Cupcake Mountain via Whipple Wash Loop in Whipple Mountains BLM, CA

Hike Cupcake Mountain via Whipple Wash Loop Whipple Mountains BLM, CA

Class 2 13.4 miles 4200 gain 8-11 hrs Loop Mar 23, 2019
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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My first visit to the Whipple Mountains near Lake Havasu City helped me fall in love with the area. It sort of feels like a strange hybrid between the volcanic peaks within Lake Mead NRA and the cliffy mesas found in southern Arizona. The route I planned hits three interesting little peaks that hover over Whipple Wash: Porthole Mountain, Muffin Peak, and Cupcake Mountain. Cupcake has an official trail to the top (trailhead located at 34.3713234,-114.3118487), which I only followed for a short time, but would shorten the day significantly, though lose quite a bit of the interesting stuff along the way. Note that even though I rated this route Class 2, keeping it at that rating would require a bunch of time-consuming work-arounds. There are a bunch of potential Class 2+/3 moves you could pull to keep the route more direct, especially when ascending Whipple Wash.

I went through the gorgeous Whipple Wash, lots of boulder obstacles along the way, but not enough to be annoying. There was a short section of relaly interesting, unexpected narrows toward where I split off to the north to ascend up to higher ground. Within this split, a series of tall dryfalls forced me to ascend on an animal trail to west, but fortunately the route went at Class 2+. Once at the head of this side-drainage, I located a reasonable route up the southwest face of Porthole Mountain, summitted, and then continued along its ridge to the interesting arch that overlooked Whipple Wash below.

From the summit of Porthole Mountain, I continued north and descended a steep gully, though many routes down are viable. I continued back up to Muffin Peak, where again, I would say there are multiple viable routes. The one I took had a Class 2+ headwall, and the views from the summit were really nice and helped give me some sense of the Whipple Mountains' layout: how the higher sections to the northwest seemed a bit boring and gray, and the southwest was riddled with interesting canyons and dark mesas. I descended from Muffin Peak the same way and then worked up the southeast slope of Cupcake Mountain, where I followed the official Cupcake Mountain Trail down through a socially-eroded gully and to the head of my chosen drainage to descend to the east. I first decided to follow a ridge to the north of the drainage to enjoy some wildflowers, rather than immediately dropping into the drainage. I also initially toyed with the idea of following the Cupcake Mountain Trail all the way back and making my way back via the road, but wildflowers and wilderness looked more interesting than that, plus it was more direct than following the road would have been.

Eventually, the ridge seemed to start ascending, so I dropped south just in time for the drainage to become interesting. A series of rock formations and dryfalls led do a trickling waterfall that could likely be downclimbed when not wet, but it appeared slippery, so I took a work-around to its base. The drainage continued to Whipple Wash, with great views, lighting, and wildflowers the whole way.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Porthole Mountain
2716 ft
676 rise
2
Muffin Peak
2712 ft
632 rise
3
Cupcake Mountain
2873 ft
673 rise

