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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
Joined: 02 Mar 2002
Posts: 1967 | TRs | Pics
Location: ex Kennewick, Wa & Lehi Utah |
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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
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 Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:40 am |
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About an hour north of Las Vegas, is an interesting area known as the Desert Wildlife Area. Twice the size of the state of Rhode Island, it is also home to the Sheep Mountain range and Hayford Peak, a 9912 foot desert type mountain. A rough road from US 93 takes you to a trailhead at the mouth of Deadman Canyon and the beginning of the hike. On the 18th of February, a friend of mine from Las Vegas and I found ourselves on the trail at 8 a.m. We had 14 miles and 4400 feet of elevation gain to look forward to as we started in. We hit snow at the 6300 foot mark and from that point on we could have been in the northwest instead of the desert.
The snow never got that deep although near the summit we did get into knee deep conditions. 5 miles up Deadman Canyon is a cabin that is in great condition and is generally the turnaround point for most people who venture up that way. Many people overnight in or near the cabin and the area is in a pine forest. The peak is another 3 miles and 2400 feet from the cabin and of course that was our goal for the day. I had been in this area two years before but an unbelievable april blizzard kept me from getting the peak at that time and I turned around at the cabin due to the conditions. So, here I was, back to finish to the job.
Hayford Peak is considered an "Ultra" peak as it is one of 57 peaks in the lower 48 that has over 5000 feet of prominence. NWHikers member smmslt has a nice page on this concept at summitpost that you can access HERE if you want to know more about prominence. This would be my 37th such peak and is what would make me make the drive to the Las Vegas area from Kennewick to get this one in winter time.
Bristlecone pine trees are another of my loves and the upper reaches of Hayford Peak has its fair share of these ancient trees. My friend and I topped out a little later than we had planned but the snow slowed us down and the altitude slowed me a bit more than normal. Coming down off the mountain, we had to don our headlamps for the last five miles out as these shorter winter days make you pay on a hike of this kind.
 Joshua tree near mouth of Deadman Canyon  Cairn with Hayford in the background  The Cabin that is 5 miles in  My friend and I on top. A solar array mars the top but not uncommon on the tops of high desert peaks.  The summit register is chained to the mountain  Las Vegas is just barely visible towards the right of this pic. 
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Oren
Grampa Murphy
Joined: 27 Jun 2004
Posts: 349 | TRs | Pics
Location: Stranger in a strange land |
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Oren
Grampa Murphy
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Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:05 am |
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Always enjoy the read Dean, thanks for posting.
Long since I've been amongst majestic peaks
nor side mirrored lakes where awe so speaks.
Blanketed valleys the dawn awakes and blinking stars to fade.
My soul is called to see these things, the Hand of God has made.
Long since I've been amongst majestic peaks
nor side mirrored lakes where awe so speaks.
Blanketed valleys the dawn awakes and blinking stars to fade.
My soul is called to see these things, the Hand of God has made.
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whitebark
Member
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Posts: 1864 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
I've been as far as the cabin in Deadman's Canyon, where a sudden snowstorm stopped my progress (it was late November). The Sheep Range is a neat area to hike in...that thick ponderosa pine forest up there is sure unexpected, considering the desert climate. Thanks for posting the trip report.
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wildernessed
viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee |
Always an enjoyable read. Thanks. 
Living in the Anthropocene
Living in the Anthropocene
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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
Joined: 02 Mar 2002
Posts: 1967 | TRs | Pics
Location: ex Kennewick, Wa & Lehi Utah |
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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
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Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:14 pm |
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Whitebark | Quote: | | I've been as far as the cabin in Deadman's Canyon |
Do you think you'll ever get back there?
Thanks one and all for your comments. As it rains here in Kennewick today, I wish I were back down chasing more of those peaks in so. nevada or death valley. 
The road up to the TH. You go from Joshua trees to pines but you
can't tell there are pines hidden away up there as it all looks desolate.
