Mummy Nose Loop

This first part of this “hike” is similar to the route discovered by Ed F, and described by Branch Whitney, and shares about 200m in common near the top of the mountain. However, the starting point is quite different, a bit higher, and involves nothing more than travel up a steep, well-consolidated hill till those last 200m. The descent route is initially fast, but would be miserable as an ascent, as it is over loose scree for ~200m vertical.

It’s interesting how conditions conspire to make people like or dislike a route. I’ve heard people loathe and laud the N ridge. I started from the point marked “Park” on the map, and found this trip to be very pleasant. The classic route is up that sloggy, loose-gravel canyon on the west.

pics by Harlan W. S.
August 07, 2009

24k GPS trace/	Parking area, just off route 158. The idea is to travel up the forest R of the main peak, and just L of the subsidiary peaklet.
After reaching the ridge, and staying L of a wall, one reaches this divide, Go R of the rock outcrop.		Depending on nerve, it is often possible to climb directly up the serrated ridge; however, the rock is unpredictable and loose.
View back N; Lee Canyon Road is visible.	Heading S, it is best to hug close to the wall.	View N. One can follow a “safe” talus route, or climb directly up a class 3+ face to this point.
	I met the pleasant Mr. Demijohn on Griffith Peak in May.
To east of the peak, there is an impressive camp lodge built on a knoll.	Panoramic view S to the Mummy Range.	Arrogance.
View up. I headed S from the summit, then descended this 20’ wall. Bad idea; there is an easier herdpath on the S side of the Nose.	OK, now I’m in the pass between the Nose and the Forehead, looking S. I’m about to head L (S) down some very steep scree to the west fork of Deer Creek.	There is no way to capture the sheer cliffs on the E side of the Nose. This is just the lower cliff band. Here the wash was very recently eroded, and quite rough; there were m-deep gullies with steep sides, with fresh live roots across the tops.
Suddenly a path appeared, after my negotiation of rough wash.	Eventually I hit a flowing stream.	Back along the road, I passed veins of shiny calcite around rock fragments.