Hot Creek Range Area

The Hot Creek hiking club. Oh sure, I could travel that light too if I ate grass and only drank once or twice a week.

"The peak that never was". Amethyst Peak, on the right, doesn't exist according to peakbagger.com. The same goes for Flagstaff Mtn.

The hot pool at Warm Springs is free to the public but trash left by slobs might change that.

Legend has it that this drill casing was flush with the ground before detonation. The ground sank 8 feet.

"If your'e in the Morey area, it's worth taking 3 hours or so for the short rugged side trip to the impressive waterfall in South Canyon near Morey town." John Hart, 1981.

An east side road starts at mp NY 60.9 on US 6 and runs north for 90 miles to mp EU 47 on US 50, about a dozen miles south of Eureka. There is only one main road to follow. The first 30 miles, almost to Moores Station, is graded. The next 30 miles hasn't been graded in years but is 2wd when dry. The last 30 miles is graded with the last 8 of that paved. I pulled a camp trailer with no problem but that middle 30 miles needs some maintenance. A VZ cell tower is on US 6 but is blocked in a few miles. I had a signal about 20 miles north of Moores but it lasted a couple of miles and there was nothing until Eureka. There is no gas or store for the 160 miles from Tonopah to Eureka. Posted 2018.

• VERIZON PEAK el 7550+ is at the south end of the range. Turn off US 6 at mp NY 47.5 and go 3 miles on 4wd to the summit with a cell tower. Shady camps are along the way. Posted 2018.
• RAWHIDE MOUNTAIN el 9169 is an easy one. Turn off US 6 at mp NY  53.6 and go 1.7 miles to a fork. Go left up a wash and stay on the main road to Crystal Canyon at N38 15877, W116 27057 el 6650. Turn there and stay right at forks to a shady camp at the end of the legal road reading 17292, 26006 el 7850. It's all easy 4wd for now but the last third mile will washout or slide someday. Walk the closed road up onto the NW ridge el 8250. Boulders fell on the road in case you're thinking about cheating. Go up the ridge and be on the lookout for a mine trail. I didn't see it until a mine camp at el 8750. It climbs along the north side thru a nice forest then to the NE saddle el 8900. Then you have the option to go over to the BM on the NE summit at 17807, 24758. Then come back over the high point at 17347, 25316 and back to the start. I wanted to check out Charcoal Basin so I descend from the BM on the easy NW ridge to 18327, 24873 el 8150. I had a drainage on my left and followed it down then dropped left into it at 18723, 24631. I found potholes with water when I hit bottom el 6750. A tenth mile downstream is a minor fall with bigger potholes. I had to turn back there and went upstream to 18441, 25948 el 7151 then on to a fork at 18044, 26465 el 7350 that took me to the main saddle el 7700 east of Peach Peak. Then it was half a mile back to the start. That took me 5 and a half 6 hours with about 3000 gain, none of it steep. There is no need to drive higher than a fork at el 7600 if doing this loop. The basin has a pristine pj forest. No cattle or horses. The topo map from the peakbagger.com app covers the loop I did. Posted 2018.
• MUSIC CANYON is the first item of interest on the east side. Turn off US 6 at mp NY 60.9 and follow the graded east side road for about 4 miles to a main fork. Turn south there on a crude road for 3 and a half miles then turn right and go a mile to the mouth. 4wds make it a couple miles up canyon to a sharp gully at N38 18795, W116 23404 el 6300. OHVs can go another 2 miles to the end of the road at 19349, 24891 el 6800. The road goes up onto the left bank a quarter air mile before the end. A tenth mile past the end is a well in the wash that filled in with sand. Backpackers can make use of this area. The arm that drains Charcoal Basin has a 20 foot fall at the mouth reading 18880, 24655 el 6600. Large potholes are at the top of the fall and more a tenth mile up canyon. Those hold water for weeks but you have to go 200 feet up over the east rim to get in. Then it's fairly easy to go up into the basin and take a day trip over Rawhide like I did. It's a pristine pj forest there. RED ROCK CANYON is the next canyon north. The turnoff for that is at 20329, 19819. It's easy 4wd to the mouth then OHVs only for the next mile to the end of the road. Nice rock formations. Posted 2018.
• AMETHYST PEAK el 8975 has routes up the north side. Turn off US 6 at mp NY 60.9 and follow the graded east side road for about 4 miles to a main fork. Go left for 4.5 miles to Tybo where the graded road ends. Keep going up canyon another mile to a huge tank then a tenth mile past that is a logging road going left up Cottonwood Canyon reading N38 22175, W116 25102. Follow that a quarter mile and it fades at a thicket with a spring el 6900. Walk the left bank for a third mile to a main fork then get on the ridge between the forks and soon everything is in view. The wide gully to the right of the summit is how sheep go up. I went straight at it with a lot of weaving thru dense trees and came upon a foundation built by loggers at 21001, 25527 el 8050. The wide gully is not far above that and it's obvious how to go up that to the summit ridge then left to a reg at 20827, 25353. It was placed by the Desert Survivors in 1992 and there was no one since. It needs a jar and book. 3 and a half hours, 2100 gain. The logging road and trails are too overgrown to be of any use. The main road keeps going up canyon from Tybo to a left fork at 22337, 25644 el 7000. That fork goes a tenth mile to a shady camp next to Mule Shoe Spring. Not far beyond that are well preserved kilns. The road goes on west past the kilns and soon fades. That was the stage road to Belmont. Back on  the main road, it bends north into Empire Canyon and then at 25168, 27796 el 7050 there is an OHV trail forking left. I rode it for 4.5 miles to the end in White Rock Canyon. The main road goes on another fifth mile to a clean cabin with a fireplace. That's what everyone drives out there for. Keep it clean. Just past the cabin is a main fork. Stay left and the road will top out at el 7550. It's easy 4wd all the way from Tybo to that point. CINE MOUNTAIN NORTH SUMMIT el 8578 is directly up the ridge at 26083, 27152. That's a 75 minute hike with 1000 gain. Drive out the same way because the road cutting over to Keystone Canyon is a rocky nightmare. Tybo has a lot of good mine ruins. Two houses are still occupied. The mines have been dormant since WW2, but the owners spent $600,000 in 1986 to run power lines in expecting to re-open soon. But it never happened. Because of some strange law, the power company is required to maintain service to the first house but won't hook up to the second one. All this info came from Bo Bottiggi who lives in the second house. Posted 2018.
• FLAGSTAFF MOUNTAIN el 8800+ has a trail to el 8100 on the north ridge. Turn off the east side road at N38 27044, W116 20388 and follow a road up into Keystone Canyon. Stay on the main road to 28085, 24922 el 7350 and turn right on a steep road. I went as far as a bad spot el 7600. Walk the road to where it tops out on the north ridge el 7950 then go up the ridge using a mine trail left of center. That peters out in a tenth mile but it's easy to go on up to the summit at 27924, 24027. 100 minutes, 1200 gain. For HOT CREEK BENCHMARK el 8843, continue north on the main road for nearly a mile to a main fork in Dominion Canyon. Go left up canyon for about 2 and a half miles to a cabin el 7350 and park. Walk up the slope to an unused road at 29544, 26873 el 7550. That road ends at el 7950 then just keep going up to the summit at 30045, 25485. Scree starts at el 8400 but I spiraled up to the right and it wasn't bad. That took 2 and a half hours with 1500 gain. Back at the main fork in Dominion Canyon, the other road goes down canyon but is washed out in less than a mile. Another road branching off of that one goes north up a side canyon past cabins and tops out at el 7800. A rough OHV track goes on north to Mountain View. The roads here get a lot of 4wd traffic and there is no major obstacle. The only water I saw was Keystone Spring. Posted 2018.
• MOUNTAIN VIEW RUINS - an easy loop can be done by going up Old Dominion Canyon and down Mountain View Canyon. The turnoff on the east side road for Old Dominion is at N38 29025, W116 20468. First, leave a 4wd a mile north on the east side road. Then come back with a second 4wd or mtn bike and go up the road in Old Dominion for about 2 miles to the end at boulders el 6100. Walk thru the boulders and on up canyon for half a mile and get on a faint road on the left bank. Go on up canyon to a fork at 28786, 24539 el 7050. Go right and soon you hit the main road going north up a side canyon to a pass el 7800. Then a rough OHV trail goes down the other side to Mountain View. A swim pool is on the left at 30180, 24552 el 7450. The main ruins are just past that. Keep going down the OHV trail to the arrastra at the end reading 30872, 24552 el 7150. Then walk down the canyon for a  third mile to log cabin ruins and a clearing where a lot of wood was burned. Keep going a little more to a fall el 7100. Step down to the lip and look up to the right. A ramp goes up with a trail on it built by the miners. It soon switches down to the bottom of the fall and fades. A pocket saw is needed to clear some branches off the trail. It's easy to walk down canyon under towering cliffs on game trails to a faint road at 30544, 22612 el 6300 and stroll on down to the flats and out. 5 hours and the only noticeable gain is 700 going up to the pass. It's 6 hours without a shuttle. It's a nice break from doing peaks all the time. The springs were dry thickets, but a few cattle go in there so there must be water sometime. Posted 2018.
