McKinney Mountains, Monitor Range

Ring in the southern area

Kiln Canyon

Longstreet Ranch and apple trees

Table Mountain as seen from Barley BM

Daugherty Ranch

Upper cabin in Georges Canyon

Rock ring on Georges Canyon Rim

 Georges Canyon Rim

Weird formations on the White Rock Peak route

McCann Gorge

The Mckinney Mtns is a subrange of the Monitor Range. Only Tonopah has gas and stores. An east side road leaves US 6 at mp NY 30.7 but hasn't been graded in years. A better road starts at mp NY 35.8 and runs north about 18 miles to a 4-way at Kiln Canyon. A good road goes NW from there for 9 miles to the mouth of McCann Canyon. It's 20 miles on to the paved Belmont road using the road up McCann and over into Hunts Canyon then nearly 40 miles on pavement to Tonopah. These dirt roads are maintained but I wouldn't take a low slung vehicle in there. McCann Canyon is the prettiest area and the best camp is at N38 28434, W116 41924 el 6750. More are at the pass on the crest el 7900+. The east side gets a VZ signal from a peak above Warm Springs, the SW side gets a signal from Tonopah. Posted 2018.

• KILN CANYON has of all things, kilns. From the 4-way, go east 3 and a half miles on a sandy road to the first two. Then the road goes south a mile and a half to three more that have a huge carpet of charcoal around them. Less than a fifth mile up the canyon are cabin ruins on the left bank. A half mile beyond there is a dry thicket in the creekbed where a water pipe has survived, but I couldn't get thru to check the spring shown on the topo. I didn't visit the kilns in the north fork. This area is a gorgeous pj forest with countless camp spots  and no cattle. ITALIAN SPRING has a turnoff a mile and a quarter north of Kiln Canyon. The road turns into an ATV trail about halfway to the spring. Some ruins are there with a trace of water. A pipe brings some water down to the flats.  Posted August, 2018.
• McINTYRE PEAK el 8105 is what I call the peak rising out of Stone Cabin Valley. From the 4-way at Kiln Canyon, go north 5 miles then west on a brushy road heading toward the south saddle. Go a mile on the brushy road then walk west up a drainage to the south saddle el 7400. Then go up to a 6 foot wide rock ring on the summit at N38 27467, W116 32420. That took an hour, but I wanted a longer hike than that. So I stayed on the crest running north to a flat at 28443, 32713 el 7900 then on to a viewpoint at 28660, 32477 el 7950. I could see the north summit el 8000+, so I kept going toward it. Some minor crags are on the crest but it was easy to walk the flat ground along the west side. When that played out I weaved up thru the crags then it was easy again to the 8000 contour line at 29292, 32246. The crest drops off beyond there. I retraced back to another rock ring at 28552, 32292 el 7800. Obsidian flakes were around there. I kept going south into the canyon running east of the high summit and it led back to the start with not a hint of water. This is all easy pj forest in pristine condition. 5 hours and the only noticeable gain is the 1200 up to the summit. The main road goes on north for 13 miles to Little Fish Lake, but it was dry.  Posted August, 2018.
• LONGSTREET PEAK el 9240+ is what I call the peak at the head of Windy Canyon. A loop can be done from the canyon. From the 4-way at the mouth of McCann Canyon, go south on the main road for 5.7 miles to FR 405 at N38 22715, W116 39199. Go west on easy 4wd for 3 and a half miles to a shady camp at the Longstreet Mine. A few feet past there is a fading road forking right at 22826, 42711 el 7100. I walked to the end in a third mile and dropped into the next canyon to the north. I went on to a warm spring gushing out of the creekbed at 23490, 43533 el 7550. That's the best spring I saw in these mountains. I then walked up the right bank to 23601, 43779 el 7850 and followed along  the left side of a creekbed and then curved to the right into the main saddle west of Pinon Peak reading 23835, 43895 el 8450. The ridge from there leads up to the summit at 23531, 44328 with no sign of humanity. I walked south from there to 23445, 44514 el 9200 to get down to a major saddle then climbed back up to peak 9192 to stay on the high rim. I could see a mine trail on the south rim that leads back down to the start, but rain caused me to drop down the south side of a canyon at 22637, 44461 el 8900. I stayed high with easy going on the canyon wall and finally hit bottom at 22870, 43795 el 7750. A tent there meant pot farm, but it was recently abandoned. I kept going down canyon on game trails to a gorge then went right thru a saddle at 22955, 43203 el 7500 then down to the road and shortly back to the start. 5 hours with about 2500 gain. Long pants are needed for weaving thru light brush here and there. The mine road goes from the camp area on up the south slope of the canyon to a shady camp area el 7800 and then a foot trail goes on up to the rim next to point 8177. Jeeps could still easily make it and there are plenty of turnarounds. Posted 2018.
• LONGSTREET CANYON has an overgrowing road to the Longstreet Ranch el 7100. Jack Longstreet lived there and worked the mine in Windy Canyon. From the 4-way at the mouth of McCann Canyon, go south on the main road for 3 and a half miles to N38 24583, W116 39545. Go west 3 miles to the ranch. 4wds can make it halfway, then it's an ATV trail but mtn bikeable. The trail goes on past the ranch for half a mile to springs, but cattle got there first. Apple trees at the ranch were loaded. Posted 2018.
• BARLEY BENCHMARK el 9520 is as far north as I went on this trip. From the 4-way at the mouth of McCann Canyon, go NE on the main road for 10 miles to the Daugherty Ranch site. Go left there on FR 44093 for a bit over 5 miles to a pass el 8400. The last mile is easy 4wd. It's easy walking on the crest and soon the trees thin out and the route ahead is obvious to the main saddle at N38 36917, W116 39412 el 8550. I could look up and see a clear route thru the mahogany to a stand of the big trees. I went thru the stand then curved left to 36789, 39053 el 9400 and leveled off to skirt peak 9482 and then merged onto the crest. A quarter mile before the BM there is a convenient pathway left of center. The BM is at 37079, 38728. That took me 3 and a half hours with 1000 of noticeable gain. Light brush was not a factor with long pants. This peak is in pristine condition. Peak 9120 south of the pass looked easy. There was a small stream near the ranch and then springs along the road at el 7400 had a tiny flow. Posted August 31, 2018.
