The 2005 Death Valley and Utah Superbloom

The south end of Death Valley

Near Barstow

Near Barstow

The flower show near Capitol Reef was not so well known. I had it all to myself.

Rains in late 2004 triggered a rare superbloom in 2005 that made national news.

The Cheap RVers

Dave's Sunrader from Colorado

Huh? A DIY fifth wheel

Barry and Denise from Washington

Gary from California

Lynette and Red

The Cheap RVers are camping groups started by Bob Wells of cheaprvliving.com. Schedules can be seen at meetup.com under "caravans". Anyone can attend and there are no fees. Any type of vehicle can be used. Someone might ride in on a skateboard with a cardboard box. They stay on public lands for 2 weeks at a time before moving to the next spot. canyons@gmx.com

Cibola NWR on Christmas 2019. Red and Lynette are far left then Kevin then Mimi then Terry then Robert in the yellow van. Laura's minivan is barely showing in front of the yellow van.

Mopah Spring Indian Trails

The west trail heading to the Mopah Peaks

The only hiker I saw on the trail

The east trail heading toward Topock

The trail on the north rim of Mopah Spring canyon

Any hikers interested in a guided tour of these trails can find me on Facebook as Nevada Bob.

MOPAH SPRING TO TOPOCK TRAILS - two trails run parallel from the spring for about 40 miles toward Needles, likely Topock. The east one has an 8 mile downhill segment that makes an easy one way hike. Take US 95 to gravel piles at mp SBD 28.8. A tenth mile south is road #498 which is the simple way in, but a smoother road starts at the gravel. Go west a fifth mile then turn right on road #504 then take the next left then next right to N34 26431, W114 39650 where road #504 goes NW then bends left to meet road #498 at 26099, 41792. Leave a 4wd there then take US 95 to mp 21.9 and follow BLM road #634 to the closure in a bit over 4 miles. Walk to the end of the fence then walk a short way on a road to get across a deep wash then aim for a faint trail at 20809, 43601 then 20926, 43559 then 21032, 43520 then 21154, 43484 then 21474, 43355 then 21567, 43320 then 22070, 43228 then it crosses a bad road at 22417, 43061. Next is 22942, 42899 where it starts getting good. It goes on to 23095, 42842 then 23252, 42789 then 23462, 42716 then 23736, 42576 then 23936, 42504 then 24337, 42315 then 24455, 42276 then 24826, 42161 then 25027, 42134 then the last mile to the lower 4wd is easy to follow. A half mile before the end is where the trail connecting Havasu to Coffin Spring crosses. It's a 3 or 4 hour hike.  Losing the trail is no big deal because it wouldn't be much harder walking. All roads easy 4wd. The Indians had no water for the 40 miles. And no 29 dollar Walmart hiking boots. Posted 2019.

• TRAILS LOOP - an easy loop can be done using the two trails that run north from Mopah Spring, no shuttle needed. Take US 95 to mp 21.9 and follow BLM road #634 to the closure in a bit over 4 miles. Walk to the end of the fence then walk a short way on a road to get across a deep wash then aim for the faint east trail at N34 20809, W114 43601 then 20926, 43559 then 21032, 43520 then 21154, 43484 then 21474, 43355 then go on another 600 feet and leave the trail and head to the west trail at 22297, 44192. To see petroglyphs, veer off to the north just before reaching the trail. They're on a point facing south. Resume on the trail at 22104, 44278 then 21602, 44512 then 21220, 44701 then 20951, 44848. Next comes huge Gary Wash where there are two options. The wuss route is to go down the wash for about .9 air mile to a road on the south bank that leads back to the start but I prefer to get on the right bank at 20560, 44506 and walk it back. The other route is to stay on the trail. It crosses the wash at 20828, 44926 then 20669, 45047 and goes up a canyon. I rarely saw a trail in that. At 20251, 45257 the trail climbs the right bank and fades. I stayed low along the bank because soon there is a deep channel that needs to be crossed where it meets the main channel. At  19879, 45317 there is a game trail that goes to a saddle el 2150. Then there is an obvious trail running to the right and soon levels off to get on the right rim. I saw no more trail, so I went down the rim to the smooth wash. The spring is upstream. The trail that goes the last quarter mile to the spring climbs out of the main wash at 18982, 46311 but I skipped it and went downstream. Soon there is a cairn on the left bank that marks where the east trail shortcuts it. The trail exits at the mouth on the left bank at 19771, 44236. It goes to an airstrip and then just head back to the start. That loop took me nearly 5 hours with maybe 200 feet of noticeable gain. The wuss route would be less than 4 hours and there are so many cairns that I only need 4 of the waypoints to walk that. There are plenty of rocky segments. Posted 2019, 2022.
• MOPAH SPRING LONG LOOP - a long but easy loop goes on from the spring over into Vidal Valley then back in the next valley to the south.  Turn off US 95 at mp 21.9 and follow BLM road #634 to the closure in a bit over 4 miles. 2wd trucks might make all but the last half mile, cars could go a mile or more and mtn bikes could do it all.  Head across the flats to the trail at N34  19953,  W114 43928. Soon it meets an airstrip then resumes at the far end. It goes along the bench then drops into the wash. A fifth mile up the wash is where it gets easy to walk the left bank.  It resumes on the right at 19470, 44740 and goes a fifth mile then crosses to the left side. It goes along the base of the slope for over a third mile then back into the wash at a fork. Past the fork, the trailless left bank can be walked for a fifth mile then it's back to the wash for a tenth mile then the trailless left bank can be walked for nearly half a mile. Stay left of a hill on that. It's hard to judge if these trailless banks save any time, but they are firmer. Go on up the wash to 18981, 46314 where the trail goes up the right bank.  It goes to the spring in a quarter mile. The trail goes on from the spring on the right bank to the main saddle then splits. Take the faint one on the left that goes down on the right side of a drainage. At 18500, 47165 it bends away to the left and hits a mega wash. Stroll down that to 17760, 46568 and turn up a side canyon that leads to the north saddle of Umpah. Drop down a sheep route at 18095, 45967 that leads to the left bank of a main wash then when that ends get on the right bank then it bends right. Be back on the right bank again at 18034, 44632 and when that fizzles the left bank works until a fork cuts thru. Go back to the right bank there then on to a hard left and get on the left bank there at 19103, 43306. When that fizzles get in the wash then at .4 mile from the start, leave the wash and head straight back. That took 5 and a half hours with 500 noticeable gain but not strenuous. The app has it at a dozen miles. Posted 2022.
• VIDAL VALLEY TRAIL - this one connects the spring to the river near Blythe. A one way hike can be done by coming over the saddle on the north side of Negro Peak. Take highway 62 to mp 120.8 and go north to the canal then left to a dike road at N34 08707, W114 39435. Follow that out to a T at 09311, 40703 and leave a 4wd or bike. Then drive to mp 15.7 on US 95 and turn on road #665 and go 2.3 miles to a faint road forking left across a wash. Go nearly half a mile on that to a short trail at 15603, 41036. Mtn bikes and some cars make all but the last half mile. Walk the trail across a wash then on to a game trail at 15425, 41806. Then go SW along a wash for a third mile then it bends to the right and there is a stretch of bright bedrock in the creekbed. When that ends there is a spotty sheep trail on the left bank that goes to the main saddle el 1850. Stroll down the other side and get on the left bank of a main wash at 15232, 42782. That works for a quarter mile then get in the wash and soon comes bedrock with a deep groove cut by water. From there the right bank works on out to the flats then it's easy to the trail at 13373, 43656. Follow it to 13096, 43474 where WW2 tracks show up. At 12834, 43327 it pulls away from the tracks and goes on to 12491, 43157 then 12392, 43077. Next, it crosses a gully and fades in WW2 tracks. Just walk to the T being sure to skirt west of private land. The SW corner of the land is at 09988, 40966 and would be out of the line of travel. RVs were parked there, one a large class A, but I don't see how. This is an easy 4 and a half hour hike at most with 200 noticeable gain and that's not steep. I had to walk to my motorhome at mp 120.8 and that was a 5 hour hike. Too easy? Walk the whole 40 miles to the river like the Indians did. And don't forget to shelve the 29 dollar Walmart boots and wear crappy footwear like theirs. Posted 2020.
• MOPAH SPRING TO VIDAL VALLEY - a one way hike can be done past the spring then south down Vidal Valley to a road south of Negro Peak. Take US 95 to mp 15.5 and turn on a high clearance road and leave a vehicle at the legal end of it. Then drive US 95 to mp 21.9 and follow BLM road #634 to the closure in a bit over 4 miles. 2wd trucks might make all but the last half mile, cars could go a mile or more and mtn bikes could do it all.  Head across the flats to the trail at  19953, 43928. Soon it meets an airstrip then resumes at the far end. It goes along the bench then drops into the wash. It resumes on the left bank at 19653, 44505 and crosses to the right then goes a fifth mile then crosses back to the left side. It goes along the base of the slope for over a third mile then back into the wash. Go on up the wash to 18981, 46314 where the trail goes up the right bank.  It goes to the spring in a quarter mile. The trail goes on from the spring on the right bank to the main saddle then goes down on the right side of a drainage. At 18500, 47165 it bends away to the left and hits a mega wash. Walk the easy wash to a point at 13576, 41565 then drift left to easy ground and on to the road at 13889, 41092. Then it's a half mile to the first vehicle. That took 6 hours, 5 minutes with 3 or 400 noticeable gain. The app has the mileage at 15.4. Posted 2021