• HOT CREEK RANCH is the first ranch along the east side road. An interesting story I heard is that a young girl found a powder horn in the area with the initials "J S". Jedediah Smith is believed to have passed thru here in 1827.
• FOURMILE CANYON has a smooth OHV trail. Turn off the east side road at N38 31575, W116 19172. The road smooths out in a mile and a half then at 4 miles there is a bad spot reading 33994, 21506 el 6600. Trucks stop there then its a smooth OHV trail for half a mile to good kilns then in another half mile there is a fork. Go left there and on to Hot Creek Pass el 7550. The last half mile gets rocky and even worse down the other side. I saw no water. Posted 2018.
• MOREY PEAK el 10246 is a twin peak, the highest in the range. The road to Sixmile Summit is in good shape and Morey is a cakewalk from there. Turn off the east side road at N38 32552, W116 17465 and drive 10+ miles on a mostly smooth 4wd road up South Sixmile Canyon with several small stream crossings and park at the summit el 8750. Hiking straight up the ridge won't work because a crag is in the way. To get to the saddle behind it, walk around the right side to N38 39707, W116 18235 el 8950 then walk level on a route thru mahogany to a creekbed. Go up that on game trails to el 9200 then go left into the saddle el 9300. Go thru it on game trails and on around to the east side of the main ridge where there is a mine road el 9500. The road soon ends but a good trail keeps going on the main ridge all the way to a small plateau el 9600. It fades but appears again on the far side at 38472, 17066 el 9650 and soon the north summit is in view. Circle around the right side of the summit on the unsteepest ground and you'll arrive at a viewpoint reading 37876, 17216 el 10100. Both summit blocks are right in front of you and both are class 2. The north one is considered higher and has a reg. The other one has a BM at 37652, 17285. Doing both peaks took 5 hours total. Just doing the north one has about 1800 gain and about 200 noticeable gain on the return. The hike can be done in shorts but it's prudent to wear long pants as far as the saddle el 9300 near the start. Elk use the trail to get to that drainage just north of the peaks where water lingers but was dry by late May. Most of this hike is on the peakbagger.com map as a GPS route posted by hikers though they started low on the east side. 2WD VERSION - here's what I would do with 2wd or if there is a washout. Just backpack or mtn bike the road to el 7750 then take a day pack from there to Sixmile Summit and hike on to the peaks. Then retrace to a saddle at 38072, 17244 el 9700 and go down that gully to the road at el 7750. I studied all the gullies from the west rim of the canyon and that one looked to be the best. The first 8 miles of the road to el 7800 is a top notch mtn bike ride in itself. It's good for slithering too because I saw two rattlesnakes on it. The stream in the canyon starts at a spring el 8100 next to the road. Posted May, 2018.
• LITTLE FANDANGO el 9606 is the high peak on the west rim of South Sixmile Canyon, opposite Morey Peak. The unsteepest route is up Wood Tick Canyon. Turn off the east side road at N38 32552, W116 17465 and drive 5 and a half miles on a mostly smooth 4wd road up South Sixmile Canyon with several small stream crossings. Then turn left into  Wood Tick Canyon reading 36103, 19744 el 6850. 4wds can go a short way to kilns, OHVs can go half a mile. Hike on up the canyon on the old road to a minor saddle at 36950, 21708 el 7600. Go on thru to the next canyon and up that to Sweet Spring at 37575, 21799 el 8000. A quarter mile before the spring there is a game trail on the right bank that skirts brush. The spring had a small flow out of a meadow. No sign of cattle. Go on past the spring using trails on the left side of the canyon then in about a quarter mile climb left up along a drainage to a saddle at 37864, 22057 el 8700. It's a cakewalk from there to the summit at 38410, 21179. I descended the ridge east of the spring but likely saved no time because of so much tree weaving. 6 hours, 2700 gain, less than half of it is steep. I wore shorts the whole way, but a mile in on the old road there are two short thickets trying to start some trouble. What little brush there is after that is easy to get around. I didn't pick up any ticks, but I got one on the Morey hike. He must have been lost. Posted May, 2018.
• LICHEN PEAKS el 10170 is the name John Hart gave to the peaks a mile south of Morey Peak. A class 2 route goes up from the right fork of Hobble Canyon. Turn off the east side road at N38 34088, W116 14989 and drive nearly 2 miles and park at rock house ruins el 6600. The road is easy 4wd but covered with bumpy little rocks. Walk the shrinking road for a third mile to log cabin ruins next to Hobble Spring. I filled up bottles where the cold water is rising out of the main creekbed. Just past the cabin, go up the right fork to a left fork at 36107, 15941 el 7400. Go up that and stay in it thru 36193, 16175 el 7900 then soon it's treeless because a deluge ripped down it and cleaned out the vegetation. At 36515, 16280 el 8850 exit to the right and walk stable talus for a tenth mile to a gully at 36599, 16251 el 9200. Go up that and when it bends left there is a sheep route in the gully on the left side. Soon it levels off then just walk the top of cliffs on the sheep route then step up to a higher level at 36586, 16474 el 9700 where peak 10170 is in view. I knew then I would make it. Walk that level a short way then it's easy to go up to the saddle el 10000 to the right of the peak. Go thru the saddle about 50 feet then go up a gully with dead bristlecones to the summit at 36741, 16551.  On the other side of the saddle are the peaks Hart called Last Peaks. The first one is easy. That took 6 hours, 3600 gain. Some light brush is before the cabin and after that I could do it in shorts but would get some scratches. I could see this entire route from the main road except the last bit to the high saddle. Hart came at them from Morey Peak. This is the hardest hike on this page and the second best wilderness hike. Cattle don't go past the cabin. 2wds will have nearly 2 hours more hiking. I would backpack to the spring and lay out a thick pad on the rocky soil. My 29 dollar Walmart boots were tested on the rocky terrain. They passed. Posted 2018.
• PROJECT FAULTLESS is the name of the 1960s nuclear testing program that took place at the base of Morey Peak. Turn off the east side road at N38 37588, W116 11403 and drive a good road to the drill hole at 38050, 12975. A plaque is mounted on the exposed drill casing. Posted 2018.
• NEEDLES BENCHMARK el 8077 is the high point of The Needles. Turn off the east side road at N38 39305, W116 10698 and follow a sandy road up a wash for 3 miles then hike half a mile to a canyon at 39130, 07072 el 6700. Go up that then cut thru a saddle at 39116, 06348 el 7050 to get into the next canyon. Go up that to the end at a saddle el 7650 then go left up the ridge to the BM at 39425, 05840.  I descended down a drainage at 39334, 05846 el 7850 then cut thru a saddle to get back in the first canyon. 2 hours, 40 minutes, with 1500 gain. The peak is pristine above 7400, ravaged by horses below that. Posted 2018.
• MOREY SHORTCUT - a road forks left from the east side road at N38 39375. W116 10745. It soon has a washout, but some are getting around it then there are no more issues. Posted 2018.
• SOUTH CANYON FALLS is near Morey and 50 or 60 feet high. John Hart wrote about it. Turn off the east side road at a maze of forks reading N38 40904, W116 11113. The far left fork goes shortly to petroglyphs. Take the next one to the right of that for 4 and a half miles to Morey. It's 4wd with a mile of bumpy little rocks but no major obstacle. A few feet past Morey is a road going left. It might work but I didn't check it. I went on a fifth mile past Morey to a road going left reading 40392, 15510 el 7350. That road goes .8 mile to the rim el 7500 of South Canyon. It might need some trimming before a jeep can fit on it. A mtn bike would work. From the rim, walk to the creek at 39678, 15662 el 7400 and don't try to hit it any farther upstream than that. Then it's obvious how to walk along the edge of the brush and aspen, frequently on small talus and rubble. If you hit dense brush, you're too low. The fall at 39526, 16190 el 8100 will come into view then it's easier. About 100 feet before the fall is the first crossing of the creek. I stayed dry in early June. There are big slabs to recline on at the fall. It took 80 minutes with 700 gain to get there, 65 minutes and 100 gain to get back. The light brush is not a factor with long pants. The road goes on up the rim of the canyon to el 9500 but it's overgrowing. OHVs can go a ways up it then walk to el 8700 and cut over to the rim for a view of the falls or just keep hiking to Morey Peak. Posted 2018.
