Trip Report 2: Electric Boogaloo

[Brice]

Made a quick trip to Saline Valley last week to continue work on the NPS highpoint list.  I can't leave this thing unfinished when I'm so close.  I took a few photos.

This was on the way into West Wendover, on the Nevada border.   A big snowstorm was rolling through the entire western part of the country, including DV and I was worried I wouldn't be able to get into Saline Valley at all.  But, I got to see a pretty cool sunset at least.



There was tons of snow on the ground in Tonopah and it was snowing heavily the next day so I decided to try for south pass, being about 1000 feet lower than north.  Turns out, north pass was fine.  South pass was snowy, but not too bad.  Just had to take it slow in the muddy parts so as to not slide into a ditch.



I'd never been in Saline valley before.  This was my first view.



An hour or so later I was standing on top of the dunes highpoint.  Gathering clouds around south pass.



Next stop, Peace sign hill.  I parked at the lower springs which had quite a few hippies that must have been there throughout last night's snowstorm.  The peace sign could use some work.  More clouds, and by now it was probably snowing on south pass again.  I got in through a narrow window.



With those two trivial summits out of the way, the next day was dedicated to testing my city boy legs on Warm Benchmark.  I had an ambitious itinerary for someone who hasn't climbed more than a few stairs in nearly a year.  I targeted a bonus peak this day as well.



It was a very steep initial climb and one of my trekking poles broke instantly when I extended it for the first time in a year.  Goodie.  View north during the climb up.  Saline peak is dead center, a target for later in the week.



The view into the lonely flat that drains into corridor canyon.   I discovered my phone case produces flares on the wide angle lens when I'm pointed into the sun.  That's a shame.



A view back at the Warm benchmark plateau from the bonus Peak 5720.



I made it back to the car alive and promptly collapsed into a camp chair.  13.7 miles with 5,090 feet elevation gain.  Next day, Grandview Peak, a.k.a. Parched peak.



The canyon I went up has no name as far as I'm aware.  This is the entrance.



It's deep gravel nearly the whole way and is pretty easy walking, though steep.  There are ready-made weapons galore, falling out of the mountain sides.



Stripey cliff walls.



There are some dryfalls to climb as the canyon narrows at the top.



From the summit looking at Dry mountain (left).



Another summit view of the racetrack.  The bighorn gardeners have been tending to the Joshua trees in the area.  14.1 miles with 4,294 feet of elevation gain.  I had originally planned to grab a bonus peak on this hike too, but decided it might be better to not push myself too hard.



The next day I took a bit of a rest by checking out Grand view arch.  On the day following that one, I was ready for another double feature, Saline peak and Black top Benchmark. 10.4 miles with 4,036 feet of elevation gain.



It would have been nice to do more of a loop, but without knowing which canyons went through and which didn't, I chose to take a sure path.  I didn't take many photos here because some strange person was following me up the mountain the whole time.  I tried to shake him but couldn't.  Keep an eye out for this degenerate.



With those summits, plus grabbing Road benchmark on the way out via north pass, I'm sitting at 182/200.  I really wanted to get Inyo mountain this trip but with the recent snows that wasn't going to happen.  I'm hoping for a light or late snow this winter and maybe I can grab some of the Panamint summits in January.

[netllama]

Wow. That's some really stunning photos. You've out done yourself.

[Beardilocks]

I didn't take many photos here because some strange person was following me up the mountain the whole time. I tried to shake him but couldn't. Keep an eye out for this degenerate.

Hey man, some of us are still living the true dirtbag life and don’t have all those fancy city things like “showers”. And I’m quite certain that (for once) I wasn’t the biggest degenerate in the area. At least I was wearing pants.

Thanks for letting me slow you down on a couple of hikes. I almost forgot how good the views can be when you’re just done 4000ft vertical and are high on oxygen deprivation.

[DAW89446]

Wow.  That's some really stunning photos.  You've out done yourself.

I second that.

[MojaveGeek]

Lovely photos and great routes! You are a monster!

Funny to see pix with snow. We were up in Greenwater Valley today to beat the heat - actually we hit up your Deadman's Comb! - and when we returned to SPW at 5 PM it as 101. Similar tomorrow. Can't pull 10 mile days with heat like this.

[jesportland]

Lovely photos and great routes!  You are a monster!

Funny to see pix with snow.  We were up in Greenwater Valley today to beat the heat - actually we hit up your Deadman's Comb! - and when we returned to SPW at 5 PM it as 101.  Similar tomorrow.  Can't pull 10 mile days with heat like this.

[Brice]

We were up in Greenwater Valley today to beat the heat - actually we hit up your Deadman's Comb! -

Oh nice!  I was wondering when someone else might go up there.  Probably doesn't get too many visitors.