This was my fourth time. Went to clean up macabre bone pile left up top by a hiking group. They literally collected every bone & tortoise shell which had been in the wash for as long as I've been hiking down there. So much for Leave No Trace & Wilderness ethics...By taking the bones, they erased the history of the wash & robbed other hikers of the chance to see them. No one knew of these peaks until I took a friend who, unbeknownst to me, put the GPS tracks online...ugh. This is a prime example of why I'm reluctant to share...
paula.raimondi
Awww :( that’s terrible.
StudioHoodoo
Yeah, I was pretty upset when I saw it, especially since I think they took a ewe skull home. Jimbilnan is one of the few places around here that has true Wilderness characteristics & very few signs of people. I'd like to keep it that way! Oh well, I guess there are worse things they could've done...
paula.raimondi
Last year was the first time I fully immersed myself in the LMNRA/Muddy Wilderness areas and I fell in love hard! I will get years of joy from this area for years to come. I appreciate all your write ups and have used it for guidance. You are one of the top female explorer in our area and I admire your independence in the mountains and I strive for that as well. I want to explore the Cathedral and Cleopatra area soon and through reading your write ups, I realized you are the one who made the solo footprints I encountered up to The Muddy Mtns last year!
StudioHoodoo
Thanks! I admire all the stuff you've done too. I think you do sketchier stuff than me. I'm admittedly not a fan of danger. And you're a lot faster than me! I'm an artist & I do this stuff for the pretty views & reluctantly put in the exercise...haha! I downloaded your tracks from peakbagger for Pigs In Zen for backup, though I didn't need to use them. I really love routefinding! The Northshore area of Lake Mead is my favorite local area to explore. There's certainly years worth of stuff out there. One hike I would highly recommend if you like the Muddies, is the ridge from Blue Point all the way out to Bighorn Peak. It's a long day, but so pretty & so worth it. There are several nice peaks along that ridge & the views are incredible. Anything in Jimbilnan is great. My favorite is Chalcedony Peak. It's really flowery down there this time of year.
paula.raimondi
Thanks for the suggestions. I’ve been working on the north Fires/Muddys/ Bighorn goal the last 2 weeks and I’ve had a mental block on the first class 3 dryfall (at the start) in that canyon by the parking lot. Uggg, and that’s the “easier“ dryfall route. I’ve already wasted 2 drives out there and I just can’t bring myself to climb it and am intimidated and can’t get out of my own head on the risk I’m taking but I want it solo style and I need to build the courage. I need to strategize another way up other than that canyon but not sure that exists.
StudioHoodoo
Oh, do you mean at the rest stop area? I haven't been up that canyon. I drive all the way out past Rogers Spring to Blue Point. It's a little spring & official rest area. It's not too far past that rest area canyon. You can go straight up the ridge from there over the little peak officially called Blue Point. That route has a lot more elevation gain & loss, but you are on a ridge the whole time. The views are stunning the whole way. It's also possible to avoid the lower part of the ridge by going around it to the right through a remote part of Valley of Fire. I'm pretty sure Fire Ridge is also accessible via Rogers Spring by going to what some call Pumpkin Parfait Canyon, but I haven't tried that one. I uploaded a gpx file to Bighorn peak on here so you can see/use it if you so choose. In that track, I went around the lower part of the ridge, but since you've never been on the lower part, you may want to go up there too.
paula.raimondi
A million thanks! I’ve been hopeless and really want these peaks. I appreciate you sharing this info. :@)
StudioHoodoo
I know you'll get there! Enjoy!
paula.raimondi
I did the Traverse today. Wow. Thank you for the info. One of the prettiest I’ve ever done. The views were crazy and it was a physical challenge that I love. One of the longest distances out and back on a ridge for me. Out of respect for you I won’t post the track on Peakbagger. Unless you don’t mind? I’m totally ok with not posting it though so no worries. I appreciate you sharing the route strategy with me.
StudioHoodoo
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. The NE Muddies are my favorite. I don't mind if you post the GPS. I doubt many people will want to do that one.
paula.raimondi
Thank you :@) ok ...