Quinn Canyon Range Loop in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, NV

Hike Quinn Canyon Range Loop Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, NV

Class 2 16.5 miles 6300 gain 8-11 hrs Loop May 29, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Quinn Canyon Range Loop GPX Track

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The road leading to a remote ranch is in amazing shape for any vehicle. The dirt roads from NV-318 are great, whether you come in from the north (38.41492, -115.0274) or south (37.74008, -115.11918). To get to the base of the Quinn Canyon Range, navigate here (38.10997, -115.50978). The road continues to be excellent as you head into a ditch and back out, continuing generally southwest to here (38.02871, -115.58304). Follow this also excellent road west to the trailhead. You'll pass a ranch, where the road begins to degrade significantly here (38.06399, -115.66959). While I didn't experience any difficulties with the ranchers, a couple of other reports seem to elude to the the owners not being particularly friendly toward hikers leaving their cars near the ranch entrance. I'd recommend either parking a bit before the ranch, or driving past the ranch to leave your car as not to step on anyone's toes. My trailhead coordinates above assume you can make it about a half mile past the ranch where the road then becomes truly high clearance. Many vehicles could make it to the 4WD trailhead farther up (38.07217, -115.68669, also marked on my map), cutting off about 2 miles from the round-trip hike distance. ATVers can drive significantly farther along the road from even there, but it's a pretty enough hike on overgrown doubletrack that I'd recommend just walking it.

A few miles along the ATV trail led me to the base of Quinn Canyon Range High Point's southern spur ridge. I left the ATV trail and headed north up this steep ridgeline. The tree-dodging was minimal and I had almost no brush to content with, so that was nice.  The ridge changed once in a while from steep to less steep and back again as I made my way to the summit. The views were really nice as I got higher up, revealing the really nice and meadowy ridgeline that comprised my traverse to come. The summit was nice as well, but I didn't stay too long, heading west along the very obvious ridgeline. I passed over unranked Peak 10089 (just a big bump) on my way to Stairstep Mountain and aside from this peak it made sense just to follow the lightly undulating ridgeline except for a couple of small humps where animal trails led just below the humps' high points. The last few hundred feet to the summit of Stairstep Mountain was lighty forested, and the views from its summit weren't great. I continued on, but was almost immediately blocked by a big rock outcrop along the southern ridge. I certainly wasn't expecting this after such a casual ridge walk so far. I decided keeping to the left (east) around the rock outcrop would be more wise, and looking back later from below convinced me I was correct in doing so. It was a steep descent down a dirty hill that led to a scree slope, but went at Class 2. In order to make my way back to the ridge crest I had to pick my way around some minor baby cliffs, but I eventually got there.

I avoided a minor bump along the way from Stairstep Mountain, side-hilling being a better alternative for once. I could see the saddle separating me from Sage Mountain ahead, but reaching it would require what looked like some gnarly bushwhacking on the final bump before descending to the saddle. After some light annoyance from sharp bushes, I emerged onto the ridgeline. To my left was a small cliff. I found a Class 2 weakness to escape the brushy ridge and instead finished the descent to the saddle on a steep slope with minimal brush using animal trails for guidance. Honestly this section is the worst part of the day. I basically had decided to keep the left of the loose and brushy ridge and instead descended using the slightly less brushy loose slope to the saddle.

Aside from a short Class 2 section toward the top of Sage Mountain – North, the ascent from the saddle was straightforward. And the traverse from the North summit to the true Sage Mountain had some nice views. I continued east along the ridge from Sage Mountain, deciding to just stick to the crest and head up to Steep Mountain. I noted a brushy-looking ridgeline that could lead me east and down to the ATV trail I came in on quite directly, but the brush deterred me and I opted to instead head northeast along the more friendly-looking ridgeline. Almost immediately after dropping off Steep Mountain I encountered some scree and light talus, but it was short-lived. Some easy grassy walking led steeply most of the way down. Farther down the ridgeline had a couple of rock outcrops along its crest which I avoided on the left. The last hundred feet back to the ATV trail had some minor bushwhacking. Once back on the ATV trail, I followed it back the way I came.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Quinn Canyon Range High Point
10185 ft
2587 rise
2
Peak 10089
10089 ft
260 rise
3
Stairstep Mountain
10106 ft
486 rise
4
Sage Mountain - North
9983 ft
163 rise
5
Sage Mountain
10076 ft
876 rise
6
Steep Mountain
9644 ft
184 rise

