North Peak via Goodman Peak in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV

Hike North Peak via Goodman Peak Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV

Class 3 8.6 miles 2900 gain 5-7 hrs Loop Mar 26, 2019
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

North Peak via Goodman Peak GPX Track

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I thought the route up to North Peak was a particularly lovely and sustained Class 2-3 scramble in Red Rocks, possibly my favorite in the area. There's really interesting route-finding, and the views and terrain change quite a bit. One thing to note is that there are two summits close together called "North Peak". There's the official North Peak, where a trail labeled as such leads to the summit. This is the taller of the two, situated on the limestone crest, known to peakbaggers as "Crest Peak", but I'll call it "North Peak (limestone)". Then there's the more interesting "North Peak" that marks the end of the fun scrambling for this route, which I'll call "North Peak (sandstone)". Get your peak naming in order, people!

From the Lost Creek Trailhead, locate a shallow gully on the east face of Goodman Peak. You'll want to get to here, but indirectly, since cliff bands block access. Attempt to find a social trail leading to the base of the cliffs just north of the gully's base, where a Class 3 weakness leads to higher ground. I'm not sure that mine was the best trail, but it got me there. Cairns led me past some technical climbers on a ledge, then up the cliffs, and down into the gully. There was water trickling down the gully, creating really pretty waterfalls that always feel unique to Red Rocks. Eventually, the gully leads up to a headwall, where I chose one of a few options for south-ascending slopes leading to Goodman Peak's east ridge. "Willow Springs Overlook" is a point at the easternmost edge of the ridge, offering nice views down toward the Scenic Drive.

Once along the ridge, I headed west for a bit before cairns led me north on a Class 3 narrow scramble serendipitiously formed by the peakbagging gods to allow access higher up. I circled around Goodman Peak's northern side to gain the summit from the west. I was already particularly happy with the route so far, but it kept on staying interesting as I made my way up to North Peak (sandstone). Immediately after leaving the Goodman Peak saddle, a Class 3 ramp leads up safely to a fixed line around a tree, though the move would likely still be only Class 3 even without the rope. I was then faced with a Class 4-looking scramble on a steep face, just below a false summit of North Peak (sandstone), but decided to avoid it by working around to its left, pulling a couple more Class 3 moves before getting up to the lovely slickrock landscape leading to North Peak (sandstone). There were little pools all over, made for really nice foregrounds for the snow-capped Charleston Peak. The going was easy to North Peak (sandstone) from here and continued to be easy as the sandstone gave way to limestone along the Keystone Thrust and a Class 2+ move was the only obstacle at the summit block of North Peak (limestone). From here, I worked my way back to where the sandstone and limestone met, and continued down a social trail down to Rocky Gap Road, which allowed me to trail run back to my car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Willow Springs Overlook
6000 ft
n/a rise
2
Goodman Peak
6373 ft
121 rise
3
North Peak (sandstone)
7094 ft
n/a rise
4
North Wash Peak
6940 ft
n/a rise
5
North Peak (limestone)
7244 ft
404 rise

