
Start up Cottonwood Wash, following it all the way southeast until the desert opens up.


Some colorful mounds along the way.


The wash begins to narrow a little bit. Scramble out of it when you can before it heads too far east into Pinto Valley, avoiding the loads of cryptobiotic soil.

Traversing open desert as I head to another canyon (behind me). This is a view looking north toward Pinto Ridge. Pinto Valley visible in the center.

Headed down a south-draining canyon. I got a small peek at Lake Mead.

There are some narrow, interesting sections in this canyon.


A couple of Class 2 obstacles on the way down, but otherwise just a nice remote canyon walk.

Bearing Peak becomes visible within the canyon (center).



A really neat rock pinnacle in the center of the canyon.

The canyon ends at a wash that drains from the northeast. Head into it and locate a colorful side-canyon on Bearing Peak's western slope.

Heading up a side canyon that drains from Bearing Peak.

Gully leading up to Bearing Peak's summit.

Looking down the gully into the wash I just mentioned passing through. You can see the canyon I came down paralleling that wash as well.

Ridgeline to Bearing Peak summit.

Bearing Peak summit looking east toward West Boulder Peak (left) and Boulder Peak (right center).

Bearing Peak summit looking south toward Lake Mead and Canyon Point (center). I chose to follow the ridgeline.

Close-up of Canyon Point and Bearing Cove.m

Animal trail leading lots of the way down from Bearing Peak.

Chosen route up to the Canyon Point ridgeline.

Looking down the gully I came up. you can see Bearing Peak in the center, and the wash I'll be ascending after Canyon Point.

Canyon Point ahead.


Last bit of ridgeline to Canyon Point.

Canyon Point ahead.



View west into Lake Mead, Bearing Cove below on the right.

View south from Canyon Point summit.

After getting down from Canyon Point, I headed up this not-so-interesting wash.

Looking down the wash toward Canyon Point (left) and the southern slope of Bearing Peak (right.

West Boulder Peak on the left, Boulder Peak on the right.

Another view looking down the wash, Canyon Point on the left and Bearing Peaka on the right. The wash ascends for a bit before descending to the wash separating West Boulder and Boulder.

One more shot of my route so far before descending.

Drainage to the wash between West Boulder and Boulder. Boulder Peak is visible on the right.

Passed a bighorn sheep skull along the way.

Close-up of the skull, my route continuing past it.


My chosen slope up Boulder Peak.

A view of Lake Mead, Canyon Point (left), Bearing Peak (center), and West Boulder Peak (right).

Remainder of the ridgeline to Boulder Peak.

Boulder Peak summit looking east.

Boulder Peak summit looking southwest toward my route up from Canyon Point. you can see West Boulder Peak on the right.

Boulder Peak summit looking northwest toward the Muddy Mountains.

Boulder Peak summit looking northeast, a close-up of The Sentinel.

On the way down from Boulder Peak. I went up the wash ahead, which leads to the north side of West Boulder Peak.


Looking back toward Boulder Peak.

West Boulder Peak summit ahead.

West Boulder Peak summit, view south toward Canyon Point (left) and Bearing Peak (right).

Following another couple of washes back to complete the loop.

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