Gass Peak N and S

H.W. Stockman
Saturday December 13, 2003

Click on any small image to see a larger picture. (Cliquez sur une petite image pour voir la grande image correspondante.) Order is essentially chronological. There were nearly 170 full-sized 4 megaPixel images; the images here are reduced to ~1/5 the original # of pixels. If you want copies of the original images, please e-mail me.

Map of hike

View ~North, ~6200'	View WSW	Looking ENE	View NE, near top
pan01Gass_3385-8	pan02Gass_3389-90	pan03Gass_3392-3	DSCN3394
Panorama, ~South	Panorama, ~ESE; Spring Mountains (and Charleston Peak) in distance.	I am getting dressed for Luau. Why is everyone else wearing such heavy clothing?	Panorama, ~NE
pan06Gass_3402-4	pan08Gass_3411-5	DSCN3420	pan10Gass_3426-30
The six intrepids head WSW off peak.
DSCN3431	pan11Gass_3432-3	DSCN3434	pan13Gass_3439-40
Potosi is at far left in distance; in the middle distance is the Summerlin Range, up to La Madre.	Heading SSW off ridge
pan15Gass_3447-9	DSCN3452	DSCN3455	DSCN3456
	S down some easy Class 3.	Luba shows how it's done.	Scree-skiing -- view N. It's a lot steeper than it looks.
pan17Gass_3458-9	DSCN3463	DSCN3465	DSCN3468
1^st Rappel	Bob Raps down.	Ali's turn.	Luba raps down.
pan18Gass_3476-8	pan19Gass_3480-1	DSCN3487	DSCN3491
View S from near 2^nd Rappel.	2^nd Rap, Jim starts.	Jim's down.	Nick starts down.
DSCN3495	pan22Gass_3500-1	DSCN3509	DSCN3512
Ali starts.	Luba was so fast, it was hard to get a photo.	Bob reties rope and then descends.	Luba wants an explanation for crack about "Luau."
DSCN3515	DSCN3526	DSCN3529	DSCN3531
Hiking S to next Rap.	View S, 3^rd Rap.	Panorama NE, Bob near bottom	Oops, Bob on way down 3^rd.
DSCN3538	DSCN3540	pan21Gass_3549-50	DSCN3544
Ali on 3^rd.	More Ali.	Nick on 3^rd.	More Nick.
DSCN3552	DSCN3555	DSCN3560	DSCN3564
Luba Raps, Nick looks for gold.	Jim starts 3^rd.	More Jim.	View S; I jogged E to downclimb.
DSCN3566	DSCN3568	DSCN3569	DSCN3573

GPS FILES

Below are files in MapTech rxf format, which may be uploaded to a GPS; they are most useful with a mapping GPS. PLEASE NOTE that all points are relative to the WGS84 datum, NOT NAD 27. If you choose to use these files, make sure you either do the conversion to your favorite datum, or use the WGS84 datum on your GPS and mapping software.

DISCLAIMER: Use these files at your own risk. The satellites were favorable the day we went up and down Gass, and the south-facing canyon is favorable to WAAS corrections. But the reception may change on any given day, and cause nonsensical GPS readings. A GPS does not give you the ability to fly or suspend Newton's Laws and common sense, so don't try going up or down cliffs that are clearly beyond your ability or equipment. The route down is class 3 at best; a wrong turn makes it class 5, and the south-side canyons are bad places to be spend the night. This hike would be miserably (deathly) hot in the late spring, summer or early fall.

Two of the files (those with "4wd" in the names) show the drive in from the north, to the conventional hike; and the drive in from the south. These files are short (30 points or fewer), and can be uploaded to most GPSs via programs like MapTech or ExpertGPS. There are many converters on the web, that will change this rxf format to other formats; but the files are essentially in text, with a list of coordinates.

GPS file: Road in to conventional hike (high clearance advisable).

GPS file: Road in from south (4WD or AWD, high clearance).

The remaining file, GassHike.rxf, is a "route" derived directly from a GPS track, and reproduces the red line on the map at the top of this page. This file contains many coordinate points. To use this file, it would be best to load it into a mapping program, then pick a small number of waypoints (say 30) to upload to the GPS.

GPS file: Route/track for hike.