6 hours, 2600 gain. A 30 foot hand line would work to get back down the fall and avoid going up 100 feet or more to pass it. Boulders to tie off of are near the top. I used a 15 foot rope and ibis hook. It's quite a nice narrows above the fall. The scenic canyon makes this the best hike in the range. Posted 2017.
• BAXTER PEAK el 4400+ is what I call the highest peak south of the Baxter Mine. It's an easy hike from the mine. Take highway 178 to either mp 52.1 and get on the old highway or go to mp 56 and get on it. Follow the old highway to BLM road #341 reading N36 04882, W116 11657. There are 8 signs there. Go about 3 miles on that then turn left on road #3413 for a tenth mile and park near the mine el 3050. Walk south up the valley and start up a ridge at 05677, 13862 el 3350. Go up until crags get in the way then veer right to 05475, 13885 el 3600. Go up from there on smooth ground and curve right to the main saddle el 3900. Go thru then down a little on a sheep route to get around a crag then onto the main ridge. Stay near the center of the ridge and it's a cakewalk the rest of the way to the summit at 04653, 13962. A reg there was placed by John Vitz. Getting to the summit takes 80 minutes with 1500 gain, mostly not steep. Hikers who like wild places might consider looping back on the broad ridge to the east. Keep going north on the crest. It will level off at el 4000 and become gently rolling. Walk to a viewpoint at 03790, 14526 el 3900 where the descent ridge is in view a tenth mile to the west. Go down it and move to the right edge at 04539, 15064 el 3650 and follow the edge down to 05421, 15447 el 2850 where you can drop to the wash el 2400. Go up the wash a tenth mile then turn north up a wide valley and stay on the low ground to a wash at 06353, 14614 el 2550. Go up that a fifth mile to where it bends right then take a left fork back to the start. Returning by this route took me 3 hours, 42 minutes and is about 6 miles with 1300 gain, but all the gain is easy rises.  There is an easier variation of this route. Go south on the crest from the summit and follow an obvious ridge down to the right that goes into the main canyon. That canyon has a group of minor falls that are easy to get around then it's easy walking down to the 2450 level where the other route comes down off the rim. Then just follow that route north up the wide valley. It took me 3 hours to return by that route. There's good color in that canyon. All roads easy 4wd. The topo shows the 4wd road going on across the range, but it shrinks to a foot trail at 06233, 13829 el 3000 and goes a fifth mile into a main saddle and turns into a road again. But from the saddle a foot trail keeps going up to mines on a peak with good views. That's a short hike of a mile round trip. Posted 2018. 
• PILLBOX PEAK el 4193 is what I call a minor peak on the crest north of the Baxter Mine. Park along highway 178 near mp 57 el 2850 then it's obvious how to walk a mile across the  flats then up the peak. The summit is at N36 07590, W116 12184. 3 hours, 1000 gain from the flats. Posted 2017.
• STEWART CANYON is what I call a canyon on  the east side. A loop can be done up the canyon and over a peak I call Stewart Canyon Peak el 4400+. Stewart Lake must be bone dry for this. Take highway 127 into Nevada for half a mile and turn at the sign for Ash Meadows Rd. Follow that graded road for 4 miles to a 4-way. A left turn here takes you to the lake bed, but it's wavy and mainly good for cycles. It's smoother to stay on Ash Meadows Rd for another 1.7 miles to a road at N36 13953, W116 09154 then turn left for half a mile to the lake. Go west on the lake for half a mile then bend left to 13024, 11229 to get close to the west shore. Even dry the lake is too soft to risk a 2wd. The west part of the lake is inside the wilderness but that's just silly. Nobody observes that. Just stay off the vegetation. Hike to the mouth of the canyon  at 13725, 12045. Hike up canyon to where it makes a hard left then start up the right rim at 13682, 12437 in order to bypass a fall. The rim levels off after gaining 200+ feet and you'll be standing on bright colored soil. I went down a steep gully but there's a sheep trail at the west wall that works a lot better. It will be obvious when you get there. You'll hit bottom up from the fall. It's 15 feet high and slanting. Go up canyon and stay left at a tricky fork then get into the correct fork at 12538, 12681 el 3200. Go up that then get on  the left rim at 11493, 12770 el 3600 where the peak is in view. Go up the obvious canyon from there to the SW saddle el 3900 then up the ridge to the summit at 11529, 12243. Then walk NE off the summit to 11816, 11884 el 3500 and keep going down that ridge to the lake. It ramps down nicely then it's a mile back to the start. That took me 5 hours, 10 minutes with 2000 gain. Only the last 300 is steep. For a shorter hike by skipping the peak, stay left at the fork reading 12538, 12681 el 3200 then go up to a minor fork on the left at 12436, 12443 el 3300. Go up that into a saddle el 3400 then walk level to the left for a tenth mile to get on the descent ridge. Follow that down and stay left when it splits for the easiest ridge down to the lake. That's a 3 hour hike with no steep gain.  Posted 2017.