• McCANN GORGE is what I call a scenic fork of McCann Canyon. It's easy to circle it on the bedrock rims. Park on the McCann road and start hiking up the canyon containing Bernice Spring reading N38 28434, W116 42103 el 6800. Go about 2/3 air mile then pick a spot to climb the left slope. I went up a gully next to a fence. Walk to the rim at 27901, 42470 el 7150. Then go up along the rim for a mile and cross over to 27176, 43073 el 7600. Next, angle up to a good view on the ridgetop at 27148, 42744 el 7750. Then just walk down the ridge to a mine road at the bottom reading 27880, 41938. The road goes to the main road then it's nearly a mile back to the start. That took me 3 hours, 20 minutes with 1000 net gain plus some minor dips, but never steep. The first half mile has some light brush then it's easy pj and bedrock. This is the most enjoyable hike on this page. There's a good camp spot on the McCann road near the start of this hike. Posted 2018.
• WHITE ROCK PEAK el 9248 is what I call the peak at the head of White Rock Canyon. A loop can be done. Turn off the McCann Canyon road at N38 29519, W116 44472 el 7350 and go north on easy 4wd for .8 mile to el 7600 in an area of spectacular rock formations. Hike west up a drainage at 30194, 44624 el 7600 and it will top out at el 7800. Keep going to a 4wd road at 30298, 45088 el 7900 and walk up that to a saddle el 8287. Then go up the ridge thru an easy pj forest and it will level off at el 8800 where the rest is in view. Mahogany is the only obstacle. When I got to it, I stayed on the right edge of the crest and then moved into a clearing at 30877, 44186 el 8800 then on to 30850, 44062 to get to the next clearing. I weaved on thru to a neck at 30836, 43924 el 8800 and then dropped low on the right side. I found out it was safe to come back on top at 30786, 43683 el 8900 and then I kept going east up the center of the ridge and soon had a view. I went on to a passage at 30918, 43407 el 9000 then to 30945, 43338 where I started weaving to the right and soon the summit was in view and easy routes to it. Survey junk is on top at 31012, 43071. From there, it was easy to walk the south ridge then skirt west of peak 9183 and on down to 30390, 43849 el 8850 where easy slopes lead back down to the start. 4 hours, 1700 gain, not steep. Long pants are needed in the mahogany but there was always a passage. An alternate route would be from the road in White Rock Canyon, but it wouldn't be as interesting. Posted 2018. 
• ROUND SPRING PEAK el 8844 is what I call the one on the crest south of where the main road climbs out of McCann Canyon. Turn off the main road at N38 28959, W116 45696 el 7850 and follow a DIY road for .7 mile up a canyon to the end el 8000. Hike on up the canyon and start up a low  ridge at 27982, 45182 el 8200. Go on to 27527, 45112 el 8400 where the rest is in view. Drop down and cross a creekbed at 27416, 45102 el 8200 and  go up the NE ridge to the summit at 27063, 45566.  That took me 2 hours, 37 minutes with 1200+ gain, 200 of it on the return. Some light brush. This peak is in pristine condition. The only good camping is along the main road at the divide el 7950. Posted 2018.
• HUNTS CANYON has a dead end road going up it. It departs from the main road at N38 29386, W116 49661 el 6800. It goes upstream for a bit over 4 miles to the Hunts Canyon Cabin el 7100, a well kept public cabin. The road fades in a bog about a fifth mile beyond the cabin. That makes a decent mtn bike ride. Posted 2018.
• GEORGE BENCHMARK el 9319 is a twin summit considered to be the high point of the McKinney Mtns. A 4wd road goes to el 8300 on the north side. Turn off the Hunts Canyon road onto FR 44707 at N38 29816, W116 54873. Go a fifth mile then turn left on FR 44127 and stay on the main road for 10 miles to a 4-way el 8450. Turn left on the road going downhill for a bit over 3 miles to a fork at 23230, 49530 el 7800 near Mud Spring where I saw the first stream. Go left there for nearly a mile to a divide el 8250. It's easy 4wd that far, but the next quarter mile down from the divide is harder.  It would be a 4 hour hike from the divide, but jeeps could still make it down into upper Hunts Canyon then it's a mile and a half on a better road to a fork at Flask Canyon. Turn up that canyon and drive nearly to the north ridge where the road gets bad. Hike up the north ridge at 22317, 46920 el 8400. It's easier to walk up the road to the drainage behind the ridge then switch back. It's a 45 minute hike up the easy, bald ridge to the north reg at 21850, 47000. Placed by M&L in 2000, it says it's the high point. It's an easy half mile south to the BM where a reg was placed in 2015 by Carey and Adrian. It says it's the high point. They came up Kellys Mine Canyon but had a 9+ hour hike because the trail is gone. A road goes west from Mud Spring back to the Belmont road but it's for OHVs and jeeps. Ranchers don't use it anymore. BIG TEN PEAK el 9115 can be done on the drive out along FR 44127.  I parked on FR 44127 at the SE canyon reading 23500, 51894 el 8200. I went up the left bank of the canyon for a fifth mile then got in the creekbed and went up to 23631, 52320 el 8550 where I turned left to get to the south saddle. The reg at 23885, 52540 was placed by M&L in 1993. It says it's the high point. That took 90 minutes with 900 gain and some light brush. On the one day, I climbed 3 different highest peaks in the McKinney Mtns. CHIMNEY PEAK el 8910 is what I call another major peak along FR 44127. Turn off at 27420, 52712 and follow FR 44127A until trees close in. OHVs can make it 2 miles to the end el 7950, 4wds make it half way or more. Aim for a minor saddle on the west ridge at 26578, 50887 el 8350 then the summit is at 26682, 50605. That took 63 minutes with 1000 gain. Nice pj forest, no brush.  The roads for these peaks are rarely rocky but ruts are forming on steep parts. The south fork of Flask Canyon has an aspen grove with some huge trees. Hunts Canyon had a good stream, all cattle were in lower Hunts on September 11, 2018.
• HAT PEAK el 8644 is an easy one. Turn off the Hunts Canyon road onto FR 44707 at N38 29816, W116 54873. In fifth mile is the first fork. Stay right for 4 and a quarter miles then go right for a third mile to a short spur road on the right. Park there and get on the low ridge at 26149, 53479 el 7350. There is a faint track here that can be followed toward the south saddle. When the track goes left, get off and go up to the saddle then go north to the reg. 2 hours, 1400 gain. I did this years ago.
• THUNDER MOUNTAIN el 7084 is a minor peak close to Tonopah. Turn off highway 376 at mp NY 7.9 and drive a mile to a free campground at Rye Patch pumping station. Get on an easy 4wd at the NE corner of the parking lot and follow that 3 miles or so to the north ridge. Hike up at N38 11409, W117 01373 el 6100 and walk the easy ridge to the Pump benchmark at 10280, 01639. A reg there was soaked. 2 hours, 1000 gain. RVs can park next to the campground. Posted 2018.
