John Morrow
Member
- Joined
- May 22, 2015
- Messages
- 1,065
Three days of walking and scrambling, beginning with a short day on the 28th in advance of a strong wet cold front. Well, almost advance, I ended up getting caught in heavy hail and rain and lightning on the top of Black Mesa. Vertical ground strike over Lake Mead sent me running! Short hike from the Callville Bay Road. Camped at Callville Bay, puddles formed deep outside the tent through the night.
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Black Mesa in the T-storm by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Muddy Mountains storm by John Morrow, on Flickr
On the 29th I was low energy through the gusty blasts of wind so I opted for a couple road side jaunts. Surprisingly, the scrambling was quite excellent.
Echo Hills, SW spur of the SE Ridge made for a fun Class 3 scramble, descending the center of the south side.
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SW Ridge of SE Ridge Echo Hills HP by John Morrow, on Flickr
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View East to Gold Butte by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Bitter Ridge NW by John Morrow, on Flickr
Then I was back into the car to another pull out of the North Shore Road to go up fun limestone slabs on the north side of Pinto Ridge. I returned via a nice shallow tight canyon to the NE with easy dryfall scrambles and bypasses.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F49322702812_b9505178b7_b.jpg&hash=2e2792bdb3dfb245cfa2c0703f7101ce)
Silvery limestone N Ridge of Pinto Ridge by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Sentinel, Pyramid, Saddle by John Morrow, on Flickr
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descending Pinto Ridge NE draw by John Morrow, on Flickr
On the 30th I was feeling ready for a longer hike and stitched together a wonderful ridge run loop of a number of peaks along segments of quite enjoyable scrambling up to Class 3. Beginning at the Cottonwood Wash Trailhead it went like this:
North Ridge Jacal-->
East Ridge Hamblin-->
North Ridhe West Hamblin-->
South Ridge Hamblin Butte-->
West Ridge Basalt Peak-->
Cottonwood TH
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F49322501311_e6f1134c4a_b.jpg&hash=ded85dd9301b947a8639fb60afcf4dc8)
Above Cottonwood Wash by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Razorback and Pinto Ridges by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Jacal Peak by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Raven gurads Hamblin Summit by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Headed for West Hamblin Mountain by John Morrow, on Flickr
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W. Hamblin great scrambling by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Crescent shaped ridge looks fun by John Morrow, on Flickr
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solid fine scramble by John Morrow, on Flickr
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ran that skyline by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Lastly toward Basalt Peak's long West Ridge by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Basalt Peak's west ridge by John Morrow, on Flickr
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A nice wash finish into Cottonwood Wash by John Morrow, on Flickr
This is a very fun loop. Should be easy to see the route on a map, I could upload one if desired.
Full pics set explains the whole story:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N03/albums/72157712496067682
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F49322692857_b6eeb6340c_b.jpg&hash=317198822c852cf7a4a5eb9b3952c00b)
Black Mesa in the T-storm by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Muddy Mountains storm by John Morrow, on Flickr
On the 29th I was low energy through the gusty blasts of wind so I opted for a couple road side jaunts. Surprisingly, the scrambling was quite excellent.
Echo Hills, SW spur of the SE Ridge made for a fun Class 3 scramble, descending the center of the south side.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F49321988933_a5fd40496f_b.jpg&hash=80856c4f3fa4c2f22b61bb850b54171a)
SW Ridge of SE Ridge Echo Hills HP by John Morrow, on Flickr
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View East to Gold Butte by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Bitter Ridge NW by John Morrow, on Flickr
Then I was back into the car to another pull out of the North Shore Road to go up fun limestone slabs on the north side of Pinto Ridge. I returned via a nice shallow tight canyon to the NE with easy dryfall scrambles and bypasses.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F49322702812_b9505178b7_b.jpg&hash=2e2792bdb3dfb245cfa2c0703f7101ce)
Silvery limestone N Ridge of Pinto Ridge by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Sentinel, Pyramid, Saddle by John Morrow, on Flickr
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descending Pinto Ridge NE draw by John Morrow, on Flickr
On the 30th I was feeling ready for a longer hike and stitched together a wonderful ridge run loop of a number of peaks along segments of quite enjoyable scrambling up to Class 3. Beginning at the Cottonwood Wash Trailhead it went like this:
North Ridge Jacal-->
East Ridge Hamblin-->
North Ridhe West Hamblin-->
South Ridge Hamblin Butte-->
West Ridge Basalt Peak-->
Cottonwood TH
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F49322501311_e6f1134c4a_b.jpg&hash=ded85dd9301b947a8639fb60afcf4dc8)
Above Cottonwood Wash by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Razorback and Pinto Ridges by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Jacal Peak by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Raven gurads Hamblin Summit by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Headed for West Hamblin Mountain by John Morrow, on Flickr
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W. Hamblin great scrambling by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Crescent shaped ridge looks fun by John Morrow, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F49322479661_2620638101_b.jpg&hash=9612d852133a5665d6f8bca2162acfc0)
solid fine scramble by John Morrow, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F49322525456_518322301a_b.jpg&hash=9d9fab1b24499dcf3c81a2a4ed33b4ba)
ran that skyline by John Morrow, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F49322030063_e1f8fe2967_b.jpg&hash=2f38f30aca39e3f804891f17f4dc7fc7)
Lastly toward Basalt Peak's long West Ridge by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Basalt Peak's west ridge by John Morrow, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F49322531211_36387fd4fe_b.jpg&hash=70653d80e289b3fbea7a72099d1752a3)
A nice wash finish into Cottonwood Wash by John Morrow, on Flickr
This is a very fun loop. Should be easy to see the route on a map, I could upload one if desired.
Full pics set explains the whole story:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N03/albums/72157712496067682
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