• STATE LINE CANYON is what I call a rugged canyon draining into the north end of Stewart Lake. A loop can be done by going up the easy canyon to the north. Use the graded Ash Springs Rd running thru Stewart Valley to get to an easy 4wd road at N36 16060, W116 10396. Follow that onto the lake and drive to 15187, 11698 to get on the west shore road. Go south a  third mile to a faint road on the right. It soon fades then walk to a canyon at 14980, 12844 el 2900. Go up that for a mile to a lonely basin el 3700 where there is a lot of good looking desert pavement. It's an easy walk to the high peak in the area at 14354, 14261 el 4100. Survey junk is on top. Then walk to the head of State Line Canyon at 14345, 13313 el 3700. Go down the creekbed to some falls and pass those on the right. Return to the creekbed by going down a rubbly gully at 14368, 12942 el 3400. It's obvious how to pass the remaining falls with a few short class 3 drops then it's a smooth wash past the state line and back to the start. It was obvious how to come down the canyon. 4 hours, 1700 gain, not steep. This is better than I thought it would be. Sheep have moved into the area. They must be reading this blog. Be on the lookout for sheep with smartphones. Posted 2017, 2018.  
• SHADOW MTN el 5069 has a miner trail part way up the north ridge. A mine road is right next to the State Line road at N36 18960, W116 13727 but a sharp ditch is in the way and parking is tricky. Good parking is a bit over a half mile to the west. I rode the mine road for half a mile on my cycle to a wash. It's not worth riding any further. From that point or the good parking spot on the highway, walk to a rocky wash at 18399, 14554. Go up that for a mile and a half to the miner trail on a low ridge at 17509, 15294. It's best to get on the right bank a half mile before the trail. The trail starts out faint and goes up the ridge and soon it switches up a steeper slope. Stay on it as it passes bumps and comes to the last and biggest bump at el 3700. It goes around the right side and ends at a saddle el 3900. Keep going up the ridge to a viewpoint 16061, 15434 el 4800 where the remaining third mile is in view.  I set up some ducks on the trail. 5 hours, 2600 gain and only 300 of that near the top is steep. Rocky terrain requires thick soles. The State Line rd leaves Pahrump as Bell Vista Rd.  The miners must have walked to the trail because it's too rocky to drive to it.  Posted 2017 
• SHOSHONE BENCHMARK el 3500 and RING BENCHMARK el 3250 are east of Shoshone near the pass. Take highway 190 to the pass then walk to canyon at N36 00000, W116 13010. Go up canyon on a trail on the left bank to a mine. The trail gets steeper and fainter at the mine but pick it up again at 00148, 12983. The trail tops out in a saddle el 2700 and then it goes down the next canyon, making for an optional return route. But at the saddle, go up the ridge to a shelf at 00344, 12899 el 3050 that leads to the main ridge. Go up the main ridge and just before it tops out move right of center to pass some minor bumps. The reg is at 00796, 12831. 3 hours, 1400 gain. For RING BM, drive thru the pass to  mp 47.4 and turn down south off the pavement and park. Hike the old mine road to a gully at el 2600 and go up that on bedrock to the main saddle. There is an easy shelf left of center to walk along the crest to the BM at N35 58878, W116 12862. I made a loop by going south to a plateau area then down a ridge at 58650, 11988 el 2950. 2 or 3 hours, 1200 gain. Posted 2017.