• HANNAPAH PEAK el 6866 is south of US 6 and is named on Delorme maps. Turn off US 6 at mp NY 19.6 and go a fifth mile to a shady camp at McKinney Tanks. Keep going a little more past ruins then take a right fork and drive nearly 2 miles to the end el 6350. It's a half mile and 500 feet up to the summit at N38 04393, W116 53845. High caves are a quarter mile east of the tanks. There has been activity at the ones below the rim. On top are some rock alignments. All roads easy 4wd. Mtn bikes would work. Posted 2018.
• RED PEAK el 7819 is north of US 6. It's a big pile of steep scree but there's a wuss route around back. Turn off at mp NY 20.1 and go 3 miles toward the peak. Only one road is still used on the south slope and it ends at N38 08924, W116 53959 el 6900. Walk to the upper road el 7000 then go left around the peak on game trails. Stay near that level under the scree to get at a saddle reading 09409, 53445 el 7300. Then go on to the next saddle el 7400 on the NE ridge and go up that to the reg. Then descend to 09217, 53465 and go on down the south ridge on soft scree. 80 minutes, 1000 gain. All roads easy 4wd. Mtn bikes would work most of the way in. Posted 2018.
• WOODCHOPPER CANYON RIM - a loop hike can be done on this scenic rim in a gorgeous pj forest. Turn off US 6 at mp NY 24.1 and go 4 miles on 4wd then park at a washout. Stroll on up the road for 3 or 4 miles and then climb up to a break in the rim at N38 13078, W116 53120 el 7450. It leads shortly to a saddle el 7500 where a cave contained a log and a smaller piece of burnt wood. Far left of the cave is an easy class 3 route up over a minor cliff then stroll on to a view at 12636, 52877 el 7800 then go on to another view at 12384, 52614 el 7700. Next is a saddle at 12107, 52527 el 7550 then just follow the rim and drop down a shelf at 11756, 52197 el 7500. I descended off the rim down a drainage at 11250, 51700 el 7300 but could have kept going to peak 7638. That took 4 hours with 700 noticeable gain to get on the rim then some minor ups and downs along the rim. The road walk is boring but it's worth it for the payoff. This is the most enjoyable hike in the southern part of the  range. Horses haven't been on it. SAULSBURY RIM is an easier loop hike nearby. Take US 6 to the Saulsbury rest area at mp NY 25.4 then go north on a decent road along Saulsbury Wash. After a bit over 10 miles is a 4-way at Warm Spring which had pools that weren't warm. Go left there on road #164 which had just been graded. After about 2 miles start hiking up an easy ridge el 6800 and top out on the rim near point 7193.  Shortly there is a large rock ring at 15699, 52124 el 7100. Keep going on the rim in a thin pj forest to 15015, 51514 el 7050 then on to 14319, 51905 el 7000 where you drop into a canyon that had a good stream but likely seasonal. Stroll on down canyon then exit up an easy drainage to get on the rim at 14322, 50817 el 6800. Walk the rim to the end where it tapers down then head back to the start. This takes 3 or 4 hours with hardly any strenous gain, but there's horse shit nearly every step of the way. The stream wasn't polluted nor was the rock ring disturbed. RVs can part at the rest area overnight.  Posted 2019.
• YELLOW CONE el 7135 is just south of US 6. Turn off at mp NY 29.1 and drive a mile and a half to where the main road tops out next to towers. Turn toward the peak on a faint unmapped road that ends in a fifth mile el 6600. It's less than a mile to the summit. I angled up to the left to W38 06686, W116 45279 el 6900  on the SE ridge then stayed left around talus to survey junk on top. No backsliding. All roads easy 4wd and mtn bikes would work. WHITE HILL el 6810 is what I call an interesting formation nearby. Retrace back to the road on the flats and go south on it for 1.2 miles to a main fork and go right on easy 4wd. It's nearly 3 more miles to a large mine area and it's a 15 minute hike to the top of the hill at 05262, 45755. Posted 2018, 2019.
• GEORGES CANYON has a perennial stream. I saw fish 3 or 4 inches long. Loops can be done in a vast pj forest using Georges Canyon Rim. Take the east side road to FR 44164 at N38 13032, W116 41257, next to Fourmile Spring. Go NW a mile and a half then go right on FR 44164B. Go a mile and a quarter on that to a fork and go right for about 6 miles to Fancher Cabin. Go right for half a mile to the end of the road el 6750 with shady camping. OHVs can make it another fifth mile. The roads are easy 4wd and rarely rocky except for a quarter mile on 44164B chewed up by floods, and that might get fixed. It gets brushy near the cabin. I walked up the washed out road to another cabin then crossed the stream at 19927, 43597 el 6950. I walked the bank above the brush and on to a minor drainage at 20201, 43479 el 7200. I crossed that then went up a slope at 20313, 43247 el 7300. That levels off at el 7550 then I stayed on the high ground to 20842, 42657 el 7750 then stumbled onto a rock ring at 21036, 42638 el 7750. If that's Indian, you gotta wonder how many more there are that I could hit one on my first try. I kept going to the rim at 22063, 42600 el 8100 with a good view into Windy Canyon where I could see the next day's hike. Now I turned down the rim which soon got very easy and had some old cairns. I strolled down to a drainage running south at 20302, 42382 el 7550 and went down that to 19821, 42787 el 7450 and stayed on the high ground to 19482, 43068 el 7250 then down that ridge to the start. 5 hours with 1100 net gain, and some minor ups and downs. But only about 300 of the gain isn't super easy. Endless loop variations are possible because brush isn't a factor. It's borderline for long pants because I was rubbing against bushes and small branches here and there. ALTERNATE : Two days later I found a partial trail running up toward the rim. I got on it at a main fork in the canyon. Use the same stream crossing as above at  19927, 43597 el 6950 and stay on the high east bank a short way to the main fork.  I was on a cow trail in the left fork and it started climbing up to the bench between the forks in the area of 20430, 43577 el 7150.  Soon I saw cut limbs and knew it was man made. I lost it but hit it again at  21071, 43327 el 7400. It faded again but was heading for a saddle at 21388, 43068 el 7700. It was easy to go on from there without a trail to the trail coming up from the Longstreet Mine at 21981, 42970 el 8050. I went right on that for a tenth mile to  the rim next to point 8177. Then it would be the same hike back as described above. Posted 2018.