  

  I am likely the first paleface to see these along the trail.

  
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  Mopah Spring

  
  

Nevada's Sky Rock Petroglyphs

These are not public sites but I'll be making them public. Stay tuned.

Peaks with registers dating back to the 1940s

These circles at el 11100 indicate the Indians were the first peakbaggers here.

An obscure peak in the Sierra Nevada has the only register I've ever seen with a date preceding 1950. And the only reason it's there now is because I took the page down to laminate it. When I returned it in 2019, the whole jar was gone. I left a new jar but the register thieves will be back. You can count on it.

White Mountains South

Active mine and cabin on the south rim of Silver Creek. I could find no trail.

Mine road near Sams Spring. That took a lot of dynamite.

Rock ring on the south ridge of Black Mtn.

One of a half dozen rock rings I saw  at a remote location on the Birch Creek  rim hike. These are the best rings in the best setting I've ever seen. Only a few elite hikers will ever see them.

• A paved road runs north from highway 163 on the crest for 10 miles. It allows for several one way hikes down ridges. Shady camps are along the way and at el 8600 is the Grandview Campground. It's free but asks for donations. I filled jugs at the historic Batchelder Spring at mp 26.4 on highway 163. I did every hike on this page in shorts. Nearly every hike has Indian rock rings so be careful to step around them.
• BIRCH CREEK RIM - a one way hike can be done from the Schulman Grove down the rim of Birch Creek. Leave a car at a pullout el 6600 on highway 163 at mp 34.6 then drive to the Schulman Grove on the crest road. The easiest start is the low trail from the visitor center but I wanted to go over Mexican Mine Peak el 10640+. I started at a TH just before the visitor center at N37 22988, W118 10886 el 10050. That trail soon joins the main trail and goes south up to the Mexican Mine then up to a saddle el 10450. It's a short walk south to the summit then it's best to return to the trail and follow it to the rim at 22683, 09619 el 9750. I walked it to 23277, 08780 el 9300 then 23430, 08074 el 8900 then in a third mile I came to a view of the craggy plateau where Indians lived in large numbers. I walked down a wash to a rock ring at 23228, 06968 el 8350 then went south down a narrow drainage that led to the main canyon. I followed that down to a dropoff el 8000 where large potholes had water but turning green from lack of rain. I then went south thru 22854, 06343 el 8050 and into a grassy fork and up that to the duplex at 22327, 06492 el 7950. Then I went up to saddle with a  ring at 22242, 06307 el 8050 and saw 3 more along the way. Next, I walked south on the ridge and stayed right of center under boulders and came back to center then saw 3 more rings then a mess of crags was in the way. I easily walked left of those then saw 3 more rings before reaching a flat next to peak 7890. I saw 6 of the best rings there. I walked over to one at 21400, 06845 el 7700 on the rim of the deep canyon to my right. I walked down that rim and  went thru 21120, 07013 el 7300 then hit bottom. The canyon goes into a scenic narrows blocked by a fall, so I took a right fork at 20956, 06986 el 6800 then went 400 feet to a main fork and went left. At the next main fork I goofed and went left, but should have stayed right in the main channel to a saddle at 20727, 07086 el 7150 where a mine road was in view. I went down from the saddle for a fifth mile and hit the road and went right on it to mp 34.5 on the highway. It's about a 7 hour hike and a dozen miles that can be done in shorts. If the peak is skipped then there is only about 600 gain of any consequence, mostly near the end. Newer maps show the trails around the visitor center. This is the best hike on this page. Posted 2019.
• DAN BENCHMARK el 8379 sits on the south rim of Silver Canyon. An easy one way hike can be done down the rim from the crest to the mouth. Take US 6 out of Bishop and follow signs to the canyon and leave a car at the mouth el 4400. Then either take the 4wd road up the canyon to the crest or drive 45 miles by way of Big Pine and follow signs to the Bristlecone Forest. Just before pavement ends, park at el 10050 across from a sign on the left that says Black Canyon Trail. The trail splits in a third mile. I stayed right and topped out at el 10200 then walked level thru N37 22781, W118 11797 el 10200 and in another 400 feet I was on the rim. I went down to 22958, 12613 el 9500 and could see a peak below with an OHV trail going over it. I headed for that but took a cycle trail skirting around the right side of the peak and into a saddle el 8150 behind it. The trail drops to the west down a canyon so I left it and walked along the left side of a peak thru 23041, 14350 el 8150 to get back on the rim then on to Dan BM at 23505, 15267. The reg was full of love notes. Just past that at 23534, 15361 el 8250 I came upon an Indian rock ring. That was a stunner. I kept following the easy rim and soon was stunned again by a cabin at an active mine. I could detect no trail for the mine. It was easy to go on down the rim to Silver Canyon Peak el 6890 then to a trail at 24011, 17135 el 6100 and down to the mouth. That took 5 and a half hours and the only effort of any consequence was the 500 feet up to the BM. Some patches of light brush were in the first mile but I could wear shorts thru that. This is just a long cakewalk. The registers need glass jars. Silver Peak Benchmark el 10800+ is the one at the head of the canyon with towers. Drive past the end of pavement and stay left at forks for nearly 4 miles to the top. The last third mile might need 4wd. There are good camps on the west side of the towers. Cold Benchmark el 11000+ is the highest around.It's a short hike to the summit at 23712, 10394. Some hikers use trails out of the Bristlecone Forest but that might entail a fee. Cheap hikers can use a parking area on the west side at el 10300. Posted 2019. 
• DAN BENCHMARK WEST TRAIL - miners built a trail to el 7000 on a ridge on the west side. Take the paved Laws Poleta Rd south from the Silver Creek Rd for .7 mile then turn on a good dirt road. Follow it a mile around a fence to a fork at N37 23518, W118 23415, 16425. Go left up into a canyon on mostly smooth 4wd for 2 miles where it tops out el 5700. The trail starts there and in a third air mile it splits. The right fork is easier. At 23415, 16425 el 6800 it splits again, the faint right fork being easier. It levels off next to a saddle at 23450, 16118 el 7000. I stopped there but it looked easy to go on up but a bit steep. Cycles use the trail but I couldn't figure where the miners were going. Posted 2019.
• BLACK CANYON RIM - the west rim is a good one. Drive south from Bishop on US 395 for a mile or two and turn east at the sign for Warm Springs Rd. Drive to the end of pavement then keep going on a graded road as it bends south for 3 miles to the mouth of Black Canyon and leave a car at a pullout there. Then drive nearly 40 miles to the Grandview Campground on the crest then keep going another 1.1 miles to a saddle el 8600 and turn on FR 7S130. That short road ends in a fifth mile where a cycle trail starts reading  N37 20888, W118 11260. Walk the trail down into Black Canyon then get on an OHV trail at 20923, 12549 el 7800. Walk that as it circles left into a saddle el 8250 then it goes down the other side. When it veers left, leave it and go to a saddle at 20543, 13224 el 8150 then down into a canyon on the other side and up a steep slope to a flat at 20325, 13830 el 8500. Peak 8840+ is a quarter mile to the west and makes a good side trip. It has a reg in a bag but needs a glass jar. Keep going down the rim and over some minor peaks. At the last wooded peak el 7960+, I skirted along the left side at 18592, 14362 el 7900 then on to 18259, 14579 el 7500 where the rest of the rim was in view. There are some rubbly patches but nothing serious to get down to the mouth. If it was all nice and smooth there would be a dirt bike trail the whole way. I saw 8 rock rings. The last 5 are at 19089, 14019 then 18843, 14070. Two more are in the next saddle el 7850 then a big one is a tenth mile more. That took nearly 6 hours with about 1500 gain with 600 of it strenuous but half that is up the optional peak. Posted 2019.
• BIRCH CREEK PLATEAU el 8000+ is what I call a 4 square mile area south of Birch Creek with a nice forest and rock formations. I was expecting it to be infested with rock rings and wasn't disappointed. I counted 2 dozen just wandering around in the south half and likely missed plenty. This access is off limits to most hikers because only OHVs can get at it but hikers with cars can get in using the Birch Creek rim hike. Take highway 168 to mp INY 33.7 and go up Mollie Gibson Canyon (soft gravel) to a fork at N37 20616, W118 09036. There is a good road on the left bank .27 air mile before the fork. When it dips back into the wash, go a few feet then move to the right channel and go to the fork then turn right. I followed it to a bad spot then started down a ridge there at 22183, 08368 el 8600 and came to a ring at 22220, 08142 then another just past it. Step around the rings to avoid disturbing even a single rock. Next, I dropped into the canyon to the north and climbed up a point at 22274, 07711 then curved left to get on the rim where I  could walk NE down an easy canyon. I left the canyon at 22291, 07141 and walked rolling ground to a  ring at 22305, 06841. I kept going east past more rings to a duplex at 22327, 06492 then one with a big tree in it at 22406, 06416. 300 feet past that is another good one then I made a U-turn and came back to a sunny one at 22387, 06897. Then I went high to one at 22518, 06990 and stayed high another tenth mile then dropped down to the left to a big one at 22554, 07160. I kept walking nearly level and merged into a creekbed. I could have stayed in that to the exit fork at 22759, 07629 but took a detour by going up a right fork at 22687, 07494 and up to a ring in a saddle at 22733, 07346. Then I went thru a gap at 22813, 07261 to get to the rim of the next canyon for a good view. Then I went up the rim to the exit fork and followed that west and up to a road at 22711, 08026. I walked west on that and down to a tricky T at a wash. I went right a few feet to the road again and back to the start. I spent 4 hours and not much strenous gain. If backpacking I might try coming down from the Schulman Grove then slog out on the road. The only water I saw was a fast drip in a crack at 22310, 07006 but hard to get tubing at it. Maybe there's more downstream. Big rains would leave potholes of water. Posted September, 2019.
• SAMS SPRING MINE LOOP - an easy loop can be done using a washed out road. Leave a car at mp 37.8 on highway 163 then drive to mp 34.6 and park at a pullout. Walk up the highway to mp 34.5 and start up the old road. It goes as high as el 7300 then drops down a wash. It exits on the left at N37 20444, W118 07245 el 7050 then goes into the next canyon and ends at mine structures el 6650. A trail can be seen behind the tall structure. It goes around a corner then drops to a flat with cabin ruins. Then it goes down a point at 20766, 06438 el 6400 and ends at a smooth creekbed. It's easy walking down that to a spring gushing out of a cliff el 6100.  It's easy walking the creekbed  on to Sams Spring then at the mouth there is a road crossing that can be walked past Antelope Spring back to the start. That took nearly 4 hours with less than 1000 gain, all easy. That turned out a lot better than I was expecting. Posted 2019.
• BLACK MOUNTAIN el 9083 is a short hike. Take the crest road north from highway 163 for .8 mile to FR 4S01B. Go a fifth mile on that then stay left at a fork and stay on the main road for nearly 5 miles to a shady camp area el 8450 near the end, and that's the last turnaround.  It's easy 4wd and mtn bikeable. Walk north on the remaining fifth mile of road then game trails continue on to the smooth north ridge of the east peak. Go up to N37 16446, W118 12759 el 8800 where an obvious trail skirts into a saddle el 8700 then it's obvious the rest of the way to an ammo box at 16022, 13503. For the descent, I went down the south ridge. At 15761, 13577 el 8700 I came to a rock ring then another at 15707, 13569. But the first good one is at 15538, 13594 el 8450 with a smaller one 70 feet beyond. Another good one is at 15440, 13606 el 8250 with 2 more in the next 250 feet. There is where I moved right to get near the center of the ridge and walked down to the final leg at 13880, 13861 el 5850 and then to mp 23.3 on highway 163 where I left a cycle. It took an hour to the summit then 2 and a half hours down to 163. Posted 2019.

