Hart Peak, Castle Mountain, Linder Peak Traverse in Castle Mountains National Monument, CA

Hike Hart Peak, Castle Mountain, Linder Peak Traverse Castle Mountains National Monument, CA

Class 2 8.6 miles 3300 gain 4-6 hrs Loop Apr 11, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Hart Peak, Castle Mountain, Linder Peak Traverse GPX Track

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I somehow totally overlooked 2016-designated Castle Mountains National Monument until now, so I planned a nice ridgeline traverse, hitting a few of the named summits within the Monument. Note that this area shares a name with the more impressive pinnacles known as the Castle Peaks to the west, this trip report is not for those peaks. This traverse offers a really nice, mostly tame, ridgeline traverse in a part of the Mojave National Preserve that is infrequently visited. I had no trouble reaching the trailhead via the well-graded dirt road. Since the traverse is basically a straight north to south ridge, I planned to start with Hart Peak and end with Linder Peak, and then I'd then just come back to the road and make my way back. This hike could be a bit nicer with a shuttle so you could do the traverse without all the extra time getting back to the car, but I was alone and so it is what it is.

I hiked through lightly brushy terrain from the dirt road up to the base of Hart Peak, where a Class 2/2+ weakness took me up loose terrain to the summit. From Hart Peak, I followed the ridgeline south (Class 2 descent). There are a bunch of bumps along the way, most of which aren't prominent enough to be considered peaks. Along the way there were a bunch of nice desert views and interesting rock outcroppings. Most of the way along the ridgeline I reached a Class 2 summit called Castle Mountain. It wasn't particularly notable, except that it's a true peak.

The descent from Castle Mountain was straightforward, leading to the base of Castle Mountains High Point. I read in a couple places that this peak is also known as Linder Peak. The scree-covered slope on the north side of Linder Peak was a bit tedious, but it was over relatively quickly. After enjoying the summit for a bit, I backtracked to Linder Peak's northern base and took an old mining road back to the main dirt road. The traverse is really pretty, and though the way back follows dirt roads, I got some nice views of the full traverse I had just done.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Hart Peak
5545 ft
673 rise
2
Castle Mountain
5492 ft
374 rise
3
Linder Peak (Castle Mountains High Point)
5581 ft
982 rise

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Starting toward Hart Peak (left).
Starting toward Hart Peak (left).
Image 1 from gallery
Scramble up to the weakness in Hart Peak.
Scramble up to the weakness in Hart Peak.
Some Class 2+ stuff.
Some Class 2+ stuff.
Looking back down on the way up Hart Peak.
Looking back down on the way up Hart Peak.
Hart Peak, looking south along the ridge. The high point (end of my traverse) is visible way out there.
Hart Peak, looking south along the ridge. The high point (end of my traverse) is visible way out there.
Heading down from Hart Peak.
Heading down from Hart Peak.
Some interesting rock stuff coming down from Hart Peak.
Some interesting rock stuff coming down from Hart Peak.
A sub-peak along the ridgeline.
A sub-peak along the ridgeline.
Looking back toward Hart Peak.
Looking back toward Hart Peak.
Sub-peak, looking along the ridge.
Sub-peak, looking along the ridge.
Image 11 from gallery
Looking back, Hart Peak on the far left.
Looking back, Hart Peak on the far left.
Image 13 from gallery
Image 14 from gallery
Looking back, Hart Peak the bump op the left.
Looking back, Hart Peak the bump op the left.
Another sub-peak coming up, known as Castle Mountain.
Another sub-peak coming up, known as Castle Mountain.
Summit of this sub-peak, Castle Mountain, looking back toward Hart Peak (left bump).
Summit of this sub-peak, Castle Mountain, looking back toward Hart Peak (left bump).
Castle Mountain looking toward Linder Peak (Castle Mountains High Point) (rightmost peak). Mini Class 2+ scramble on the way down from this sub-peak.
Castle Mountain looking toward Linder Peak (Castle Mountains High Point) (rightmost peak). Mini Class 2+ scramble on the way down from this sub-peak.
Looking back toward Castle Mountain.
Looking back toward Castle Mountain.
Linder Peak on the right.
Linder Peak on the right.
Castle Mountains High Point, Linder Peak.
Castle Mountains High Point, Linder Peak.
Scree-covered ascent to Linder Peak. Kind of sucked.
Scree-covered ascent to Linder Peak. Kind of sucked.
A social trail appeared somehow.
A social trail appeared somehow.
Still crap.
Still crap.
Looking down the awful scree toward the ridgeline I just came from. Hart Peak is the far bump in the middle.
Looking down the awful scree toward the ridgeline I just came from. Hart Peak is the far bump in the middle.
Approaching the Linder Peak summit.
Approaching the Linder Peak summit.
Linder Peak looking south toward a mining operation.
Linder Peak looking south toward a mining operation.
Linder Peak looking north along the ridge.
Linder Peak looking north along the ridge.
An old dirt road leads from just below Linder Peak all the way back.
An old dirt road leads from just below Linder Peak all the way back.
Looking back toward Linder Peak.
Looking back toward Linder Peak.
Follow this road back. Hart Peak is visible center here.
Follow this road back. Hart Peak is visible center here.
Old mining stuff I assume. Linder Peak peeking over on the right.
Old mining stuff I assume. Linder Peak peeking over on the right.

Hire me or show me some love!

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!