Pahsimeroi Mountains

McGowan Benchmark on the left. Somewhere to the right is an 11000 foot peak where a climber named Darcy fell and died in 2012. I skipped that one.

Dickey Peak

Christian Gulch South Fork

Christian Lake

 This range is a subrange of the Lost River Range. It's drier and that makes for less brush and it's not surrounded by farms. US 93 runs along the west side then to Ellis where Custer Rd goes south along the east side.  Doublespring Rd leaves US 93 at mp 131.2 and cuts over to the east side to form the northern boundary. That road is maintained but bumpy and has the best camps north of the pass. Christian Gulch  has shady camps too. Challis is the main supply point with a supermarket and Family Dollar. Ellis has nothing. Posted 2018.

• DICKEY PEAK el 11141 is the high point of the Pahsimeroi Mountains. An easy 4wd road goes to el 7850 on the NW ridge. Take US 93 to mp 135.9 and turn at the sign for Arentson Gulch. Go east nearly half a mile then go north on the main road for 2 miles along a fence to a 4-way reading N44 13994, W113 55847 el 7150. Mtn bikes are practical that far. Go right at the 4-way for nearly a mile to an aqueduct where the road tops out on the NW ridge reading 14337, 54973 el 7850. Some shade and a small camp spot are there. Go up the easy ridge to treeline el 9200 then scree sets in. I zigzagged up on goat trails with hardly any backsliding. The summit is at 13758, 53011. On the descent I could see the mega spring el 8600 that feeds the aqueduct. Not one to pass up an ice cold spring, I followed a goat trail down the gully that leads to it. Then I went down the stream 600 feet to a huge dead tree on the right bank. I was reading 14191, 54061 el 8550. At that point I climbed out on the left using elk trails to get back on the ridge then it was less than a mile back to the start. That took me 4 hours, 9 minutes with 3300 gain plus a little to get up from the spring. Skipping the spring would bring the hike well under 4 hours. I thought it would be a longer hike than that. The ascent ridge has what looks like earthquake damage near the start. Now it's an ATV blocker. Posted, August 2018.
• PETROS PEAK el 11040 is what hikers call the next 11000 footer north of Dickey Peak. A steep route goes up the west side, but there's an old coot route up the Christian Gulch South Fork. Take the Doublespring Rd for 14.5 miles NE from US 93 to the turnoff for the Gulch. It's about half a mile outside the forest boundary reading N44 18722, W113 47840. Go 2 miles up that high clearance road then go left on FR 272 for a mile and a half to a meadow at the end reading 17841, 51348 el 7700. There is shady camping there. Go up canyon for 700 feet on an elk trail then it goes on the right bank a short way then comes back down. At 17213, 51766 el 8000 it goes up the right bank again. I had no trouble following it, but here's the waypoint sequence just in case. It crosses to the left bank at 17030, 51961 then climbs up 100 feet or so above the creekbed. It goes on to 16738, 52362 then 16633, 52538. It gets spotty after that but not needed. It's easy to walk the drainage to a grassy bowl at 16030, 53732 el 9495 where springs gush earlier in the season. Just keep following the smooth ground along the drainage up to the summit at 16879, 54477. 6 hours, 3400 gain. This is the most enjoyable hike I did in the Lost River Range. No brush, no bugs, no loose scree and what little is steep can be zigzagged. Snow near the summit was the only water I had, but there will be an intermittent stream if your timing is right. Posted August 11, 2018.
• CHRISTIAN LAKE el 9500 is what I call the one in the north fork of Christian Gulch and it's easy. Drive the same as Petros Peak, but don't turn on FR 272. Stay in the main canyon another 1.7 miles and go right on 4wd or keep going another half mile and go right on FR 426 which might be 2wd.  Both roads converge at a meadow where the canyon forks reading N44 19083, W113 52882 el 8000. The left fork has the lake, but it's better to walk up the right fork. Stay on elk trails along the creekbed. There was still a stream for the first half mile. Exit up to the left at 19505, 53458 el 8400 and go up to 19762, 55456 el 8700. Now you're on the north rim of the left fork so just stroll on up to the lake at 19722, 55397. I could look up to the 11000 footer north of the lake and saw no obstacles on the ridge to it. For a loop back, retrace the rim and drop to a spring at 19531, 53905 el 8700 on the  floor of the left fork. I didn't filter that. Then walk to an elk trail at 19490, 53679 el 8550 that goes down that fork. The trail fades on the flat bottom then stay left of the creekbed to walk down the little ridge between the forks that drops to the meadow at the start. That took me 3 hours, 15 minutes with 1500 gain, hardly any steep. This is one to do in July when the lake is bigger.  Posted August 12, 2017.