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The road I came in on visible on the left, Whipple wash on the right. Head through the wide wash toward the obvious opening.
The road I came in on visible on the left, Whipple wash on the right. Head through the wide wash toward the obvious opening.
Within Whipple Wash.
Within Whipple Wash.
Image 2 from gallery
Whipple Wash opens up a few times, but still has really gorgeous cliff faces all around.
Whipple Wash opens up a few times, but still has really gorgeous cliff faces all around.
Image 4 from gallery
An obstacle. Maybe there's a way around to the left? I did a little move on the right to avoid the water.
An obstacle. Maybe there's a way around to the left? I did a little move on the right to avoid the water.
An interesting section of slickrock.
An interesting section of slickrock.
Close-up of water trickling down.
Close-up of water trickling down.
Image 8 from gallery
Image 9 from gallery
Whipple wash continues to be really pretty through its entirety.
Whipple wash continues to be really pretty through its entirety.
Looking back toward a particularly sheer cliff.
Looking back toward a particularly sheer cliff.
A surprise section of narrows, where I was lucky to see water flowing.
A surprise section of narrows, where I was lucky to see water flowing.
Close-up of the narrows.
Close-up of the narrows.
Wide shot of the bend in the narrows.
Wide shot of the bend in the narrows.
Narrows in the foreground, a gorgeous cliff face in the background.
Narrows in the foreground, a gorgeous cliff face in the background.
Shortly after the narrows, Whipple Wash opens up. My route took me up the drainage on the right.
Shortly after the narrows, Whipple Wash opens up. My route took me up the drainage on the right.
This drainage had a few unpleasant bushes, but it wasn't enough to complain about.
This drainage had a few unpleasant bushes, but it wasn't enough to complain about.
Looking back down the drainage.
Looking back down the drainage.
One of a few dryfalls. Head to the left to avoid this one and a major one that comes after it.
One of a few dryfalls. Head to the left to avoid this one and a major one that comes after it.
Along the west side of the drainage, avoiding the major dryfall seen in the center.
Along the west side of the drainage, avoiding the major dryfall seen in the center.
Looking back down the drainage from the top of the dryfall.
Looking back down the drainage from the top of the dryfall.
Continuing up the drainage, as the landscape begins to open up.
Continuing up the drainage, as the landscape begins to open up.
At the base of Porthole Mountain. I found the slope ahead to be totally reasonable to ascend.
At the base of Porthole Mountain. I found the slope ahead to be totally reasonable to ascend.
Porthole Mountain ahead.
Porthole Mountain ahead.
A view of Whipple Wash on the left. What you can see here is the left fork, where I chose the right fork earlier. The drainage with the big dryfall isn't visible here, blocked by the slope below.
A view of Whipple Wash on the left. What you can see here is the left fork, where I chose the right fork earlier. The drainage with the big dryfall isn't visible here, blocked by the slope below.
Summit of Porthole Mountain, looking north toward Muffin Peak (right) and Cupcake Peak (left).
Summit of Porthole Mountain, looking north toward Muffin Peak (right) and Cupcake Peak (left).
Continuing along the ridge heading east to get to the natural arch (seen center).
Continuing along the ridge heading east to get to the natural arch (seen center).
Almost at the arch, Whipple Wash below on the left.
Almost at the arch, Whipple Wash below on the left.
Natural arch!
Natural arch!
Great view down into Whipple Wash from the arch.
Great view down into Whipple Wash from the arch.
Continuing off Porthole Mountain's northern slope. There are multiple ways down, for sure. I'm headed to Muffin Peak on the right.
Continuing off Porthole Mountain's northern slope. There are multiple ways down, for sure. I'm headed to Muffin Peak on the right.
Approaching the base of Muffin Peak.
Approaching the base of Muffin Peak.
On the slopes of Muffin Peak, looking back toward Porthole Mountain.
On the slopes of Muffin Peak, looking back toward Porthole Mountain.
Muffin Peak summit, looking east toward more of the Whipple Mountains.
Muffin Peak summit, looking east toward more of the Whipple Mountains.
Muffin Peak summit, looking northwest toward Cupcake Peak.
Muffin Peak summit, looking northwest toward Cupcake Peak.
Among desert wildflowers on my way to Cupcake Peak.
Among desert wildflowers on my way to Cupcake Peak.
Heading up Cupcake Peak's southeastern slope, looking back toward Muffin (left) and Porthole (right).
Heading up Cupcake Peak's southeastern slope, looking back toward Muffin (left) and Porthole (right).
Class 2 to Cupcake Mountain's summit.
Class 2 to Cupcake Mountain's summit.
Cupcake Mountain summit looking back down the slope I came up.
Cupcake Mountain summit looking back down the slope I came up.
Cupcake Mountain summit, looking north. The trail takes you down the notch in the foreground. If you look closely on the right, you can see the official trail leading along the ridge.
Cupcake Mountain summit, looking north. The trail takes you down the notch in the foreground. If you look closely on the right, you can see the official trail leading along the ridge.
Close-up to the east of my intended wash to descend. It starts in the foreground and heads to the big cliffs on the right. My car is located just behind the little butte on the top left.
Close-up to the east of my intended wash to descend. It starts in the foreground and heads to the big cliffs on the right. My car is located just behind the little butte on the top left.
Close-up of Whipple Mountains High Point way over there.
Close-up of Whipple Mountains High Point way over there.
Heading down the Cupcake Mountain Trail.
Heading down the Cupcake Mountain Trail.
Cupcake Mountain Trail continues to the left of the butte on the left in this photo. I left the trail before that.
Cupcake Mountain Trail continues to the left of the butte on the left in this photo. I left the trail before that.
Along the Cupcake Mountain Trail. The drainage I would go down is in the center, but first I opted to follow the right on the left first.
Along the Cupcake Mountain Trail. The drainage I would go down is in the center, but first I opted to follow the right on the left first.
Starting down the ridge, a shot of the Cupcake Mountain Trail (right) leading to Cupcake Mountain (also right).
Starting down the ridge, a shot of the Cupcake Mountain Trail (right) leading to Cupcake Mountain (also right).
Heading down along the right, Muffin Peak visible on the right.
Heading down along the right, Muffin Peak visible on the right.
Looking back along the ridge, Cupcake Mountain on the left.
Looking back along the ridge, Cupcake Mountain on the left.
Eventually, the ridge appears to ascend up to the butte on the left, so I opted to head to the right into the drainage I originally intended to follow.
Eventually, the ridge appears to ascend up to the butte on the left, so I opted to head to the right into the drainage I originally intended to follow.
Close-up of the wildflowers and drainage.
Close-up of the wildflowers and drainage.
Some interesting rock formations within the drainage.
Some interesting rock formations within the drainage.
Image 52 from gallery
Image 53 from gallery
Image 54 from gallery
A waterfall with a trickle. An easy bypass took me down safely on the left.
A waterfall with a trickle. An easy bypass took me down safely on the left.
The waterfall from below.
The waterfall from below.
The upper section of the waterfall.
The upper section of the waterfall.
Image 58 from gallery
Continuing down the drainage.
Continuing down the drainage.
Looking back up the way I came.
Looking back up the way I came.
Some interesting spring colors.
Some interesting spring colors.
Image 62 from gallery
A few fun obstacles along the way, but nothing else major for the rest of the drainage.
A few fun obstacles along the way, but nothing else major for the rest of the drainage.
Image 64 from gallery
Approaching the junction with Whipple Wash, completing the loop.
Approaching the junction with Whipple Wash, completing the loop.
Image 66 from gallery
Image 67 from gallery

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