Attack of the Killer Hummingbird

In the 1990s I was climbing out of a canyon in Utah and took a break under an overhanging rock. A hummingbird started diving at me. It would stop short then retreat and dive again. This vicious bird was threatening to deliver a full force body blow. With the whole 3 ounce body. Oh, it was terrifying. I could only think of one thing that makes birds act so goofy. I looked up and saw a nest hanging from the ceiling. I came back with a mirror and saw 2 chicks, the only ones I've ever seen. I've seen eggs once before. Hummingbird nests are elusive. The bird was acting on instinct, but that's just silly. What can a hummingbird intimidate? Years before that I was in the living room of a house under construction and could see a hummingbird on a high window. I climbed up 2 stories and grabbed him. I took him outside with his tiny head poking out of my fist and threw him in the air. Away he went. He might have stayed on that window until he died. Why did he let me grab him?

Mammoth Lakes Area

Joanne bailed me out of a jam at Valentine Lake. I forgot food but she gave me enough goodies to get me over the hump to Laurel Lakes. Thanks Joanne!

White Wing Mtn and Glass Creek Meadow to the left.

West Control BM

3 hikers I met on the Mammoth Crest

• Mammoth has a Vons and also a Grocery Outlet for poor people. The vast area north of town has thousands of camp spots and some free campgrounds. I like the area around Big Spring. For that, take US 395 to mp MNO 32.7 and turn at the sign for Owens River Rd. It's paved for 2 miles to a campground. The spring is gushing out of the south bank of the creek nearby. Posted 2019.
• BLOODY MOUNTAIN el 12500 is south of Mammoth Lakes. From Vons, go south on Old Mammoth Rd to Sherwin Creek Rd, or get on it off 395 about a mile and a half south of the Mammoth turnoff. Take that to the Laurel Lakes Rd at N37 37411, W118 54402. Drive up this rubbly 4wd road for about 4 miles to a trail at 34745, 54337 el 9800. This is a good trail to the pass at el 10700, but switchback cutters are wrecking it. From  the pass, go right up the ridge on a hiker trail to the summit at 33638, 54427. 4 hours, 2700 gain. The 4wd road is the hardest part of this trip but there are no big obstacles. I did this in 2013. ALTERNATE DESCENT - I returned in 2020 and descended by way of Bloody Lake. I walked west from the summit where I could see the lake and also down the ridge to the pass el 11300 that is SE of the lake. I descended there with a reading of 33628, 54578 el 12450. That was easy until some boulders near the pass got in the way. They were easy to step down but slow. I went on to the lake and then a passage at 33775, 55316 el 10800 to get thru scrub. I stayed on the right side of the canyon with easy going until a dropoff got in the way but I had been there before.  I just headed for a game trail on the left side of the dropoff at 34424, 55115 el 10100. The creek emerges at the bottom of the dropoff. I went down the game trail and stayed high and left of the creek all the way to the first lake then crossed the inlet to the road. I crossed at 34461, 54893 el 9800 and hit a trail on the far bank that soon goes to the road at the lakes. The road goes up a little then it's a short walk back to the start. This return route makes it a 5 hour hike but well worth it. Posted 2020.
• BLOODY MOUNTAIN LAKES LOOP - a loop can be done around the mountain passing by six named lakes. I can't remember a better lakes hike. From Vons, go south on Old Mammoth Rd to Sherwin Creek Rd, or get on it off 395 about a mile and a half south of the Mammoth turnoff. Take that to the Laurel Lakes Rd at N37 37411, W118 54402. Drive up this rubbly 4wd road for about 4 miles to a trail at 34745, 54337 el 9800. Parking is tiny but there is big parking another third mile up the road and the hiking route passes thru there anyway. I walked the trail to a fork just before Genevieve Lake at 33950, 53420 el 10450. Right goes to Edith Lake and could be used on the return, but i stayed left on down to Genevieve where the trail gets spotty on the east shore. I picked it up again at 33538, 52969 el 10100 then went on to a well used trail at 33271, 52957 el 10100 that goes to Lake Dorothy. I followed that to a pass then shortly there is view on the left of Mildred Lake way down below. I stayed on the trail a little more to Dorothy then retraced back to Genevieve and kept going along the shore to 33318, 53192 el 10000 where a trail starts up to Edith Lake. I walked it along the shore to the inlet creek and followed up along the left side of that on a trail. I came to a spring at 33021, 53528 el 10250 and filled up. I went on to 33005, 53632 el 10300 where I jumped to the right side of the creek but there might be a better crossing sooner. That put me on a trail on the north shore of Cloverleaf Lake. I walked that then the shore made a sharp turn to the left, but I stayed straight and soon the shore came back to me. I followed the easy ground to 32965, 54016 el 10350 where I started up an easy slope. I went on to 32983, 54228 el 10500 then 33086, 54281 el 10650. That got me to the base of Bloody Mtn where I could walk to the pass el 11300 and over to Bloody Lake. A fifth mile before the pass there is an obvious shelf up to the left that makes it easy to walk into the pass. I went on past the lake to a passage at 33771, 55315 el 10800 to get thru scrub. I stayed on the right side of the canyon with easy going until a dropoff got in the way but I had been there before.  I just headed for a game trail on the left side of the dropoff at 34424, 55115 el 10100. The creek emerges at the bottom of the dropoff. I went down the game trail and stayed high and left of the creek all the way to the first lake then crossed the inlet to the road. I crossed at 34461, 54893 el 9800 and hit a trail on the far bank that soon goes to the road at the lakes. The road goes up a little then it's a short walk back to the start. That took 7 hours with nearly 4000 gain, never steep. Skipping Dorothy would save an hour, but it's the best lake. There is also an option to turn north at Edith and walk a trail that connects to the starting trail. It shows on the sat image. This will never be crowded because the crappy road weeds out wuss drivers. No brush, no wading or bugs in mid August 2020.
• EARTHQUAKE DOME el 9386 has a gorgeous forest the whole way. Take highway 203 out of Mammoth for 2 or 3 miles to a sign for the Earthquake Fault. Turn there and drive a short way to the end at a restroom el 8500. The Mountain View Trail starts to the left of the restroom. I followed that to the west side of the peak and started up at N37 39723, W119 00421 el 8700 and on to the reg at 39974, 00005. That took 100 minutes. The trail is easy then there's 500 steep gain up the slope then it's easy for the last 200 gain to the top. Posted 2019.
