Avawatz CA (DPS Peak)

pics by Harlan W. S.
Jan. 06, 2009

 

This strange peak is one of the DPS (Desert Peak Section) summits.  The “climb” is really just a long hill walk; very long, if you start near the Mormon Springs, as I did (12 miles RT and 4700’ accumulated elevation gain).  I parked before a rough stretch at 2750’. The road is actually quite good past that rough stretch, to at least 4100’, and many people drive fairly standard, decent-clearance 4x4s all the way to at least 4350’.  My RT took just under 5 hrs car-to-car, with a healthy stay on top, but I was sore the next day.

 

The standard route descriptions in Zdon and elsewhere say one should go on rte 127 some 19.1 miles N of Baker (it isn’t clear if that mileage is from the intersection of 127 and Baker Blvd., in front of the Mad Greek Café, or from i-15).  I did find a rough road there at 19.1 miles. That road made for a rather long, tough ride in my 2003 Subaru Outback; there are many washouts, and the “pavement” often consists of grapefruit-sized rocks.  However, on the way back, I mistakenly took the spur road to Renoville for a short bit, and actually saw more tire tracks on that route.

 

The geology of this hike is quite complex, muddled by the proximity of the Garlock Fault.

 

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100 map with GPS traces.

Purple is road, red is hike

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24k GPS indicating the solar-powered cell

repeater (the last reasonable driving goal)

and the place where one leaves the road

to gain the ridge.

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View west, after climbing up from

the road. The whitish hill is

the one place that requires a little

care and minor hand use.

 

 

 

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Go R of this lump.

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View back east, above lump,

showing route.  Kingston

in distance.

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Final push toward lumpy summit…

with one or two more false peaks.

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A lot of the log entries seem to be from

military personnel who flew in.

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View E. Clark Mt. is under my R foot.

I’m trying to emulate Mike C…

it’s cold, below 40F.  My shirt dries at L.

Arrogance!

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Cave Mt to ~SSE.

 

 

 

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Charleston to NE.

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View ~S; Granite Mts. in

distance at L.

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View ~SE; Providence Mts.

in middle distance.

 

 

 

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View E on descent.

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