Trip report
Jan 26, 2017 — Grey Cap Peak is a wonderful little peak in Calico Basin within Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The peak can be reached from the scenic loop, but also from the free parking area that doesn't require a reservation at the Kraft Mountain parking area. I chose to start here to reach the summit since I also wanted to enjoy the sights within Gateway Canyon. I outlined an alternative route that goes up and over Pink Goblin Pass (bisecting Kraft Mountain and New Peak), a much shorter endeavor than the hike throught Gateway Canyon, if you prefer that option. Most will prefer to turn back from the summit of Grey Cap Peak, but a fun Class 3 ridgeline extends along its southeast side, if you want to make the hike more effort/fun.
Josh and I hiked around Kraft Mountain on the Kraft Mountain Loop Trail, which led us into Lower Gateway Canyon. This canyon has lots of beautiful boulders with typical Red Rock Canyon stripes and embedded Moki marbles. There are some scrambling obstacles within the canyon, and you'll likely pass many climbers within the canyon. Lower Gateway Canyon opens up for a while before narrowing again into the Upper Gateway Canyon portion. This section of the canyon is very different in character, limestone rather than sandstone. We scrambled over a few Class 2/3 obstacles, and were able to avoid many others with social trails that avoided otherwise difficult dryfalls. Some limestone boulder-hopping along the way slowed progress.
Now at the western base of Grey Cap Peak, I outlined a couple of ascent options. Orange on my attached map is what seems to be the more standard route, and it includes a trail or well-cairned route most of the way. The blue line I included as an alternative has some more scrambling and nicer views toward the sandstone backdrop beneath Turtlehead Peak, but you can explore that area on your own if you prefer to not take the standrd route. The standard route leaves Upper Gateway Canyon and ascends a gully divided cleanly: the left side is sandstone, the right side limestone. Once above the gully, a social trail wraps in an ascending traverse around the steep sandtone cliffs above, but keeps Class 2. The route bends northeast, drops slightly into a wider, open sandstone landscape, then ascends earnestly up a Class 2 sandstone slope to gain the west ridge of Grey Cap Peak.
From the summit of Grey Cap Peak, you can continue along the ridgeline heading southeast. This is a pretty committing ridgeline because it's difficult to know when descending south into Gateway Canyon is an option. The cliffs below the ridgeline are sheer at times, and certainly almost always danerous. On one outing I attempted a descent and found myself on Class 4/5 terrain, for instance. I think your best bet would be to commit to the whole ridgeline to ensure you don't risk having a scary time. This shouldn't be a problem since the ridge has some really fun scrambling and a minor knife-edge. Along the way we hopped up and over a minor peak called Goat Bed Peak, really just a stack of rocks. Josh and I went pretty far along the ridge and took a Class 3 descent, which was marked by a cairn. To keep the descent even more tame, you can likely head farther along the ridge until it becomes less steep. Once down the Class 3 stuff, a Class 2 slope brought us back to the Kraft Mountain trail system and then back to the trailhead.