RNOHKR - May 18, 2018 9:37 pm Date Climbed: May 18, 2018
A Hidden Gem!
A quiet and beautiful climb just past civilization. Parked in the small gully just past the entrance gates (signs are gone but the stone pillars remain). Starting elevation at 5400'. Easy walking up the road to the saddle below the final 1/2 mile cross-country section to the summit. Stayed to the left (north) to avoid the loose scree sections. Nice views at top. Found the register stuck inside the huge cairn. A new register and watertight container is needed here soon!
This continues my access etc notes under Comments...
I was able to get above 7000' on jeep trail and only had to slog up about 350' of the final ascent.
4. Walking: First off, I was confused about where I was headed. Approaching from the west along Pyrenees and Euskara, I saw two peaks in front of me and the one on the right (south) seemed higher, so I thought that's where I was heading. I know now that there are two front peaks approx 7150, and that the actual Spanish Springs Peak at 7439 is behind the left (north) of the two front peaks. Anyway, when I reached the end of east-bound Euskara at 6090' the bush-whacking ahead seemed daunting, so I elected to continue north on Euskara in the hope of gaining elevation and having an easier bush-whack. As the road deteriorated and started heading downhill around 6300' I backtracked and headed up off-road, only to find after topping a rise a nice road heading south uphill just a little ways ahead. Studying Google Maps, I see that I could have stayed on the jeep track and met the south-bound road. As noted above, I kept to the right at ~6680' and the jeep track took me to a crest of the front peak, with a view of Spanish Springs Peak just a short distance ahead, to the east. I didn't see any footprints past ~6000', but I did see mountain bike tracks in the 6500'-7000' range. Lots of horse droppings, some deer scat, and some that looked like perhaps a mountain lion. Saw one deer, above 7000'.
5. The final climb: The jeep track I was on descended into the saddle (between the crest and the peak) and headed off to the south. There are some unusual falls of black rock scattered over this mountain, and some sagebrush. I didn't do a good job picking my uphill path. What started off as a fairly easy picking my way between sagebrush plants rapidly got harder as the sagebrush grew thicker, and walking on the rock falls (6"-18" in size, fairly smooth, but all odd angles) was for me not pleasant. Above the rock falls I found better conditions, made it to the crest and then easily found the peak maybe 100-200 yards to the north.
6. Return: Took some pics and ate lunch, found a much better downhill path, to the north of all the black rock falls. Some cheat grass and some red rock 2"-6" size, which was much easier going. Missed my turn at 6300' but found a longer path back via cross-road at 6160' which took me west back to Lesaka Rd.
A Bit - Mar 31, 2011 6:33 pm Date Climbed: Mar 31, 2011
Another Beautiful March Day
With temps in the 70s I had to get out and do something. I had the place all to myself with the exception of a band of Mustangs.
EileenStewart - Jan 23, 2011 10:10 pm Date Climbed: Jan 23, 2011
Beautiful Sunday Morning
Eileen, Jennifer, Eston, Ernie, Ziggy, Buddy & Tucker made it all the way to the top. Took us 2-hours to go up and 1-hour to get back down. Didn't think I was going to make it all the way up, but half way up met a 68-year old man that was coming back down from the top. If he could make it I could.
Brian Kalet - Jul 29, 2010 1:37 am Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2008
3 Peaks
With 6492 & 6971.
hgrapid - Mar 14, 2010 10:08 pm Date Climbed: Mar 14, 2010
Beautiful March day
I brought 13 other people up to the summit. It was a beautiful day.
RNOHKR - May 18, 2018 9:37 pm Date Climbed: May 18, 2018
A Hidden Gem!A quiet and beautiful climb just past civilization. Parked in the small gully just past the entrance gates (signs are gone but the stone pillars remain). Starting elevation at 5400'. Easy walking up the road to the saddle below the final 1/2 mile cross-country section to the summit. Stayed to the left (north) to avoid the loose scree sections. Nice views at top. Found the register stuck inside the huge cairn. A new register and watertight container is needed here soon!
rrr - Sep 24, 2016 2:44 pm Date Climbed: Sep 18, 2016
Sept 2016, highs low 80'sThis continues my access etc notes under Comments...
I was able to get above 7000' on jeep trail and only had to slog up about 350' of the final ascent.
4. Walking: First off, I was confused about where I was headed. Approaching from the west along Pyrenees and Euskara, I saw two peaks in front of me and the one on the right (south) seemed higher, so I thought that's where I was heading. I know now that there are two front peaks approx 7150, and that the actual Spanish Springs Peak at 7439 is behind the left (north) of the two front peaks. Anyway, when I reached the end of east-bound Euskara at 6090' the bush-whacking ahead seemed daunting, so I elected to continue north on Euskara in the hope of gaining elevation and having an easier bush-whack. As the road deteriorated and started heading downhill around 6300' I backtracked and headed up off-road, only to find after topping a rise a nice road heading south uphill just a little ways ahead. Studying Google Maps, I see that I could have stayed on the jeep track and met the south-bound road. As noted above, I kept to the right at ~6680' and the jeep track took me to a crest of the front peak, with a view of Spanish Springs Peak just a short distance ahead, to the east. I didn't see any footprints past ~6000', but I did see mountain bike tracks in the 6500'-7000' range. Lots of horse droppings, some deer scat, and some that looked like perhaps a mountain lion. Saw one deer, above 7000'.
5. The final climb: The jeep track I was on descended into the saddle (between the crest and the peak) and headed off to the south. There are some unusual falls of black rock scattered over this mountain, and some sagebrush. I didn't do a good job picking my uphill path. What started off as a fairly easy picking my way between sagebrush plants rapidly got harder as the sagebrush grew thicker, and walking on the rock falls (6"-18" in size, fairly smooth, but all odd angles) was for me not pleasant. Above the rock falls I found better conditions, made it to the crest and then easily found the peak maybe 100-200 yards to the north.
6. Return: Took some pics and ate lunch, found a much better downhill path, to the north of all the black rock falls. Some cheat grass and some red rock 2"-6" size, which was much easier going. Missed my turn at 6300' but found a longer path back via cross-road at 6160' which took me west back to Lesaka Rd.
A Bit - Mar 31, 2011 6:33 pm Date Climbed: Mar 31, 2011
Another Beautiful March DayWith temps in the 70s I had to get out and do something. I had the place all to myself with the exception of a band of Mustangs.
EileenStewart - Jan 23, 2011 10:10 pm Date Climbed: Jan 23, 2011
Beautiful Sunday MorningEileen, Jennifer, Eston, Ernie, Ziggy, Buddy & Tucker made it all the way to the top. Took us 2-hours to go up and 1-hour to get back down. Didn't think I was going to make it all the way up, but half way up met a 68-year old man that was coming back down from the top. If he could make it I could.
Brian Kalet - Jul 29, 2010 1:37 am Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2008
3 PeaksWith 6492 & 6971.
hgrapid - Mar 14, 2010 10:08 pm Date Climbed: Mar 14, 2010
Beautiful March dayI brought 13 other people up to the summit. It was a beautiful day.