[Gimpilator]

Peak 3851 seen from Colorock Peak

Last March, when I did Colorock Peak in the northern Muddies, I noticed a rugged looking peak which was apparently not catalogued in the normal places. Maybe someone has climbed it before, but there's no record of that and no evidence on the summit either. Frances was intrigued when I told her about it a few days ago, so we went to try it out the next morning. Peak 3851 "Muddy Knife" We climbed the north side. There are some ledges and ramps, but the rock is a bit crumbly in places.

first light on Muddy Knife

full light on Muddy Knife

Muddy Knife

up this way

photo by Frances

photo by Frances

We ended on the south ridge, which is a narrow knife-edge with exhilarating exposure. Frances says I was acting funny on that bit. She was first on top and I told her she should pick a name for the peak.

Frances on the summit

photo by Frances

photo by Frances

We descended to the prominence saddle to measure it. We took GPS readings with two devices. One indicated slightly less than 300 feet and the other says over, so non-conclusive. The various maps show about 300 feet.

view east

view south

descending

Peak 4029 We descended a wash into Hidden Valley and traversed around the south side of Colorock Peak, to get to the unnamed sandstone peak. Our ascent here was not as difficult as might be expected for this kind of rock. It gave up the game easily, that is except for the summit boulder.

Welcome to Hidden Valley!

delicate arch

Trypophobia

Can you spot Frances?

The boulder in question is overhanging all sides except one and looks like 4th or 5th class with death exposure. The flake holds appear less than trustworthy. My friend Tracy climbed it, but we both decided we didn't want to. Standing on the next highest rock puts your head about 3 feet higher than this boulder. Here we enact the seldom used head-is-higher rule.

Overhanging boulder visible with Peak 4436 behind

Peak 4436 "Northwest Muddy Peak" We crossed a small basin to reach the south ridge of the unnamed limestone peak. This one is a long way from anything and perhaps a 2nd ascent.

To get back to the car on the Colorock Quarry road, I had planned for us to cross the length of Hidden Valley to it's drainage point, but I didn't know if that canyon would be blocked by dryfalls. Fortunately it wasn't.

good quality

Hidden Valley is a special place, with a wide range of sandstone formations and colors. We were fortunate to view petroglyphs and stone tools of the natives that no longer reside there.

[Stefan]

wearing Tshirts on March 1! You two make me jealous! I like the wavy rock picture.

[awilsondc]

[Eric Hansen]

Hidden Valley is too cool. Been in there twice, would gladly return.

[Fletcher]

Really nice looking peaks Adam.

[John Morrow]

[RichP]

Awesome. I'll be hiking in Valley of Fire today. So much neat stuff around here. Just getting my feet wet.

[John Morrow]

[RichP]