Little Maria Mountains High Point in Palen/McCoy Wilderness Area BLM, CA

Hike Little Maria Mountains High Point Palen/McCoy Wilderness Area BLM, CA

Class 3 6.4 miles 2500 gain 4-6 hrs Out + Back Jan 28, 2023
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Drastically different visually from its neighboring Big Maria Mountains, the Little Maria Mountains include a chaotic limestone wonderland and are much less easily accessed. Despite lots of slow driving after hiking Palen Mountain earlier today, we had plenty of time to add this excellent summit to the itinerary. Tyler and I were both looking forward to checking out the Little Maria Mountains High Point after seeing its colorful southern face and learning of a particularly cryptic route-finding excursion that Bob Burd pieced together and shared years ago. We really enjoyed the route and thought this was a very unique desert peak.

To reach the trailhead, leave pavement here (33.81745, -114.74829) and follow Arlington Mine Road as it heads west, keeping left at this fork (33.81622, -114.85743) and otherwise just following the excellent dirt road until this junction (33.82853, -114.93378). Keep right here on the still good road, but turn right shortly after here (33.83161, -114.93821) onto a spur road. While not bad to drive on, the road leading out to the trailhead is narrow enough that we got tons of pinstripes on our cars, both of us are pretty much immune to the sounds of our vehicles shrieking from catclaw and palo verde swipes at this point in our peakbagging careers. This road is good for a Crossover vehicle all the way to where we parked.

We hiked north along an eroded mining road for a couple of miles, climbing in and out of a couple of major portions of washout. As we approached the peak, both of us were delighted by the extremely bright limestone rock face and impossible-looking terrain above. What a wild-looking mountain. The mining road ended and we continued north through the desert, up and over a small hill and then down into the major wash draining from above. We ascended toward a tall dryfall, leaving the wash before reaching the dryfall to ascend a Class 2 slope to its left in order to wrap around it. Now we were just below the impressive limestone face that looked so intimidating from below. Thrilled we had sunscreen and sunglasses to protect from the head-on sunlight reflecting off the wall, we commented more than once through our abundant sweat that the route was extremely cool.

We followed an animal trail that took us along a widely sloped ledge-like feature at the base of the limestone cliff and above the watercourse housing the dryfall. This ledge ascended gradually at first, then dropped abruptly into the watercourse (Class 2). From here we used an unusual limestone chute providing fun Class 2/3 scrambling for a hundred feet or so. Still at the base of the sheer limestone cliff, we ascended adjacent to a steep slope where dirt met limestone and made significant vertical progress as we traversed east, our goal being to reach the south ridge of the peak. Eventually the limestone was met with a cliff, so we traversed right across a short Class 2 slab and were then looking up at a brown, cliffy-looking slope. The fun wasn't over, but this was more of a typical, loose desert scramble. Zig-zagging up this slope met us with Class 2 and plenty of Class 2+ on loose rock. Tyler and I separated as best we could since there was plenty of rockfall hazard potential. There is one significant cliff that I chose to wrap around on the right, while Tyler pulled some Class 3+ moves on loose boulders that didn't interest me at all.

Now at the south ridge of the Little Maria Mountains High Point, we started north along the crest, but only for a short time. The crest became jagged so we kept to the right, traversing beneath copious rock outcroppings, gaining and losing small amounts of elevation. When we rounded a corner and reached the base of a large monolith-looking structure, we could see a bright-white clump of rock above that marked the false summit. Our notes read that staying high here would result in dangerous terrain, so we made a descending traverse toward a significant chute, losing a couple hundred vertical. This traverse didn't exceed Class 2/2+, though it's steep and loose. We hugged the base of the cliff and made it into the chute, starting up with some fun scrambling. Boulder-hopping on Class 2 brought us up and out of this chute, and then another chute followed, taking us up to just below the bright false summit. We traversed west below the false summit until we located a Class 3 limestone headwall ascent option, the only real weakness in the cliff we could see. A final bit of Class 2 took us to the south ridge crest, where we had a nice view of the ridgeline leading over to the Little Maria Mountains High Point.

