Jumbo Peak (near Gold Butte, NV)

pics by Harlan W.S. & John H.
Nov 14, 2010

CP led the trip, with DB providing backup (kind of like the Pips did for Gladys Knight). John H from NM, and Scott C from Tucson, AZ joined us. This is the WNW chimney route from CP’s book, “Rambles & Scrambles.” Supposedly, a sufficiently thin and non-claustrophobic climber can avoid the 5.3 pitch by pushing on in the chimney, beyond the chockstone.

Jumbo is accessed by a decent gravel road off the very good gravel road from Whitney Pockets to Gold Butte and Bonneli. The actual climb is short, perhaps 1400’ vertical.	24k map. I actually left my GPS at the bottom of the WNW chimney.	Jumbo as seen from Bonneli (view NE from Bonneli). Hmmm, there must be an easy way up that summit block… right?
Jumbo as seen from the route to Booth Pinnacle (W side Lake Mead).	Jumbo as seen from from the pass between Mica and Gold Butte (view S).	Back to the present… in the morning we head up the NE shoulder of the peak. View NE.
Near the ridge, view S to summit block, which is actually rather large.	Now we’re on NW side of peak, getting ready for the chimney. View SW.	I’m partway up the chimney, looking back down.
Now we’re at the ledge below the 5.3 pitch. DB scampers up.	View W across Lake Mead, with Muddy Mountains, red Valley of Fire to R, and the Sheep Mts in far background.	View NW, CP (in black) and Scott check out log book.
This is the pic John took of me on the summit… with a film camera! Yes, I was wearing shorts, and my harness had hiked them up to the point where it sometimes seemed that I was wearing a speedo.	View SW over Bonneli Peak.
	View SE over Lake Mead (Gregg Basin) into AZ.	John Raps down friction pitch.
The Strip and Red Rock are visible to W.	Scott gets ready to rap down. The anchor consists of a rope around DB’s waist, and CP in front, both jammed into a narrow slot with lots of friction. After DB had rapped, CP downclimbed unprotected.	DB starts to rap down the lower near-vertical rock.
Random view SW as DB packs the rope bag.	Scott decided not to rap the last pitch, so he downclimbed the chimney with CP (visible).	Another view back at the muffin-top summit.
Now we head NE down the bouldery ridge.	View back up as Scott and John climb down the boulders.	NE back to the cars!
My poor abused Soobie in Whitney Pockets.