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Starting from the Lost Creek Trailhead. You can see the shallow gully you're heading for running diagonally on the top left. The route goes up the cliffs in the center-left of this photo before dropping into that gully.
Starting from the Lost Creek Trailhead. You can see the shallow gully you're heading for running diagonally on the top left. The route goes up the cliffs in the center-left of this photo before dropping into that gully.
Approaching the Class 3 cliff.
Approaching the Class 3 cliff.
Cairns mark the way along a ledge before starting the route up.
Cairns mark the way along a ledge before starting the route up.
Looking back toward the trailhead.
Looking back toward the trailhead.
Class 3 section.
Class 3 section.
More Class 3 on the way up the cliffs.
More Class 3 on the way up the cliffs.
Image 6 from gallery
Cairns help navigate the otherwise tricky scrambling route-finding.
Cairns help navigate the otherwise tricky scrambling route-finding.
Image 8 from gallery
The shallow gully visible in the center.
The shallow gully visible in the center.
Within the shallow gully, headed toward the headwall.
Within the shallow gully, headed toward the headwall.
Some pretty water trickles during my visit.
Some pretty water trickles during my visit.
Looking back down the shallow gully, Calico Hills in the distance.
Looking back down the shallow gully, Calico Hills in the distance.
Close-up of the shallow gully.
Close-up of the shallow gully.
Approaching the headwall.
Approaching the headwall.
The route gets slightly more forested as you near the headwall.
The route gets slightly more forested as you near the headwall.
My chosen south-running gully, after leaving the main shallow gully.
My chosen south-running gully, after leaving the main shallow gully.
Looking back down.
Looking back down.
Willow Springs Overlook, view toward Bridge Mountain and Ice Box Canyon.
Willow Springs Overlook, view toward Bridge Mountain and Ice Box Canyon.
Willow Springs Overlook, view toward Goodman Peak (right) and North Peak (sandstone) (left). The peak in the middle is the crux, a false summit leading to North Peak (sandstone).
Willow Springs Overlook, view toward Goodman Peak (right) and North Peak (sandstone) (left). The peak in the middle is the crux, a false summit leading to North Peak (sandstone).
Along the ridge toward Goodman Peak.
Along the ridge toward Goodman Peak.
The route follows this ledge system, running north above the headwall I was earlier walking toward while in the shallow approach gully.
The route follows this ledge system, running north above the headwall I was earlier walking toward while in the shallow approach gully.
Looking back along the interesting route, Willow Springs Overlook visible on the left.
Looking back along the interesting route, Willow Springs Overlook visible on the left.
Goodman Peak (left) and the false summit before North Peak (sandstone) visible on the right.
Goodman Peak (left) and the false summit before North Peak (sandstone) visible on the right.
Goodman Peak summit.
Goodman Peak summit.
Goodman Peak summit, looking toward the approach shallow gully and Calico Hills.
Goodman Peak summit, looking toward the approach shallow gully and Calico Hills.
Continuing toward North Peak (sandstone), Bridge Mountain visible on the left, and the interesting Class 3 slabs on the right.
Continuing toward North Peak (sandstone), Bridge Mountain visible on the left, and the interesting Class 3 slabs on the right.
Heading up the slab.
Heading up the slab.
Looking back down the slab, Goodman Peak center top.
Looking back down the slab, Goodman Peak center top.
More slabs.
More slabs.
Looking down the more sustained slabby section.
Looking down the more sustained slabby section.
Fixed line, though likely unnecessary.
Fixed line, though likely unnecessary.
Class 4 option? I went left around this feature.
Class 4 option? I went left around this feature.
Just to the left of the previous Class 4 option, cairns sort of leading higher up. I lost them for a moment, so there are more than one Class 3 options to get to the false summit.
Just to the left of the previous Class 4 option, cairns sort of leading higher up. I lost them for a moment, so there are more than one Class 3 options to get to the false summit.
False summit of North Peak (sandstone) looking back toward Goodman Peak.
False summit of North Peak (sandstone) looking back toward Goodman Peak.
False summit of North Peak (sandstone) looking toward North Peak (sandstone) on the right, and Bridge Mountain (left).
False summit of North Peak (sandstone) looking toward North Peak (sandstone) on the right, and Bridge Mountain (left).
Heading along slickrock to North Peak (sandstone).
Heading along slickrock to North Peak (sandstone).
Pools on the slickrock, Charleston Peak visible center.
Pools on the slickrock, Charleston Peak visible center.
Class 2 up to North Peak (sandstone).
Class 2 up to North Peak (sandstone).
North Peak (sandstone) summit, looking back toward the North Peak (sandstone) false summit.
North Peak (sandstone) summit, looking back toward the North Peak (sandstone) false summit.
North Peak (limestone) on the left.
North Peak (limestone) on the left.
I left the sandstone and entered limestone, headed along the ridgeline to North Peak (limestone).
I left the sandstone and entered limestone, headed along the ridgeline to North Peak (limestone).
North Peak (limestone) looking back toward North Peak (sandstone).
North Peak (limestone) looking back toward North Peak (sandstone).
North Peak (limestone) ahead. Class 2+ move to gain the summit.
North Peak (limestone) ahead. Class 2+ move to gain the summit.
North Peak (limestone) summit, looking toward North Peak (sandstone) on the left, Bridge Mountain on the right.
North Peak (limestone) summit, looking toward North Peak (sandstone) on the left, Bridge Mountain on the right.
Close-up of Bridge Mountain and Rainbow Peak, the lovely Keystone Thrust feature (sandstone/limestone divide) visible.
Close-up of Bridge Mountain and Rainbow Peak, the lovely Keystone Thrust feature (sandstone/limestone divide) visible.
Close-up of Bridge Mountain. You can see the beautiful bridge just below the summit if you look closely.
Close-up of Bridge Mountain. You can see the beautiful bridge just below the summit if you look closely.
Headed northwest down from North Peak (limestone), Rocky Gap Road below.
Headed northwest down from North Peak (limestone), Rocky Gap Road below.
Close-up of the social trail leading to Rocky Gap Road.
Close-up of the social trail leading to Rocky Gap Road.
View toward North Peak (limestone) from Rocky Gap Road.
View toward North Peak (limestone) from Rocky Gap Road.
Follow Rocky Gap Road back to the Lost Creek Trailhead.
Follow Rocky Gap Road back to the Lost Creek Trailhead.

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