Moapa Peak

Mormon Mountains Wilderness Area BLM, NV Northern Mojave Desert

Trip stats

Distance
7.3 mi
Net Gain
3,400 ft
Time
4-6 hrs
YDS Rating
Class 3
Route
Out/Back
Peaks
1

Ratings out of 10

Effort
5.3/10
Personality
7/10
Beauty
7/10
Solitude
6.9/10
What do these mean? →

Peaks on this hike

Summits listed in route order

  1. Moapa Peak
    6,471′ elevation · 1,671′ prominence

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

36.834482, -114.441646

The directions link below drops a pin on the trailhead coordinates and lets Google Maps pick the route. If the drive has rough roads or access issues that GPS nav might get wrong, I cover that in my trip report.

Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Trip report

May 3, 2018 — From the dirt road leading to the Mormon Mountains Wilderness trailhead, park and continue along the road until it opens up into a sandy area. From here, find the wash and head up toward Moapa Peak, which looms above for the duration of the route. The canyon starts to narrow, and eventually you may run into cairns leading the way to the canyon head, where a ridge brings you to the west side of Moapa Peak. You can zigzag and avoid Class 3 stuff along this ridge, but it's all pretty straighforward stuff. Once you get to the top of the ridge, cairns lead you to the south side of Moapa Peak. You'll be going to the east side of the peak before ascending to the pretty knife-edge leading to the summit.

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Photos

25 photos

  1. Moapa Peak in the center. Park here and follow the dirt road.
  2. Dirt road goes through a cut in the hills.
  3. Head up the wash toward Moapa Peak.
  4. At the top of an obstacle in the wash, avoidable.
  5. Continuing to the head of the wash, where the ridge starts.
  6. Looking up along the ridge, Moapa Peak up to the right. Some scramble stuff ahead on the left.
  7. From the ridge looking down into the wash I came out of.
  8. Looking down the ridge from the scramble stuff. My car is parked at that break in the snake-looking ridge in the center.
  9. Continuing along ledges to get to the top of the ridge.
  10. Looking back along the ledges just before the top of the ridge.
  11. Top of the ridge looking up toward Moapa Peak.
  12. Looking back down the ridge.
  13. Approaching the west side of Moapa Peak. Head along the bottom (south) of the peak.
  14. Hug the wall (south side of Moapa Peak).
  15. Looking back along the south side of Moapa Peak.
  16. Continue to the east side of Moapa Peak and then scramble Class 2/3 stuff to gain the ridge. Follow this knife edge to the summit.
  23. Moapa Peak summit, looking east.
  24. Moapa Peak summit, looking at the knife edge ridge.
  25. Moapa Peak summit, looking south. My car is at the break in the snake ridge on the left.

Photo 1 of 1

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Hire or refer me as a web developer, or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so it's funded by yours truly. It also takes a ton of work to edit photos and write these reports. I really appreciate it!

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