Chance Benchmark (NV) Sentiment: 15 Years in Last Chance Range

Pics by Harlan W S,
March 25, 2023; Jan 09 and Feb 13, 2008

I first heard about this range from Ed F; but I realized he had gone to the somewhat lower benchmark point, so in 2008 I went to the true highpoint.
This time I went back to try the lower benchmark peak. My route down is largely thanks to a track from Nevada Bob Greer. It was windy and 35-45F.

0map0a
My route in red; blue
is the HC road (rocky
but not bad).
 1map0
Context. Mapping
programs may try to
send you on a road
from Bell-Vista, N
and on the W side
of homes; that road
is full of fine clay,
and is treacherous
after a rain. Stick
to the bumpy road
farther W.


 1map1GE
GE synthetic showing
my route (red) and
Bob G's route (blue)
20230325_092122
Starting in; "so Nevada"
with a wrecked, stolen
car, and view of the
destination peak in back.
This road (N from from
 Bel-Vista Road) was very
bumpy, but preferable to
the road east, which may
have 6" of slick mud.
 20230325_095433
View of the S, lower
range, as the HC
road turns west.
 20230325_101402c
View at parking,
again contrasting
the two choices.
My route was mainly
low on loose talus.
20230325_101402d
Now I'm looking S
from my ascent gully.
 20230325_101413
From same gully,
but zoomed 5x.
Pahrump Point
is on skyline.
 20230325_104614
At the top on my
gully, I worked my
way NE, heading
to a cliff band. You
will also need to find
a way up that nubble
above cliff.
20230325_104749
I found a very steep
but stair-steppy weakness.
 20230325_104900
View back down
weakness.
 20230325_112054
Near summit, someone
had cached a hoe and
blue tarps.
20230325_112508
Summit, view ~N to
range HiPt.
 20230325_112526
View ~SW-SSW
to Stewart Point.
 20230325_112631
Odd monument
next to old metal
?antenna? on top.
20230325_113245
~E toward Charleston
Peak (in clouds)
 20230325_113251(0)
NW Spring Mts, including
Mt Stirling to NE
 20230325_113258
Snow-covered
Panamints to W
across Death Valley.
20230325_114144
View N to HiPt
 20230325_114209 20230325_114209b
Sports bra drawn
in for modesty.
20230325_114555
View ~NW through
window on N side
of summit. In a bit,
we'll look back up
at this window.
 20230325_114718
View back S over
erosional "caves"
in W side
 20230325_120653
More erosion caves
20230325_120845 20230325_122025
Bob's track was
very useful in finding
a break in the cliffs
on descent.
 20230325_122953
View ~SSE, to
W side of summit.
20230325_123001
I thought I might try
descending the canyon,
but with 30' of rope,
I wasn't cool on hitting
hidden dryfalls.
 20230325_123951
So I followed Bob's
track, which for at
least a mile seemed
to follow an old
pack trail.
 20230325_124357
View S over guzzler
20230325_124523
View ~E
 20230325_124531
Zoom in, you
can see window
near summit.
 20230325_132609
View back N up
Canyon. A very
tortuous channel
is hidden in the
cliffs.
20230325_142937
On way out, I tried
to follow road on W side
of houses. The car almost
mired in 6" of clay mud;
4low and locker got
me out, barely