Peak 4650' ("Elbow Highpoint")

pics by Harlan W. S.
Feb. 16, 2010

While the register describes this as the “Elbow Range Highpoint,” this is really an isolated set of peaks not closely allied with the Elbow range. The mountains appear dramatic when viewed from the Arrow Canyon Range (to the E, across route us93), and have surprisingly convoluted approaches.

I went up to the highpoint to view the traverse to peak 4484; we had tried to do the traverse 9 days before, and I called it off because I wasn’t sure we could retrieve our ropes.

The red trace is from this trip. The blue trace is from our visit to Peak 4484 nine days before.	The dominant peak is 4650; the east face of the peak is a dramatic cliff.
I’ll cut NW up to the notch in the center top of the photo.		Typical scenery just below notch.
Now I’m looking S from the notch, at the canyon that CP and I descended 9 days previous. The bottom of the canyon has two significant dryfalls that may be bypassed by climbing the cliffs to the E.	Arrow Range as viewed from the notch.	4650 is at R, 4484 at left.
Another view back E at Arrows.	View W across deep blind canyon that one must skirt. On descent, be careful not to take the inviting canyon that empties into this!	…here we are looking back E across that inviting canyon, that ends in the big drop.
	View NW to Ram Peaks.	View W to Las Vegas Range and Quartzite.
Here’s the gnarly point on 4484. This represents the west-most extent of the GPS track in the map above.
		Arrogance! and Arrows.
View W toward Sheep Range	I went over a lump, then this next lump. There is a class 2 ramp on the R.	Almost at lump-top, view SW.
View NW.	I spent a fairly miserable time descending the E side of that lump, hitting steep scree perched on small cliffs.	Now I’m down in the ravine, looking up at the terrain I just descended.
Heading out, back to car. The brush was thin, but I still picked up 2 ticks.