Loop over White Pinnacle Peak, DeadHorse Point, and South Peaks of Wilson

Red Rock Canyon NV (near Las Vegas)

This was a hike to celebrate a birthday (not mine, but at 61, I was the youngest in the group), so I'll break my usual policy of not creating pages for local Peaks. All these peaklets have little true prominence; the South Wilsons probably have the most, at about 130' or so. But the routes involve some difficult scrambling. Jacquie kept saying that she was holding us back, yet we reached the top of White Pinnacle Peak (WPP) in 2 hours, and we were back at the car before 3 PM.

Harlan WS
April 06, 2016

0Swilsom16
WPP is White Pinnacle
Peak, DHP is DeadHorse
Point. The route starts in the
gully just E of WPP.		 DSCN1128
Labels indicate peaklets		 DSCN1131
Starting up into the
gully.
DSCN1133 DSCN1136
Most parts of the gully are
no worse than class 3, but...		 DSCN1140
There are 2 sections that are
stiff class 4 if you don't use
the handlines. Sometimes
the handlines are missing.
I did this without the line,
but it requires careful
stemming and confidence
in your shoes.
DSCN1141 DSCN1144 DSCN1146
The next class 4 section
also had a handline. One
climbs onto the chockstone
from the back (W), then
cuts N
DSCN1148 DSCN1149
Jim goes up without the line.
Lifting your pack above
the crux is absolutely
critical; the move requires
turning around and
stemming backwards,
and if you are wearing a
pack, it will catch and push
you out into the void.		 DSCN1150
Jim demonstrates
DSCN1152
Jacquie crawls up		 DSCN1156
The upper part of the gully		 DSCN1157
I'm now on the wall
above the gully, view
N and Down
DSCN1158
Jim walks the ridge E to WPP.		 DSCN1160
Spring Mt Ranch in back		 DSCN1162
Looking W from WPP,
as Barb (in yellow) and
Jacquie come up at R.
This pictures gives a
good feel for the
steepness of the
gully.
DSCN1164
Jim and Barb on top		 DSCN1167
Jacquie walks the ridge.
Next picture is from top
of wall at behind Jacquie.		 DSCN1168
Now I'm atop that wall.
as we begin climbing up the
S side of the Wilson
massif.
DSCN1170
Barb looks at options for DHP		 DSCN1172
Barb chooses a route
with a lot of holds THAT
MUST be tested
cautiously. There is one
more exposed slab above
this.		 DSCN1177
Back (E) at DHP; if forgot
to take a summit shot.
DSCN1179
View ~W to end of
First Creek Canyon.		 DSCN1181 DSCN1182
The South Wilsons come into
View. The peaks are very close
in elevation. and traditionally
people climb both; the register
is on peaklet at R (E).
DSCN1183
Barb pops over a wall
with big exposure		 DSCN1185 DSCN1186
One last gully before we
slip around to the SW side
of the  W South Wilson
peaklet
DSCN1189 DSCN1190
Jim Descends off the NE
side of the western peaklet		 DSCN1192
As I wait for the other folks,
Jim has gone around
the eastern side of the
eastern peaklet and is
almost on top.
DSCN1193_stitch
Jim on top, Calico Hills
visible to L of top		 DSCN1196
Barb and Jacquie
descend western peaklet		 DSCN1197
DSCN1199
Now I'm on top eastern
peaklet, looking down at
Barb and Jacquie		 DSCN1200
Jim on top		 DSCN1203
Barb and Jacquie come up
the E side
DSCN1204 DSCN1207
Later I reclimb a bit to
catch this posed pic
of Jim.		 DSCN1209
Coming down Hidden
Bowl on SW side of
Wilson Massif
DSCN1210
Top of Red Gully for
descent back to 1st Creek		 DSCN1211 DSCN1212
View down Red Gully
DSCN1214
View ~W up
N Fork of 1st Creek		 DSCN1215
Descending 1st Cr		 DSCN1216
DSCN1217 DSCN1218
View back to where we were.