Hike Muddy Knife and Colorock Peak Muddy Mountains BLM, NV

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Muddy Knife and Colorock Peak are two pretty obscure peaks on the northern side of the Muddy Mountains. Both have views of the colorful Buffington Pocket sandstone below. Muddy Knife is a nice little peak that was put on my radar after Adam Walker completed and named it a few days prior, and Colorock Peak is named after the nearby Colorock Quarry. Accessing the trailhead requires mid-clearance, but only because there are a few dips. The road was in surprisingly good shape. We parked at a pull-out and headed along the road, leaving it for a different route leading through a wash to the south. A drainage came in on the right, prompting us to leave the road and continue southwest. We left this drainage and ascended a rocky and steep gully toward the cliffy base of Muddy Knife. Hugging the cliff face, we encountered some fun Class 3, picking our way up the limestone as we made it to just below the summit block. Continuing to wrap around the base of Muddy Knife, we found two options for ascending. One was to get to the ridge crest on Class 2 and continue up and over the short knife-edge (exposed Class 3) to the summit, or pull a Class 3 move up a short headwall and ascend on a Class 2 slope to the left of the knife edge, also leading to the summit.

We headed off the summit block and located a loose Class 2+ weakness in the cliff to the south, heading down to reach the ridgeline below. We followed the ridge all the way to Colorock Peak to the south, where we passed over a Class 2+ cliff band, but otherwise the hike was a nice slope. The summit seemed like it might give us some trouble due to the cliffs surrounding it, but a pleasant Class 2 chute got is through without issue. We took in the views of the Muddy Mountains to the south before heading north along the ridge. There were a couple of sections of steep Class 2 descending, as well as one rock outcrop to navigate around.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Muddy Knife

3851 ft

300 rise

Colorock Peak

4239 ft

794 rise

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Headed along the road toward Muddy Knife, ahead.

Muddy Knife ahead, the colors of Buffington Pocket visible on the left.

We left the road for a drainage on the right, Muddy Knife visible ahead.

We left the drainage and ascended this rocky gully. View looking back toward the drainage. You can also see the ridge we'd be descending later from Colorock Peak above.

Ascending the gully to the base of Muddy Knife's cliffs.

View down the gully as we start the fun scrambling.

More Class 2/3 scrambling coming up.

View down at a limestone Class 2+ move, just below reaching the summit block of Muddy Knife.

Muddy Knife summit block ahead. Our route follows the base of the cliffs.

Following the base of the cliffs to the end, where we'd access the ridge crest.

Kailey decided to take the sketchier knife edge route.

Class 3 wrap-around move. Avoidable via a less-exposed Class 3 short headwall not pictured below.

Kailey on the knife-edge. I opted to take the Class 2 slope/ramp on the left.

Summit of Muddy Knife, view back along the knife edge.

Muddy Knife summit, view north.

Kailey descending the Class 2 slope/ramp. Colorock Peak visible top right, Muddy Mountains top left.

Close-up of the ridgeline we'd take to Colorock Peak.

To get down to the ridgeline, we had to descend this loose Class 2+ weakness.

Heading up to Colorock Peak.

View back toward Muddy Knife (top right).

Close-up into the colorful Buffington Pocket sandstone, Muddy Mountains in the distance.

View back along the ridge as we ascend to Colorock Peak.

Colorock Peak ahead.

Nice views along the ridgeline.

Cliffs ahead that look like they may cause some hassle.

Nope, Class 2 chute leads up through the cliff.

Colorock Peak, view north.

Class 2 descent from Colorock Peak.

View back up toward Colorock Peak.

A Class 2 rock outcrop obstacle along the way down.

Close-up toward Muddy Knife as we descend from Colorock Peak.

View back along the ridge we descended (right), Muddy Knife visible on the left

The descent ends on easy terrain back to the car.

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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!