Mummy Snow Climb (20 miles NW of Las Vegas)Elevation peak ~11530'. Harlan W. Stockman |
It was 102 F in Vegas that day. We could see the hot sun reflecting off Circus-Circus… what a contrast! We hit sporadic snow soon after we parked the car at ~7800'.
GPS trace of route |
On the North Loop Trail at ~9700'. |
At ~10300', we stop to put on crampons. |
|
|
|
View S. Raoul, Luba and Steve near the top of the talus slope. Alda is behind the trees. |
View W. From the top of the talus, we head E. |
The mountain above Luba was the origin for the January 2005 avalanche at the ski area. Snow-covered Telescope Peak (CA, the other side of Death Valley) is faintly visible on the skyline |
|
|
|
Charleston Peak is visible in the background. |
Show of hands: who thinks Harlan should wear brighter clothes? (Photo courtesy Steve N.) View NE to last cliff band. |
The 4 intrepids approach the cliff band. |
|
|
|
Raoul approaches last chute. |
Alda models her fashionable footwear. |
On top, Luba leads us in readings from the Tao. |
|
|
|
I was running late, so I chose to fly in. (Self-portrait) |
It was a stretch, but we all made it. |
|
|
|
|
Looking NE up the chute, as the crew prepares to descend. |
View SW at the bottom of the chute, as Steve shows off his combination self-arrest device / club. |
|
|
|
|
A few postholes. |
View NE to the cliff band, as Alda does the crampon dance. |
Alda heads toward Griffith Peak. |
|
|
|
We took off the crampons and came down the exposed rock. View E. |
Alda practices the "Calgary luge". Surprisingly, descent of the talus slope took less time than the ascent. |
Now we're back on the Trail Canyon Trail, with air temps in the high 70s. |
|
|
|