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Walking along the ATV trail. You can see the traverse ahead. Quinn Canyon Range High Point visible top right.
Walking along the ATV trail. You can see the traverse ahead. Quinn Canyon Range High Point visible top right.
Continuing along the ATV trail.
Continuing along the ATV trail.
View back along the ATV trail.
View back along the ATV trail.
Crossing a stream one of a handful of times.
Crossing a stream one of a handful of times.
Image 4 from gallery
I left the ATV trail to head up this lighter-colored southern spur ridge that would lead to Quinn Canyon Range High Point.
I left the ATV trail to head up this lighter-colored southern spur ridge that would lead to Quinn Canyon Range High Point.
Pretty steep ascent.
Pretty steep ascent.
View back as I head up the spur ridge. You can see my descent ridge at the end of the traverse in the center coming down from Steep Mountain (top right).
View back as I head up the spur ridge. You can see my descent ridge at the end of the traverse in the center coming down from Steep Mountain (top right).
Another shot back toward the ridgeline to come.
Another shot back toward the ridgeline to come.
The ridgeline swaps between steep and less so. Quinn Canyon Range High Point obscured top right.
The ridgeline swaps between steep and less so. Quinn Canyon Range High Point obscured top right.
Looking back toward Sage Mountain (right of center), which I'll be getting toward the end of the traverse.
Looking back toward Sage Mountain (right of center), which I'll be getting toward the end of the traverse.
Ascending the spur ridge.
Ascending the spur ridge.
Some lightly forested stuff, nothing too irritating.
Some lightly forested stuff, nothing too irritating.
Quinn Canyon Range High Point ahead, center.
Quinn Canyon Range High Point ahead, center.
Minor Class 2 talus/scree.
Minor Class 2 talus/scree.
Looking back down the spur ridge. The ATV trail led up from the left into the basin below.
Looking back down the spur ridge. The ATV trail led up from the left into the basin below.
Image 16 from gallery
Quinn Canyon Range High Point ahead.
Quinn Canyon Range High Point ahead.
Summit of Quinn Canyon Range High Point, view north toward the Grant Range (Troy Peak).
Summit of Quinn Canyon Range High Point, view north toward the Grant Range (Troy Peak).
Quinn Canyon Range High Point, view east. My car is down there on the bottom right somewhere.
Quinn Canyon Range High Point, view east. My car is down there on the bottom right somewhere.
Quinn Canyon Range High Point summit, view toward the ridgeline to come.
Quinn Canyon Range High Point summit, view toward the ridgeline to come.
Close-up of the start of the traverse from the summit.
Close-up of the start of the traverse from the summit.
View back up at Quinn Canyon Range High Point.
View back up at Quinn Canyon Range High Point.
Heading toward Peak 10089 (center).
Heading toward Peak 10089 (center).
Along the ridge, some very light brush.
Along the ridge, some very light brush.
View back toward Quinn Canyon Range High Point (right).
View back toward Quinn Canyon Range High Point (right).
Hiking along the ridge.
Hiking along the ridge.
Peak 10089 poking out just right of center.
Peak 10089 poking out just right of center.
Stairstep Mountain poking out top right. Peak 10089 center.
Stairstep Mountain poking out top right. Peak 10089 center.
View back toward Quinn Canyon Range High Point (right).
View back toward Quinn Canyon Range High Point (right).
Minor Class 2 on the way to Peak 10089.
Minor Class 2 on the way to Peak 10089.
Peak 10089 just ahead. Stairstep Mountain top right.
Peak 10089 just ahead. Stairstep Mountain top right.
Peak 10089 summit, view toward Stairstep Mountain (top right) and Sage Mountain (left).
Peak 10089 summit, view toward Stairstep Mountain (top right) and Sage Mountain (left).
Avoiding a minor bump on my way to Stairstep Mountain, social trails making it easy.
Avoiding a minor bump on my way to Stairstep Mountain, social trails making it easy.
Stairstep Mountain ahead.
Stairstep Mountain ahead.
Lightly forested to the summit of Stairstep Mountain.
Lightly forested to the summit of Stairstep Mountain.
Stairstep Mountain summit, view toward Sage Mountain.
Stairstep Mountain summit, view toward Sage Mountain.
Just past the summit of Stairstep Mountain is this major rock outcrop. I kept left.
