North Kingston (aka Kingston Benchmark) & Friend (2039T)

Pics by Harlan W S & Anji C
April 20, 2020

I first climbed this obscure peak in 2012; at the time, the previous summiter was 6 years before. Traffic has picked up, but not too much, and it was a great place for "social distancing." The route we took down from the North Kingston was relentless boulder-hopping, with a rather sketchy section before one drops to the saddle with 2039T.

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The route
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the context
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Anji's view of the
Kingston Range to SE,
from Mesquite Valley Rd.
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We started early, to
avoid the heat.
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North Kingston.
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On the ridge.
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Anji passes a huge
Nolina
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The DPS Kingston.
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Anji's view of me
trying to indicate
the way.
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Summit of North
Kingston
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Griffith Peak
to NE
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N Kingston to E, as we
naively head west
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Typical terrain, good
place to test ankle
support
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As we prepared for
a drop off the W
side, we pass by
the rabbit hole; Anji
popped through here
looking for a bypass
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Meanwhile I did find
a sketchy bypass... note
text at arrow...
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...and went back
to show Anji and
Tracy the route.
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This is the ridge I
originally planned to
descend. Google
Earth made it look
soft and fluffy.
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View UP the long gully
to SW, which we used
to escapethe un-fluffy ridge
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Typical terrain
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...then we cut back NW
to avoid a long descent
to gully before 2039T
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From part way up
2039T, view E
at non-fluffy ridge
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Tracy tops 2039T
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Now we curve N. We
were going to hit that
peak, but it started to
rain and Tracy and Anji
each had about 3 hrs
of sleep.
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relentless boulders
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Talc mine in back
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Heading N on descent
ridge
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Nolina
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View back SSE as
my compadres take
a food & water break
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View SE at previously
mentioned rabbit hole
and not-fluffy ridge.
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Interesting little peak
to WNW