Pinto Benchmark and Nellis Wash Wilderness in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV

Hike Pinto Benchmark and Nellis Wash Wilderness Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV

Class 3 10.2 miles 2500 gain 4-6 hrs Loop Mar 20, 2023
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Pinto Benchmark and Peak 2755 are two uncommonly visited peaks, likely because it requires significant open desert mileage to reach them. They're pretty minor summits, but both have some cool highlights. My main objective was Pinto Benchmark, but I decided to approach it from the northeast since it would allow me to also reach Peak 2755 more easily. You might want to shorten the hike a bit by coming in from the south using a similar approach as Devils Thumb if you don't care to visit Peak 2755. In fact, Pinto Benchmark was put on my radar after seeing it from Devils Thumb, its colorful-looking summit piquing my interest.

Though much of this hike is located within the Nellis Wash Wilderness, the peaks I hiked are not located within the wilderness, and the wash I used was not the actual named Nellis Wash. Despite being a pretty major drainage, it doesn't seem to even have a name. The Nellis Wash Wilderness is a small wilderness area that hugs the more exciting Spirit Mountain Wilderness to the south. To reach the trailhead, take the Powerline Road leading southeast here (35.47759, -114.80052). Any car can make it. I parked at a junction so I was out of the way of passing traffic.

I headed through rocky desert terrain, debris left behind by the wash. I soon made it to easier hiking within the wash proper, which wiggled a bit and had plenty of little offshoots. On my descent I was able to better stick to the path of least resistance, so I only included that option in my attached map.

After almost two miles, I reached a junction within the wash, where I kept to the right in order to more easily approach the eastern slope of Peak 2755 since its south side looked steep and cliffy. This proved a good idea since the ascent slope was straightforward Class 2, leading to a really nice Class 2/3 knife-edge. Despite the hefty windy trying to knock me off, I found this short scramble delightful and unexpected. The summit is really just a little nubbin without inspiring views, so I continued onward along the crest, hoping I could find a way down on the opposite side since the north and south faces of Peak 2755 are pretty serious-looking. A short Class 3 down-climb along the crest led to a steep, loose Class 2 slope that brought me back into the main wash I'd left earlier.

To reach Pinto Benchmark I thought I'd attempt a route up its north side. From here it looked to be surrounded by cliffs, but I thought I might get lucky, and fortunately that ended up being the case. I took a minor drainage leading south, some Class 2 obstacles and avoidable dryfalls along the way. A possible weakness between two sheer cliffs was my goal, but I knew it could just be an impassable face. After side-hilling for a short time to reach this weakness, I was happy to find I only needed to pull a single tough unexposed Class 3 move to overcome a small cliff band. Past this, Class 2 led on boulders up to an easy slope, and then into the colorful, volcanic terrain that composes Pinto Benchmark. I took the slope up to the summit block, which required some pleasant Class 3. The views were nice, the Colorado River below and Spirit Mountain poking up in the distance. I also thought the bright whites and yellows of the pyroclastic slickrock surrounding me was unique for this immediate area.

Rather than backtrack, I wanted to see more of this sweet desert lump, so I headed west for a short time before deciding my best course of action was to descend via a Class 2 slope. This slope made a descending traverse, and I chose a gully that looked like it would avoid steep and likely-impassable terrain. In hindsight, I wish I'd stayed along the upper ridgeline for longer to see more of the colors up there, but the intense wind made me quite miserable. My chosen route was fine, Class 2/3 leading though narrow obstacles and down into the upper reaches of the main wash I'd used for most of the ascent from my car.

The wash was much more interesting higher up. Sections of scrambling led through minor narrows. I unfortunately saw an owl with a broken wing, surely too far out here for wildlife personnel to come help (though I did report it when I got service). I also passed an unexpected spring, unlabeled on any maps that I could find. The spring created a cute little stream of water, but also hosted some horrible brush that I was able to avoid. The wash opened up into what I'd been hiking through earlier, and I passed the spot where I'd crossed the wash to get from Peak 2755 to Pinto Benchmark. From here it was a straight shot back to the car. As the sun finally started coming out of the clouds, I was able to enjoy the first tufts of wildflowers I'd seen for the year, very much welcomed after a cold and rainy desert winter.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Peak 2755
2755 ft
315 rise
2
Pinto Benchmark
3323 ft
403 rise

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Starting through a major, unnamed wash. Peak 2755 seen right of center, Pinto Benchmark nearly center.
Starting through a major, unnamed wash. Peak 2755 seen right of center, Pinto Benchmark nearly center.
Farther up the wash, Pinto (left) and Peak 2755 (right). I took a right at a junction in the wash to reach Peak 2755's base.
Farther up the wash, Pinto (left) and Peak 2755 (right). I took a right at a junction in the wash to reach Peak 2755's base.
Ascending to Peak 2755's base.
Ascending to Peak 2755's base.
Class 2 slope to gain the crest.
Class 2 slope to gain the crest.
Really nice Class 2/3 knife-edge.
Really nice Class 2/3 knife-edge.
Peak 2755 summit just ahead.
Peak 2755 summit just ahead.
Peak 2655 summit, view toward Pinto Benchmark (left) and the wash descent I'd use later seen center.
Peak 2655 summit, view toward Pinto Benchmark (left) and the wash descent I'd use later seen center.
A Class 3 downclimb on the west side of Peak 2755.
A Class 3 downclimb on the west side of Peak 2755.
Then a short, miserable Class 2 descent.
Then a short, miserable Class 2 descent.
I crossed over the major wash and ascended this minor drainage to get over to Pinto Benchmark.
I crossed over the major wash and ascended this minor drainage to get over to Pinto Benchmark.
View back toward Peak 2755.
View back toward Peak 2755.
Approaching Pinto Benchmark's cliffy base. I was hopeful that the weakness seen center would work, and it did.
Approaching Pinto Benchmark's cliffy base. I was hopeful that the weakness seen center would work, and it did.
Approaching the weakness.
Approaching the weakness.
Class 3/3+.
Class 3/3+.
View down the crux move.
View down the crux move.
View back after the Class 3/3+ move to get over the base cliff. Peak 2755 seen left of center.
View back after the Class 3/3+ move to get over the base cliff. Peak 2755 seen left of center.
A slope leads to the summit block, seen left.
A slope leads to the summit block, seen left.
Cool slickrock as I ascend to Pinto Benchmark.
Cool slickrock as I ascend to Pinto Benchmark.
Pinto Benchmark summit block ahead.
Pinto Benchmark summit block ahead.
Class 3 to reach the summit.
Class 3 to reach the summit.
Pinto Benchmark summit, view toward Devils Thumb (right) and Spirit Mountain (left).
Pinto Benchmark summit, view toward Devils Thumb (right) and Spirit Mountain (left).
A view at the colorful western reaches of Pinto Benchmark's summit area.
A view at the colorful western reaches of Pinto Benchmark's summit area.
I descended this slope/gully.
I descended this slope/gully.
Class 2/3 along the way.
Class 2/3 along the way.
Some fun narrows along the descent.
Some fun narrows along the descent.
Image 25 from gallery
Image 26 from gallery
Within the main wash, Peak 2755 seen center.
Within the main wash, Peak 2755 seen center.
Cool formations higher up within this wash.
Cool formations higher up within this wash.
Some nice narrows, too.
Some nice narrows, too.
A spring! Totally unexpected. I was able to avoid the brush by hugging some rocks.
A spring! Totally unexpected. I was able to avoid the brush by hugging some rocks.
Some more short narrows before it opened up and I took the wash back to my car.
Some more short narrows before it opened up and I took the wash back to my car.

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