• NEEDLE RANGE HIGH POINT el 8201 is easy. Turn off the east side road at N38 41905, W116 11192 and go 4.2 miles up Jumbled Rock Gulch to a faint road on the left at 42554, 06975 el 7050. Go 1.6 miles to another fork el 7400 then go right. It soon becomes an OHV trail but go at least a third mile on it to a saddle el 7400 before diverting to the peak. OHVs can go a mile and a half on it to the NE ridge el 7600 then stroll less than half a mile up thru a perfect pj forest to the reg at 44363, 07804. WIthout an OHV, I would make a loop by walking the trail to the NE ridge then come back over the top. This range isn't on any map I have, but peakbagger.com and the hikers who signed in seem to believe in it. And it has a good view. The main road goes on east 2 miles to Squaw Wells Spring where there is water in an underground chamber. All roads easy 4wd. Posted 2018.
• PRITCHARD STATION - turn off the east side road at N38 45780, W116 12103 and drive 2 and a half miles on a decent road to a stone house and stream. Posted 2018.
• HICKS BENCHMARK el 9096 is a major peak in the north Hot Creek Range. Loops can be done. Turn off the east side road at N38 47611, W116 14695 and drive nearly 2 miles on a 4wd road to a canyon el 7000. Walk up canyon for 5 minutes to a spring. Keep going another 15 minutes to a meadow with a stream just before Limestone Spring. Brush is thick at the spring. I walked the rocky left bank around it but maybe should have cut over to the right side. After the spring, go left up a fork at 48278, 16977 el 7400 to a rocky point at 48980, 17628 el 7900. Go up that to where it levels off at el 8400 then walk the easy ground at that level to the final slope then go up to the BM at 49677, 18292. Cliffs are on the west side of the summit. Get around them by dropping down at 49603, 18338 el 8950 then go right along the base of the cliffs to get to the west saddle el 8750. Walk on to a viewpoint at 49427, 18533 el 8800 where a huge meadow is in view. Drop down the easy drainage then go left up a fork at 49318, 18612 el 8550 and follow that to the end over a low saddle and into the meadow el 8600. Then there are two options. Either follow the meadow to the end where it drains into a canyon then follow the south rim of that back down, or do what I did and run the crest south. I went up to the crest at 48534, 18463 el 8700 and had no trouble weaving trees to the south rim at 47049, 18549 el 8800 where it suddenly drops off over 1000 feet. Then I went directly down to the rim of a canyon at 47193, 17974 el 8350 and walked that down to a saddle el 7650. Then I went left into that same canyon and it was easy back to the start. That took me 7 and a half hours. Doing the shorter loop would likely be 6 hours. It's about 3 hours to the summit with 1200 noticeable gain. Long pants are needed for the occasional light brush, but most of this hike is weaving thru a thin pj forest and some mahogany. Horses have thoroughly trashed the first spring, but they don't know about the others, yet. The higher elevations haven't had horses in years. Posted 2018.
• HICKS CANYON is what I call the interesting canyon that drains to Hicks Station. It has intermittent streams and a lot of bedrock. It's the best wilderness hike on this page. Turn off the east side road at N38 50982, W116 14763 and follow a crude road for a mile and a half then walk over a low ridge to the mouth at 51893, 15532 el 7000. Go up to the main fork at 51862, 16178 el 7100 where the north and south forks meet. The stream was flowing a tenth mile before the fork and shady campsites are along there. Go right at the fork and soon a minor fall is in the way. Climb up on the right and walk broken bedrock then drop back to the stream at 51962, 16504 el 7400. Stroll on up canyon a fifth mile to a thicket at the mouth of a gorge. Climb out on the right again and go high on easy bedrock. For the short version, aim for a saddle at 51615, 17214 el 8150 and go thru to the south fork and go downstream back to the start. Real men can go on up to peak 9040+ on the crest between the forks. Stay in the north fork to minor falls at 51739, 17582 el 8200. A trickle was coming down the falls. Brush sets in beyond the falls, so climb up on the left at an easy angle to the south rim where an aspen grove is in view down in the south fork. Stay on the high ground to the peak at 51346, 18450. Then drop down to a clearing and enter the south fork at 51265, 18222 el 8900 and walk down to the aspen. It's easy to weave thru the trees then the canyon opens up with bedrock like the north fork. Stay high on easy shelves along the north side of the creekbed. At 51534, 16878 el 7700 you have to go down to the creekbed and walk along an intermittent stream back to the main fork and out. Some light brush here is not a factor with long pants. The long loop took me 6 hours with about 2000 gain, rarely steep. The short version would be 3 or 4 hours. Horses never found this area. It would be scorched earth if they had. Shady camps are a half mile in on the crude road. The crude road goes on to a fence at Hicks Station, which is private. Posted June, 2018.
• PARK RANGE HIGH POINT el 9131 has a good route up the north ridge. Park on the east side road at a closed road reading N38 53028, W116 12798 el 7200. Walk the closed road to the end in a fifth mile then head for the north ridge at 52894, 11695 el 7600. Go up it to 52217, 11403 el 8850 then move left of center for the rest of the way to a plateau el 8900 with a large clearing. Walk to the end of the clearing to a small clearing at 51699, 11342 el 8950 then weave mahogany to the reg at 51627, 11231. 4 and a half hours with about 1600 noticeable gain. There is some light brush. This peak is in pristine condition. A shady pullout is a half mile south on the east side road. Posted 2018.
• PARK MOUNTAIN MEADOWS TRAIL - a trail goes to meadows with aspen on the SW side of Park Mtn. An optional loop can be done over the peak. Turn off the east side road at N38 55378, W116 12021 and drive 2 miles on easy 4wd to a main fork in the canyon where the road turns bad. A mtn bike would work that far. A shady camp is there reading 54847, 10189 el 7600. Walk up the road to a fence at 54700, 09966 el 7700. Walk along the right side of the fence then along a creekbed. The trail goes along the banks then at 54374, 09914 el 7900 it switches up into the low meadow el 8300. A trickle was at the outlet. The trail resumes on the far side of the meadow in a little canyon. It goes up that then up to the high ground and fades, but it's easy to walk on to the spring at the high meadow reading 53735, 09402 el 8400. The spring was dry in June. Take pruners and long pants for the trail. The loop over the peak is a much more comprehensive hike. For that, walk from camp up the north fork to a drainage at 54983, 09680 el 7750 and go up that to a saddle on the north ridge reading 55051, 09243 el 8050. The go up the ridge to the summit reading 54364, 09182 el 9058. A film can was there left by Steve Tabor in 1986. He detailed his progress so far on a backpack trip from the west coast to Colorado. One more party had left a note in 2013. The high meadow is in view from the summit. Descend the NW side of the summit to easy  ground and walk to a gap in the mahogany at 54326, 09281 el 8900. Then go on to a drainage at 54215, 09336 el 8750 and walk that down to the high meadow. After checking out the aspen, walk the meadow to a canyon rim at 54078, 09699 el 8500 and drop down to the low meadow then pick up the trail on the right side of the outlet and stroll on back to camp. That loop took me 3 hours, 45 minutes with 1500 gain and rarely steep. I could do the peak and back in shorts, but the loop has light brush. The meadows have no horses or cattle and the aspen aren't carved up. Let's keep it that way. Posted June, 2018.
• FISH BENCHMARK el 7731 is an easy one at the south end of the Fish Creek Range. Turn off the east side road at N39 12615, W116 02244 and drive on easy 4wd to 3 forks at 12568, 05545 el 6950. Take the far right fork as far as it suits you then stroll up thru a thin pj forest to the summit at 13173, 05423. This area is carved up by smooth mine roads. Posted 2018.
• NINEMILE PEAK el 10100  is the high point of the Antelope Range. It's a 20 mile drive on a brushy road, best attempted by wide track OHVs. Turn off the east side road where the pavement starts and drive west past the Fish Creek Ranch on a main road to a 4wd road at N39 16310, W116 09625 el 6600. Follow that to 14728, 10953 el 6850  and go left to 09653, 13951 el 8400 then go right over a ridge then on to the last easy turnaround at 09196, 15128 el 9000. Then just walk up the road and leave it to get to the main saddle on the main ridge then go left to the reg at 08794, 15078. There's nothing to stop jeeps getting there, but they won't have any paint left. I wouldn't ruin paint for an 80 minute hike. I can think of two ways to avoid it. One is to invite your worst enemy and use his truck. The other is take a crack at backpacking up Ninemile Creek. A stand of aspen at 09400, 14621 el 8500 had a spring and stream with no sign of horses or cattle around. The lower elevations have been decimated by horses. Posted 2018.

