Black Mt, Fracture Ridge, N McCullough, & Park Peak near Vegas, with LVMC

Harlan WS & Paula R
Dec 16, 2017

I last went up N McCullough more than 12 years ago. The busy development on the west side of the mountain, and all the maneuvering to remove the Silver Cholla Wilderness study area (so the well-connected in NV could build houses) turned me off to this area.  Then I saw the area with new eyes in 2016. Thanks to LVMC and Paula for a great day. We started late (>10AM); I don't do well in dark, so Paula and I got permission to set our own pace. We finished the 4 peak trip by 3:10PM (11.2 miles with over 4000' accumulated gain), with healthy rests on the peaks.

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The lower part of
the Black Mountain
Trail has been rerouted
since the original was
done by Nevada Mike
over 15 years ago.		 DSCN6142
Paula had run every
day that week, and chose
to lag a tiny bit. View W
as we slog up Black Mt.		 DSCN6143
Black Mt to E. Here the
trail exactly follows
the original (Nevada
Mike) route.
DSCN6145
Paula just below top.		 DSCN6145p3
Paula's shot of us
on top.		 DSCN6146
Now we look ESE.
Fracture Ridge is on
R, with S McCullough
behind it. Fracture R
has at most 280' of
prominence relative
to the higher S McC, but S
McCullough has ~500'
relative to the higher
Black Mt.
DSCN6147_stitch
The ridge connecting
Black and Fracture R
is rather rough, and is
slow-going for those
who wish to keep
their ankles intact.		 DSCN6149
View back NE, at steep
E side of range		 DSCN6150
Heart!
DSCN6151
View E through
canyon		 DSCN6154
View E as we start
climb up Fracture R
from low point of
saddle.		 DSCN6157
We look back & see
our LVMC friends on
the S side of Black.
DSCN6158
Black Mt at L(N)
very near top of
Fracture R		 DSCN6161
View NE; Henderson
behind
 DSCN6162
Sheep! we had seen
them earlier, and they
kept running S on
E side of the ridge.
DSCN6165
Paula on top of
N McCullough.
Potosi in back at
L, sandstone peaks
of Red Rock at R.		 DSCN6167 DSCN6170
DSCN6175
View E from top of
N McCullough. I was
here in 2005, and found
an older can-in-can register
signed by the Booths.
I put the can inside
a PETE jar. The cans
were now on the side,
and the top of the PETE
jar was shattered.		 DSCN6175p2
Paula's shot of us.		 DSCN6176_stitch
View E of Railroad
Peak Range.
DSCN6181
Now Paula jogs back N		 DSCN6182
Hard to catch her!
I tied my shoes 2x,
fearing consequences
on the basalt boulders		 DSCN6184
We meet LVMC as they
are about to drop more
than 300' to saddle
between Fracture and
N McCullough (in view)
DSCN6184p0
Paula's view of LVMC.		 DSCN6185
Back on Fracture,
Black Mt behind (N)		 DSCN6186
Now Paula prances
W down the ridge.
DSCN6187
Canine Crag L of
center, shoulder of
Sutor to L		 DSCN6187p1
On Park Peak, a
little rocky nubbin
with maybe 180'
prominence.