•  GLASS CREEK TRAIL - this trail goes to Glass Creek Meadow in the Owens River Headwaters Wilderness. It can be used for a loop over White Wing Mtn el 10010. Take US 395 to mp MNO 36.5 and turn at the sign for Obsidian Dome Rd. Stay on the main road for 2 and a half miles then turn right on FR 2S11C and go a tenth mile to the TH with camp areas along the creek el 8150. The roads are tricky for cars but mtn bikeable. The trail stays on the right bank to the meadow. I jumped the creek at N37 44388, W119 02994 el 8800 to get on the left bank then had easy ground in a nice forest to 44102, 03282 el 8900 then to 43978, 03353 el 9000 where I turned directly up the slope and topped out at 43616, 03202 el 9700. Then I went up the ridge to the reg at 43520, 02784. Next, I followed the summit ridge NE for half a mile then moved right of center for the next half mile to 44266, 02184 el 9700 where I descended next to a cairn. I went down the center of a ridge and jumped the creek at 44611, 01827 el 8500 to get back on the trail and then out. That took nearly 4 hours with 1900 gain. I'll put a track on peakbagger.com. I had no trouble wearing shorts but skeeters are gone by late August. The summit ridge has an ancient tree graveyard. Some had been cut, maybe researchers? Posted 2019.
• INYO CRATERS is mainly a tourist attraction. Take US 395 to mp MNO 30.7 and turn on the scenic loop. Go about 3 miles to mp 2.8 then turn and follow signs for 1.3 miles to the TH with a restroom el 8100. Cars can make it. It's a 10 minute walk to the craters el 8200. Miserable hiker trails go up Deer Mountain, but there's an easy route. Walk between the craters to N37 41631, W119 00776 el 8350 then to 41725, 00822 el 8450 then turn right to a drainage at 41722, 00734 el 8600. The drainage leads into the summit crater then a faint trail climbs out on the left to the rim. A level would be needed to figure out the high point. Posted 2019.
• SAN JOAQIN MOUNTAIN el 11549 has a hiker trail running the main ridge from Deadman Pass. That's the standard route and is easiest for hikers with 4wd rigs. Another route comes up from Deadman Creek and makes for a good loop in the Owens River Headwaters Wilderness. Take US 395 to mp MNO 33.7 and turn at the sign for Deadman Creek Rd. Go 6 miles to the end at a TH el 8300 with a camp area which is as good as I've seen in the whole Sierra. The road is graded halfway but most cars could make the whole 6 miles and it's mtn bikeable. The trail crosses the creek on a bridge then goes about 2/3 air mile to the main creek. It follows the creek on the right side but becomes overgrown. I got off the trail at N37 43015, W119 04353 el 8900 and switched back to the right on a game trail and followed it thru the big trees to 43113, 04385 el 9000. I could see a rocky clearing a tenth mile away up to my left. It took me 6 minutes to wade thru light brush to get there then I easily went straight up to the ridgetop el 9300. I followed that ridge up to 43411, 05123 el 10050 where I went left on game trails for a tenth mile to get into a wide drainage. I zigzagged up that and topped out at 43417, 05381 el 10500. Then I stayed low on the right side of the ridge to get to a minor saddle on the final ridge then on up to the reg in an ammo box at 43143, 06367. It took 3 hours, 50 minutes to get there with 3300 gain. Next, I followed the hiker trail on the main ridge to 41966, 05106 el 10500 where I dropped down a wide canyon with the best forest. There are countless routes. I went to 42119, 04666 el 9400 then to the road shown on the topo at 42258, 04415 el 8900. That road was easy to follow back to the trail at 42697, 04036 el 8500.  The return took 2 hours, 15 minutes. The whole loop took about 6 hours. I only needed long pants for that tenth mile of light brush. A party with 2 cars could use the hiker trail to get to the summit then drop down my ascent route or keep going to the June Mtn ski area. To access the hiker trail, take highway 203 out of Mammoth toward Devils Postpile then turn right on easy 4wd about 50 feet before a toll booth. The road goes 2 and a half miles to a tiny parking area el 10200 where the trail starts down into Deadman Pass.The road is mtn bikeable, I saw 2 bikers on it.  WHITE WING MOUNTAIN el 10010 has routes from the same parking area on Deadman Creek. Follow the creek out of the parking area. A faint road runs along the right bank. Cross to the left bank at 42897, 03349 el then go up to the west saddle at 43390, 03564 el 9400 then up the ridge to the reg at 43520,02784.There's 500 feet of steep sand to get into the west saddle. The unsteepest route is to follow the San Joaquin Mtn hike as far as the ridgetop el 9300 then turn toward the peak. A 300 foot bump is in the way, so either go left around it or nearly over it to get to the west saddle. Going over it has less clutter. I descended the south ridge with no problem. The Glass Creek trail is a good way to access this peak. Posted 2019.  
•  MAMMOTH CREST makes a fine loop hike.Take the Lake Mary Rd at the west end of Mammoth Lakes. Go about 4 miles from the last light, which is Canyon Blvd, and turn left at the sign for Lake George Campground. Drive to a T then go right to the Mammoth Crest TH el 9000 at the end of the road. Go up the trail and keep right at a signed fork about half an air mile from the start. The trail forks again near the crest. Both go, but left is shorter. The trail goes up to 11200 then drops 600 ft to a basin containing Deer Lakes which is the first water. There seems to be more than one trail to a lake at the upper end of the basin but the main trail stays low along the right edge of a lake then goes to the upper lake. At the far end of the upper lake is a talus slope. Stay low along the base of it and you hit a hiker trail that goes up into the main saddle el 11250. Be on the trail by N37 33558, W118 58838 el 11050. There's a peak 400 ft up to the right from the saddle with good views. The map shows the high point to be at 33280, 58652 el 11600+. It seems to be the highest along the route. Go thru the saddle on the trail as it heads for Duck Pass. The trail fades out in the flats, but just aim for a gully near the pass at 33518, 57823 el 10850 (keep right of brush when you're a fifth mile from the gully) where you drop down and pick up a main trail to the TH at the upper end of Coldwater Campground. This trail is the roughest part of the hike.It takes 5 hours and nearly 3000 gain to go from TH to TH. To get back to the start, go down a road on the left edge of the campground to a T. Go left at the T then follow the GPS back. It takes half an hour to walk back but easy with a bike. Posted 2019.           
