 |
| The west side road has quite a history. |
⦁ The graded Desert Mound Rd runs along the south side and has camp spots with a good cell signal.
⦁ ANTELOPE RANGE HIGH POINT el 7440+ has a rubbly jeep road up from the Desert Mound Rd just north of Joel Spring like the topo shows. It's 4 miles to the end then a tenth mile of walking to the summit. The only issue I saw for jeeps is a narrow spot at el 7100 where a rut might be too deep. But it's a short hike from there. Another option is to do the Silver Peak hike then keep going up the west fork of Silver Canyon and get two peaks for one. Posted 2021.
⦁ SILVER PEAK el 7273 has a logging trail up Silver Canyon making it easy to get to the NE ridge. Take highway 56 to the Desert Mound Rd then go west another tenth mile to a 4wd road. It's ebikeable to the end el 6480. Just follow the logging trail up canyon to the first main fork and make a U-turn up the rim. I was reading N37 40950, W113 27038 el 6600 there. 80 minutes, 800 gain, all easy. Good pj forest, rocky soil, no brush. Posted 2021.
⦁ CHLORIDE PEAK el 7079 is what I call the one on the north rim of Chloride Canyon. The topo shows a road out of the canyon nearly to the rim, but the last part is overgrowing. The west side road was recently graded as far as the turnoff to the canyon at N37 45216, W113 29708 but there is some sand . 4wds could still drive up canyon to the fork where the left one goes up toward the rim. I got my 125 to the first switchback el 6200 but could have gone to the second one. No vehicle goes beyond there. At the third switchback I stayed left to a faint horse trail at 44872, 27477 and followed it up to the left to the rim then strolled to the summit cairn at 45151, 27526. That took 2 hours with 900 gain. Nice forest. I wouldn't take a car on any road here but I would take an ebike. Posted 2021.
⦁ ANTELOPE PEAK el 6557 has a 4wd road to the east base el 5800. The graded Antelope Rd runs along the north side of the range. The 4wd road goes south from it at el 5349 and up a wash like the topo shows. At N37 45793, W113 24350 it goes up on the right bank then soon a fork goes toward the peak. I hiked up to a gully at 45641, 25446 el 6300 to get on the north ridge which has a faint trail to the no name BM on the summit. 1 hour, 750 gain. This area is a nice pj forest with no cattle or horses to stink it up. I was camped on the Desert Mound Rd and so I rode north on my 125 from el 5944 and soon hit a private gate. I inferred it was OK to pass because there was no lock and not even a fence when I crossed back to BLM land. I went by Hidden Spring, which hasn't had water since God was a baby. After the peak I went on to the Antelope Rd and circled back on the county road along the west base, which was only partially graded. These are good cycle roads since rocks are rare. Posted 2021.
⦁ RED HILLS HIGH POINT el 6800+ has a 4wd road up the NW canyon. Take the Desert Mound Rd to N37 40835, W113 24648 and drive up canyon nearly 2 miles to the end at the west saddle el 6640 of peak 6797. It's mtn bikeable. Walk under peak 6797 to the north ridge at 39479, 18677 el 6720 then it's nearly a fifth mile on to the summit. Half an hour, nearly 200 gain, nice forest. This is mainly an excuse to a take a bike ride. Posted 2021.
⦁ SWETT HILLS HIGHPOINT el 7028 - the BLM "restored" this area by cutting down the trees. It's an unwalkable mess. The NW ridge still has a forest. The graded Comstock Rd runs along the west side. It crosses RR tracks and there a road runs north along the east side of the tracks. In a third mile it leaves the tracks and bends toward the peak. Stay on the road heading to the NW ridge. It ends at a quarry next to point 6002. I went up to an easy crack at N37 39479, W113 18677 then on up and stayed left of the cut area to the summit at 39352, 18224. 90 minutes, 1100 gain. The road in has a sandy crossing but is mtn bikeable. A good cell signal here makes it easy to see the roads on the sat image. Posted 2021.
⦁ HIGH BENCHMARK el 6685 is the high point of the Eight Mile Hills. I made a loop on the high ridge. The paved Desert Mound Rd runs along the north side. I parked along there and walked to a canyon at N37 42144, W113 14357 el 6100. I followed a bad road up that to a saddle then took an easy angle up to the south peak at 41649, 14341 el 6600+. Then I walked north half a mile to the BM dated 1948. I circled to survey junk on peak 6528 at 41992,13554 then dropped north back to the road. 2 hours, less than 1000 gain, all easy. Nice pj forest but rocky soil. SWETT PEAK el 6725 is nearby. A 4wd road departs from the Desert Mound Rd at 42249, 14797. That goes north a third mile to a road forking left. That road soon tops out el 6150 and it's a good place to start the climb to the west saddle then up to the summit at 42759, 15023. 1 hour, 500 gain. The east saddle is not an option because it has a new cabin. Posted 2021.