• MCGOWAN PEAK el 10700+ is fairly easy because trails go up McGowan Creek. Take US 93 to mp 147.1 and turn on a high clearance road that goes 2.3 miles to the mouth el 7000. It's mtn bikeable. An old constructed trail goes left around a thicket at the mouth and follows along a scree slope then comes back down to the creekbed in a fifth mile. It goes up canyon for .75 air mile as measured from the TH where a small stream was flowing. A tenth mile beyond that it enters a meadow and then it's elk trails along the meadow to a spring on the right bank at N44  21039, W113 59362 el 7750. I stayed on the right bank on elk trails to the first main fork el 8100. I went up the right fork to an elk trail at 21436, 59315 el 8150. I decided to use that trail to go up onto the south rim of that fork and it was an easy forest up to 21116, 58828 el 9150 where the rim gets steep and rough. At that spot, I used a game trail going up to the left to get back in the drainage and then it was obvious up that to the west ridge at 20922, 58554 el 9950. The ridge is class 2 and the McGowan benchmark is at 20934, 58204. A good view into the endless Grouse Creek can be had by walking to a point 450 feet east of the BM. I retraced to el 8400 then took a shortcut down a ridge at 21350, 59299 el 8250. 6 hours, 3700 gain. No loose scree. Long pants are advised because some patches of tall grass and other soft plants are in the main canyon as far as the spring el 7750. Shorts work beyond there. Doing this before August might mean dealing with boggy meadows. The stream was only running for half a mile. Posted August 14, 2018.
• PEAK 10620 is an easy one at the north end of the mountains. A 4wd road goes to el 8900 on the north ridge. Take US 93 to mp 152.1 and turn at the sign for Lime Creek. Go 7 miles on easy 4wd to the chicken TH el 8000 where there is shady camping. Walk a tenth mile up the road to the worst spot at N44 24069, W113 59456 el 8100 and decide if it's worth tackling that. It's just a speed bump for jeeps. I rode on past it for a mile to el 8900 on the crest then walked to an elk trail at 23877, 58844 el 9100 and followed that around the east side of point 9182 to the saddle el 9100 behind it. The trail goes up out of the saddle then bends right into the trees and fades. I just kept angling up thru the trees to the NW ridge then it was a simple walk along the crest to the summit at 22118, 58212. There is a minor dip a quarter mile before the summit that some rate as class 3, but it's more like class 2 to me. I saw no danger there. Some hikers go up the steep ridge from the chicken TH, but I would walk the road and use the ridge on the descent. Posted August, 2018.
• GROUSE CREEK MOUNTAIN el 11085 has a 4wd road up the NE ridge to el 8350. Use the graded West Double Spring Rd on the east side and drive to N44 24386, W113 47593. Turn there on easy 4wd and stay on the main road to a grassy road on the left at 23701, 51269 el 7400. The grassy road appears to be open according to the online MVUM. The road goes up to a fork at 23156, 51547 el 8150. Stay right for a quarter mile to the end el 8350. Then just go up the ridge thru the trees to 22207, 53356 el 10250 where the rest is in view. The summit is at 21966, 54497. 4 and a half hours, 2700 gain. There's no brush but mosquitoes converged on me at el 10400 and nowhere else. Some biting flies are lower. I saw no water except for snow even in canyons below. Posted July, 2018.
• MILL CREEK, on the north side of Grouse Creek Mtn, has a 4wd road. It's a good ride for cycles and mtn bikes. Turn off the main east side road at mp 19.8, across from Livestock Rd. Follow the road for 5 and a half miles to aspen with camps and a stream el 6450. OHVs go beyond there. No recent grazing. Posted 2018.
• GROUSE PEAK el 8464, at the north end of the Lost River Range, has an easy 4wd road to lookout ruins on top. The road goes on down to Challis. Turn off the main east side road at mp 8.1 and go 2/3 mile and cross Lawson Creek . The correct road, #111, runs on the north bank and there is just one main road to follow 9 miles to the crest. Grouse Peak is half a mile north. A mile and a half south on the crest is where #111 drops down to Challis. This dirt road is nearly 20 miles long and good for dual sport cycles. No gates except the side road to the peak. Posted 2018.
• LONE PINE PEAK el 9658 sits on the west side of US 93. A 4wd road goes to el 8600 out of Bradshaw Basin. Take US 93 to the sign for Spar Canyon Rd at mp 144.2. Go 7 miles on that good road to power lines then take the far right fork for .8 mile to another fork at N44 17335, W114 10267 el 7000. Go right on 4wd with some minor erosion and there's just one main road to follow to el 8600 where it shrinks to a rubbly ATV trail. Shady camps are off to the left. I walked the ATV trail for a fifth mile then cut left to 19487, 09686 el 8950 and walked faint game trails along the base of talus. I topped out at el 9200 then dropped to the only saddle at 20045, 09816 el 8950. For the summit ridge, I stayed left of a crag to 20596, 10165 el 9600 then walked north on a natural pathway for a tenth mile to the BM. That took me nearly 3 hours with 1500 gain, 250 of it is on the return. Nice forest. I could wear shorts in that thin sagebrush. Horses and cattle are here but they don't go above 8600. They don't have ATVs. Posted 2018.

