White Rock Hills & Tunnel Vision Pks, "Interesting" Route

Harlan WS
Jan 14, 2018

Thanks to Richard N for leading this "hike." I would not have found the down route on my own!  A GPX, which you use at your own risk, is here. You may need to right-click or ctrl-click (Mac) to download this file, else it may open in your browser and appear as gobbledy-gook. If you have no choice but to open it in the browser, save the browser window contents as a gpx file.

I've been up White Rock Hills Peak (WRHP) many times, but this was my first time up the complete "Diamond Ridge" route. The route down over Tunnel Vision Peak (that summit has less than 100' prominence) was far more "interesting." On the way, down it was mentioned that the route had a few 1/8" cables... but I had no gloves, which gave rise to some novel brake methods. I picked a bad day to break in new shoes, which happened to be quite sloppy; even with the laces pulled completely tight, my feet were wobbling around inside the shoes.  I would recommend that if you take this descent, wear broken-in shoes and take abrasion-resistant gloves.

0map
Overview map.		 1map
Google Earth synthetic,
view NW. The
underlying DEM
is inaccurate and
doesn't sync with
the satellite images
near Tunnel Vision.		 DSCN6763
Early on, heading
WNW. We will
cut N (R) near the tower
at back of this valley.
DSCN6764
The tunnel. My
foot slipped and
Jim grabbed it.
Usually this section
poses no problem,
but I seemed too fat
today.		 DSCN6765
Then I helped Jim
when his pack
got stuck!
 DSCN6767
DSCN6768 DSCN6770
One ledge too low		 DSCN6772
This looks more
like it
DSCN6773 DSCN6774 DSCN6775
DSCN6778
Bridge from
WRHP		 DSCN6779 DSCN6780
NE to Madre and
Padre from WRHP
DSCN6781
Tunnel Vision
~E from WRHP		 DSCN6782 DSCN6785
WRHP behind
to W, from top
of Tunnel V
DSCN6786 DSCN6787_stitch DSCN6792
DSCN6796
From this point
on, I captured
few hairy views
because I found
pulling out and
focussing the
camera was
disorienting		 DSCN6798 DSCN6800
This was one
of the milder
downclimbs.
DSCN6801 DSCN6802 DSCN6803
DSCN6804 DSCN6805
This looked like
we were walking
off the edge, but
we cut L		 DSCN6806
DSCN6808 DSCN6810 DSCN6811
DSCN6812 DSCN6813
No way to
convey the sense
of exposure. We
went down an
arete in front of
Jim...		 DSCN6814
The arete is
behind Barb.
DSCN6815
View back up (~WNW)
to peaks.		 DSCN6816
How do you slow
yourself on a 1/8"
cable, with no
gloves? Well,
NOT by wrapping
the cable on your
arms.