
Starting along the Dodson Trail. It leads to the center of this photo.

View back toward Crown Mountain.

Along the Dodson Trail as it ascends along a watercourse.

Not particularly interesting for the first couple of miles.

Nearing a small saddle higher up. South Rim visible on the right.

View back along the Dodson Trail.

At the small saddle, view west. I left the trail here and headed left to get to Tortuga Mountain.

Tortuga Mountain in the center, Elephant Tusk poking out behind it.

Steeper section to get to Tortuga Mountain.

View back along Tortuga Mountain's north ridge toward the South Rim of Big Bend.

Tortuga Mountain summit, view toward Elephant Tusk.

Tortuga Mountain summit, view west. Picacho Peak is seen poking out on the right.

Steep Class 2 descent from Tortuga Mountain.

Descending to the Elephant Tusk Trail, which is within the drainage below. The trail leads to the saddle in the center of this photo.

View back up toward Tortuga Mountain after descending from its steep west ridge.

Within the drainage housing the Elephant Tusk Trail, which will eventually lead up to the saddle in the center.

View back toward Tortuga Mountain.

After some poking around I found the Elephant Tusk Trail, marked by a cairn.

View back toward the South Rim and Tortuga Mountain.

Elephant Tusk still a bit away. The Elephant Tusk Trail leads along this slope for a bit.

Close-up toward Elephant Tusk.

Descending along the Elephant Tusk Trail into the drainage below.

Pretty formations within the drainage.

A small spring.

Getting closer!

A small section of narrows within the drainage along the Elephant Tusk Trail.

Eventually the drainage opened up and Elephant Tusk was visible just ahead. The goal is to reach its north ridge, seen center. I left the trail and started up.


Ascending to the minor saddle on the left, which marks the peak's north ridge.

View back the way I came, Tortuga Mountain visible center.

A view toward the "standard" approach if I had a burly enough vehicle to take the Elephant Tusk Trail from the south.

On the north ridge. I side-hilled on scree on the left.

The key chute became visible.

View back along the scree I ascended. Tortuga Mountain washed out in the center.

Class 2 on scree/talus.

The chute narrowed.

View back down.

At the top of the chute, the Class 4 crux.

View down the crux from about halfway up.

Top of the crux at the notch, a messy belay station. I used some webbing to assist my descent later.

Past the notch, starting up the north ridge.

Class 2/3.

View back down toward the notch, center.

Class 3 move that I avoided on the way down.

Class 2/2+/3 for a few hundred feet.

Another shot back at my progress.

More micro-route-finding. I found it best to stay as close to the crest (or just to its right) when possibe.

Class 3.

View back down a Class 3 section.

Class 2/3 along Elephant Tusk's ridge.

View down a final Class 3 section that required wrapping around a rock outcropping.

On the final ridgeline.

Class 2+ wannabe-knife-edge.

View back along the ridge.

Almost to the summit!

Elephant Tusk summit, view north. South Rim visible top left.

Elephant Tusk summit, view southwest.

Close-up toward Backbone Ridge and Punta de la Sierra.

Back at the base of Tortuga Mountain (seen top right), I started up the canyon on its west side.

Some cool formations in this canyon.

A spring. I left the canyon briefly to avoid vegetation, but eventually made it back to the Dodson Trail.
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