  

  The pool at Mtn View with diving board in place.

  
  

  

  Mtn View ruins

  
  

  

  Lichen Peaks. The route goes up to the deep notch on the right, then left up a shelf.

  
  

  

  The dead bristlecone mentioned by Hart on page 196 in his book. The walking stick is 3 feet long.

  
  

  

  Bedrock in Hicks Canyon

  
  

  

  The low meadow on the Park Mtn trail.

  

  Arrastra near Mtn View

29 dollar Walmart hiking boots

• These Interceptor boots are made by Hi-Tec. They have a durable sole but it's thin. I buy oversize then insert a flip-flop for cushioning. They are labeled as tactical footwear, so if you stumble into a firefight, at least you'll have the right boots. I'm going to stock up before they figure out they're selling them too cheap.

Lunar Crater Peaks

Lunar Crater

Streaked BM. That's the best 7000 class peak I ever hiked in the Great Basin.

Pancake BM

The Black Rock Lava Flow as viewed from the volcano. There's an easy hike thru that mess.

West rim of Palisade Mesa

An odd lizard species that I've never seen.

Seasonal stream on Streaked BM

Easy Chair Crater

The main road to Lunar Crater goes south 6.5 miles from US 6 at mp NY 79. RVs can go 2.7 miles to a fork with a large pullout. That fork ends at Easy Chair Crater in a bit over a mile. At 4.5 miles is a mile of mild sand where a motorcyclist wiped out and had to wait hours for an ambulance from Ely. I pulled a trailer thru that sand in 2wd and parked on the rim for several days. The main road goes on east from the crater to a main fork. One goes south toward Rachel and the left fork goes past Lunar Lake and back to US 6 at mp NY 82.6 for a total of about 17 miles. 2wds should carry a tow rope in case they need pulling out of the sand. Another way in is at mp NY 74. That road goes along Palisade Mesa but has bumpy little rocks and some deep sand crossings. There is no gas or store between Tonopah and Lund. I was getting a VZ signal in places along US 6. No peak on this page had a register in 2018. Posted 2018.