• VALENTINE LAKE / LAUREL LAKES LOOP - a loop can be done by hiking the Valentine trail to the lake then off trail over the ridge to Laurel Lakes. Take Old Mammoth Rd out of town to the Sherwin Creek Rd and follow that to the Valentine Lake TH at N37 37451, W118 55467 el 7400. Hike to Valentine Lake el 9600 at trails end. The Sherwin Lakes Trail merges in along the way at el 8800. At the lake, go left along the shore, walking on boulders for the first 200 feet, then there is a trail at waters edge. When you get to the inlet creek, climb the slope along the left side of the creek to some nice meadows. When brush gets in the way, it's easy to hop the creek to the right bank and go up and cross back to the left bank just before a talus field where the creek is roaring out. Then stay low on easy ground and finally enter a talus field then climb left to a saddle in trees at 34004,55609 el 10700. Do it right and you only have to deal with talus for a quarter mile before the saddle. Go down the valley on the other side on easy ground and in 2/3 mile from the saddle you come to a dropoff where you can see Laurel Lakes. Aim for a game trail on the left side of the dropoff at 34424, 55115 el 10100. The creek emerges at the bottom of the dropoff. Go down the game trail and stay high and left of the creek all the way to the first lake then cross the inlet to the road. I crossed at 34428, 54930 el 9800 and hit trails on the far bank and stayed on the highest trail that soon goes to the road at the lakes. The road goes up a little then it's 4 miles downhill to the Sherwin Creek Rd where you should have a bike or car waiting. I didn't have a shuttle so to save a mile of road walking, I left the Laurel Lakes Rd at 35821, 55060 el 8800 and walked a third mile thru light brush to a minor ridge at 35963, 55268 el 8850 where I could see a shady OHV trail just below. I walked that to the Sherwin Rd then had a third mile back to the start. 7 hours, 3600 gain with all easy terrain except the quarter mile of talus. And that's stable and no big deal. I did it all in shorts but the shortcut at the end needs long pants. I had pants in my pack but it was borderline and I got thru. There's no brush at all with a shuttle but Valentine Lake had a few mosquitoes. The Sherwin Lakes TH is nearly 400 feet higher but starting there would need a shuttle for sure. That's a longer trail. Posted 2019.
• LAUREL LAKES to CONVICT LAKE - A trail connects the lakes. It's the best all trail hike for day trippers around Mammoth. I downloaded the map from peakbagger for Laurel Mtn to cover the area. The topo is generally accurate except at Mildred Lake the correct trail runs on the north shore. I left my truck at Convict then rode my cycle to the TH el 9800 on the rough road to Laurel Lakes. I walked the trail to a fork at N37 33956, W118 53429 el 10400. Left is the trail on the topo and it goes directly to Genevieve. I took the right fork that goes to Edith and then on to Genevieve where it merges with the trail on the topo. I followed it to Dorothy then down to Mildred but I took a side trip to a waterfall draining out of Dorothy. I left the trail at 32862, 52706 el 10200 then down a slope at 32873, 52654 el 10000 to get to the creek. Then I went up creek for 5 minutes to the fall. It's at 32899, 52700 el 10000. I couldn't tell if it can be reached from the top down but it can't be reached from the sides. I went down the creek to Mildred and resumed on the trail. A sixth mile past Mildred is a gushing spring below the trail where I filled up. The trail goes on down and crosses to the left bank at bridge ruins then on to Convict where it forks and the correct fork depends on where you spotted the car. That took 6 hours and the peakbagger app said it's 12 miles with 2700 gain and a mile of loss. No bugs and no wading in late August. The next day I drove to the Sherwin Lakes TH and did the Valentine Lake to Laurel Lakes hike and that got me back to my cycle. It took 5 hours. I got two great lake hikes for the price of one shuttle. Posted 2020.          
• MILDRED LAKE TRAIL - this rocky but easy trail goes from Convict Lake up a spectacular canyon. Go SE on 395 for a bit over 4 miles from the Mammoth turnoff to a big sign for Convict Lake. Follow signs on a paved road to the TH el 7600. The trail runs along the north shore then a sign points up canyon to Mildred. The trail stays on the west bank to a fork in the creek el 9000 where a huge bridge washed out. There are two crossings close together at that point. The trail resumes on the east bank at N37 33530, W118 52334 el 9050. It swithches up then on to the lake at 32787, 52399 el 9800.  A sixth mile before the lake I filled up at a gushing spring below the trail. That took 6 hours with 2200 gain. The two crossings were barely jumpable. Posted August, 2020. 
• MOUNT AGGIE el 11565 is a wuss hike if you have a jeep or OHV. Turn off 395 at the big yellow sign for Mount Morrison Rd. It's a about 6 miles SE of the Mammoth turnoff. Go a short way then turn left at a cemetery to get on the powerline road. Go SE less than a mile then the road gets close to 395 and meets road #4S48. Follow that up a canyon but don't take a steep left fork. Soon it opens up and you'll see the switchbacks. It's not steep to the top but it gets loose at 9400. After that it levels off then stay right at forks to the end where the road is blocked at a fork el 10400. Mount McGee is an easy stroll to the left at 34015, 48665 el 10886. Use the right fork for Aggie. The road fades in half a mile on the ridge top. Follow the easy ridge to where it steepens. Then angle right thru trees to a game trail at 33155, 50508 that angles up to the ridgetop. Now it's a short stroll to the summit 32746, 50575. 3 hours and 1300 gain. I could have easily drove a jeep to a turnaround at 35338, 49046 el 9100. Slides are creeping onto the road beyond there. Any 4wd can make it to the start of the switchbacks at el 7800. The low road goes on to a sunny camp with a table overlooking Convict Lake at 35205, 50908 el 8250. Posted 2020.
• BALD MOUNTAIN el 9105 has an easy 4wd road to a public cabin on the summit. The best route would be to use the Bald Mtn Rd at mp MNO 36.5 on US 395. I went in from Big Spring Campground and followed signs. Posted 2019. In 2020, the road was gated at the last mile el 8700, thanks to vandals. But they can drive around the gate.
• EARTHSCOPE PEAK el 8508 sits next to US 395 and has an easy 4wd road to the top. Turn off at mp MNO 36.5 and go NE on Bald Mtn Rd for a mile to FR 2S119. Go left for a mile and a half to the summit with equipment to measure tectonic plate movement. The last bit is steep. Posted 2019.
• COMM TOWER PEAK el 8478 sits next to US 395 and has an easy 4wd road to the top. Turn off at mp MNO 34 and follow FR 2S21 for 2 and a half miles to a fork then go left on pavement for the remaining half mile. Posted 2019.
• LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN has an easy 4wd road to the top. Take US 395 to mp MNO 30.7  then go east and north on the main dirt road to a fork at N37 43083, W118 56822. Go left there on FR 2S02 and it's 2 miles to the summit. Posted 2019.
• WEST CONTROL BENCHMARK el 8571 is related to the Mono Craters Tunnel. Turn off US 395 at mp MNO 39.7 and go a third mile on pavement then go left on graded road for a mile and a half to the Punch Bowl on the left. Keep going on the main road for 2 and a half miles to a fork at N37 50221, W119 00067 then go left for a mile on easy 4wd to the BM at 49946, 00665. Structures there are dated August, 1932 and the BM is dated 1933. Engineers reports from the 1930s about the tunnel are online. It's 11 miles long and 9 feet in diameter. Posted 2019.
• SENTINEL MEADOWS PEAK el 10200 is west of Glass Mtn. Road #1S17 is the main road running along the north side of the peak thru Crooked Meadows. Turn off that road at N37 48296, W118 47400 onto road #1S51 and go south to the next fork and go left on road #1S51C. It goes over peak 9255 and ends at el 9250. Just go up the ridge. It goes parabolic then levels off at el 9700. Stay left of some minor bumps to the reg at 46686, 46516. It's in a can that will get soaked. I took a direct route back down a ridge at 46978, 47097 el 10000. 2 hours, 15 minutes with 1000 noticeable gain. Nice forest. Crooked Meadows has a good campsite with a table along the main road. Posted 2020.

