[Gimpilator]

November 22 Black Mountain - 2198' We couldn't leave Vegas until late morning, so I picked 3 small objectives to do on the way south. Using Dean Gaudet's advice, this peak is class 2. We avoided the standard scramble with loose rubble.

Spirit

Salt and Pepper

Mojave Lake

Copper

Peak 3288 A nondescript hill, yet pleasant. West ridge, class 2.

Peak 2201 Furthest south peak in the Dead Mountains. Trains galore! There's a passageway under the tracks. West gully and then upper west ridge. Mining prospects on the ridge. Steep and loose at the end, but good views.

ore

Dead Mountains

11-23 Peak 3441 The first time I did the main summit of the Palen Range in 2017 with Greg. We decided we liked the range and have talked about going back for the obscure south peak. I spent hours studying satellite maps, plotting an old road on the west side of the range. This is not Subaru country. Jeeps or trucks only. But as usually happens, Bob Burd beat me to the chase and established a very workable route with a better approach road. Greg agreed to bring his sand rail, in case the sand was too much for his truck. As it turned out, we didn't need it afterall, but it's got some very bad spots.

3441

We hiked up and over Peak 3441 on the way to the main objective. Southwest ridge.

3441

good quality

South Palen

Middle Palen, far away

Granite

South Palen

South Palen

coming down from 3441

South Palen - 3619' To get to the main peak we hiked down 500 feet into a saddle and back up 650 feet. For the final object we dropped off the east face, just like Bob.

summit

Palen

Middle Palen

west

dropping 2000 feet

South Palen

Middle Palen - 3231' Greg was ready for a break and willing to wait for Frances and I. I chose the ridge east of where Bob ascended because it was more gentle. We traversed around several high points and then ended on the southwest ridge. It was a very long walk back to the car, with the last hour in the dark, crossing small washes and canyons.

traverse to summit ridge

Middle Palen

southwest ridge

Frances and the two peaks we came over behind her

Palen main peak

[Gimpilator]

11-24 Peak 4118 The peak southwest of Pilot. Bob Burd route. Thanks Bob! We replaced the register jar, which was rusted and leaking on the lid.

going to Pilot

Pilot Mountain - 4216' Two bighorn rams spotted on ascent and a herd of 10 deer on descent.

Black

Peak 4369

Afterward we explored the petroglyphs of Corn Springs.

11-25 Queen Mountain - 5680' Several people have recommended this peak to me over the years. Trail to near the summit, but hard to follow in a couple spots. Two summits of nearly equal height. Don't trust the map. Do both. Frances and I agree that Queen is a very average summit in the desert, 5/10 stars.

Queen

east summit slabs

west summit from east.

San Gorgonio

San Jacinto

Outlaw Benchmark - 3291' Frances was ready for a break and willing to wait for me while I got one more. Outlaw is in a remote part of Joshua Tree National Park. No roads and no trails. I walked several miles up a sandy wash. At first I couldn't tell which peak was the highest, but as I got closer, things on the map made more sense. I found a tortoise shell, full-size. The thing probably died of old age.

Outlaw

As I was ascending the north ridge, I noticed wind increasing and a wall of dust coming up behind me. No time for a break. I ascended as quickly as possible, hoping to get to the summit before it hit. I managed that. This dust storm was not anticipated, but fortunately I had an emergency dust mask to wear for the descent. To date, it's the worst dust storm I've been trapped in. I was leaning sideways into the wind for part of this descent.

Outlaw

here it comes

Coxcombs, Spectre group

Pinto Range

[Abert]

I lost my gps coming down from Queen on the 20th. It was snowing lightly and I wasn't in the mood (or really dressed) to go back up and look for it. I'm so dependent on it now I'm amazed I made it through almost a week without one.