Hayford Peak is behind the snow covered one in the foreground.
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Stones
funk soul brother
Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Posts: 1594 | TRs | Pics
Location: in your soul kitchen |
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Stones
funk soul brother
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Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:20 pm |
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I love these islands in the sky.
Let me stand next to your fire
Let me stand next to your fire
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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cle Elum |
You hangin out in the high desert again Doc? Nice pics.
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
Joined: 02 Mar 2002
Posts: 1967 | TRs | Pics
Location: ex Kennewick, Wa & Lehi Utah |
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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
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Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:57 pm |
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BPJ | Quote: | | You hangin out in the high desert again Doc? |
Unfortunately I was only down there a couple days. The weather turned nasty the next day and was snowing up in the Sheep Mtn range so my timing to do Hayford was good. I wanted to get Telescope over in Death Valley too but I'll have to save that one for another time. I'll bet Stones has done Telescope. ??
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whitebark
Member
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Posts: 1864 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
| Hkr Dean wrote: | | Do you think you'll ever get back there? |
Hope to...Hayford Peak is on my "to do" list. I have done Telescope...that's a great hike. I climbed it in May, during a heavy snow year. The top 1000 feet was almost completely covered with snowpack. This is a fun, great hike! Despite its great elevation, Telescope is much drier than the Sheep Range; there are no ponderosas there.
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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
Joined: 02 Mar 2002
Posts: 1967 | TRs | Pics
Location: ex Kennewick, Wa & Lehi Utah |
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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
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Sat Feb 24, 2007 2:59 pm |
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Whitebark, another great hike is Charleston Peak. You may have already done that one but it has one of the best bristlecone forests I have seen outside of the White Mtns.
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Stones
funk soul brother
Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Posts: 1594 | TRs | Pics
Location: in your soul kitchen |
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Stones
funk soul brother
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Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:07 pm |
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| Hkr Dean wrote: | | I'll bet Stones has done Telescope. ?? |
Yep, quite awhile ago. I'd love to do it again sometime. Looking straight down 11,000 plus feet into Badwater is unforgettable. I did Tin Mountain also, the high point (8953') in the Cottonwood Mountains towards the northern end of the park, a pretty barren piece of landscape despite the elevation. But I have a long ways to go to catch up with you Dean.
Let me stand next to your fire
Let me stand next to your fire
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Eric
Peak Geek
Joined: 21 Oct 2002
Posts: 2062 | TRs | Pics
Location: In Travel Status |
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Eric
Peak Geek
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Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:41 pm |
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That pic with the Joshua Tree and the snow is a nice one.
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yew
non-technical
Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 1173 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellingham |
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yew
non-technical
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Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:32 pm pondos
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Wow, never knew there were so many ponderosa pines on the Desert Wildlife Refuge.
I hear one can go one tours of the adjacent Nevada Test Site where the Federal Government set off above and below ground nuclear bomb tests. Some big craters and other crazy stuff to gawk at. New York Times did a neat travel piece on the Site back in late December.
"I aint jokin woman, I got to ramble...We gonna go walkin through the park every day." - Led Zeppelin
"I aint jokin woman, I got to ramble...We gonna go walkin through the park every day." - Led Zeppelin
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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
Joined: 02 Mar 2002
Posts: 1967 | TRs | Pics
Location: ex Kennewick, Wa & Lehi Utah |
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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
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Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:00 pm |
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Stones, I hear that Tin is a full day hike. Also Dry is another one in the same area. I'd love to spend a full week down there in either March or April sometime (and get Telescope while I'm at it).
Thanks Eric, I'm glad you like that shot. The desert is full of surprises and that was one for me.
yew_betula, those pines are encountered about the 7500 foot level. Deadman Canyon is an interesting hike, just to get to the cabin and see the pines up there.
Nearing the last 800 feet to the summit, the forest is mainly bristlecone and limber pines.
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