• RED WING PEAK el 4200+ is what I call the massive peak near the south end of the Resting Spring Range. A rough trail goes to the Red Wing Mine then it's an easy ridge from there. Drive north from Shoshone to mp 18.5 and turn down a sandy wash for 2/3 mile to the Amargosa River. Then walk up a wash at N36 01478, W116 16855 el 1700 to get over a low ridge then walk the flats to the trail at 02154, 15437 el 2050. The trail ends at the mine el 3000 then it's a short way to the ridgetop el 3050. Go up the ridge to el 3900 then angle to the right under some rough stuff and top out at 02840, 14147 el 4100. Then it's quarter mile to the survey junk on the summit. For a loop back, there are two options. One is to retrace and go down the ridge at 02418, 14199 el 3450. It drops into the south canyon with a ruin on the left side. The other is to walk straight off the summit down the easy south ridge. A 1916 marker is at 02648, 13863 el 3650. I went on down from there to 02517, 13715 el 3200 to get into the south canyon. Soon there is a narrows infested with coyote melons with one fall blocking it. It's easy to go left around it all. Then walk out to the flats at 01430, 15379 el 1950 then stay on the high ground to 01262, 16093 el 1800 and that leads to the river then it's half a mile back to the start. 5 and a half hours with 2200 gain from the flats. Not steep. The road to the Gerstley Mine is gated and all other roads in the area are too far gone. Posted 2017. THIRD DESCENT OPTION - in 2020 I walked north from the summit to the first major saddle then dropped down to the right and followed a red canyon down. I came to a major fall but it was obvious how to pass it on the right. A large cairn there told me that I would make it thru. I strolled on down to a bike I stashed at mp 50.5 on highway 178. That one way hike took 4 and a half hours. That's the best canyon in the range. Posted 2020. 
• GERSTLEY PEAK el 2822 is what I call the peak south of the Gerstley Mine. A loop can be done using a mine trail on the south ridge. Turn off highway 178 at mp 45.6 and go a fifth mile to a fork at the south tip of the mountain where the trail goes up. The left fork ends at boring diggings. The right fork goes along the east base and gets close to the summit, but it's more appealing to park at the fork and walk the road and start up in the vicinity of N36 00492, W116 14220 el 2500 and go up to the summit at 00480, 14497. Then walk south on the main ridge for half a mile where the trail starts at a mine and runs on down the ridge to the south tip at the fork. 2 hours with 500 feet of noticeable gain. Rocky terrain. Posted 2019.
• PEAK 1195 METERS is 4 miles east of Eagle Mountain. It's marked on the 1:100000 series maps. I started on highway 127 near mp INY 30 and walked to the north point at N36 13314, W116 17540 el 2600 then on around to the east side to a ridge at 12805, 16188 el 2900. I went up to el 3800 where it levels off and could see the east saddle el 3800. It was obvious how to walk right of center to the saddle then up to the summit at 12115, 16474 el 3921. Then I returned to the saddle then went south down the canyon to a fall at el 3200 where I could easily move left into the next drainage and on down to the bottom then out. 5 and a half hours with 1000 feet of noticeable gain. The highway is the wilderness boundary so don't try to drive closer and make a big eyesore. Posted 2019.
           
• EAGLE MOUNTAIN el 3800 - this is near Death Valley Junction on the NW edge of the wilderness. Turn off highway 127 at mp 33.8 and go half a mile to the river bank. Head for a draw at N36 13178, W116 21917. This is the second draw from the left. Go up it then bend right to a faint trail at 13174, 21809 that goes to the main ridge and head for a shoulder on the right at 12961, 21645 then drop down 70 feet and pick up the main hiker trail going back up to the ridge. Follow it to a notch 12688, 21432 then go right up class 3 to the summit. 4 hours, 2000 gain. Not too steep. MYSTERY TRAIL - a peculiar trail nearby at 12073, 22711 goes shortly into a wash. It's a pleasant hike up the wash but I found nothing else. Maybe the Indians detoured in there to spend the night out of the wind. Posted 2023