Page Type: | Mountain/Rock |
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Lat/Lon: | 39.28190°N / 119.6174°W |
County: | Storey |
Activities: | Hiking, Scrambling |
Season: | Spring, Fall, Winter |
Elevation: | 6351 ft / 1936 m |
There are two primary routes and one alternative route to these summits.
For the two primary routes, from Reno take 395 South to exit 57B, or take exit 61 (Virginia Street) and drive south. Either way leads to Highway 341, the Geiger Grade. The Geiger Grade is a mountain pass road from Reno to Virginia City. It winds through the hills of the Virginia Range for about 15 miles after leaving Virginia Street in south Reno.
The shortest primary route is hard to spot because it is at a round-about off a curvy highway. From the Northern 341/342 junction, take 341 south from Virginia City for about 3 ½ miles. If coming from Dayton via US 50, it is 4 miles from US 50 and about 1.4 miles north of the Southern 341/342 junction. The coordinates are 39.2725, -119.6261. This is on federal lands and directly below Mount Grosh and Kate Peak. There is only space for 2-3 cars.
A slightly longer, but more scenic route is accessed from the Six Mile Canyon Road. Once in Virginia City, look for signs to Six Mile Canyon Road. This is a narrow paved road that leads from Highway 341 to US Highway 50 in the Dayton Valley.
The parking area is a dirt road, on the north side of the road (left side of the road if coming from Virginia City). Find a place to park on the dirt road, just past the pavement.
An alternative route is from the south via US 50 in Dayton. Take Sutro Tunnel Road until passing neighborhoods. From there, you can hike up to the ridge between Emma Peak and Rose Peak. Grosh Peak can be reached in about 3 miles, and Kate Peak in 4 miles. You can head down Kate Peak and cross-country back to the starting point in a little over 6 miles round trip. The total gain for the three peaks is about 2,450’. If adding Emma Peak, you add another mile and gain another 615’.
The shortest primary route is very direct. From the parking area, hike up the road towards the ridge. The road peters out as you gain 400’ in ½ mile to the ridge just below Mount Grosh. Kate Peak is another 0.6 miles away. Mount Grosh is a similar distance, abeit the other direction. All three summits can be reached in 4 miles round trip, gaining about 1,700’ total for the trip. Add Mount Emma for another 700’ total and 6 miles round trip.
For the longer route, once at the parking area, get back on the paved road and take a left, following it for just under ½ mile until you reach a dirt road on the right, with a metal gate. Walk around the metal gate and follow the road for about ¼ mile until it makes a 180 degree turn. You will see another road on the left just below it. This is the road to take up the into the mountains. Once on this road, follow it for about ¾ miles and there is another road cutting uphill on the right. Take this road as it heads west. It will eventually turn around and head back uphill, and cuts towards a ridge between Rose Peak on the left and Mount Grosh on the right. It ends at a t-junction with another dirt road. Take a right on this road and follow it to the base of Mount Grosh. Try to approach from the right side, as opposed to the left, because the right side gets more sun, and should have less snow in winter and less mud in spring. It is about 370’ up the slope to reach Mount Grosh. It is a mile further to Kate Peak. On the way back from Kate Peak you can take a dirt trail/minor road which bypasses Mount Grosh and leads towards the saddle between it and Rose Peak, which is about 6070’. Walk straight up Rose Peak which has some brush, but it is manageable.