Ram #3 (8242') in Sheep Mts of NV

Harlan WS
Nov 12, 2016

The Ram mountains are a subrange of the Sheep Mountains, and are just 40-45 miles north of Las Vegas, or 9 miles from route 93. However, the access is from the west side via the Dead Horse and Cabin Spring Roads; at present, the easternmost sections of these roads are  modest 4WD. In turn, these two roads are accessed  by the 2WD Alamo Road in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.

Our route up Ram #3 followed a maze of deep gullies, and had serious rockfall danger. There was one class 4 move, and lots of moves with serious exposure.  We took 2x 30m 8mm ropes, but used a rope only in one emergency situation, otherwise just used 27' of 15mm webbing as a handline.  I think one could make a possibly safer route on a NW ridge.

The peak, like the highpoint of Ram #1 (in 2004) had no sign of previous visitation.

Our previous trip to Ram #1 is documented here

00allrams
View WEST from us
route 93. Ram #2 looks
hard, but was climbed
in 2020 from
south with no great
difficulty
 00ram3from93
Ram #3 from a
slightly different
angle. We went up
behind the ridge
on the right side.		 00ram3large
Overview map
of the area.
0ram3
A simple contour
map shows the
extreme variation
in the topography.		 DSCN2709
CP is in the center
of the photo, wearing
white. Typical terrain.		 DSCN2711
Tracy below.
DSCN2714
This photo of Tracy
looks benign, but he
was on a thin fin
between two deep
gullies.		 DSCN2716
Now we're on summit
ridge; view SE to
Arrow Canyon Mts		 DSCN2717
Moapa Peak
DSCN2718
View to highpoint		 DSCN2719
Ram #2		 DSCN2722
CP on way up
DSCN2729 DSCN2732
Ram #2		 DSCN2736
Tracy brushes his teeth.
DSCN2738
Heading down		 DSCN2740
Minor peaklet
on way back		 DSCN2741
View down canyon
DSCN2742
View down into
the maze of cliff
bands below--
5000' drop to rte
93 valley, equivalent
to Grand Canyon
in fewer miles
 DSCN2743
Dry lake bed to
NW. where we will
drive tomorrow.		 DSCN2744
DSCN2745
Tracy descends
creepy slot,
where 3 hrs before
a foothold broke
loose.		 DSCN2747
CP is left, in white,
Spotting Tracy.		 DSCN2748
DSCN2749 DSCN2751 DSCN2752
DSCN2753
CP and I wait
as Tracy climbs
up to dryfall
work-around		 DSCN2754
Our camp the next morn		 DSCN2757
Back at our route.
DSCN2758
View W in morn		 DSCN2759
We stopped at the
sand dunes on way
back N to Alamo.
I pulled off road to left
of Tracy, and immediately
felt my vehicle founder
in the sand. I got out
by way of Tracy's chain
and traction strips.		 DSCN2761
A likely-technical
limestone peak to E
DSCN2763 DSCN2767 DSCN2768
Tracks of a BIG
raptor-- I saw the
huge birds take off
as I crested the 1st dune.
DSCN2769
Petroglyph Cabin
near Alamo.