Hike Mummy Mountain, Cockscomb Peak, Fletcher Peak Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, NV

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This route summits Mummy Mountain and tacks on a couple of smaller peaks, Cockscomb Peak (or Cockscomb Ridge) and Fletcher Peak. The loop is quite nice even if you decide to just do Mummy Mountain. It's a bit of a low-risk off-trai adventure just outside of Las Vegas. Note that I documented this hike in May of 2018 and then revisited in September 2021, so there will be a section of photos ascending/descending Mummy Mountain where I documented the route better and the landscape will look a bit different.

We took the North Loop Trail up its many switchbacks and hints at views of the surrounding peaks to the junction with the Mummy Springs Trail, where Rain Tree is rooted. The large bristlecone pine seems like a solid turn-around spot for many hikers. We continued along the Mummy Springs Trail and took the minor detour to see the trickling spring. Past Mummy Springs, we followed what is now a very well-defined social trail as it leads north and then starts to switchback tightly as it heads west up the slopes of Mummy Mountain. I'm not sure where the "official" trail ended, but the social trail slowly gets more difficult to follow as it ascends past the switchbacks. It was quite steep and sometimes a little loose. We also encountered a couple of Class 2+ moves. Cairns were helpful in staying on-route.

After about 1000 feet of vertical gain, the social trail reached just below the rocky ridgeline of Mummy Mountain. Rather than get to the crest, continue to the right around a rocky cliff and descend 20+ feet where a nice viewpoint of the route to come becomes visible. From here we continued along the east side of Mummy Mountain, at the base of its limestone cliffs. There are ample cairns and at leat to possible routes. It seems like the higher route requires more Class 2/3 scrambling, while staying lower means a bit more elevation loss, but less scrambling. We did a combination of these options, sticking mostly to the base of the cliffs and making slight ascents/descents to avoid trickier sections. You can't go too wrong at this section as long as you stay more or less next to the cliff face. We eventually got to a key gully leading west up Class 2 scree. This gully would serve as the standard route to Mummy Mountain from this direction, just south of Mummy Mountain's high point.

Once on the Class 2 scree, we ascended the gully. Alternatively, you could stick to the left side of the gully and use the solid limestone for Class 3 fun rather than slogging up the scree. It will be tempting to ascend to the ridgeline, but that would result in Class 4 stuff to gain the summit. Instead, after pulling a Class 3 move on limestone just below a tiny cave, a short bout of scree leads to a nice ledge on the right. Take this flat ledge as it parallels the ascent gully and wraps around the base of more limestone cliffs. A short Class 2+ move leads to more ledge and then wraps around to another scree slope that leads to the summit. Follow the base of the cliff until just below the summit.

From the Mummy Mountain summit, we follow the well-traveled social trail down the more popular ascent route for Mummy Mountain. This requires hading west from the summit and descend a western gully. A social trail makes this section very easy to follow as it more-or-less follows the west ridge of Mummy Mountain. An extremely steep and loose descent from the ridge leads down to the North Loop Trail.

Once back on the North Loop Trail, we descended to the junction with the Trail Canyon Trail. Now for a quick detour to bag Cockscomb Peak. From the junction with the Trail Canyon Trail, I headed south along the ridgeline, which approaches an intimidating-looking limestone face, the north buttress of Cockscomb Peak. Rather than go all the way to the base of the outcrop, drop left and lose 50+ feet of elevation on somewhat loose Class 2/3 terrain, wrapping around on the peak's east side. Circle around and ascend Cockscomb Peak from its south ridge.

Back along the North Loop Trail, the route ascends a few hundred feet along the trail to get to the saddle with Fletcher Peak. A social trail leads east from the official trail and up to Fletcher Peak. The views were great from this minor summit. I headed back to the official trail and descended back down the North Loop Trail to the trailhead.

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

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Mummy Mountain

11529 ft

801 rise

Cockscomb Peak

9692 ft

362 rise

Fletcher Peak

10252 ft

459 rise

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Starting out on the North Loop Trail.

Entering Mount Charleston Wilderness.

The North Loop Trail switchbacks quite a bit as it makes its way to Rain Tree.

Open section along the North Loop Trail with sparse tree covering.

Mummy Mountain ahead.

Mummy's Toe comes into view.