Lewis And Clark Adventure Road

Most roads here aren't rocky. A road goes south from Lemhi Pass on the divide. It's good for mtn bikes for a couple of miles then gets steep. I dropped off there and went down a road by way of the mine. There is a road up Cow Creek that goes over Ramsey Peak and down to Lemhi. Jeeps can make it.

Sharkey Hot Spring has a day use fee of $3.

On the CDT hike to Goldstone Mtn, I could look down and see this fire.

Fire fighters had moved in.

The view from the summit of Goldstone Mtn.

On the return, the fire had covered the CDT. I moved right 100 feet and got under it on a barren slope. Green trees were flaring up as if someone poured gas on them.

I came back to the trail after 100 yards and was home free. I can outrun any fire, any day with my 29 dollar Walmart hiking boots.

LEWIS AND CLARK ADVENTURE ROAD  is what the BLM has designated a 36 mile loop by way of Lemhi Pass. Follow signs from Tendoy to the pass. A free, small campground is about 5 miles along on Agency Creek. The pass has displays and is day use only. Follow signs north on road #185 back to Tendoy. The BLM has developed Sharkey Hot Spring el 5400 just a few miles before the end of the loop. The loop is graded but it gets steep and some small rocks might cut into car tires. GOLDSTONE MOUNTAIN el 9909 is one hike to do along this loop. About 9 miles south of Lemhi Pass is where FR 184 forks to the right reading N45 03323, W113 27982 el 7900. Take that high clearance road for a bit over 5 miles to a fork at 05348, 31223 el 8494. Road #186 goes left, but stay straight for a mile and a half on a narrow 4wd road to the CDT at 06066, 30692 el 8600. That 4wd road is mtn bikeable. Then it's a matter of just walking the CDT to the NW ridge of the peak at el 9600 then stroll half a mile to the summit at 07135, 34578. That took me 5 and a half hours with nearly 2000 gain, none steep. On the return I had to detour around a fire burning a couple miles west of the peak in upper Park Creek.  Posted 2018.

Snake Mtns, Jarbidge Wilderness SE

High meadows at the end of Draw Creek road

The road to peak 9235 and 9537

Near Wildcat GS

The immaculate Wildcat Guard Station. No reservations required.

Salmon Falls Creek

The easy south ridge of peak 9537

Tabor Creek Campground

A main road runs north from Wells along the west side of the Snake Mountains for 55 miles then turns east for about 22 miles to US 93 at mp EL 111.7, some 14 miles south of Contact. I started at Wells but another road starts at Deeth and merges in.  The first 12 miles from Wells is bad pavement, then the next 28 is graded, then the next 15 miles has some mud holes that will stop 2wds when wet. The last 22 miles is good. The  SE section of the Jarbidge Wilderness can be accessed from this main road. There is no store or gas between Wells and Jackpot. Posted 2018.

