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46571 Hits
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81.18% Score
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13 Votes
Page Type:
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Mountain/Rock |
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Lat/Lon:
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36.22500°N / 114.976°W |
Activities:
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Hiking |
Elevation:
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3364 ft / 1025 m |
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Overview
Sunrise Mountain is often confused with it’s neighbor to the south, Frenchman Mountain. Traveling East on Lake Mead Blvd. from I-15 in Las Vegas you will enter a pass. Sunrise Mountain is the small peak on the north side of the pass. Frenchman Mountain is the more prominent peak on the south side of the pass.
Sunrise MtnBoth Sunrise and Frenchman contain Vishnu Schist, some of the oldest rocks in North America, at their base. These rocks date back about 2 billion years in earth’s history.
Sunrise Mountain can best be climbed from October-May. Being at lower elevation it would be extremely hot during the summer months.
Getting There
From I-15 in Las Vegas, exit at Lake Mead Blvd East (Exit 45B). Drive approximately 8.2 miles to the East up to the pass between Sunrise and Frenchman. There is a parking area on the right (south side of the road). This is by the service road that goes up Frenchman Mtn.Alternatively one could park at the Albertsons at 6885 E Lake Mead Blvd, just east of Hollywood along Lake Mead BLVD, and hike from here. This would be good if one is more concerned about their vehicle being broken into as it is in a more populated area. Break-ins have been known off the road in this area.
There are some 4WD roads in the area but these roads have been closed to motor vehicles. Be aware of people that go on these roads to dump!
Red Tape
Don't be tempted to drive on the 4WD roads near here. The BLM is cracking down on this.For more information contact:
Management Agency:
Bureau of Land Management
Las Vegas Field Office
4701 North Torrey Pines Drive
Las Vegas, Nevada 89130
(702) 515-5000
The Hike
If parking at the Albertsons or along Lake Mead BLVD, hike to the base of the mountains along Lake Mead Blvd. Then turn left just before the hills on the north side of the HWY. Hike between the valley between the hills and the south side of Sunrise Mountain. Head for the south ridge and start hiking up to the summit. This will be approximately 6.5 miles roundtrip with about 1,300 feet of elevation gain.
Weather for nearby Nellis AFB
gimpilator - Feb 22, 2018 2:16 am - Hasn't voted
Standard Route ruinedI did the standard route today, starting from the Frenchman parking area. There is a new gun firing range in the valley southwest of the peak with live fire aimed at the route. This is the same valley which you used to be able to hike up from the Albertsons parking lot. The firing ceased while I was hiking at the head of this valley, so they must have seen me, but the firing resumed with intensity after I passed. I felt my life was endangered. If I had know about it before hand, I would not have gone this way. Long distance targets were not far from where I was hiking. This new gun range does not yet appear on satellite images, so it must be a recent developed. I descended a canyon on the east side of the mountain. I suggest that future parties avoid the firing range completely. A new route needs to be explored and described. Furthermore, there are several summits of nearly equal height about a third of a mile apart. Anyone claiming the peak should visit both.
T. White - Jan 21, 2020 11:41 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Standard Route ruinedLooks like this is the "John T. Moran" (LVMPD) firing range, which is now on the map. What a shame. Looks like its neighbors aren't fans, either. I heard it all the way from Frenchman's summit this weekend.
Candace66 - Aug 18, 2021 3:03 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Standard Route ruinedThere's nothing new about that range, it belongs to Metro (LVMPD) and has been there for years. While it has expanded a bit over the years, the original facility is visible on June 1994 satellite imagery (Google Earth). And I doubt that was a target you saw close at hand, it was likely just a sign. You're over a mile from the range at that point!