• ARMY BENCHMARK el 8004 is a limestone peak north of Black Rock Summit. Take US 6 to the summit at mp NY 88. Go a half mile towards towers then turn left on a decent high clearance road. Go 2.2 miles to a fork and go right for 5 miles to a pass el 6650. Hike up to a saddle at N38 35466, W115 51162 el 7200. Then go up the ridge staying low on the right side at first. At el 7700 cut over to 35861, 50805 to skirt a bump and the rest is obvious to the BM at 35607, 50376. 2 hours, 1500 gain, not very steep. This one has pinyons. Posted 2018.
• BLACK ROCK LAVA FLOW - turn off US 6 at mp NY 82 and go a mile on a good road to the lava. The road follows the edge for 2 miles but once you've seen the first 100 feet you've seen it all. Cows have an easy route thru the lava. About 2 miles in from the highway, take a crude road forking right. Go half a mile then start hiking at the lava edge at N38 29353, W116 00160 on an obvious route that goes east half a mile to an open interior valley where peak 6377 could be climbed. The best way to see this area is to climb the volcano el 6765  that spewed out the lava and then walk west down the open valley in the middle of the lava flow and come out on the cow route. Leave a bike or car at or near the lava edge described above. Then turn off US 6 at mp NY 83.6 and go .8 mile to a cinder pit at the end of the road el 6200. Walk along the east side of a hill and the main volcano comes into view. Go up the steep south ridge to the top then walk the rim north then west as it drops back down and it's easy to go over or around peak 6377 and on down to the cow route thru the lava. At N38 29258, W115 59898 the cow route starts bending right and on to the edge. I didn't have a shuttle so I cut south from peak 6377 across the lava to N38 29052, W115 59422 then W38 28931, W115 59435 where I circled back on easy ground. The volcano can be bypassed for an even easier hike. Instead of climbing it, just keep going north along the east base to a cow trail on the north side at N38 29400, W115 58654 and you'll merge with the other route in a tenth mile. It's a 2 or 3 hour hike with 700 gain but there's hardly any gain if the peaks are skipped. Cows walk the whole route except for the main volcano top. Posted 2018.
• CITADEL MOUNTAIN el 7503 is the high point of the area. A road goes up the massive north ridge  to el 6619. Drive to the south rim of Lunar Crater and go south on 4wd for 2 and a half miles to a fence corner el 6619. Cross the fence and walk the high ground to N38 20060, W116 06037 el 7050 then on to a ridge for the last mile to survey junk on the summit at 18526, 06485. I circled back by way of a viewpoint at 19299, 06744 el 7300. It took me 3 and a half hours with 900 easy gain. The soil is rocky and treeless. Posted 2018.
• CROSS BENCHMARK el 8039 is north of US 6. Turn off at mp NY 82 and go 8 and a half miles on a good road with some sand and park at el 5979. Then hike to the rim of a canyon at N38 35478, W115 59693 el 6600 and go up to the main saddle el 7000 at the head of the canyon. Keep going a little more to an easy ridge that goes up to a pristine plateau el 7400. Stroll over to the west saddle el 7600 then go left to some easier slopes and zigzag up to the summit at 35527, 58253. I could only find a witness BM. 4 hours, 2000 gain. That's a better hike than it looks. It's not your average boring volcanic peak. Posted 2018.
• HALLIGAN MESA has a  graded road but it's gated at 1.5 miles. So what good is it? The road has a clean camp spot with a good VZ signal in half a mile. Turn off US 6 at mp NY 73.7. Posted 2018.
• MONOCLINE CANYON is on the south side of Palisade Mesa. Turn off US 6 at mp NY 65.7 and go a mile and a quarter on a good road then turn on easy 4wd for 3 miles to the mouth. Walk to N38 21670, W116 09076 el 5600 to get around a fall. Look up to the south rim and the descent route is in view. Go up canyon a short way and use a game trail on the right bank. Go up canyon at least as far as a right fork at  22649, 07552 el 5850. Use that to get on the south rim aka Buckwheat Rim and walk back to 21471, 08920 el 6000 and go straight down to 21498, 09013 el 5700 then down to the start. I did a longer version of this and it took me 3 hours. Easy hike. Posted 2018.
• MOUNTAIN BIKE LOOP - an easy 20 mile loop can be done by way of Lunar Crater and Lunar Lake. Start on US 6 at mp NY 82.6 and ride to a fork at N38 26415, W115 58985. Go right on a crude road to another fork in a mile. Both go to the lake but left is better. Ride 3 miles across the lake to N38 22865, W116 00575 to get back on the main  road. It's 4 miles to the crater and the ride up the rim is the only hill and it's easy. Then head north back to the highway at mp NY 79 and then back to the start. A mile of mild sand is north of the crater and the rest is hard packed. I would ride that loop on a bike and I'm spoiled by motorcycles. Posted 2018.
• PALISADE MESA HIGH POINT el 7008 - a good one way hike can be done by going up a NE ridge and down the ridge west of Iceberg Spring. Leave a car or bike near the spring at mp NY 70.8 on US 6. Then drive to mp 74 and go a mile on a good road to a crude road forking west. Two ridges there make good starting points. I followed the crude road for a tenth mile then went up the ridge and thru the cliff band at a crack reading N38 27000, W116 08219 el 6350. Then it's a stroll along the rim to a canyon at 25569, 08976 el 6600. That canyon leads into another with water at 25207, 09137 el 6650. Cattle drink there but it wasn't polluted that day. Go up the canyon on a cow trail for 3/4 air mile then there is the option to go up onto the left rim and stroll on to survey junk on the summit at 23308, 10701. Then walk to a break in the rim at 23456, 10588 el 6900 and go down to the next rim el 6850 and walk that for 2 miles to a point above the spring at 25425, 10464 el 6650. Go down the ridge there then veer right near the bottom towards the spring. The descent route along the spectacular west rim is the best part. That whole hike took me nearly 5 hours with 1000 of super easy gain. Posted May, 2018.
• PALISADE MESA HIGH POINT LOOP el 7008 - a shorter loop can be done starting near Sandy Summit Spring. From Lunar Crater, drive north .6 mile and turn left. Go 3.8 miles on the main road to N38 25449, W116 07318. Turn left and go a mile to the end of the road at a canyon containing the spring. Follow a water line up the canyon for a  third mile to the spring. Some light brush is in this area. Go on past the spring a short way to a fork. Go right and the fork soon leads to the top. Then it's an easy stroll to survey junk on the summit at 23308, 10701. It's best to walk the high rim for at least the last mile. Then retrace .9 air mile back on the rim and walk down thru a gap and on to a little flat top then on to 24737, 07968 el 6500 where a route with some light brush goes down to the start. That took me 3 hours, 45 minutes with 1000 easy gain. The main road goes on north 3 miles to the highway at Sandy Summit. Posted 2018.
• PANCAKE BENCHMARK el 6356 is on a remote point south of Lunar Lake. A rim walk from the lake is a good route. From Lunar Crater, drive east on a good road for 5.5 miles and park on the south shore of the lake. Walk south up a canyon to a saddle at N38 22725, W115 58411 el 6350. Go up the easy ridge to the main ridge then stay on the high ground to a ramp at 22403, 57568 el 6750 that goes up a cliff band. I went up there but you could stay low for another quarter mile and top out on peak 6873 which is the high point on the rim. Either way keep following the rim south. It doesn't pay to wander too far from the east edge. Aim for 21190, 56387 el 6400 to skirt a boulder field. Then go around the right side of a hill and on to the BM at 20440, 55642. It would be simple to return the same way, but a loop is always more appealing. For that, head for 20793, 56453 el 6400 then on to a saddle at 20932, 57167 el 6570. Swing left on the approach to the saddle to avoid boulders. Go west from the saddle down to a canyon and follow that down and it will bend north then cut over to another canyon at 21325, 57995 el 6100. Follow that north and stay on the east side away from boulders. Go up to a saddle at 22075, 57954 el 6420 then keep going to 22650, 58289 el 6450 where you merge with the ascent route. It took me 2 hours, 45 minutes to get to the BM and 3 hours to come back the alternate way. The only steep gain is 300 feet in the ascent canyon. The rest is easy grades. The area is in pristine condition. It's the best pure juniper forest I ever hiked in. I never saw a pinyon. Just going to peak 6873 would be a worthwhile shorter hike. Posted 2018.
• STREAKED BENCHMARK el 7272 is 6 miles SE of Citadel Mtn. A good loop can be done up the north side. From Lunar Crater, follow the main road east then south for nearly 12 miles to a crude road el 5316 forking NW. Follow that for 1.1 miles then cut left for 300 feet  into a wash reading N38 16391, W116 00660 el 5500. That's the only wash leading to the base that's wide enough for a 4wd. Go a third mile up the smooth wash then it splinters into several minor channels. If there's no track, walk it to scout the best route to drive thru. It's only sand and small bushes, no rocks. In a tenth mile it's one wide channel again and it's easy to go a mile and park near the base. The obvious route up is at 15597, 02099 el 6000 where you go up along a creekbed then climb left onto the ridgetop. It's a cakewalk on a gorgeous juniper studded ridge to the BM at 14559, 02078. The summit slightly SW is a bit higher and has survey junk too. For a scenic loop back, walk SW on the rim from the BM for half a mile to a saddle el 7000 then turn north and walk down the west rim of a canyon. Aim for a canyon at 14964, 02872 el 6450. It had running water from recent storms. Stroll on down that then exit left at 15418, 02804 el 6400 and keep going thru a gap to the rim of another canyon at 15633, 02984  el 6400. Walk that rim then drop off the left side at 15751, 02939 el 6400 to get down to a saddle then drop down the right side of that into a large clearing. Go downstream in that and shortly there is a fall. An obvious gap on the left bypasses it and leads down to the flats back to the start. That took me 4 hours with 1500 gain. A horse had been in the descent canyon, but other than that the mountain is pristine. I hope the horse stays gone. A hollow boulder el 5800 along the creekbed near the end of the hike has some faint markings, but it must be from cowboys. Posted 2018.

