- Sheep herders were on Middle Mountain decades ago. I didn't realize that until after the hike. I followed their route as far as upper Blue Castle Canyon then took a route I could see goes to the top. The herders likely went to the head of Blue Castle at point 6317 then up. I will try that next time and make a loop. Posted 2024.
- Middle Mountain el 7022 is NW of Green River. It's too long a hike for one day. An ancient stock trail climbs out of Blue Castle Canyon to el 5300. It tops out on the rim a half mile west of Blue Castle Butte where the rim turns north then it's a rim walk to the upper part of the canyon for base camp. It took me 3 hours from the parking spot on the north side of Blue Castle. The 700 gain up the trail is the only strain. The west side river road is paved to N39 05107, W110 08834 where a 4wd goes left for about 2 miles and drops into the wash on the north side of Blue Castle. I was able to ride my 125 a short way up the wash then walked it until I was reading 450 feet from the trail which starts at 05525, 12827 el 4700. A gully there with cairns leads 450 feet to the trail. It goes up and bends left then back right up to 05355, 12898 el 5050 then to 05331, 12990 el 5200 where it goes up to the base of the rim cliffs then right along that to the top at 05332, 13106 el 5300. A million cairns are there now so GPS shouldn't be needed once on the trail. I strolled up the rim to the upper part of the canyon where " canyon " appears on the topo. That's where the cottonwoods and seasonal water are. The class 2 drop in point is at 06138, 14986 el 5650. A tenth mile past that on the rim were a bunch of potholes with water. I dropped to the creekbed and started to panic when I saw it bone dry as opposed to intermittent flow on May 12, 2023 ( I found the rim potholes the next day ). I went up canyon and wet sand cheered me up then I came to a puddle shaded by a flat rock. Not much but it bailed me out. 10 minutes or so up canyon is a dry fall with pools of water on top. A sheep trail goes up around the right to it. Then comes a slot that is blocked. MIDDLE MOUNTAIN - for that, climb a slope up to the east rim but the final climb is a 15 foot class 3 crack which tops out at 06228, 15107 el 5650. It's easier going down than up. Then stroll down nearly a mile downstream to a canyon and go up the creekbed until 200 feet from 06560, 13877 then go up to it and level off to get into the right fork. Then go up a slope to a stairway at 06480, 13798 el 5900 that leads to the top of the ridge then it's obvious up that to the rim at 06782, 13691 el 6400. Some old cans are there. It's a good pj forest on to the summit at 08704, 16134 that had nothing, not even a cairn. Along the way were more cans at 07668, 15526 then at 08016, 15588 is a survey marker dated 1930. That took 7 hours with 1000 strenuous gain. UPPER CANYON - to get to the end of the canyon, walk either rim though the east one is shorter. Before the first fall, go left up a ridge with cairns at 07028, 15358 then bend right to 07064, 15434. Go up a little more to a shelf then level off to the top of the fall. The next fall has an obvious route around the left then it's a stroll to the main rim el 6317 where I stopped but later figured out that sheep herders must have had a route on up the rim. Peak 6572 looked climbable. That's a 2 or 3 hour hike with 400 strenuous gain. It's best to do this over 3 days, 2 nights. I did it in 2 days and one night but had 10 hours of hiking one of the days. And going in late April reduces the chances of water issues. Every storm will leave behind thousands of potholes with water. Posted May 18, 2024.
HIKES ON THIS BLOG ARE FOR EXPERIENCED HIKING FANATICS ONLY. INFO HAS NOT BEEN CHECKED. All times listed are round trip. Any issues not mentioned such as brush, wading, tricky climbs etc usually means that they weren't an issue. Peakbagger is the main map app I use but Natural Atlas has a free version that shows more trails with mileages. Caltopo is the best web based map. "Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there".
