Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board interesting desert peak with no snow?!

anyone have a tip on an interesting desert peak for a group that will drive from l.a. the night before and sleep at the trailhead? all members in good shape and have climbed whitney multiple times but looking for a peak with no or minimal snow. thanks!

Hi Cave mountain Just past Barstow. I don't know about a trail have just started up , I think you can go in at Afton Canyon and follow a dirt road to about 1/3 the way up or start e/o the mountain at Basin Road which is longer climb.

Another good climb is take the Afton Cyn. exit turn North and climb the mountain on your left I am sure it has a name I just don't recall it.

At State line is Kingston Mountain and that is great for views of dry lakes and the rugged mountain range south and east in Nevada.

Closer in is Bell Mountain but just a bump and east of Bell is Stoddard Mountain. Calico , but a great trip is in the canyon of Calico Mountain out on to fan and down to Coyote Dry lake.

Hit Google earth and follow some of the roads that will get you to many desert peaks ,Hint you can go from Victorville to just south of Salt Lake on some of these roads.

Hint, you can even go a few miles past Salt Lake (but bring your passport, eh).

And North too... I saw a documentary on that.

What type of vehicle will you be driving? That will make a big difference on which mountain you decide on.

I wander around in the desert this time of year. You might want to pick up Andy Zdon's "Desert Summits" book as it is a good basic resource.

I have some photos and maps online of desert peaks I've visited - I don't have them all that well organized; so I'm not sure how much help they will be:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/CaliforniaHikesandScrambles/California-Desert-Hikes-and

Some of the Southern California desert peaks that allow you to park just off paved roads if you are driving a low clearance passenger car:

Pyramid Peak in Death Valley
Corkscrew Peak in Death Valley
Stewart Point in the Resting Spring Range near Shoshone
Pahrump Point in the Nopah Ranch near Shoshone
Eagle Mountain north of Shoshone
Rosa Point in the Santa Rosas (Anza-Borrego Area)
Villager and Rabbit Peaks in the Santa Rosas (Anza-Borrego Area)
Sheep and Martinez Peaks in the Santa Rosas (Access via Cactus Springs Trail off SR74
Spectre Point in the Coxcombs - Joshua Tree NP
Sheephole Mountain in the Mojave near Twentynine Palms
Towne Peak and Panamint Butte (done together starting at Towne Pass)in Death Valley

It is possible to run into a bit of snow on some of these peaks in the winter, but not usually enough cause any problems.

The other question is: Are you comfortable with cross-country travel? Not many of the desert peaks have maintained trails. Some do have use trails that run from faint to well defined depending on the amount of traffic they get; so that helps. Peaks like like Corkscrew Peak in Death Valley and Villager/Rabbit in the Santa Rosas have well defined use trails.

Hi Forgot several other roads one to Page AZ and the other the big dam in OR. Many miles on these roads are hard surface, meaning well packed dirt, but you may run into washouts and sandy areas ,once you are in Nevada and Utah paved roads are rare sights for the backcountry. But again local traffic keeps them open , shovel chains and luck, those electric things won't work. maybe 50 miles or more from a paved road or town.


Good call on Andy's book , Also the BLM office in Barstow is a great stop for maps and check out the Muesum across the street .