Panamint Butte via Lemoigne Canyon

[Candace66]

For years, I've wanted to tackle the long route up Panamint Butte from the end of the Lemoigne Canyon Road.  I finally did it Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

Be in shape for this one: It's an 18.8 mile roundtrip!  I'm not sure I was, since my legs were kinda dead for two days after.

More details here (and a GPX file if you want to try this):  Report on Peakbagger.com

[TacoLand]

Nice one! I finally checked out Lemoigne Canyon earlier this year and just did the "baby" hike up the South Fork to the cabin. I enjoyed the solitude out there and the lack of dry falls. Good place to just zone out for an afternoon.

[GowerGulch42]

Fantastic, well done! That whole plateau area up there is something I've wanted to visit for years. How'd you like the North Fork of Lemoigne? There used to be a road to Cottonwood through there.

[DeathValleyDazed]

For years, I've wanted to tackle the long route up Panamint Butte from the end of the Lemoigne Canyon Road.  I finally did it Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

Loving your trip report on peakbagger (which I've never checked out until your provided the link today). I did not see any photos of your hike posted? Congrats on summiting Panamint Butte for the second time. Did you see and military aircraft zooming around the Panamint Valley?

On my last trip to DEVA over Halloween weekend while driving back and forth over Towne Pass I contemplated taking a day to attempt Panamint Butte from either The Big Four or from Lemoigne Canyon. I did not have a solid four wheel drive vehicle so that ruled out driving up the Lemoigne and I surmised that to hoof it from Emigrant Campground would be pushing the limit of a day hike, which your trip report confirms to me. 

I've explored around the Big Four so was somewhat aware of how steep the route to the top would be. In the old days, I believe one could four wheel drive right up to The Big Four but now NPS wisely has it blocked off right near the Panamint Dunes parking area. I also doubted being in shape enough to scramble up from Big Four so I played it safe. 

From what Andrew noted in this thread, it appears that one could explore around the plateau to add some spice to the day hike, but that would take more time and energy. 

[Kauri]

Nice report!!

Candace, I didn't realize you'd finally "seen the light" and are now driving a 4Runner 

[Candace66]

DV Dazed...  No military flying the day after Thanksgiving.   I knew from past experience that they take off for the long turkey day weekend.   In fact, I may have only heard one or two planes of any kind all day!

I don't usually get around to posting many pics from my outings.  I do post some on Facebook, but usually only if I have cell service at the time.  So if you (or others here) are on FB, message me and we can get connected.

I did post to FB from the top of Panamint Butte, this time and last time I climbed it.  In fact last time, I was able to post from the ridge above Big Four Mine.  There's an AT&T signal coming from somewhere to the west, possibly from above Cerro Gordo?

So far, I haven't figured out how to add pics on peakbagger.com!  

Wow, NPS has closed the road all the way down near the Dunes parking area?  Actually, when I climbed the Butte from that side, I parked and hiked from the Dunes parking.  It provided an extra warm-up before starting up the crazy steep stuff.  Also, having driven partway up that road before, I decided I'd rather park on flat ground!

Yeah, the plateau back there is cool.  But indeed it was a long enough hike for one day without any additional exploring.  I had planned to also visit the high point just south of the summit, for the improved view of the Panamint Valley.  However, it was rather cold and windy up there, so I skipped it.  As it was, I walked the last 4.5 miles or so down the canyon by headlamp.


Kauri...yeah, two years ago, I got tired of putting the Heep in the shop, and traded it in on the 4Runner.

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Fantastic, well done! That whole plateau area up there is something I've wanted to visit for years. How'd you like the North Fork of Lemoigne? There used to be a road to Cottonwood through there.

Thanks!  The hike up the canyon was pretty easy, and quite enjoyable.



No sign of any road or trail in the canyon, just some faint older footprints.  But on my way up, just as I was getting out into the open, I looked to my right and saw this.  I wondered if it is the old road route?  See pic below:

PB270037 by Candace66, on Flickr

[David_Bricker]

Yes, I've driven up to the dry falls on Big Four Mine Rd, past the mine.  My understanding is that it was not properly cherry-stemmed on the maps, and is now closed.  however, I do believe the rod is legal for a ways past the turn and dunes parking area, just not all the way to the falls any more.

David Bricker / SYR - CLT

[MojaveGeek]

I have really wanted to get into that area up on the plateau, having looked over that way from Towne Peak with some envy. It's along one though, and need to start real early with a proper vehicle to get to the mouth of Lemoigne. BTW did you take the cut off around the lower canyon, with the strange rocks with holes and possible Lemoigne carved sig on the wall?

[Candace66]

Hmm, I'm not familiar with the cut off you refer to. I simply went up the canyon, taking the north fork.

In the past, I hiked up the south fork and checked out the mining ruins up there.

[MojaveGeek]

Ah, right, you would not have seen it because you took the north fork. If you go up the south fork, not far beyond that confluence, there is a low saddle on the south side, and IIRC some visible evidence of a foot trail going over it. Turns out that is the most direct route to that point from where the road ends - cuts off a couple of meanders in the canyon - and appears to have been the route the miners used, back in the day. I didn't find this info anywhere; just eyeballed it on the way in and based on the topo it looked worth a try on the way out.