Alkali VABM 6104 feet (1860 meters) – 2700 feet gain 2022.03.13 The forecast promised wind, and the day delivered. Although we drove into early morning darkness, an eastern glow of dusty skies preceded with the coming sun. Robert, my son-in-law, joined me on this one-day journey to the Cocoon Mountains,…
Nevada High Points #98 – Gold Mountain
Gold Mountain 8152 ft (2485 m) – 2300 ft gain 2022.02.25 Gold Mountain Collection It was finally time to get back to a desert high point – my string of monthly highpoints having been broken by a wonderful trip to Patagonia and Atacama Desert in Chile (stories and images coming…
Nevada High Points #97 – Paradise Range
Sherman Peak 8957 ft (2639 m) – 2464 ft gain 2021.12.19 Sherman Peak – Paradise Range Collection Winter’s coming, and the first snows have arrived. Although it snowed a little at StoneHeart in Carson Valley, I had watched the storms reorganize over the central Great Basin. How much would there…
Nevada High Points #96 – Sahwave Mountains
Juniper Mountain 7475 ft (2278 m) – 1960 ft gain 2021.11.27 Juniper Mountain – Sahwave Mountains Collection Desna, my wife and partner, was at Planet X for the weekend, it is winter sale time. Although the forecast remained stable with blue skies as far as any meteorologist could see, I…
Nevada High Points #95 – Palmetto Mountains
Harvey Peak 9285 ft (2830 m) – 1775 ft gain 2021.11.12 Harvey Peak – Palmetto Mountains Photo Collection I had planned to get out early for Second Friday, but because my brother, Darren, could not join this weekend and my back has spasmed oddly yesterday, I slept late. The schedule…
Nevada High Points #94 – Bird Spring Range
Peak 5695 5695 ft (1736 m) – 1050 gain 2021.10.15 Peak 5965 – Bird Spring Range Photo Collection Thankfully, my time in Vegas was about over. Leaving the conference hotel in the early evening, I worked my way south toward Jean, Nevada, eventually turning west toward Goodsprings. I hit the…
Nevada High Points #93 – River Mountains
River Mountain 3789 ft (1155 m) – 1013 ft gain 2021.10.13 Away from hotel early, going for two days in a row. If I must hang around Vegas for the week, I can focus on a few highpoints in some of the smaller local ranges. Continuing east of the city,…
Nevada High Points #92 – Frenchman Range
Frenchman Mountain 4052 ft (1235 m) – 2400 ft gain 2021.11.12 I slept much better in Kyle Canyon the other night. The past two nights, however, have been strange. I have a room at the Flamingo in Las Vegas; it is a perfectly fine room with a nice view, but…
Nevada High Points #91 – Spring Mountains
Charleston Peak 11,918 ft (3633 m) – 5300 ft gain 2021.11.09 We have not been on a big hill for a few months. The smaller, hidden gems are a pleasure, but nothing beats some elevation gain and ultimate altitude. I had a work week in southern Nevada, so we decided…
Nevada High Points #90 – Madelin Mesa
Rowland Mountain (‘Rocky’) 6911 ft (2107 m) – 650 ft gain 2021.09.24 The mornings have the feel of autumn, but the midday still holds the heat of summer; it is that time of year. Here, at the close of September, I had a landform mapping project in support of archaeological…