• POLE CREEK has a road starting along the main road at N41 22339, W115 07048. It's closed during fire season, but the sat image shows it wraps all the way around to Loomis Creek where a road goes up to el 8300 near Tabor BM. Try that one in May. Posted 2018.
• TABOR BENCHMARK el 8846 is the high point of the Snake Mountains. A jeep road goes up the west ridge to el 7900 from the Tabor Creek Campground. The turnoff for the campground is at N41 23552, W115 07170 on the main road, about 25 miles from Wells. It's a mile and a half to the campground then over 3 miles along the creek to the end at a locked gate el 6400. At the third restroom reading 25838, 04797 el 6300 is the jeep road. It goes up and soon joins another road that is shown on the topo, but the first part of that road is badly rutted and should only be used by OHVs. At el 7450 the road crosses private land but it's open. The road goes up on the west ridge at 26438, 02424 el 7300 then a DIY road goes left to el 7900 on the ridge. Hiking straight up the ridge entails walking on talus. There's a wuss route in the drainage on the north side of the ridge. Walk up the ridge a tenth mile from the end of the road and into a minor saddle then go toward the drainage a few feet on a game trail to a viewpoint. A gap in the dense aspen is in view. Just walk thru it but don't go too high because there aren't any gaps higher, as I found out. It's a stroll to the north saddle el 8650 then another stroll to the reg at 26786, 00592.  LOOMIS MOUNTAIN el 8737 is an hour away to the SE. It sure looked easy but there's a wide patch of light brush and talus about halfway down to the main saddle el 8150. I went thru it but I could see later it can all be avoided by swinging wide to the east. From Loomis, I retraced to the saddle then walked that level back around to the start. The loop took me 3 hours, 10 minutes with about 1700 gain. Just going to Tabor BM and back would be 90 minutes with 1000 gain and I think I could do it in shorts but Loomis needs long pants for light brush. Do this by June before all the grass on the road dries out.  You could walk the road from the campground if you had to. The Pole Creek road might provide an alternate access, when it's open. Roads come high up the east side out of Loomis Creek but it's all private. The fee at the campground was $2. Take a lawn mower to cut the grass. If it's a 4wd mower, you can ride it up the jeep road and cut all that grass too. Posted 2018.
• PEAK 9235, PEAK 9537 are dominant in the SE corner of the Jarbidge Wilderness. Peak 9235 has a brilliant east face that is eye catching from 20 miles away. Turn off the main road at N41 32121, W115 12463 and go west about a mile across a wetland then keep right at a fork and go 5 miles on high clearance road to a main fork with signs. Left goes 6 miles on a decent road to Marys River with a cottonwood to camp under. The right fork goes to the peaks. Take it for 4 miles to the Draw Creek road at 38283, 18007 el 6450. Go up that 2 or 3 miles on 4wd to the last turnaround at 40016, 18921 el 7050. I got a cycle to el 7600, but it's ATVs only beyond there. Walk up the road until .4 mile before peak 9235 then go right on a grassy road that ends at el 8950 then a faint elk trail goes on up to the summit at 41802, 20112. Then follow the ridge down to the saddle el 8700 between the peaks where there is a man made trail going up the ridge toward peak 9537. It fades at el 9000 but it' a stroll on up to the summit at 43158, 19521. Return to the saddle and get on the trail at 42111, 19788 el 8700 and walk it around the west side of peak 9235 to the road el 8800 and stroll on back. That took me 5 hours with nearly 3000 gain, none steep, but I started at el 7600. It's a gorgeous area with no brush. A shorter hike just to peak 9235 would be worthwhile. As for backpackers, they would have water along the road, the last being at the high meadow reading 41492,20445 el 8650. Then they would want to walk the road to the end where the trail starts. Soon there is a fork at 41827, 20388 el 8800 where the right fork stays high and goes around to the saddle between the peaks. Snow was still around in late June. There won't be any traffic until hunting season. The roads here are a headache. Idiots drove the road on the flats after a major storm and plowed it up. A car could make it before that. The road connecting Draw Creek to Wildcat guard station is not good. Posted June, 2018.
• WILDCAT GUARD STATION is open for public use. Turn off the main road at N41 39393, W115 11657 and drive 6 miles to it. The road gets better after 2 miles but it still takes 4wd. A fence just past the station is where grazing ends. Nearly half a mile past the station is a fork. Left goes 2/3 mile to el 7350 then a rough OHV track goes a little more then fades. The right fork goes to a TH at 41759, 17285 el 7350 where a trail drops 400 feet to Sun Creek. It's a half hour to the creek and back. The creek would have to be waded then you could take a crack at peak 9537, but I couldn't see a trail on the north side of the creek. Who needs a trail, anyway? A grand loop could be done from the guard station by walking the road to Draw Creek then hike the route to peak 9537 then down the ridge back to the start. I measured that on the map at 15 miles. Shortcutting across peak 7705 would make it a 12 mile hike, but that might get brushy. Shuttling on the road is an option but it ain't a good road. Posted 2018.
• CAMP CREEK has a trail. The turnoff for that is at N41 42878, W115 05420. Drive 7 miles on the rim on a high clearance road. Then drop to the creek on 4wd and in a mile or so is the TH at 43009, 13999 el 6550. I went 3 miles or so to a main fork at 44137, 16281 el 6950. The right fork had a trail but it's gone but the trail in the left fork keeps going. A basecamp could be set up here. Peaks in the area looked brush free. This is strictly a late summer affair when the creek is jumpable. The road in is mtn bikeable. Posted August, 2018..
• BLACK MOUNTAIN, COLD SPRING MOUNTAIN - these two are easy from the west side 4wd road. If you just want the latter, stay on the main road until it tops out at el 6800 next to that peak. Otherwise, use a 4wd road going north from the main road at N41 40591, W115 01475. All remaining coordinates are W114. Drive that road nearly 2 and a half miles to a cow trail at N41 41638, W114 59576 el 6950. That goes toward the easy north ridge then it's easy to run the crest to the reg at Salmon Benchmark reading 40621, 58072 el 8104. That takes 2 hours with 1200 gain. For Black Mtn, stay on the 4wd road to a fork at 42052, 59239 el 7000. Go right and it soon smooths out then park at a fence el 7350. Walk along the fence and it soon ends then go up to a saddle at 43140, 57969 el 7750. Then walk along the east side to the next saddle el 7700 and then stay near center for the rest to the Cold Benchmark at 43747, 58080 el 7873. Did I find a reg way, way out there? You'll have to hike it and see. That one took me 95 minutes with about 600 gain. There was a small amount of knee high grass on this one, but I would use shorts on both peaks. This peak has the best view of any in the Snake Mtns, overlooking the Salmon Falls Creek bad lands. Posted June, 2018.
• SALMON FALLS CREEK is hard to get at, but one way is to use the 4wd road to Black Mtn that goes north from the main road at N41 40591, W115 01475. The road runs along the west side of the mountain then bends east around it. Follow it to N41 44944, W114 55737 where a road goes left out to an overlook into the gorge. Nobody keeps going east because there is a tricky crossing that is overgrown. I could have drove a jeep to the crossing that day, but I didn't see an exit on the other side. Boulders are falling on the road so that route is best left to OHVs. A complete circle can be made around Black Mtn by retracing from the overlook to N41 45018, W114 56705 el 6300 and turning south. Stay left at the next fork and the road goes to el 6600 on the SW side of Little Devils Table el 6841. That makes a good short hike. Keep going south to a fork at Wrist Spring reading N41 42983, W114 57262 el 7100. Left is the most used road and it goes out to US 93, but I took the right fork over the saddle on the south side of Black Mtn and out. A jeep won't have any problem with these roads. Mtn bikers might want to scout a one way ride thru to Contact. I measured that to be 25 miles. Posted 2018.
• PEAK 8597 is the last thing I did in the Snake Mtns. About a third mile before the main road meets US 93, turn SW on a graded road for 9 miles to a working quarry. Just before the quarry, go right on a crude road to a fork at N41 32493, W114 57479 el 6600. I took the grassy right fork which had no erosion issues, but another way is to take the left fork to an old quarry where two roads go up a slope to meet the grassy road I took. The second road is less steep, at N41 32321, W115 00135 el 7150. That slope is the worst part of that road. Either way you go, go on to a fork at N41 32694, W115 01331 el 7850 then go right and the road goes up onto the high divide and follows a fence. I walked from peak 8397 where it got super steep. The road goes to peak 8454 then takes a steep dive into Jakes Creek. Peak 8597 is a half mile off the road at N41 33781, W115 03348. Jeeps have no problem as far as peak 8397, but the road to the old quarry is starting to get slides. Posted 2018.

Pinon,Whistler, Sulphur Spring Ranges

Pine Mtn

A view of Bunker Hill and Ravens Nest from Pine Mtn

Flower show at Pine Mtn

A bird nest on top of Pinon high point. I don't see how they get away with ground nests.

Mines are starting up on the east side of Bunker Hill.

