Elbow Range High Point and Elbow Butte in Desert National Wildlife Refuge, NV

Hike Elbow Range High Point and Elbow Butte Desert National Wildlife Refuge, NV

Class 3 6.4 miles 3100 gain 3-5 hrs Out + Back Jan 8, 2020
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Elbow Range High Point and Elbow Butte GPX Track

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Elbow Range High Point was a great first hike for 2020, the peak being on my radar since I first saw its stunning cliffs when I did the Arrow Canyon Range High Point. Austin and I parked on the side of Highway 93 and headed west through the desert, eventually entering a wash that led us northwest into a progressively narrowing canyon. Elbow Butte (which we'd do later) nestled us in to the northeast. We were confronted with two drainage choices to ascend to Elbow Range HP, and we chose the northern one to ascend. The topo map made the southern canyon appear pretty cliffy. Ultimately, our ascent route was more fun, but definitely more time-consuming. On our descent (blue line on the attached map), we figured we'd give the southern canyon a try even though there was a chance we'd get cliffed-out, but it went splendidly. There were a few dryfall obstacles, but overall it was much easier than the northern route. 

Assuming you want to do the same route we took, we started up our northern drainage option, where we found some fun Class 2+ dryfall obstacles and were spit out onto the long northern ridge of Elbow Range High Point. A Class 3 bit led to a false summit, where a slightly scarier class 3 descent led down to a saddle just north of the peak. This is where the southern drainage option would have brought us had we chosen to ascend from there. From the junction of the two route options, we continued south along the Class 2 ridgeline to the summit. I was initially hoping to drop down from Elbow Range HP and continue to Fleur de Lis Peak to the southeast, but the cliffs were impassable, in my opinion.

We returned using the southern gully and ascended Elbow Butte, a short excursion that gave us some nice views of Elbow Range High Point. From the summit, we dropped down the south side, encountering a couple of short minor Class 3 cliff band sections before descending on easier terrain back through the desert and to the car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Elbow Range High Point
4650 ft
1450 rise
2
Elbow Butte
3488 ft
428 rise

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From the car, we headed through the open desert and into a wash. Elbow Range HP visible top left.
From the car, we headed through the open desert and into a wash. Elbow Range HP visible top left.
View back, Arrow Canyon Range visible in the distance.
View back, Arrow Canyon Range visible in the distance.
Within the wash.
Within the wash.
Elbow Butte is out of frame on the right. Here we're approaching the two route options. Our ascent route went up the center of this photo where that shadowline is. Our descent  came from the left, currently obscured by the slope.
Elbow Butte is out of frame on the right. Here we're approaching the two route options. Our ascent route went up the center of this photo where that shadowline is. Our descent came from the left, currently obscured by the slope.
Class 2 ascent.
Class 2 ascent.
Looking back, Elbow Butte visible top center.
Looking back, Elbow Butte visible top center.
At the top of the Class 2, a pretty overlook before starting up the north ridge.
At the top of the Class 2, a pretty overlook before starting up the north ridge.
View back toward the drainage we came up (right).
View back toward the drainage we came up (right).
Crazy cliffs on the west face. Fortunately we didn't have to deal with any of that.
Crazy cliffs on the west face. Fortunately we didn't have to deal with any of that.
Class 3 up the north ridge.
Class 3 up the north ridge.
False summit along the ridge, view toward Elbow Range HP (top center). We would descend some sketchy Class 3 to the saddle in the center. Our descent route later takes the drainage in the center of this photo.
False summit along the ridge, view toward Elbow Range HP (top center). We would descend some sketchy Class 3 to the saddle in the center. Our descent route later takes the drainage in the center of this photo.
Sketchy Class 3 downclimb.
Sketchy Class 3 downclimb.
View back toward the Class 3 false summit.
View back toward the Class 3 false summit.
Wide shot of the ascent ridge we took (left) and the much easier Class 2 descent drainage we would take later (right).
Wide shot of the ascent ridge we took (left) and the much easier Class 2 descent drainage we would take later (right).
Continuing to Elbow Range High Point.
Continuing to Elbow Range High Point.
Cool drop-offs on either side as we ascend.
Cool drop-offs on either side as we ascend.
Image 16 from gallery
View back along the ridgeline, the false summit along the north ridge we came from visible top center. You can see Austin pulling some Class 2/2+ movements along the ridge.
View back along the ridgeline, the false summit along the north ridge we came from visible top center. You can see Austin pulling some Class 2/2+ movements along the ridge.
Class 2 to Elbow Range High Point.
Class 2 to Elbow Range High Point.
Elbow Range High Point, view west.
Elbow Range High Point, view west.
Elbow Range High Point, view east toward Fleur de Lis Peak. We wanted to get over there from here, but the cliffs looked to daunting to give it a try.
Elbow Range High Point, view east toward Fleur de Lis Peak. We wanted to get over there from here, but the cliffs looked to daunting to give it a try.
Elbow Range High Point, view south.
Elbow Range High Point, view south.
We headed down to the previously mentioned drainage we'd use as our descent. This is the hardest of the obstacles. Class 2/2+ on minor dryfalls along the way down.
We headed down to the previously mentioned drainage we'd use as our descent. This is the hardest of the obstacles. Class 2/2+ on minor dryfalls along the way down.
View back up the drainage we descended.
View back up the drainage we descended.
Elbow Butte ahead. We headed up to its left ridge and ascended to the summit.
Elbow Butte ahead. We headed up to its left ridge and ascended to the summit.
View back along Elbow Butte's northern ridge. Elbow Range High Point visible top left. On the opposite side of Elbow Butte for our descent, we encountered some minor Class 3 cliff bands (not pictured).
View back along Elbow Butte's northern ridge. Elbow Range High Point visible top left. On the opposite side of Elbow Butte for our descent, we encountered some minor Class 3 cliff bands (not pictured).

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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!