Mount Bangs, 8012’, AZ (East of Mesquite)

pics by Harlan W. S.
April 05, 2008

The Elbow Canyon side is scenic, with an unmaintained, but decent 4WD road; we first heard about this route from Nick N.

We parked low; by the time we finished, we had gone 13 miles with 4800’ accumulated elevation gain.

Whenever possible, follow cow paths to avoid the thick Manzanita, which – above ~7400’ – is accompanied by a nasty thornbush.

Don’t expect readily-available water at Cougar Spring. This place is exposed to the sun. and shaded campsites are few, except in Elbow Canyon.

There were spotty cow paths all along the S ridge, up to 7700’.

The day started off very hazy, yet with blue skies.

Red GPS trace is the hike. We parked at ~4000’, but probably could have driven to 6400’.	Detail of the upper part of the hike. We went clockwise on the loop. Here is an easier hike, using human/cow paths.	View S, ~6600’ We came up a road just in front of the snowy hill.
Virgin Peak in distance.
View S, Virgin Peak in distance.		Ponderosa stand near 7400’.
View N to summit.
View N to summit.
		View N near summit.
	Littlefield Reservoir is the small pond in the clearing below.