Sweetwater Mountains Area

One of the 40 rock rings I saw at peak 7826. How many did I miss?

Dry BM and the 50 foot rock circle.

The high lake near Dry BM in the Wovoka Wilderness as viewed from Bald Mtn.

Indian rock ring at Dry BM

Nugent Cabin

Big ruins at Silverado Canyon

The miners at the Kentuck Mine had a mountain paradise.

Highway 338 runs along the east side of the range. Large RVs can use pullouts at Sweetwater Summit at mp 9.8. and an airstrip is on the west side. Small rigs can camp at mp 16 and mp 19 has a large pullout. A casino at the state line on US 395 has gas, and Walker and Bridgeport also have gas but more than a dollar higher. A Family Dollar is on highway 208 about 3 miles east of US 395. The Sweetwater Mtns have light grazing but I didn't see any sign of cattle in the vast country on the east side of 338. Posted 2019.

⦁ DESERT CREEK RD departs highway 338 at mp 25.8. I didn't ride it but I know it has fords. It meets the 2wd Riuse Rd. Posted 2019.

⦁ LOBDELL BENCHMARK el 8220 has a decent high clearance road to the top. Take highway 338 to mp 21.4 and turn on FR 42192. It's mtn bikeable for anyone who can handle nearly 3000 gain in 7 and a half miles. I saw no reg. OHVs can run south on trails that follow the high country to Nye Canyon. Posted 2019.

⦁ DESERT CREEK PEAK el 8958 has an old coot route up the easy canyon from O'banion Spring. Take highway 338 to mp 19.3 and turn on easy but narrow 4wd and go 2 and a half miles to a shady camp area at the end el 6700. Take a hand saw to trim branches. The road is mtn bikeable. A thicket blocks the canyon, so use the right bank to skirt around it for a fifth mile then it clears up. A game trail goes along the left bank at N38 36525, W119 17556 el 7000 then merges back to the creekbed. It's remarkably easy to keep going west up canyon to a fork el 7800. Stay right in the creekbed to 36526, 18880 el 8350 then go right thru a passage at 36555, 18979 el 8550 then on to a passage at 36580, 19014 el 8600 that leads shortly to the saddle el 8650 which is a third mile south of the summit. Weave less than a tenth mile to 36657, 19065 el 8750 then it's clear walking left of center for the last quarter mile to the summit. I ascended using the tedious north rim and descended the canyon, but the canyon is way better. Going up and down the canyon would be less than a 4 hour hike with 2300 gain, never steep. Light brush is not an issue with long pants. Hiking from the highway would add 2 hours. Posted 2019.

⦁ BALD MOUNTAIN, PINE GROVE HILLS HIGH POINT, WILEY BM  -  Take highway 338 to mp 13.6 and turn at the sign for Nye Canyon. Drive east on the floor for 3.9 miles to FR 42031 at a sign for Sand Canyon. Go left for a mile and a half to where it tops out then go left for .8 mile along shady camps and park el 7550. Walk north on an OHV trail for 300 feet then take an easy angle up to a plateau at N38 35822, W119 10352 el 7750. An Indian rock ring is at 35758, 10443 el 7800. Another is 100 feet to the west. The Wiley BM el 7908 is 600 feet to the south, no sign of hikers. The best ring I saw is at 35814, 10583 el 7750. It took me 25 minutes to get to the BM with nearly 400 gain. I went up on peak 8128 to the east and found more rings. One is on the way up at 36134, 09150 then one is on top at 36439, 08877. A possible one is at 36398, 08435 and another for sure is at 36261, 08190. I saw a lot of flat rocks standing on edge.That's a pristine plateau and I didn't cover a quarter of it. Return to Nye Canyon and go up a third mile to FR 42193 and follow that up Dead Ox Canyon and it tops out on a nice plateau then it's obvious how to drive within a third mile of the Pine Grove Hills HP, which is at 38202,  05794 el 8648. No reg, but there was one of a different sort on Rockland BM less than a mile to the north. That made me think there is a 4wd road up Rockland Canyon that's still passable. The roads running north to Lobdell BM are now OHV trails.  Return to Nye Canyon and take the other fork and it goes all the way up to el 9000+ next to Bald Mtn. One of the first eroded hills has a road bypassing on the right. At el 7800 is the end of easy 4wd. Only rock crawling jeeps and OHVs go beyond there for the remaining 3 and a half miles. It smooths out for the last 2 miles. The summit is at 32068, 06923 el 9544. 4wds no wider than jeeps still easily make these roads, but some are hard on paint. Posted 2019.

⦁ BALD MOUNTAIN WEST RIDGE - this is an easy route for hikers who prefer a natural setting. And there are darn few of us. Turn off highway 338 at Sweetwater Summit and go east on FR861 to the last fork at N38 31421, W119 10942 el 7050. If signs are down just stay left at forks to get there. Stay left at that fork for 2/3 mile to el 7200+ where the topo shows the road ends. It's easy 4wd to there with shady camps but OHVs can go another third mile on rocks to the end in a canyon on the SW side of peak 7511. I walked up canyon and found a rock ring on the right bank at 31905, 09960 el 7500. I went on up canyon until brush became a nuisance then went up the north slope at 31752, 09221 el 7950. I stayed on the high ground to 31832, 07362 el 9400 where I could see the summit a half mile away. On the return I wandered the flat at the rock ring and found several more, the best being at 31749, 10137 on the south side of peak 7511. It took 2 and a half hours to get to the summit with 2300 gain, mostly easy. I could do this in shorts but a few places are borderline. No sign of modern man except a few ancient cans. Mtn bikes could would work on these roads. Posted 2020.

