Sentiment for North Potosi and Meditaton Point
off Rte 160 near Las Vegas, NV

This area is much wilder than the tower-covered, road-connected and higher Mount Potosi to the S. I used these mountains before and after a shoulder operation 3.5 years ago, to judge my rehab. Today it was a reality check, and also a check on access. The rte 160 highway project has removed much access to public lands; here is a way, with some caveats. Much of the west side of the range was owned by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), and is signed "No Trespassing," but only on the road to the camp. A sale was reported for some of that land, but the County Assessor's Office still lists ownership as BSA. The route from the east is still "open" with the caveats below. The loop gives about 3200' accumulated gain and ~5.6 miles. I took 4h55m including stops; I certainly wasn't rushing.

NOTE: The rough powerline road, which intersects the OHV parking road to east, is signed NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES. This road cannot be legally used for access. The "drop method" described below has no prohibatory signage.

Pics by Harlan W S

Sept. 28, 2021

0map0
My recent route. I
parked on a very
wide shoulder on
the S side of the road.
See comments on
access in last frames
1map0
A zoom-out for context.
20210928_065929
AQI was well above
100 when I started.
20210928_070401
Early view WSW
to N Potosi (also
called "Buddha's Rest")
20210928_073541
Mounting first
ridge to S
20210928_075434
View ~SSW. These
ridges were burned
over decades ago.
20210928_080621
View E, old firepit
and first on many
lumps
20210928_081330
View ~W to
N. Potosi; the ridges
are quite rough
20210928_081814_Moment
View ~E at
unnecessary
downclimb.
20210928_090742
Unnecessary upclimb.
I found 4 cairns which
probably lead around
these cliffs.
20210928_091935
Top of N Potosi,
view ~N over smoky
sandstone peaks of
Red Rock
20210928_092242
20210928_093400
View of big Mt
Potosi to ~SW
20210928_093436
Heading down.
Meditation Pt below.
Stay on the more open
areas to L.
20210928_100016
The dish at left likely
provides cell service
to BSA. Meditation
Pt. at R.
20210928_101604
My car is down
there somewhere.
20210928_101611
View ~ S to cliffs
on N Potosi.
20210928_101637
Next lump we
traverse on way
back E. First,
we must negotiate
a ridgeline. Stay
on more open
areas at L.
20210928_101916
Register on Meditation
Point needs work.
20210928_101957 20210928_104135
3.5 years ago, I
went L of that cliff.
The ridge down from
here is rough, but
just class 2 with
some exposure.
20210928_104619
In my younger days
I went directly over the
top. Today I went L
around base.
20210928_105548
View back ~S
at Meditation Pt (center)
and N Potosi (L).
20210928_110514
First lump of
the day.
20210928_111009
Old burn on the
last ridge
20210928_111617
Juniper stump from
fire break
20210928_113131
View ~W, N Potosi
at L. Meditation Pt
at R. I once came
down the ridiculously
brushy valley between.
20210928_115552
This the barrier one
faces getting back to
your car. This is a smooth
6' wall with a steel bar 1'
above the top. I climbed
it easily, but someone
with less upper body
strength might want
to bring an etrier and
hide it on the S side
of wall.
20210928_115748
Here's the fence
opening. The 6'
drop is to R (S),
my car is parked
L (N).
HappierTimesNorthPotosi2
3.5 years ago.
Sometimes we
forget.

And forget again.