
Starting from the trailhead at the end of Macks Canyon Campground.

Ascending Macks Canyon on a nice trail.

Lush sections of the trail.

We left the trail and ascended a drainage leading east to reach a saddle.

At the saddle, view of Macks Peak (right) and McFarland Peak (left). North McFarland (our goal) is hidden by the tree in the center. It's just a little bump.

Descending a canyon.

North McFarland in view right of center. Our goal is to head to the saddle in the center, which separates McFarland (left) from North McFarland.

We left our descent canyon and side-hilled into a side-drainage that would take us west.

Ascending the side-drainage. Note we aren't in the drainage, it's rocky and brushy for the first bit. North McFarland visible above, top right.

Eventually we got pushed into the drainage an continued ascending.

View back toward Macks Peak as we progress up the drainage.

Progress up the drainage.

Close-up of the cool face of North McFarland Peak.

The weakness we'd use to gain the ridge is up there in the center of this photo.

Hugging the cliff on the right as we make our way up to the weakness.

View back as we ascend out of drainage. Macks Peak visible in the distance. Yossi is seen scrambling loose Class 2 to get to the weakness.

We came up from the right bottom in this photo, and used the side-hilling weakness on the left to reach the ridge.

Jon ascending to the weakness in the ridge. It leads to the saddle separating McFarland and North McFarland.

View back down the weakness once we made it to the ridge.

Ascending to North McFarland Peak.

View back along the ridgeline. The weakness we came up is obscured, but located on the right in the center somewhere.

Class 2 up to North McFarland Peak.

Nearing the summit.

Jon pulled some Class 3/4 moves along the crest. Avoidable by keeping left.

Class 2 alternative to the ridge crest. It's a short walk to the summit from here.

North McFarland Peak, view toward McFarland Peak.

North McFarland Peak, view toward Bonanza Peak.

North McFarland Peak, view toward Macks Peak (left). To reach North McFarland, we descended the drainage in the center of this photo. To get to Macks, we'll re-ascend that drainage half way and take one of the gullies in the center of this photo to reach Macks' south ridge, also visible center.

North McFarland Peak, view east into the desert.

Starting back. You can see Jon and Yossi on the rim.

After backtracking, we located this side-drainage which we'd use to get to Macks Peak's south ridge. You can see Macks in the center.

Ascending the drainage. It was fine overall.

The drainage widened, and we left it to ascend this steep slope.

View back down the loose, steep slope we used to reach Macks Peak's south ridge.

Another shot back as we near the ridge. McFarland visible center, North McFarland next to it on the right.

On the south ridge, view north toward Macks Peak. We headed along the ridge and then wrapped to the right.

We located the Macks Peak social trail and followed it.

View back along the social trail.

At the base of Macks Peak's cliffs.

At the base of the cliffs. Minor Class 2 leads to the slabs, where Yossi is currently standing.

Ascending the Class 2+ slab. Past the slab is a short section of unpleasant, eroded slope.

Looking back at the slab.

View back down the unpleasant slope. North Macks Peak visible in the center.

Last bit of Class 2 to get off the dumb, steep slope.

A hairpin turn on the south side of Macks Peak. You can see Yossi emerging from the ugly slope. Class 2 to the summit.

View back down toward the south ridge (we were just down there).

Macks Peak summit, view toward the traverse to North Macks Peak. Not today, thanks.

Macks Peak summit, view toward Mummy Mountain (distance) and The Sisters (center).

Macks Peak summit, view toward McFarland (left), Bonanza (top right), and North McFarland (right center).

On the way down from Macks Peak using the convoluted social trail options. View back toward the peak.
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!