Palisade cemetery

The gorge at Palisade

Highway 278 is " easy peak highway". You can leave your engine running and the AC on as you step out for a few minutes to climb peaks. There is no store or gas between Eureka and Carlin. Posted 2018.

• WHISTLER MOUNTAIN el 8141 is the high point of the Whistler Range NW of Eureka. Take highway 278 to mp EU 8.2 and turn on a gravel road. Go SW for 1.2 miles then turn south and go 2.1 miles to an easy 4wd road at N39 37882, W116 03053. Mtn bikes and 2wd trucks can make it that far. Go 1.1 miles on bumpy little rocks to the end of the 4wd road in a canyon with shady camps el 6600. Walk up the canyon for a third mile then climb left to a saddle at 37638, 04779 el 7200 then up the ridge to the reg at 37650, 05527. Under 2 hours, nearly 1600 gain. Nice pj forest with no brush, cattle or horses. There are more direct roads in from the highway but they are less used and might have tedious gates. I could see the west side roads from the summit and they looked OK. Posted 2018.
• ROBERTS CREEK MOUNTAIN el 10134 has a jeep road to el 9750. Late summer is best for driving when a pond at el 8950, as the topo shows, is dry. Drive to mp EU 24.4 on highway 278. Two dirt roads go west from there. The one on the left is the Henderson Creek road. You want the one on the right which is the Vinini Creek road. At nearly 3 miles in there are no more cattle and the road smooths out. Keep going over a pass el 8126 to the jeep road at N39 50906, W116 17118 el 8100. It's routine 4wd for the first half mile to a level spot at 51341, 17335 el 8500. I would park or camp there and walk nearly half a mile up to the pond el 8950 that blocks the road and make sure it's low or dry. A fifth mile past that the road smooths out and it's routine 4wd to the last turn at 52461, 18476 el 9700 then it's a third mile on a grassy road to el 9750. The reg is at 52194, 18634. My name is in there from 20 years earlier but I can't remember a thing. Backpackers would have water at the meadows el 9250 and the last water is a spring at 52357, 18290 el 9550. The best camp along the creek is at 52137, 15622 el 7400 but take a lawn mower to cut the grass. The Vinini Creek road is on mtn bike websites because it's a good, easy ride. MOUNT HOPE el 8411 is an easy one nearby. Take the Henderson Creek road for 4 and a half miles then turn left just before Henderson Summit. Go half a mile to N39 48596, W116 11782 el 7200 then turn right and drive up to the north ridge el 7750. Then walk up to the BM at 47719, 11289. Someone mauled it trying to pry it loose. 1 hour with nearly 700 gain. These are smooth 4wd roads and you get to keep your paint.There is a forest for camping around the 7200 level. Posted June, 2018.
• SULHUR SPRING RANGE HIGH POINT el 8373 - a logging road goes to a burn area el 7200 by way of Middle Spring. Turn off highway 278 at mp EU and drive a decent high clearance road to N40 09612, W116 05836 el 6350, just before a shady cottonwood camp. Turn north there and go about half a mile then turn right on easy 4wd. The road soon turns brushy but is smooth. Stay right at a trough el 6650 and then the road fades in the canyon at el 7200. I went up the ridge and came down the canyon. The canyon route is less steep but grassy. The reg is at 09808, 03193. Placed by M&L in 1997, it only had one entry since. 100 minutes, 1200 gain. This is strictly for early in the season before the grass dries out and becomes a fire hazard. Flowers bloom in the burn area. Some trees survived on top. Mtn bikes would work to the trough el 6650 where water is pouring out of a pipe. Posted 2018.
• PINON RANGE HIGH POINT el 8747 - a bladed road goes almost all the way because gold mines are starting up. Turn off highway 278 at mp EU 66.8 and follow the main road and stay right at main forks for a dozen miles to where the road tops out at el 8700 a tenth mile north of the Elliott Benchmark which is at N40 24587, W115 59300. To continue on north to Bullion, drive back to a road at 25523, 57803 el 7700 and go north to a fork at 28597, 57336 el 6300. Stay right to another fork at 31950, 59209 el 6400. Left goes shortly to Bullion, right goes less than a mile to a T where left goes to Bullion and right goes a dozen miles to 278 at mp 73.2. This is nearly 40 miles and all easy 4wd. Go on Sunday when mine traffic is low. The mines might block this, but not around Bullion. Posted 2018.
• BUNKER HILL, PINE MOUNTAIN - an easy 4wd road goes to the saddle el 8200 NW of the Delmas Mine. Turn off highway 278 at mp EU 73.2 and follow the main road to a fork at Bullion reading N40 31415, W115 59794 el 6680. The left fork is rutted and goes thru aspen then over a saddle el 7260 and fades at meadows. The right fork is the one that goes up to the saddle el 8200. It has been bladed in recent times. It's a stroll to Bunker Hill at N40 30131, W116 00753 el 8706 and another stroll for 2/3 mile on the flowery crest to Ravens Nest where Bullion Benchmark is, though omitted from the topo. For Pine Mtn, use one of the roads on the west side of the saddle el 8200. The left one is preferred, but needs a trim. A 4wd had just been on it. The road on the right is more used. There is a parking spot along that road at N40 31415, W116 01549 el 8500 and then it's a short walk to the other road. A bump on the ridge marks the end of roads. The miners laid a route for a road around the bump, but never finished thus the remaining ridge is pristine. Skirt around that bump on the north side then it's obvious to the summit at N40 31769, W116 03632 el 8282. That took me 2 and a half hours with about 800 gain on the way over then nearly 1000 on the return. That's the best peak hike I did in this range. That  Ferdelford Canyon has some sunny pullouts. The road up Webb Creek is gone. Posted 2018.
• PALISADE - turn off highway 278 at mp 78.4 and drive a mile and a half to the Humboldt River. The main road goes on up to I-80, but it's too steep for cars. A side road goes over a mile up the river in a gorge. Posted 2018.