Hike Titanothere Peak and Block Peak Death Valley National Park, CA

Directions

Route Map

Download GPX

Titanothere Peak and Block Peak GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

Add to Cart

View Cart

Jan 10, 2021 — Titus Canyon Road is a beautiful backcountry road in Death Valley National Park. It's well-maintained and may only cause passenger cars difficulty in some minor sections. Of course being a one-way road, I can't say I'd recommend going for it without a proper vehicle. I wore gaiters due to brush and was happy I did (long pants likely fine too), since the first mile is a little unpleasant. I parked at a turn-off and headed south toward Titanothere Peak. I couldn't see the peak itself just yet, but its slopes were visible. I entered a drainage, but the watercourse offered no reprieve from the brush, so I zig-zagged around the shrubs and generally followed the drainage south. It eventually led me to a low saddle to the north of Titanothere Peak, where the brush dispersed and I found myself on a pleasant slope that led me to the ridgeline. Once on the ridgeline, I continued south and encountered some light Class 2 for the last half mile to the summit. Nothing alarming, just some light obstacles and a couple of loose slopes. I took in the nice views of Thimble Peak and Death Valley below before heading back along the ridgeline, Block Peak my next objective.

A big hump along the ridge added some vertical gain, but the terrain was really pleasant and I soon found myself at the base of Block Peak. The route I took headed up the steep Class 2 slope and I found myself pulling a Class 2+ move that likely can be avoided with a little more poking around. Mellow terrain brought me to the optional Class 4 "block" of Block Peak, but I wrapped around to the left and located a Class 2 option instead. I shortened my trip back to Titus Canyon Road by heading north down a steep and indiscriminately chosen gully/slope combo (Class 1/2) and followed the road back to my car.

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

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Titanothere Peak

6136 ft

1016 rise

Block Peak

5921 ft

321 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

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!

From Titus Canyon Road, I headed to the drainage in the center of this photo.

Within the drainage. Brushy. The slopes leading to Titanothere Peak are visible ahead.

The drainage led to a low saddle, which I took to gain the ridge above. The ridge continued to the left, where you can see a false summit of Titanothere Peak.

Looking back into the drainage I ascended (in the shadows).

Titanothere Peak on the right.

Close-up to the ridge to come.

Titanothere Peak up there.

Class 2 side-hilling and minor obstacles coming up.

Close-up to the Class 2 section leading to the summit area.

Looking back down the Class 2 section before the summit.

Summit of Titanothere Peak ahead.

Thimble Peak right of center.

Back along the ridgeline, heading to Block Peak (left of center).

Block Peak's Class 2 slope visible ahead.

Class 2+ option I took. It was fun, but you can likely find an easier way up if you want.

Some mellow stuff just before the true summit of Block Peak, ahead. I wrapped around on the left to find an easy way up.

Block Peak summit, view back toward Titanothere Peak (right).

Thimble Peak far left. Red Pass on the right.

I dropped down the north side of Block Peak and followed whatever gully/slope felt right. It was steep, but barely Class 2.

Looking back up the slope/gully I came down before reaching Titus Canyon Road.

Hire me or show me some love!

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!