7211 and 6975, likely FKA in Mormon Mts, NV

7211 and 6975, Likely First Known Ascents in Mormon Mts, NV

Pics by Harlan W S
April 14, 2021

I first spotted this obscure range in 2003 from Mormon Peak, and saw 6975 from 5804.

This last trip used the very good Rainbow Pass Road off I-15 exit 100 (Carp Elgin), then used the currently bladed (2wd) Horse Hollow Road for access to the TH (Horse Hollow Rd was 4x4 in 2019, now it could be done by a vehicle with modest clearance and a good spare). Both Peaks 7211 and 6975 have "significant" prominence, and had no sign of previous visitation. The elevations are relative to NAD29 and are at least as old as the 1969 Mormon Mts map. Elevations were probably obtained by aerial photogrammetry, not by ground survey. I travelled south to USGS-marked 7189, and verified by multi-wave GPS/altimeter that it was indeed lower than USGS 7211.

Except for the road and some animal paths, this area is untrailed, but the track I took has "relatively" little brush.

Numbers are approximate photo locations. The roughest terrain was between #3 and #5.	context map.	Again, 5804 as viewed from Rainbow Pass Rd. The known route is behind E arete (R side), involves 30' cl 5 at last cliff band.
View W to 6975, from ~#1 on map. Note large shallow cave near base.	On 6975, #2 on map. View ~NW to 7365	View WSW from just below 6975 (E of location #2).
View ~WNW from 6975 (#2). USGS 7222 is on R.	View from #2, ~SSW, to nasty ridge I must traverse.	View from 6975 (#2) ~SSE, to peaks 7083 and 6970 (old USGS maps mark 6970 as 6966)
	View ~W from #3. Ridge is not flat! The rock seems good, but peels off in huge chunks	~SSW from between #3 and #4. I went R around this and found a relatively brush- free path.
Nominal cl 4 that I could have avoided by going through brush on R.	window at bottom of cl 4. I used side of window to step off, and loosed a big rock fragment (at least 100 lbs.)	between #4 and #5, view ~S to SSW. 7211 in gap.
Back ~E from #4, rough ridge route	S from #5, view of 7211.	Looking S to 7211 from near #6. From this side, stay R to base of cliff, then L up ramp to hidden break in cliffs
Near #6. This rock is not like others in the area, and may be a very old sign of visitation, marking route between agave roasting areas.	at #6, 7083 to ESE
From near #6, view back NNE to rough ridge	On 7211 (#7), view ~S to #8, marked as 7189 on USGS map	View back ~NNE to 7211. There is a cl 2+ chute on E side summit block. Pic taken between #7 and #8.
View to Mormon Peak (L) and Shark Tooth (R)	View ~S to Moapa Peak at R, back.	S to #8, 7189. There is a narrow, vegetated break in cliffs on R side
From #8, view ~N to 7211, which fades into cliffs in back	View WSW from #8, "Warwagon" (Dome Peak, USGS 6365) peeks over shoulder.	From #8, view N to cliffs I traversed
Back between #8 and #7 Mormon Peak and Shark's Tooth at R.	View N to 7211 summit block. There are two narrow class 2+ chutes on NE and SE sides	View SE from 7211 (#7)
View NNE from 7211. No room to maneuver, summit is tiny.	View of 7083 from top 7211.	Phlox on descent east of 7211. Very few flowers in this record dry year.
at #9, view to 7083 and 6970	This area burned ~2006, this is a stump left by firefighters	Back at #10, view SSE to ridge of 7083 and 6970. RC toy 4x4 was here last week, but 10' to L.
View E to "back" of 5804, from Horse Hollow Rd. Possible 4th cl?	From Horse Hollow Rd., view ~WSW to 7211.	For the patient: red is this trip; blue is trip Anji and I took 2 years ago; purple is trip I took last week. Note the hypothetical blue dashed line for an easier descent.