Class 3 6.2 miles 3200 gain 3-5 hrs Out + Back Mar 7, 2019
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Potosi Mountain GPX Track

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Potosi Mountain is a high-prominence peak on the southern end of the Spring Mountains. It has a road leading to its summit if coming from the south, but I had no interest in hiking a road. Instead, I parked at a historical marker for the Potosi Mine after driving a graded road. I started along an old dirt road until it ends, leaving it to ascend steeply up a spur ridge on Potosi Mountain's extended west ridge. While the bushwhacking was minimal overall, there was a lot of tree and brush-doding. I followed over limestone slabs and mostly easy terrain, even if there were a lot of hardy bushes to zig-zag around. I encountered some snow, a rarity for me, and tried to ignore the fact that my feet would be very cold soon. There is a false summit about a mile from Potosi Mountain's true summit. Descending from this false summit requires a short section of Class 3 to get down to the saddle, but the remainder of the hike was pretty much just typical Spring Mountains steep slope walking (limestone slabs, easily avoidable brush, etc.). There's a big radio tower on the summit, but you get decent views of Las Vegas and Red Rock Canyon NCA.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Potosi Mountain
8514 ft
3012 rise

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Starting up toward the ridge from the Potosi Mine historical marker.
Starting up toward the ridge from the Potosi Mine historical marker.
Along the ridgeline headed east.
Along the ridgeline headed east.
Looking back down the ridge, Pa's Rump and Bluebird Peak across the valley.
Looking back down the ridge, Pa's Rump and Bluebird Peak across the valley.
Potosi Mountain covered in snow.
Potosi Mountain covered in snow.
Farther up the ridgeline, looking back.
Farther up the ridgeline, looking back.
Image 5 from gallery
Image 6 from gallery
Image 7 from gallery
Sheer drop along the ridgeline as you get higher up.
Sheer drop along the ridgeline as you get higher up.
Image 9 from gallery
Image 10 from gallery
First small Class 3 downclimb approaching.
First small Class 3 downclimb approaching.
Image 12 from gallery
Looking back up toward the Class 3 downclimb.
Looking back up toward the Class 3 downclimb.
Looking back along the ridge.
Looking back along the ridge.
Potosi Mountain up there somewhere.
Potosi Mountain up there somewhere.
Image 16 from gallery
Potosi Mountain ahead!
Potosi Mountain ahead!
Image 18 from gallery
Looking back along the ridgeline. The snow was thigh deep for me toward the summit.
Looking back along the ridgeline. The snow was thigh deep for me toward the summit.
Radio towers on Potosi Mountain summit.
Radio towers on Potosi Mountain summit.
View northeast toward Las Vegas.
View northeast toward Las Vegas.
Along the ridge, Red Rocks in the distance.
Along the ridge, Red Rocks in the distance.

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!