Just past the summit of Stairstep Mountain is this major rock outcrop. I kept left.
To the left of the rock outcrop, first some steep dirt and then a scree slope. I worked my way back to the ridge crest past the scree.
To the left of the rock outcrop, first some steep dirt and then a scree slope. I worked my way back to the ridge crest past the scree.
View back toward the rock outcrop. I came around on the right in this photo.
View back toward the rock outcrop. I came around on the right in this photo.
Continuing to the left of another hump along the ridge. My next goal is that brushy bump ahead.
Continuing to the left of another hump along the ridge. My next goal is that brushy bump ahead.
View back toward Stairstep Mountain (left).
View back toward Stairstep Mountain (left).
Sage Mountain visible top right. First I had to go over this brushy bump to get own to the saddle.
Sage Mountain visible top right. First I had to go over this brushy bump to get own to the saddle.
On top of the brushy bump. The left side started with minor cliffs that I got down from since the crest had more brush than I was happy about.
On top of the brushy bump. The left side started with minor cliffs that I got down from since the crest had more brush than I was happy about.
Along the steep slope just left of the ridge crest, avoiding the brush for the most part. It was a pretty steep descent down to the saddle visible center. Sage Mountain visible up top.
Along the steep slope just left of the ridge crest, avoiding the brush for the most part. It was a pretty steep descent down to the saddle visible center. Sage Mountain visible up top.
View back along the ridge to the forested hump I came down from. As you can see, the crest is quite brushy.
View back along the ridge to the forested hump I came down from. As you can see, the crest is quite brushy.
On my way up Sage Mountain, view back along the ridge. Quinn Canyon Range High Point visible top right. Peak 10089 center. Stairstep Mountain and its rock outcrop top left.
On my way up Sage Mountain, view back along the ridge. Quinn Canyon Range High Point visible top right. Peak 10089 center. Stairstep Mountain and its rock outcrop top left.
Steep up to Sage Mountain - North.
Steep up to Sage Mountain - North.
Just below the summit, view back along the ridgeline.
Just below the summit, view back along the ridgeline.
Minor Class 2 up to Sage Mountain - North.
Minor Class 2 up to Sage Mountain - North.
Sage Mountain - North, view toward the traverse.
Sage Mountain - North, view toward the traverse.
Sage Mountain - North, view toward Sage Mountain.
Sage Mountain - North, view toward Sage Mountain.
Heading to Sage Mountain.
Heading to Sage Mountain.
Sage Mountain summit, view back the way I came. Stairstep Mountain top center.
Sage Mountain summit, view back the way I came. Stairstep Mountain top center.
Sage Mountain summit, view south.
Sage Mountain summit, view south.
Sage Mountain summit, view east toward Steep Mountain. I continued along the crest.
Sage Mountain summit, view east toward Steep Mountain. I continued along the crest.
Steep Mountain ahead.
Steep Mountain ahead.
View back toward Sage Mountain (left). Stairstep Mountain visible right of center.
View back toward Sage Mountain (left). Stairstep Mountain visible right of center.
Some scree on the way down from Steep Mountain. Quinn Canyon Range High Point visible top left.
Some scree on the way down from Steep Mountain. Quinn Canyon Range High Point visible top left.
Avoiding some rock outcrops along the ridge crest by keeping left.
Avoiding some rock outcrops along the ridge crest by keeping left.
View toward the traverse from Quinn Canyon Range High Point (top right) to Peak 10089 from earlier in the day. The lighter-colored ridge I ascended from the ATV trail to the summit of the High Point is visible right of center.
View toward the traverse from Quinn Canyon Range High Point (top right) to Peak 10089 from earlier in the day. The lighter-colored ridge I ascended from the ATV trail to the summit of the High Point is visible right of center.
Toward the bottom of the ridge (ATV trail is obscured below in the trees), there was some Class 2 and brush to contend with, but not too bad.
Toward the bottom of the ridge (ATV trail is obscured below in the trees), there was some Class 2 and brush to contend with, but not too bad.

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