⦁ PEAK 7826 is at the south end of Bald Mtn. It was an Indian hotspot. I counted 40 rock rings around it. I went in on the jeep road from Long Doctor Spring and walked up the easy canyon on the north side and on to the north saddle el 7650. I saw two rings there then went up to the NW slope and saw a bunch there. Two rings are tucked in a rugged area on the south side at N38 2920, W119 09580 el 7700. More are on the south ridge with a good one at 28995, 09375. Another good one is at 28749, 09312 and another 400 feet past that. Near the end of the ridge is one at 28463, 09259 and one 200 feet SE of that. Two more good ones are at 28383, 0925 and then I turned back north and cut over to the next ridge west. I saw several along the way but the only good one is at 28867, 09555. I retraced back to the north saddle el 7650 then dropped NW to the saddle east of peak 7487 and found two rings there. I spent 5 hours with 2000 gain according to the peakbagger app I was using. Good forest, no brush. Posted 2020.

⦁ MIDDLE SISTER, WILD HORSE MOUNTAIN are easy peaks for anyone with a jeep.  Take highway 338 to mp 12.3 and turn on the bumpy, 2wd Riuse Rd. Go a little over 7 miles on that then go south on 4wd FR 22482 reading N38 35144, W119 19559. I saw 2 SUVs coming out. The first mile along Jackass Creek has rubbly patches then smoothes out at a small clearing el 7100. For DON BENCHMARK el 7942, I went up the ridge from the clearing by way of point 7619 and came down the next one to the east which is less cluttered. To go up that one, start up at 34434, 19679 el 7150 and soon it's best to stay low to the right of center until that ridge merges with the other one at el 7600 then weave on thru the pinyons to the survey junk at 34327, 18765. 2 hours, 900 gain, some light brush. I followed the road on up Jackass Creek to 32006, 22463 then turned right on a grassy road that soon joined a more used road that tops out at el 8300 north of WILD HORSE MTN summit. I walked thru light brush to a clearing east of the summit and circled to survey junk at 31713, 23563 el 8690, no sign of hikers. I then followed the road east and it merged back with the main road and on to a fork at 30576, 21204. A bad spot just before that can be passed on the left. I went left at the fork down to Desert Creek where a cowboy was parked in a pickup. Then I stayed on the road going down along the creek and it took me into Coyote Creek to el 8700 where the road goes to hell. I hiked on up the road and it tops out on the west ridge of Middle Sister next to peak 9135. It's a bald ridge then nice forest to the summit at 30468, 17714 el 10854. That took 3 hours with 2100 gain. It can be done in shorts. The cowboy told me he drove in from the west on the Riuse Rd then turned off at Upper Risue Canyon Spring. I rode a cycle in but could have drove a jeep the whole way, but that will change. I didn't check the road on to Lobdell Lake. The topo shows all the roads. Posted 2019.

⦁ MYSTERY PITS - these are off the Riuse Rd and took a lot of work to make. If the Indians did it, it's the first of their kind I've seen. Take highway 338 to mp 12.3 and turn on the bumpy, 2wd Riuse Rd. Go about 4.3 miles on that then go right on FR22502 and drive a across a lake bed. The pits are on the far side in the trees at N38 34506, W119 16898 el 7150. A rocky OHV trail keeps going to an upper lake el 7400 with more bear poop than I've ever seen. It was a poop-a-thon. Posted 2019.

⦁ MOUNT PATTERSON EAST APPROACH - a trail in Sweetwater Canyon makes for the most enjoyable hike to the peak for poor people who don't have a rig they can drive to the summit. The trail is close to what the USGS topo shows. Turn off highway 338 at mp 9.9 and follow the main road into the canyon. The first good camp is at N38 28721, W119 15189 el 7450. It's easy 4wd that far but gets harder, though nothing serious, to the well kept Nugent Cabin at 27977, 16349 el 8100+. 4wds and cycles can go another quarter mile and park at 27932, 16584 el 8300 where the road turns into a soft OHV trail. It's a half mile to the end of the OHV trail where the foot trail starts at el 8800. It switches up and goes on to the only stream crossing at 27145, 17367 el 9300 where there is a good forest for a basecamp.I don't filter the stream water because it rises a short way up canyon and nothing is around to pollute it. The trail fades but I found it again at 27049, 17474 el 9400 then it enters another forest with cabin ruins. I picked it up again at 26859, 17887 el 9800 then it fades at el 10000 near the Angelo Mission Mine but isn't needed anymore. It's obvious how to go on up to the head of the canyon and use a road segment for the final stretch to the ridgetop to the left of peak 10970. But it's hard to get on the road segment. I had to cut steps. It's better to follow along under the road and top out where the road does. Then a jeep road goes to the summit at 26199, 18312 el 11673. 5 hours, 3400 gain, rarely steep. I wore shorts but a pocket saw would be handy to trim scrub. I saw a car at the mouth of the canyon. Starting there would add about 3 easy miles each way.  The road is mostly mtn bikeable. If the cabin is available then that's just icing on the cake. I doubt there is a weekend all summer when the cabin is vacant. This is the second best canyon in the range. I was only planning a hike to the mine then saw how it easy it was to go on up to the peak. ALTERNATE DESCENT - in 2020 I used the east ridge for the descent. I walked off the summit following the main road that is still in use. It drops along the south side of the ridge and ends just before peak 10831 where a rough section blocked the miners' bulldozer. But a game trail makes it easy to drop to the saddle next to peak 10831. I could see that it would be easy to drop north from the saddle and follow a scenic fork of Sweetwater Canyon back to the trail, but I stayed on the ridge and came to peak 10943. I went halfway up that then cut along the right side and came to peak 10958. I went level along the left side of that one. The ground was just right, not too soft, not too hard. I hit the north ridge of that peak at 26579, 16603 then went down to 27096, 16467 el 10050 and on down the ridge to the final leg at 27638, 16685 el 8950. I crossed the creek next to the parking spot. That makes for a 6 hour hike but well worth it. It provides a colorful glimpse of what these high ridges looked like before the miners carved them up. No brush, no wading. I'll post a track on peakbagger.com. Posted August, 2019, 2020.

⦁ MOUNT PATTERSON TRAVERSE - in 2020 I went up Sweetwater Canyon to the peak then down Ferris Canyon. I left a cycle at the mouth of Silverado Canyon then rode another one up Sweetwater Canyon to el 8300. I repeated the hike to the peak that I did in 2019 then walked off the summit to a mine road in a fork of  Ferris at N38 26186, W119 17968 el 11300. I followed that down to a mega spring el 10150 on the main canyon floor which is where I ended my first hike into that canyon in 2019. Then I climbed up onto the high right bank at 25795, 17252 el 10100 and walked thru a rock field. I avoided drifting too far left where it's rougher. That lasted half a mile then I crossed to the left bank at 26011, 16568 el 9500 then in a tenth mile went back to the right bank. After another tenth mile or so I crossed again then up the right side of a gully at 26063, 16305 el 9500. I gained 300 feet to a cabin el 9800 at the Kentuck Mine then went up a few feet behind the cabin to a road. I followed that down canyon to a metal cabin where the road forks. I stayed on the high road which is still used by OHVs and followed it down to my cycle. That took a bit over 7 hours with 4000 gain, 700 of it being on the descent leg. Not much is steep. I wore shorts the whole way and the creeks were easily jumpable. The next day I walked for an hour up Sweetwater Canyon to retrieve the other cycle. The canyons are the main attractions as the summit plateau is covered with tire tracks. Posted August, 2020.

