Trip report
Dec 13, 2021 — Mount Manchester is the high point of the Dead Mountains, a small wilderness area in California. This peak has never really appealed to me before because of its excessively long, flat approach from any direction, but with a few hours to kill and a bunch of podcasts to catch up on, I decided this would make for a nice desert stroll.
I parked at the wilderness boundary just off CA-95 and headed pretty much directly east. Mount Manchester never really felt like it ever got any closer. For the most part the desert was flat and void of cacti, but there were a few minor arroyos along the way that I needed to dip in and out of. I decided to ascend the peak via its westernmost ridge. I wanted to get to higher ground as quickly as possible, even if that meant slightly more tedious terrain. A big wash met me at the base of the ridge, and after some quick navigating I found myself finally ascending. Class 2 led along the ridgeline with some minor ups and downs, and I made it to the summit of Mount Manchester.
After all the slogging to get out here, I decided I couldn't just return without at least getting the second-highest peak in the range, Peak 3569. Located just south, I knew it would be an easy add-on and make the day feel more complete. A short section of steep Class 2 brought me down from Mount Manchester, and then an animal trail continued along the ridge, avoiding an unnecessary bump along the way. The final slope to the summit was tame in terms of its ruggedness, though steep. I backtracked a bit and descended what appeared to be the most rational ridgeline. Barely even Class 2, I found this to be the right choice and I was soon down to the desert below. I took a series of washes before I realized I'd end up too far west if I didn't exit the drainage complex, so I set a landmark on the horizon and just jogged through the desert until I met back up with my earlier approach route.