Monument & Hidden Peaks (Red Rock, NV) with LVMC

pics by Chris M, Jen P., Eric K & Harlan W.S.
Oct 02, 2010

I’ve put the initials of the photo contributors (other than myself) directly on the photos.

To get to the start of the hike, we took the very good road from Lovell Canyon (requires just 2WD and modest clearance – with careful driving) rather than chance the route from Mountain Springs. (I did find that I was able to get my Subaru Outback over the washouts on the Mountain Springs Road, but could not have taken any passengers by that route.)

Our route started from near Bootleg Spring. I’ve gone directly from Rainbow Spring, ENE to the ridge, but the wash is a bit more brushy, and the ridge is serrated.	This google-earth view from the N shows the routes over Monument and Hidden. A class 5 wall prevents a direct route between the peaks.	We saw elk just above Bootleg Spring.
	Early on, the trip is just a walk down the gravel road that heads N from Mountain Spring.	View over “The Park” and Sandstone Peak, from near the 6450’ limestone ridgeline.
Monument (L) and Hidden (R, blends in) from the bottom of the limestone. We are aiming for the lowest point visible on the L side of Monument…	And now, we are there, on the L side of Monument.	View from a similar vantage.
As we wind around the NE side of Monument, we see the bench where the two different routes divide. The older route used by Branch Whitney climbs at R, into the shadows; the other route – with no cairns – cuts over the bench and then R in the sun. The older route has less brush, but is much more convoluted.	We head up the newer route.	Jen is about to do battle with the bushes.
		Now we must wend to the R, then L to climb the narrow slot.
This is a critical part of the route.	Now we’re in a quasi slot just N of the summit of Monument.	Finally one reaches a steep but short wall on the S side of the route.
View N from top of wall.	Jim comes up the wall.	Jen.
Eric	Then one heads S over highly-textured sandstone.	There is a convenient ledge just L of the little tree.
	View down as others climb up.	Jen set her camera on a 20-second timer, and giggled as I tried to hold this pose.
	View NE to Calico Basin and La Madre.	Coming back down from the summit.
	Jen downclimbs the wall; she didn’t need my help, but I’m allowed only one serious accident per hike.	One descends this slot, then must cut a sharp L at bottom.
Mt Wilson visible in distance, as we descend via the convoluted BW route.
	Chris M photographs Jen working across one of the shakier parts of the BW route…	…and I photograph them from the ledge above.
View across the NE side of Monument.	Finally we are going up the valley between Monument and Hidden, looking out over Mt Wilson.	There is one slightly slippery step-around on the E side of Hidden.
	The folks admire the views just below Hidden summit.	Chris chases Jen – don’t tell Kristi!
On top of Hidden.	On top of Hidden, an languorous pose and a hidden menace.	View NE from hidden; whale’s snout of Monument at R.
	Descending off NW side of Hidden; Black Velvet at R.
	View of N side of Monument.	After Hidden, we climb back up to the sandstone WNW of the peak.
Black Velvet at R.	Chris photographs people climbing a frictional chute…	…and I photograph them from the top of the same chute.
View back over Monument and Hidden.		The mountains recede as we slog up the limestone talus, back to the ridge.
One last view to Black Velvet.	In the west-side wash, almost home!