Nov 12: North McCullough Wilderness, Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, NV.
Preserved for its amazing petroglyph panels, this small wilderness is a joy to walk crosscountry as it is big and open. BBLs (Big Brown Lumps); the term some friends have become fond of to describe hills and peaks such as these. But be aware, there can be some darn good, albeit short, scrambling in them thar hills.
Beginning at the new visitor center parking lot (easy paved road access 2018) I quickly went crosscountry along gentle ridgelines. Ecru Peak (Silver Dollar Peak) 3975', has really nice scrambling on its East Ridge. I returned on Trail 300 and took a look at the petros (visited before) as darkness fell.
Sloan_Area_Map2
N. McCullough Mountains
Sloan Canyon Fork
Sutor BM and the Crags
Distant Ecru Peak (Silver Dollar) next
Good E Ridge Ecru scramble
Feline Fang
Nov 13: Kimberly joins me to scramble in the Mount Wilson Wilderness, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, AZ.
With Kimberly's Jeep we were able to get close to the start of scrambling via the Black Joe Mine Road in the Lake Mead NRA. It saves a few miles RT. The west ridge of Mount Wilson was a fine scramble. Then we worked south on a nice crest traverse. After scrambling the NW Ridge of the South Peak, 5043' we combined draws, ridges, and gullies to complete a loop hike. Great Day 1 for us.
overview
Wilson Loop
Scrambling west ridge of Mt Wilson
Mount Wilson Wilderness; Lake Mead National Recreation Area, AZ
Mount Wilson Wilderness; Lake Mead National Recreation Area, AZ
Will run that ridge
will head along south ridge next
fine scrambling N Ridge of South Wilson
completing the loop
Nov 14: Eldorado Wilderness, Lake Mead NRA, NV.
This day was the highlight of our time at Lake Mead. We combined a couple colorful summits with two really fine colorful canyons where no one goes (even with easy paved road access)! Lots of scrambling on both the peaks and in the canyons. That makes for great days!
EldoLoop
Into the Eldorado Wilderness
finding nice scrambling
along a ledge
Eldorado Mountains Wilderness; Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV
descend that canyon next
smooth canyon descent
Eldorado Wilderness Highpoint
looking southeast
great southwest ridge scramble
Into Lonesome Wash
Lonesone Wash: a beautiful find
great canyon descent
sizeable walls
very fine canyon
narrowing
a dryfall bypassed
arch at Oak Cr Canyon confluence
Up Oak Creek Canyon
out at sunset!
Next stop we explore Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, AZ. For both of us it will be the first time back in many years into the Sonoran Desert with its incredible flora.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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