Sunday, May 26, 2024
Middle Mountain Backpack, Utah
Friday, May 3, 2024
Meadow Valley Mountains, Nevada
Indian trail heading toward Bunker BM |
- BUNKER BENCHMARK el 4141 is the high point of the Bunker Hills. A good loop goes up the south canyon and down the east side on Indian trails. Take the Meadow Valley Road to the end of pavement then go another 5 miles to a fence at N36 51331, W114 40117. I could have drove a car all but the last 2 or 3 miles and ebiked it. Walk up canyon on the north edge and soon there is a fall. I went up a risky chute but it's safer to go up on the north bank to get around. Go on up and turn north at peak 2921. I had to go around the west side of the peak to dodge a fall. The reading is 51230, 44027. I went up that little canyon for 600 feet then took a trail on a tiny ridge to get into the main fork going north. Turn right at 52337, 44648 el 3200 to get south of the peak then go up a ridge at 52552, 44481 to get on the south ridge. I left my pack on the ridge then went up and came back down to the saddle north of peak 3742. I dropped down the drainage to the first little drop then went right to get on the ridge then down to the wash. At 52621, 43392 there is a faint trail on a smooth ridge. I went on down to 52685, 42951 where the trail vanished. I kept going down to 52634, 42598 then hit another trail at 52610, 42141. I walked it to 52593, 41605 then 52485, 41311 then at 52369, 40512 it goes down a ridge left of center to the road. A bike stashed there would have saved me a mile back to the start. Not counting the road walk, it took 6 hours, 8 minutes and 11.4 miles with 2300 gain but the first 1400 is easy washes. I put a track on peakbagger. The last bit of trail gets rocky. Posted 2024.
- FARRIER WASH INDIAN TRAIL - this trail runs north of the wash and likely connects to Arrow Canyon. I walked it west from the Meadow Valley Rd then back along the wash. I took the Meadow Valley Rd to the end of pavement the went another 1.3 miles and parked just south of Farrier Wash. I rode my Zizzo on north and soon there is a RR crossing but bikes can stay on the east side for another mile then pass under a low trestle and on to a wash at N36 49656, W114 39593. I walked a fifth mile up the wash and the trail is obvious going up the right bank. In a few feet it forks, I stayed left on to a wash crossing at 49543, 40903. It runs up a minor wash for .14 mile then goes up on the left bank. It stays low along the right side of hills to 49718, 41473 then enters a wash at 49792, 41729. I stayed in the wash then turned left up a gully at 49783, 41948. I went up it 300 feet then left to the rim then went right to the trail at 49793, 42105. It goes down to a wash then I went up that to the trail at 49662, 42780 then on to 49575, 43044 then to 49580, 43366 then it goes a third mile to the rim of Farrier. I dropped down to the wash but that's a boring OHV route. It's better to stay on the rim and walk it down to near peak 2132 then cut over the south bank at 47954, 40891. Then walk along the edge and soon a trail crosses then there is a small rock ring. Next, a hill is in the way so I veered right to a ridge at 48287, 40193 and it has a rock ring at the base. I walked the ridge staying on the right edge on to a point then left down a gully a gully to the tracks and my cycle. Another trail is running the base there. 4 hours, 9 or 10 miles, hardly an noticeable gain. I had a Verizon signal on the rim of Farrier. Posted 2024.
- MEADOW VALLEY MOUNTAINS high point el 5700 is informally known as Cathedral Peak. Take US 93 to mp LN 7.6. Turn onto the graded Kane Springs Rd and go nearly 11 miles to a short side road at N37 02984, W114 50170. You can see the entire route from there. Walk to a minor ridge at 02407, 49379 el 3250. Follow that as it swings left and goes all the way to the main canyon mouth. Go up canyon until walls close in at el 4600. Here it's best to use sheep trails up on the left bank. When those fizzle out you come back to the creekbed and it really goes parabolic. Aim for the main saddle at 01688, 47666 el 5200. Now go up the easy ridge to the summit block. A class 3 crack on the SW side at 01860, 47573 is the easiest route up. It's not dangerous. 5 hours and 6 minutes, 2800 gain. Plane wreckage is along the way. I found a pair of Craftsman locking pliers clamped on one piece. An RV pullout is along the graded road nearly a mile in from US 93. Posted 2015.
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