Hike Nopah Range High Point and Nopah Peak Nopah Range Wilderness Area, CA

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Nopah Range High Point was one of the more notably boring outings I've done in a while. Whiley and I chose to summit from the east because it required less driving, but moreso because it and would allow for easier access to Nopah Peak. Nopah Peak is the high point's neighbor and since we would be at the saddle of both peaks, it was far less of an undertaking to get that peak by coming this way. Many miles of open desert walking led into a progressively narrowing wash. The desert was overall flat with some minor ruts, just very long. Once in the wash, we encountered plenty of Class 2 boulder hopping as we worked our way up. We stayed in the wash until it got too steep and a headwall seemed to block access if we continued up much farther. We left the wash and scrambled on loose crap to the ridge on our right. This ridge is steep and not particularly interesting, though the views back down into the wash we came out of were quite nice. The ridge had one section of cliff band that was avoidable by keeping to the right. After a few hundred feet, we reached the saddle separating Nopah Range High Point to the left and Nopah Peak to the right. We chose to walk up to the high point first, only a little bit of brush and some cacti making walking a little slower. From the summit, we dropped back down and traversed over to Nopah Peak. The ridge leading to this peak's summit was a bit more interesting, a cliff on our right adding a break in the otherwise monotonous sloping landscape, and the views back the way we came were nice. Nopah Peak's summit had cool views of the cliff bands to the northwest along the rest of the Nopah Range. Thinking back on the hike, I was happy to have a friend to talk to and for the runner's high on our run back through the desert, because this is certainly not a classic outing.

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

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Nopah Range High Point

6394 ft

3572 rise

Nopah Peak

6385 ft

628 rise

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Long slog through the desert. Nopah Peak ridgeline left of center.

View back at the long desert slog as we slowly inch closer to the wash.

Headed to the center of this photo, where we entered a wash.

Within the wash.

Minor Class 2 stuff within the wash/drainage.

More Class 2.

As we neared the head of the drainage, we noted a cliff up high and decided to leave the drainage on the right to gain the ridge.

Looking back before we leave the drainage.

Class 2 up the slope out of the drainage.

At the ridge, the drainage we ascended from visible center.

We continued along the ridge.

Looking back as we neared the saddle of Nopah Range High Point and Nopah Peak.

Nopah Range High Point and Nopah Peak from the saddle.

First we headed up to Nopah Range High Point.

Nopah Range High Point approach wasn't particularly interesting. This is a view from the summit, Nopah Peak visible left of center.

Back at the saddle, we headed up to Nopah Peak.

View back toward the saddle (left) and Nopah Range High Point (top right).

Minor Class 2 as we ascended.

View back just below the summit of Nopah Peak. We traversed over from Nopah Range High Point (top right).

Nopah Peak, view northwest along the Nopah Range

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!