The views down into the limestone wonderland we had come up were pretty surreal, only enhancing as we headed along the Class 2 crest. Along the way there were some small outcroppings, but all can be kept Class 2 by sticking to the right and wrapping around them. From the summit we took in the views of yet another remote mountain with few visitors.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Little Maria Mountains High Point
3042 ft
1755 rise

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A view from the trailhead, Little Maria Mountains High Point seen right of center.
A view from the trailhead, Little Maria Mountains High Point seen right of center.
Hiking along an old mining road to the base of the peak.
Hiking along an old mining road to the base of the peak.
Absolutely crazy colors and limestone cliffs. We couldn't figure out what the route would be until we were literally on it since the peak just seemed like a wall of chaos. Photos we tough due to dead-on midday light.
Absolutely crazy colors and limestone cliffs. We couldn't figure out what the route would be until we were literally on it since the peak just seemed like a wall of chaos. Photos we tough due to dead-on midday light.
After the road ended, we headed up a small hill and down into the main wash leading to the mountain's base.
After the road ended, we headed up a small hill and down into the main wash leading to the mountain's base.
We ascended toward the dryfall at the head of the wash, seen center. We avoided this dryfall using the Class 2 slope on the left.
We ascended toward the dryfall at the head of the wash, seen center. We avoided this dryfall using the Class 2 slope on the left.
View back into the wash after coming up the Class 2 slope.
View back into the wash after coming up the Class 2 slope.
The slope led to this ledge, which wraps beneath the limestone cliff base, still above the watercourse housing the dryfall we avoided.
The slope led to this ledge, which wraps beneath the limestone cliff base, still above the watercourse housing the dryfall we avoided.
Abrupt drop into the drainage. We then scrambled up the cool-looking chute on the left.
Abrupt drop into the drainage. We then scrambled up the cool-looking chute on the left.
Class 2/3 up the chute.
Class 2/3 up the chute.
View back down the chute.
View back down the chute.
Above the chute, the route continues just at the base of the limestone cliff.
Above the chute, the route continues just at the base of the limestone cliff.
View back at the impressive route so far, which followed the limestone base.
View back at the impressive route so far, which followed the limestone base.
Close-up back.
Close-up back.
Much higher up, looking back at the limestone cliff base ascent/traverse.
Much higher up, looking back at the limestone cliff base ascent/traverse.
At a cliff, we had to traverse left along this short slab.
At a cliff, we had to traverse left along this short slab.
Past the slab, a steep Class 2/2+ typical desert slope.
Past the slab, a steep Class 2/2+ typical desert slope.
View back down the steep slope.
View back down the steep slope.
Class 2/2+.
Class 2/2+.
The slope reached the south ridge. View back.
The slope reached the south ridge. View back.
Ascending the Class 2 south ridge.
Ascending the Class 2 south ridge.
View south, our cars are located in the center somewhere.
View south, our cars are located in the center somewhere.
Keeping well below the crest, we traversed below some rock outcroppings.
Keeping well below the crest, we traversed below some rock outcroppings.
View back at our traverse beneath the crest. There was some up and down along the way.
View back at our traverse beneath the crest. There was some up and down along the way.
We rounded a corner and noted the large monolith-outcropping seen top left. False summit seen top right. Our goal was to reach the bright chute seen on the right. We descended a bit.
We rounded a corner and noted the large monolith-outcropping seen top left. False summit seen top right. Our goal was to reach the bright chute seen on the right. We descended a bit.
Descending at the base of the cliffs to reach the chute, Class 2 and step.
Descending at the base of the cliffs to reach the chute, Class 2 and step.
Entering the chute.
Entering the chute.
View back down from the top of the chute.
View back down from the top of the chute.
Another chute leading to the base of the false summit.
Another chute leading to the base of the false summit.
Scrambling to the false summit base, seen above.
Scrambling to the false summit base, seen above.
Traversing beneath the false summit, the true summit seen center.
Traversing beneath the false summit, the true summit seen center.
A Class 3 limestone headwall we used to get past the initial cliff band.
A Class 3 limestone headwall we used to get past the initial cliff band.
Past the headwall, a Class 2 slope to access the ridgeline.
Past the headwall, a Class 2 slope to access the ridgeline.
Now at the ridgeline, a view out toward the limestone wonderland. Little Maria Mountains High Point seen on the right.
Now at the ridgeline, a view out toward the limestone wonderland. Little Maria Mountains High Point seen on the right.
Along the ridge crest, Class 2.
Along the ridge crest, Class 2.
Rock outcroppings like this one can be avoided easily on the right with some Class 2.
Rock outcroppings like this one can be avoided easily on the right with some Class 2.
Little Maria Mountains High Point summit, view south the way we came.
Little Maria Mountains High Point summit, view south the way we came.
Little Maria Mountains High Point summit, view down into the ascent route. Our cars are left of center somewhere.
Little Maria Mountains High Point summit, view down into the ascent route. Our cars are left of center somewhere.

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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!