Hike Ranger Peak Ridgeline via B-36 Crash Site Franklin Mountains State Park, TX

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Ranger Peak Ridgeline via B-36 Crash Site GPX Track

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Feb 18, 2018 — Starting along the 1000 Steps Trail, look for a not-so-obvious gully with cairns leading steeply up to the B-36 plane crash site. The plane crash has a memorial, and when you're done checking it out, find a use trail leading up toward the Ranger Peak Loop Trail, a short bit away. I was confused here, though. Maps mark Ranger Peak as being the Arial Tramway, but there is a summit register at a higher point along the Ranger Peak Trail. However, this summit register is below a cliff, an obivously higher point. So, what's the actual Ranger Peak? I guess it doesn't matter, but I did a Class 3 scramble to gain the Ranger Peak Ridge and followed this really nice ridge until I found a big cairn at the top of a higher point, which I am going to consider to be Ranger Peak. It turned out that this ridge scramble was unnecessary, as there's a use trail leading back to the register, bringing theis route back to Class 2. Though, this is a great intro Class 3 scramble because it's fairly easy and not in a remote place at all. Anyway, I continued along the Ranger Peak Loop Trail until I got back to the 1000 Steps Trail, and followed this back to my car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Ranger Peak

5653 ft

73 rise

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Starting along the 1000 Steps Trail.

Leave the 1000 Steps Trail and head up a no-trail gully toward the B-36 Crash Site.

B-36 Crash Site

B-36 Crash Site memorial.

Continue up the gully from the B-36 Crash Site.

You get to an "overlook" where you can see the crash site. That peak ahead is what I "thought" was Ranger Peak...

...however, maps mark the radio tower pictured here as the Ranger Peak summit. I dunno.

At the Ranger Peak register, which again is misleading because this clearly isn't a summit. So, I scrambled up that butte ahead.

Along the Ranger Peak ridgeline. A fun very easy Class 3 scramble.

Looking back toward what maps mark as Ranger Peak, but clearly it's much lower than where I am.

Approaching a higher point.

Looking north toward South Franklin Mountain a cairn marking what I assume is the actual Ranger Peak.

Heading back down from Ranger Peak, along an actual trail that I had overlooked.

Continue down the 1000 Steps Trail.

1000 Steps Trail leads back to the trailhead.

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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!