  

  Rain on Palisade Mesa sent a white torrent down a dry creekbed toward a fall above Iceberg Spring.

  
  

  

  This fall is just above the spring.

  
  

  

  I raced it 1000 feet down to the flats and won!

Dead Mountains Wilderness

 Indian trail

Red Spring

Looking down the fall in Dead Canyon

1940s car at the quarries

• DEAD CANYON is what I call the second best canyon in the range.  A quarry road goes in 3 miles from the east. Take the river road to mp 5.5 and turn on the quarry road. In half a mile it bends to the right into a decoy canyon. The real road stays in the main wide wash for a mile and a half in from the river road then goes to the right into a canyon. Floods have chewed it up, but it's no problem for jeeps. In 2020, I rode my cycle up the channel at N34, 57853, W114 41131 then to 57830, 41301 where I stayed right. Then on to 57842, 41499 then 57856, 41768 where it bends into the side canyon and goes up on the right bank at 57980, 42147. I left cairns. As the road enters the basin where the quarries are, stay right at a main fork for half a mile and park near a 1940s car el 1050 (there is a steel dynamite shack a tenth mile upstream from the car). Walk to a wash at N34 58957, W114 42887 el 1050 and go up on the north rim of it, or walk up the wash and stay right at the next fork to get on the rim. Then stay high on a faint trail along the next wash to 59306, 43006 el 1300 where it's easy to cross that wash then stay on the high ground heading for a high block and you will enter Dead Canyon. Go on up on smooth gravel to a 30 foot fall el 1600 that's easy to get around. At el 1950 is a rocky left fork. Turn back here if you're just looking for an easy hike. For a loop back on the crest, go up the rocky fork and get on the left bank at 59947, 44735 el 2100. That's easy walking for a while then a ridge on the right side is useful to go up to the obvious saddle el 2950 at the head of the canyon. Go south on the crest for a tenth mile to peak 3120 (951 meters). It's the highest on the route. Keep going along the west side of the crest and cut thru a notch at 59611, 45170 el 3000 to get around a crag. Then it's a cakewalk for a while until more crags. A sheep trail goes around the west side of those to a saddle at 59128, 45189 el 2600. It's easy to go down from there on ridges to the wash. Soon the right bank of the wash is easy to walk. Stay low on it next to the wash until it fizzles then step down to smooth gravel and walk down to where the canyon opens up. Then use a sheep trail to get on the left bank and walk down to 58182, 43578 el 1100 where roads back are in view. Dirt bike parts are along the road at 58507, 43392. That loop took me 6 hours with a little over 2000 gain, half of it easy gain. Just going to the fall at 59783, 43881 would be an easy 3 hour round trip. It might have a flow after wet spells. Posted 2018. The next canyon to the south is an easy hike from the same parking area. Walk thru a saddle at 58077, 43573 el 1150 to get into a wide, rocky wash. It's smoother walking along the right edge. Go up to a minor cave on the left bank at 58434, 45218 el 1850 where routes to the crest are in view. I went on up a ridge at 58408, 45347 el 1950 then at near el 2400 I cut to the right into a main saddle el 2400 on the crest. I could see a large cairn to the north on peak 883 meters and a trail heading toward it, but I didn't try it. That took 4 hours with 500 feet of strenuous gain. Scenery is routine but pristine. Going to the cave and back would be super easy. Posted 2018.
• MOUNT MANCHESTER el 3600 is the high peak in the Dead Mountains Wilderness. West side roads are closed, but the east canyon is more interesting anyway. Drive the paved river road on the east side to a closed road at mp 11.2, about .6 mile south of the state line. Everybody drives around the cable for a quarter mile to a power line road which is where the wilderness boundary ought to be. And then about a tenth mile south on the power road is a road el 900 going east that has been plowed up. I started hiking on that but the ridge a few feet south is more pleasant. It goes up and joins the road then stay on that to N35 02111,W114 42231 el 1100 where a trail, probably Indian, goes up a ridge. It tops out then fades but it's easy to walk the high ground to a rock with very old initials at 02023, 42846 el 1550. Now you have to drop to the easy wash and go up to a ridge on the left at 02013, 44425 el 2300. For easier walking, use the right bank about .15 mile before reaching the ridge. Go up the ridge to the crest el 3200 then it's a third mile on a sheep trail to the reg at 01669, 44938. 5 hours, 2700 gain. The first half of the gain is easy. The canyon will have water galore after a wet winter. It would be a good hike to go as far as a long stretch of bedrock at 02079, 44201 el 2050 and just stay in the canyon on the return. Posted 2017. PEAK 3569, PEAK 3430 - in 2022 I returned to the summit on the same route and ran the crest to peak 3430 then down the ridge over peak 2744. When  I was on Mt Manchester I could see a sheep trail running toward peak 3569. I walked it to 01008, 44984 where it bends right up into a saddle and seems to end. But it's easy on up to the summit with a reg in a beer can. Then I walked to 00846, 44859 and stayed left of center for 500 feet then went back to center but nope, I should have stayed low a little more to a big, fat monolith. I went to the right around it then back to center and I could see the rest to peak 3430. On the final ridge I stayed right of center about half way then moved to center. It has a cairn but no reg and I wasn't expecting one. I went down the ridge to 00554, 44415 and then a little more where it bends left to 00615, 44284 el 3100 and I kept going down the ridge. It has a minor dip then drops to a saddle at 00845, 43945 el 2550. I dropped left down the drainage a few feet then moved right onto a ridge and walked it down to the main wash. I got on the right bank at 00928, 43201 walked that until I could cut over to the far left at 00848, 42702 and walked along the base with few rocks. I entered a deep wash and could have walked it to the highway but I had no shuttle so I walked the hilly power road back to the start. The whole loop took 7 hours, 15 minutes. The app said 3500 gain and 11 miles. I posted a track on peakbagger. Posted 2022.
• PICTURE CANYON, PICTURE PEAKS - Picture Canyon cuts all the way thru the north end of the range. A loop can be done up the canyon and back over high basins on the crest north of peak 3424 then down the best canyon in the range which I call Falls Canyon. Take the river road .8 mile north of the state line where sandy roads go west. Use the left one and go 2 miles to a fence at N35 03727, W114 42458 el 1150. Walk 2 air miles up the main canyon to the best petroglyph panels on the right side. More are on up canyon, the last ones I saw are faint at 04230, 44934 el 1850. Keep going and the canyon opens up where a new fence was installed, but it won't last long. Go on to a left fork at 04190, 45563 el 2050 and stay in it thru 03687, 46013 el 2300 then exit to a saddle on the left rim at 03017, 45369 el 2950. A nice basin is on the other side and what I call the Picture Peaks are at the north end. Drop to the basin and turn south up a canyon to another saddle el 3000 where a larger basin starts on the SW side of peak 3130. Falls Canyon draining to the east is the way down and the south rim is the smoothest route. Walk to a wash at 02674, 45010 then follow it across the basin to 02435, 44846 el 3050 and pick a route down to the north and hit an easy wash el 2600. The wash goes over a fall at el 2450, so get on the left rim and walk it to a saddle at 02894, 44421 el 2300 that barely separates two main forks of the canyon. Both forks go, but the south one is more interesting with bedrock and minor falls that are easy to deal with. It had a small stream in 2019.  Either way, go on down canyon and exit at 02947, 43611 el 1500. Then go north on the low ground for a third mile to a wash that goes NE back to Picture Canyon then it's half a mile back to the start. That took 5 and a half hours with only 300 feet of stenuous gain. The first 90 minutes is on OHV tracks. The Picture Peaks and peak 3424 looked simple to climb. A side trip to Mt Manchester might add two hours. Backpackers easily get up to the high basins. The only water I saw in 2018 was a trickle at 03001, 44054 el 1750, from a minor storm three weeks earlier but in 2019 there was a stream running for over a mile. The sandy road goes on to a left fork at 03997, 42451. In less than a mile is a major spring with lots of glyphs. Posted 2018.
• FALLS CANYON / DAM CANYON LOOP - this is a good way to see the best canyons in the range. Drive the paved east side road to mp SBD 11.5 and turn on easy 4wd. Go a third mile to pole #0889 at N35 02502, W114 41431. That likely is the correct wilderness boundary but guess what? Nobody stops there. Everybody drives up the wash for nearly 2 miles to the mouth. I hiked up the left fork at 02721, 43075 el 1300 but I could have used the west rim to bypass a rough section at the mouth. But it was easy to deal with boulders and minor falls to a dam at el 1850. A hole in the wall there had a pool with a stream coming out. I went on past that to where I was below a saddle on the north rim at 02641, 44203 el 2250. I stayed in the creekbed just a little past the saddle to get an easy angle up to it. Then I could see a shelf up to the right. I got on that and walked level right of center to a drainage and went up that to a saddle at 02695, 44536 el 2650. Then I dropped down the smooth wash of Falls Canyon and went down to the first fall el 2450. I passed that on the left and then had a lot of bedrock and easy falls back to the mouth. That took nearly 3 hours with 1400 easy gain and nothing harder than easy class 3. Both canyons had streams caused by rains a few days earlier. The dam is at 02590, 43993. Posted 2019, 2022.
• RED SPRING INDIAN TRAIL - this trail cuts across the range by way of the spring. A loop can be made around peak 1776. Drive the river road to mp 4.3 and turn up a wash and the wilderness boundary is close to the highway but that doesn't stop anybody. Use the topo to get to the spring then go into the wash that goes around the south side of peak 1776 and up to the SW saddle at 55918, 44845 el 1300. Go thru then over a low ridge to the Indian trail at 56054, 45086 el 1300. It climbs up a ridge for a tenth mile then cuts left to a saddle el 1550 on the crest where you can see what awaited the Indians. Retrace back to the last wash and go down that  then exit left on the trail at 56258, 44629 el 1200. It's easy to follow it down the left bank of the wash and the spring soon comes into view. The trail will drop into the wash then walk down to a gap that cuts over to the spring. Then get on the high ground north of the spring and head back to the start or just stay on the low ground. Backpacking could be an option as the spring has always had water when I was there but I can't speak to taste. Noisy OHVs might be in there on weekends. Posted 2018.
• 

