Last Chance Range High Point in Southern Nevada District BLM, NV

Hike Last Chance Range High Point Southern Nevada District BLM, NV

Class 3 4.6 miles 2200 gain 2-4 hrs Out + Back Mar 22, 2020
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Last Chance Range High Point was a surprisingly fun peak just north of Pahrump, NV. It's got a lot of fun scrambling and the rock colors/variety changes as you ascend. Austin and I parked at the end of a dirt road on the outskirts of Pahrump, the last homes before the desert. I don't know if the locals cared that my car was parked at the end of the road, but nobody said anything. A mile or so walk through the desert brought us into the major drainage coming down from Last Chance Range High Point. We followed it, keeping left at the first major fork. The canyon was full of Class 2 boulder-hopping and a few short, avoidable Class 3 dryfalls. The canyon even got pretty narrow at one point, which was exciting in the way that these things can be exiting to desert nerds like myself. The drainage opened up and became more steep, eventually turning into a slope, and ascended to a saddle to the east of Last Chance Range High Point. The slope leading to the crest was pretty steep, but just rubbly and not particularly dangerous.

The rock became black and interesting from the saddle. We followed the ridge crest to the left, first navigating pretty steep and loose dirt/rock before the terrain became scrambly, with grassy ledges between sets of black rock. You can probably keep the route Class 2+ (maybe?), but there are some really fun Class 3 moves on this fairly solid rock, and the exposure is minimal. We generally kept to the left around Last Chance Range High Point's summit, where a final scrambly section led to a grassy slope. Although there were some rock outcroppings to navigate on the slope and the summit wasn't visible until we were right next to it, we just kept going higher and made it up. Take note of the route back down, where the scramble ended and the grassy slope began, since cliffs everywhere else would make descending treacherous if you go off-route.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Last Chance Range High Point
4985 ft
1725 rise

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Last Chance Range High Point visible center. First, a walk through the desert to enter the major drainage coming down from the summit.
Last Chance Range High Point visible center. First, a walk through the desert to enter the major drainage coming down from the summit.
Entering the drainage. We kept left at the first major fork.
Entering the drainage. We kept left at the first major fork.
Class 2 boulder-hopping up the drainage. Visible ahead are the cool-looking black cliffs fortifying the ridgeline.
Class 2 boulder-hopping up the drainage. Visible ahead are the cool-looking black cliffs fortifying the ridgeline.
View back down the drainage.
View back down the drainage.
Small section of pretty narrows.
Small section of pretty narrows.
Looking back through the narrows.
Looking back through the narrows.
More Class 2 scrambling up the drainage.
More Class 2 scrambling up the drainage.
Looking back at our progress up the drainage.
Looking back at our progress up the drainage.
More Class 2.
More Class 2.
Looking back as we ascend to the ridge crest, behind me. Pahrump visible below.
Looking back as we ascend to the ridge crest, behind me. Pahrump visible below.
Along the ridge crest, we kept to the right of the rock outcroppings. The route started with some loose Class 2, but you can see the fun scrambling ahead.
Along the ridge crest, we kept to the right of the rock outcroppings. The route started with some loose Class 2, but you can see the fun scrambling ahead.
View back along the ridge. We came up from the drainage on the right, which led us to the saddle on the left.
View back along the ridge. We came up from the drainage on the right, which led us to the saddle on the left.
Class 2/3 fun just ahead!
Class 2/3 fun just ahead!
Austin wrapping up the Class 2 steep loose stuff.
Austin wrapping up the Class 2 steep loose stuff.
We kept to the rocky stuff on the left of the minor gully visible on the right, choosing to stay along the crest when possible. We weren't sure if the route would go, but it certainly did and was quite fun.
We kept to the rocky stuff on the left of the minor gully visible on the right, choosing to stay along the crest when possible. We weren't sure if the route would go, but it certainly did and was quite fun.
Austin on some Class 2/3.
Austin on some Class 2/3.
Key gully on the left for accessing the grassy slope above.
Key gully on the left for accessing the grassy slope above.
Austin coming up the key gully.
Austin coming up the key gully.
Above the key gully as we ascend the slope to the summit. There were some minor cliffs to navigate.
Above the key gully as we ascend the slope to the summit. There were some minor cliffs to navigate.
Looking back toward Pahrump, the drainage we ascended below in the center.
Looking back toward Pahrump, the drainage we ascended below in the center.
Last Chance Range High Point summit ahead.
Last Chance Range High Point summit ahead.

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!