Castle Peaks, CA, Dove & North Castle Butte

Harlan W S
Jan 12, 2013

This was originally an LVMC trip to the Castle Peaks SW of Searchlight NV, just over the border in California. There were some unpleasant personal interactions at the end of 2012, that caused me to resign from LVMC and cancel all the trips I planned to lead.  Fortunately a lot of people really wanted to do this trip, so I offered it as a non-club trip.  Bart was the steam that made it happen. All folks were nice, and Dan did a great job belaying folks. It was windy, and the high for the day was 25F.

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The basic route
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The peaks, as viewed from the SSW
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Anji
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Scary fin in back
to S.  It was climbed
(FA) a few years later.
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Bart examines a cliff
on S of Dove. I
planned to establish
a new rap anchor to
head over this side,
but the day was chaotic.
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View down the little
NE-side book that is
the primary weakness
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North Castle Butte (NCB)
to north of Dove
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Bart comes up Dove
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Folks on Dove
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We had a handline...
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...and also offered
a short rap for
descent
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Then we head S, SW,
W then N around the
west side of Dove,
toward NCB
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O'Shea on a slightly
messy area on NCB
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On top of NCB
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The messy area.
I would call this class 3
in Red Rock, given the
slope alone, but the
rock is crumbly, so
I'll stick with the previous
class 4 rating.
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We meander along
ledges back to saddle
between Dove and NCB
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Dove, as we pass W
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View back from
near parking.
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