Warm Springs Wilderness Traverse

Warm Springs Canyon cutting thru the mesa

One deer was the only game animal I saw

Plane wreckage on the mesa

The main spring at the Warm Springs cluster

Warm Springs Butte as seen from the spring

A one way 18 mile hike is the best way to see this area. A mine trail goes up onto the plateau from Cool Spring then it's simple enough to walk the plateau along the east side of Warm Springs Canyon to Warm Springs. Then the route goes SW to point 1887 and then north thru the low saddle next to point 2110. And then west to the 4wd road south of McHeffy Butte. Leave a car at mp 14.5 on Route 66 or take a 4wd from mp 14.9 up a wash for 2 and a half miles to a bad spot. The bad spot is at the 1600 contour line on the topo. Jeeps can go on past it to the end of the road. Then take Route 66 to mp 33.8 and turn south on a 4wd road. Go a mile to a rough stream crossing el 2750 and park. This stream would make a nice campsite if burros hadn't stunk it up. Walk a third air mile up the road, almost to the end, and get on a faint burro trail at N35 00908, W114 19221 el 2800+. Walk that to a wash crossing at 00664, 19384 el 2950 then keep going to another wash at 00523, 19597 el 3200. Cross that wash right there then get on the mine trail on the other side at 00481, 19695 el 3300. It goes up around the right side of a ridge then up into a saddle where at 00378, 19866 el 3600 it goes up to the left a short way then switches right. It's easy to follow on up to the saddle el 4050 east of peak 4191 but I couldn't see much of a trail beyond there. From the saddle, go up east staying right of center to the top el 4300, not far from the high point of the mesa. All remaining coordinates are N34. Then walk to N34 59385, W114 19845 el 4150 then 59128, 19985 el 4050 then to a view on the east side of peak 3857 at 57164, 19369 el 3800. Keep going on the high ground to a flag and plane wreckage at 56572, 19138 el 3600. That's the only sign of humanity I saw on the plateau. Keep following the high ground as it runs SE then bends back toward the spring. Go on to 55270, 17605 el 3200 then to a burro trail at 54601, 17968. It goes to 54398, 18183 el 2850 and then in 350 feet it goes right of center then back left then drops to the spring el 2100. It's easy to walk from the spring along the east bank then cross over to 53279, 18798 el 1900 and south on trails and look for one cutting right to 52596, 19905 el 1750. Follow that trail to  trail at 52667, 20172 el 1750. There is another trail just before that one, but too rocky. Follow the trail to where it turns up a side canyon at 52752, 20459 el 1775. Go up the canyon for a third air mile where a side trail goes up the right bank to a skimpy spring at 53506, 20418 el 2000. It oozes out of the ground there and forms pools. It's iffy for backpackers. The cave above it had seeps, but too slow to be of use. Back in the main wash, go on up shortly to a trail on the left bank that skirts around a rough spot then comes back to the wash. The next trail is on the right bank at 53444, 20672 el 1900. Follow it straight up into the saddle el 2100 slightly north of point 2110. Go thru then take the trail on the right side of the drainage and follow it down to the main wash. The next trail is on the left bank (ignore one on the right bank just before) of that wash at 53973, 21717 el 1900. It will cross to the right bank and get spotty  then pick it up again on the right bank at 53880, 22389 el 1750. It will fade as it nears the 4wd road. It climbs out of the wash at 54048, 22922 then take a left fork there for a fifth mile to the road. A half mile west down the road is the bad spot where you spotted a 4wd. No? Then it's 2 more miles to mp 14.5. It's about 19 miles from Cool Spring to the bad spot, 21 miles to mp 14.5. The only gain that counts is the 1600 up the trail at the start. The rest is minor. In 2025, it took me 9 hours and 38 minutes to walk the 18.3 miles from Cool Spring to the southern parking spot.  The free peakbagger.com app has topos for peak 4360 and McHeffy Butte that can be downloaded to a phone. You don't want to go in there with just one gadget. I put a track up under peak 4360. Posted 2018, 2025