Approaching the junction with the Mummy Spring Trail and Rain Tree.

Rain Tree out of frame on the left. It's just a big Bristlecone Pine Tree at the junction of the North Loop Trail and the Mummy Spring Trail. From here head toward Mummy Spring.

Nice trail to Mummy Spring.

A junction. Mummy Spring is a slight detour on the left. Also, you'll notice from here until the descent from Mummy Mountain I'm joined by Chelsea and Austin, and it's clearly autumn. I did a better job documenting the route a few years later and plopped those photos in.

Mummy Spring.

Past Mummy Spring, the trail becomes narrower.

A few short switchbacks past Mummy Spring keep the route easy to follow, but then the social trail is a little less obvious and cairns help mark the way.

The social trail becomes steeper.

View back along the social trail as we start up to Mummy Mountain.

View back along the social trail.

Some Class 2+ obstacles along the way.

View back as the trail continues to be steep.

Mummy's Toe visible in the distance. The social trail makes it just before the ridgeline, then heads right around a rock outcrop.

After heading right around the base of a rock outcrop, the social trail leads below the limestone cliff base. Mummy Mountain is the tree-filled section of rim visible center.

View back as we head along the base of the limestone cliffs. Class 2.

Progress at the base of the cliffs.

Looking back, hints of social trails ensuring us we were on the right track.

The route ascends and descends in short bursts as we skirt the base of the cliffs.

Looking back at our progress along the base of the cliffs just before reaching the ascent gully.

The Mummy Mountain ascent gully.

View back, Class 2 on loose gravel. Alternatively, you can use solid limestone on either side of the gully (Class 2+/3) to make the ascent more pleasant.

Progress up the gully.

View back down the gully.

Higher up.

Class 3 move to get out of the gully.

Just past the Class 3 move. You can see the trees from the previous photo poking out below. The route leads north out of the gully on this very nice ledge.

View back along the ledge. The ascent gully is obscured on the left. Ascending all the way to the ridge results in Class 4 terrain, but you can reach the summit that way too.

Wrapping around on the nice ledge.

The ledge wraps around the limestone cliff and we ascended on Class 2 terrain. View back at the last push.

Mummy Mountain summit.

Mummy Mountain summit, view down the more popular route up Mummy Mountain, on the west side. This would be our descent route. Charleston Peak is visible in the center here.

Close-up of the loose bit to get through the cliff band.

Class 2/3 gully.

View back as we continue down the social trail from Mummy Mountain.

Looking back toward the cliff band we came down from (notch on the top left).

Starting the steep descent to get back to the official South Loop Trail. Lee Peak visible ahead.

Incredibly steep and awful scree slope - this would suck to come up for sure. It's also causing a ton of obvious erosion.

Looking back up toward Mummy Mountain on the steep descent social trail.

Back on the official trail, headed east on the south side of Mummy Mountain. Back to photos from May when I was solo doing this route, hence the shift in lighting and snow cover.

Some switchbacks along the North Loop Trail.

Passing Cave Spring.

Looking back toward Charleston Peak.

Looking back toward Mummy Mountain.

Approaching the Trail Canyon Saddle. Cockscomb Peak appears on the right.

At the Trail Canyon Saddle, view south toward Cockscomb Peak, just ahead along the pretty ridgeline.

Along Cockscomb Ridge looking north toward Mummy Mountain.

Cockscomb Peak is that big block. At the base of this photo on the left is the route to get to the summit. Drop 50 feet or so on the left to locate the route.

The route to reach Cockscomb Peak wraps around the peak's east side on loose terrain. Here I'm approaching some Class 2/3 stuff, mostly solid limestone. I wrapped around to the south side of the peak and ascended to the summit.

Cockscomb Peak summit. Mummy Mountain on the left, Fletcher Peak on the right. Fletcher is next!

On the way up the North Loop Trail, looking back toward Coxcomb Peak (left center) and Charleston Peak (top right).

Fletcher Peak ahead! A pretty obvious social trail is cairned on the right when it's time to leave the North Loop Trail and ascend to Fletcher Peak.

On the social trail headed for Fletcher Peak.

Fletcher Peak summit looking toward Mummy Mountain (northwest).

Fletcher Peak looking toward Charleston Peak.

Cockscomb Peak center.

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!