⦁ SOUTH SISTER el 11300+ - a loop can be done up the trail in Sweetwater Canyon then down a dirt bike trail on the east ridge. Turn off highway 338 at mp 9.9 and follow the main road into the canyon. Some shady camps are near the first crossing. Drive on to the end point of the hike at N38 28465, W119 15724 el 7700. A small camp is 200 feet more up the road. I started walking there on up the road to the end where the foot trail starts at el 8800. It switches up and goes on to the only stream crossing at 27145, 17367 el 9300. It fades but I found it again at 27049, 17474 el 9400 then it enters another forest with cabin ruins. I picked it up again at 26859, 17887 el 9800 then it fades at el 10000 near the Angelo Mission Mine but isn't needed anymore. It's obvious how to go on up to the head of the canyon and use a road segment for the final stretch to the ridgetop to the left of peak 10970. But it's hard to get on the road segment. I had to cut steps.  It's better to follow along under the road and top out where the road does.  Then I headed for 27392, 18547 el 11050 and leveled off just above a handy snow patch. I soon merged with a jeep road and went downhill then up to 27693, 18201 el 10850 where I left the road and walked an easy angle to the right to get on the ridgetop where the rest to the peak was in view. A dirt bike trail goes to the summit at 28975, 17996 then down the east ridge on rubble and scree. It's easy to walk but I wouldn't ride it. At 29088, 16689 el 9900 the trail goes down the final leg to a road el 9000. It's all chewed up along there from riders trying to go uphill. That's a lost cause. I walked the road to a T el 8950 and went right to the end then down a clearing to 28874, 16119 el 8850 where I started weaving to the left to get to the final ridge down at 28699, 15924 el 8500. That part was soft like going down a sand dune. That took 7 hours with a little over 4000 gain. I wore shorts but the final descent ridge was getting dicey. Posted August 4, 2020.

⦁ FERRIS CANYON is the best canyon in the range, 99.9 percent pristine. One way in is to drop down from the Kentuck Mine. Take highway 338 to mp 6.3 and turn on the Atchison Road and follow it straight out to Silverado Canyon. The road crosses the creek near the mouth then 50 feet after that is a road climbing up the south rim. 4wds and cycles have to park at N38 26837, W119 14083 el 7750 but OHVs can go on up. I walked up the rim to el 9150 where an unused road forks left, but it was unwalkable so I stayed on the main road to 26404, 15473 el 9750 where a left fork took me downhill to another fork. OHVs go left to a metal cabin, the barely walkable right fork goes on to the mine in a gorgeous stand of trees el 9800. One cabin remains standing in a wide gully. I dropped down the gully straight to the creek and got on the left bank el 9350 then went along and crossed back to the right bank then back to the left bank at 26020, 16602 el 9550 and then directly up to a higher level at 25927, 16715 el 9750. The creek was barely jumpable.  It was easy walking for just over a half mile to a mega spring at 25793, 17393 el 10150. Miners had a road coming down from the north rim which is the only human impact I saw in the upper canyon. They didn't miss anything. It looked easy to go up canyon to Patterson. I retraced back out and tried to stay on the south bank and avoid crossings but that backfired. That took 6 and a half hours with nearly 4000 gain, 700 of it on the return. I did the whole enchilada in shorts but almost used long pants along the creek. This is an easy hike with an OHV allowing for a start at el 9600 near the Tiger Mines. The OHV trail had hardly any erosion. Posted August, 2019.

⦁ SILVERADO PEAK el 10958 is what I call the one at the head of Silverado Canyon. The OHV trails on the rims of the canyon can be used. Take highway 338 to mp 6.3 and turn on the Atchison Road and follow it straight out to the mouth of the canyon where there are large ruins el 7600. It's easy 4wd that far then OHVs only up the north rim. I got a cycle to N38 27088, W119 15534 el 9000 where the trail turned steep and loose. I walked on up the main trail and stayed left at the next fork then right at the one after that to get on top of the rim. The trail faded at el 10200 then it was simple to go on up to the summit at 26513, 16603. Hikers who start at the mouth could descend the OHV trail on the south rim making for a good loop. The road along the north slope of the peak cannot be used to connect a loop. A gap at el 10000 shown on the topo is not a mistake. It has slid out there and only helicopters can get across. How many hikers have helicopters? Posted 2019.

⦁  DRY BENCHMARK el 8136 sits in an area of dry lakes 3 miles east of Bald Mountain. The lakes have rare plants so tread lightly. Camping is banned on them. One route is to come in from the SW. Take highway 338 to mp 2.7 and turn on the graded Sweetwater Rd. Go a mile and a third then go left thru a metal gate just before a bridge. Follow easy 4wd along the north bank of the river for 3/4 mile then go left for 2 and a half miles and park at point 6398.  There are no issues until the last mile where there is a sharp dip and more erosion. Jeeps easily make it thru to point 6398.  I walked the flats to the south canyon at N38 29218, W119 05091 el 6550 then had an easy stroll up canyon to a mini lake el 7300 with a rock circle 50 feet across at the west base of the peak. Then I walked half a mile NE to el 7250 where I had a view of the lower lake. Next, I turned SE to the north ridge of the BM. I found 2 possible Indian rock rings then a third which is a sure thing at 31515, 03283 el 7400. The others are at 31521, 03267 then one with big rocks around a tree at 31547, 03259. Then I went up to the BM at 31145, 03354 which had no sign of hikers then over to the south summit and found nothing. I descended to the mini lake but might have saved a little effort by heading straight down to good rock rings at 31025, 03796 el 7400 then 31053, 03837 el 7400. Then I found another possible ring with a view at 30896, 03773 el 7450.  I dropped back to the canyon and retraced out. It's a 5 or 6 hour hike with only 900 feet of noticeable gain. 99 percent can be done in shorts. The high lake to the west is the most scenic one and could be included, but would add an hour and 600 gain. BACKPACKERS VERSION - backpackers could start out using the Bald Mtn hike then drop to the high lake and go on thru one way.  I dropped off where the road barely dips below el 9000 about half a mile south of the summit. Then I went straight down for a third mile then curved to N38 31534, W119 06021 el 8250 then on to the bottom at 31444, 05648 el 7800. I easily weaved thru sagebrush to the lake then on to a passage at 31507, 04663 el 7800. I stayed along the right side of that in the trees to 31310, 04480 el 7900 where I dropped down to the left in a perfect pinyon forest. I hit bottom at the mini lake el 7300. This route needs long pants for light brush. Posted 2019.

⦁ RIUSE ROAD is a bumpy 2wd road running east/west across the range.  Turn off US 395 at mp MNO 114.7 and go 3 and a half miles to the end of pavement to a T. Go left on a graded road that soon becomes high clearance only. After about 8 miles on dirt there is a maze of forks. The right fork is how ranchers drive to Jackass Flat. Stay left thru a cattleguard on FR 42050 and in less than a mile the road will top out where FR 42152 goes left for a mile and a half to Pine Nut Benchmark reading N38 36650, W119 21915 el 7865. A spur road goes up the north ridge of it. Back on the main road, it drops down to Desert Creek where there are shady camps and goes on to highway 338 at mp  12.3. There are long sections of bumpy road where small rocks are embedded, but that doesn't stop large travel trailers being hauled in. Posted 2019.

⦁ LOBDELL LAKE el 9200 is the standard route for the Mount Patterson ascent. Take US 95 to mp MNO 91.6 and turn at a sign for Burcham Flat. Go 4 and a half miles on graded road to FR 32067 then it's nearly 7 miles to the lake on a packed dirt high clearance road. The road soon goes to hell beyond the lake and some people walk to the summit. PEAK 10452 is a peak with a gorgeous forest south of the lake. A road goes a mile from the lake to a closure el 9450 on Deep Creek. I walked a fifth mile up the closed road then up a ridge at N38 25651, W119 20786 el 9600. At el 10200  I curved toward the reg at 25184, 21173. That took 90 minutes with 1000 gain. There ought to be a law that says every forest has to be as good as this one. Shady camps are along FR 32067. The Burcham road goes on north for a dozen miles to Walker but is not good for cars even though it is maintained. It has shady camps along it. Posted 2019.

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  Mount Patterson on August 18, 2019. The couple on the left were married on the summit exactly 2 years earlier. The rest came from the Bay area and drove up the west side in a Lexus and 4runner. They drove down the east side.