 McHEFFY BUTTE el 2300 has an easy route up the north side. Turn off Route 66 at mp 17.1 and drive up a wash and park near a trail which is at N34 55716, W114 24010. Walk it to a ridge at 55575, 23990 then up past a little bump and on to 55419, 24068 then straight up to a cliff where a trail goes right and merges with the main ridge. Then just go up. Posted 2025.

OATMAN INDIAN TRAIL - a trail cutting thru the pass near the Black Eagle Mine is likely Indian. I parked south of Oatman west of the White Chief Mine and walked the roads that lead to the south side of peak 3547. I veered off on a trail at N35 00342, W114 22142 and followed it into a wash then up to a road south of the Black Eagle. I walked that road to 00827, 21680 then went up left to a saddle then up a ridge right of center to the main trail at 00972, 21585 and walked it to the pass. It then goes down on the right to the 3500 line and switches right into a drainage then resumes at 00840, 20894 and soon meets a road which goes to Route 66 at mp 33.8 as the map shows. Going from pavement to pavement is about 7 miles and nearly 4 hours. Noticeable gain is 800. Posted 2025

YUCCA BENCHMARK el 3597 is in the SE part of Black Mesa. Caliche Spring is the starting point. The road to it departs the I-40 frontage road between exit 37 and exit 28. I came from Oatman. For that route, drive Route 66 to mp 39.7 and turn east on easy 4wd for a mile and a half to the graded Sacramento Rd. Turn south for 2 miles to Yucca Rd and then follow that east to I-40. Go south on the frontage road for 6 miles to the spring road at N34 56923, W114 08831. It's 5 miles of easy 4wd to the spring el 2200 at the end. Mtn bikes could make most of it. The two ridges running south from the spring both go, but the eastern one is more interesting. Walk the base to 55252, 13214 el 2400 and look up. A shelf can be seen above angling up to the right to the top of the high cliff. Use that to get on top then walk to a trail at 54984, 13317 el 2900. Follow that a short way then move to a higher one at 54802, 13248 el 3100 where it starts running left of center on the ridgetop. At 54635, 13222 el 3150 it runs low along the right side of the ridge. It will fade out then it's easy to the BM at 53610, 13576. To make a loop back, walk the easy plateau to 54305, 13789 el 3400 then keep going to point 3161 at 56109, 13881. Go down there and it's about a mile SE back to the start. The loop took me 4 and a half hours and about 1400 gain. The spring is a big hole with water, no flow.  Burro impact here is not as bad as the western area. Posted 2018.

 PEAK 3029 is on an isolated section at the east end of Black Mesa. A one way hike is a good way to go about it. I used exit 20 to get into Sacramento Wash and parked near peak 1860 then followed washes for the shortest route to the SW ridge. I got on it at el 2000 just above prospects then went up past point 2294 and on to the peak at N34 51971, W114 11928. No sign of humanity. I retraced a quarter mile to 51876, 11665 and went straight down. I soon hit a narrow gully and walked the right side of it following burro shit. I worked over to a ridge on the left at 51972, 11689 then went straight down until I hit the creekbed. Then a trail is on the right bank and goes over to the left bank and it's best to stay on the left bank to a major wash. Then there is a trail on the high right bank at 52602, 11804 that leads to Sacramento Wash. I didn't have a shuttle so I had an 80 minute walk back to the start. 6 hours, 15 minutes but 5 hours with a shuttle. With no shuttle it might be better to descend the canyon at point 2838. The only noticeable gain is the 800 up the SW ridge and it's not steep. Rocks are a nuisance but no big deal. Posted 2023.

PEAK 3415 WASH - this one hits the RR tracks at point 1408. It looks good on the sat image and it was before burros got there. They've churned it up making for tedious walking. It's better to go in after a mega flood has firmed up the washes and cleaned out all the burro shit. I crossed the RR tracks at Franconia then followed a decent road east along the tracks for 3 miles to the wash. There were no keep out signs along the way. I went up the washes that led to the south saddle el 2350 of peak 3415. A trail at N34 50278, W114 14207 el 2100 leads thru the saddle then another at 50351, 14921 el 2250 goes along the right bank of a wash then drops in at a point. That wash has a long trail on the right bank at 49473, 14832. I crossed back to the starting wash by walking a ridge at 48442, 14097. Easy grades. Posted 2023.

WARM BENCHMARK el 2163 has an easy 4wd road in from the Franconia exit and ebikeable. At point 1853 I turned west  toward the peak and parked in a third mile then walked north to an unused road that goes around to the north side then ends where a decent ridge goes up. It's obvious from there how to walk over to the west ridge of PEAK 2252 then up that to a reg placed by M&L in 2001. Only 4 parties since. The road to PEAK 2192 turns bad at el 1800. Jeeps can go on to fork el 2000 before big timbers then go left and on almost to the summit. It's easy to walk around the east side of the summit to a saddle then up. Easy peaks. Posted 2023.

UTE BENCHMARK el 3541 has burro trails most of the way. I took the Franconia exit and followed easy 4wd for 9 or 10 miles to a hard left in the road at a drill hole el 1982. I then walked to a trail at N34 50926, W114 16218. It goes bank to bank then at 51049, 15920 it goes on a bench for a long segment. At 51447, 15173 it goes up the right bank and comes back under a cliff and fades in a drainage. I walked up easy slopes to another trail at 51433, 15038 which goes to the saddle west of peak 3130. It goes a little higher to skirt a trench. I dropped down to the wash below the BM then up the left bank at 51720, 14681 then to a trail running left of center up a ridge at 51888, 14561. It soon splinters and I stayed on the low trail and on up to the BM at 51994, 14756, no reg.  I then walked to the SW saddle and down to the wash and up thru the next saddle west of the peak 3130 saddle. A faint trail runs along the right side of the canyon at 51547, 15463 then down a drainage at 51501, 15468 and I just followed burro shit on down to the starting trail. 4 and a half hours with a little over 1000 noticeable gain. The road in is ebikeable. Posted 2023.

Yucca BM is the tiny bump on the left.

The only BM I've seen with a foundation installed.