Ragged and Jagged Peaks Loop in Potosi Mountain BLM, NV

Hike Ragged and Jagged Peaks Loop Potosi Mountain BLM, NV

Class 3 10.4 miles 4600 gain 6-8 hrs Loop Jan 10, 2020
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Honestly I probably wouldn't recommend this hike. It really just follows a general ridgeline of big dirt lumps in southern Nevada. There is a highlight ridgeline with some fun Class 3, but overall it's a fairly long day without the gorgeous desert scenery I've grown to love in the Mojave Desert. The route has a lot of animal trails and otherwise minimally rocky terrain, so it could work nicely as a trail run. Additionally, we were able to contrive a loop out of the route, and I always love a loop hike.

Adam, Frances, and I parked at the high point along the somewhat rough dirt road leading out of Goodsprings, NV. We headed southwest up to Peak 4957 (someone signed the register calling it Shagged Peak, to fit the theme of Ragged and Jagged Peaks). The ascent had some Class 2, but otherwise was a slope. The morning light was nice, but the rest of the day was really bright and didn't make for great photos. We continued west along a nice sloping ridgeline over to Ragged Peak, where the slope became steep, low Class 2, and led to the summit. From her we headed north down to the saddle of Ragged Peak and Jagged Peak, which required a fairly long descent. We crossed over the western reach of the dirt road we drove in on, and continued up the biggest vertical ascent of the day toward Jagged Peak. We unexpectedy chose what's probably the most difficult route to ascend the peak. About a third of the way up to Jagged Peak, the terrain became more rocky and topped out on the southern ridgeline: a fairly long Class 2/3 (with a section of Class 3+) jagged route. We were happy to see some change to the otherwise boring landscape, but you could stick to the peak's eastern base and find another route up to ascend the peak in less time, but honestly the scrambling was the only part of the hike I thought was interesting. The Class 3+ section met us about halfway across the ridge, where a steep drop on loose rock with fair exposure was required (unless you want to take a long detour to bypass it) to continue. The aforementioned section is the only thing I'll make a special note of, since the rest was straightforward enough and much of it can be avoided by keeping just east of the ridgeline on typical loose terrain.

Jagged Peak had similar views to the rest of the day: brown and lumpy. We continued east down the steep slope and along a mellow ridgeline to Peak 5318, which Adam adorably deemed Haggard Peak to stick with the rest of the peaks' naming theme. The southeast face of Haggard Peak is a cliff, so we continued north and found a Class 2 weakness, which we headed down on a loose slope and continued to the dirt road below. We followed this dirt road to just north of the car, then left the road to reach the car, completing the loop.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Shagged Peak (Peak 4957)
4957 ft
561 rise
2
Ragged Peak
5036 ft
837 rise
3
Jagged Peak
5167 ft
591 rise
4
Haggard Peak (Peak 5318)
5318 ft
626 rise

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Starting up to Shagged Peak.
Starting up to Shagged Peak.
Shagged Peak ahead, easy terrain so far.
Shagged Peak ahead, easy terrain so far.
Looking back from Shagged Peak toward the ridgeline we ascended from. The car is somewhere hidden in the center.
Looking back from Shagged Peak toward the ridgeline we ascended from. The car is somewhere hidden in the center.
Shagged Peak ahead (left), Ragged top right.
Shagged Peak ahead (left), Ragged top right.
Coming down from Shagged Peak and onward to Ragged Peak.
Coming down from Shagged Peak and onward to Ragged Peak.
Ragged Peak, easy terrain for the majority of this section.
Ragged Peak, easy terrain for the majority of this section.
Steep ascent to Ragged Peak.
Steep ascent to Ragged Peak.
Ragged Peak, view north toward Jagged Peak (right of center). We would head down the ridge on Adam's right. Charleston Peak in the distance.
Ragged Peak, view north toward Jagged Peak (right of center). We would head down the ridge on Adam's right. Charleston Peak in the distance.
Long, steep descent down Ragged. We crossed the road we came in on, visible on the right, and ascended the ridge to Jagged Peak ahead.
Long, steep descent down Ragged. We crossed the road we came in on, visible on the right, and ascended the ridge to Jagged Peak ahead.
Heading up Jagged Peak.
Heading up Jagged Peak.
Class 2.
Class 2.
View back toward Shagged (left) and Ragged (right).
View back toward Shagged (left) and Ragged (right).
The ridgeline becomes Class 2+, but it's still easy to avoid most of the obstacles.
The ridgeline becomes Class 2+, but it's still easy to avoid most of the obstacles.
Then the ridge narrows and the scrambling is a bit harder to avoid.
Then the ridge narrows and the scrambling is a bit harder to avoid.
Class 3.
Class 3.
View back as we keep just east of the ridgeline to avoid excessive scrambling.
View back as we keep just east of the ridgeline to avoid excessive scrambling.
Approaching a sketchy Class 3+ section shortly before reaching Jagged Peak's summit.
Approaching a sketchy Class 3+ section shortly before reaching Jagged Peak's summit.
Class 3+. Likely avoidable with a fair amount of backtracking.
Class 3+. Likely avoidable with a fair amount of backtracking.
View back along the ridgeline.
View back along the ridgeline.
Jagged Peak summit.
Jagged Peak summit.
Jagged Peak summit, view toward Haggard Peak (small bump top right of center). The slope coming down from Jagged Peak was steep.
Jagged Peak summit, view toward Haggard Peak (small bump top right of center). The slope coming down from Jagged Peak was steep.
View back toward Jagged Peak.
View back toward Jagged Peak.
Along the ridge to Haggard Peak.
Along the ridge to Haggard Peak.
Saddle of Jagged Peak and Haggard Peak visible below. Haggard Peak top left. It's so brown and lumpy it blends right in.
Saddle of Jagged Peak and Haggard Peak visible below. Haggard Peak top left. It's so brown and lumpy it blends right in.
View back toward the traverse from the summit of Haggard Peak.
View back toward the traverse from the summit of Haggard Peak.
Haggard Peak, view south. We would descend to the obvious road in the center left of this photo and take it pretty much back to the car. However, Haggard Peak's southeast face is too cliffy to make a direct beeline to the road.
Haggard Peak, view south. We would descend to the obvious road in the center left of this photo and take it pretty much back to the car. However, Haggard Peak's southeast face is too cliffy to make a direct beeline to the road.
Instead we continued north along its ridgeline and found a Class 2 weakness through the cliff band and headed down steep, loose terrain to the road below.
Instead we continued north along its ridgeline and found a Class 2 weakness through the cliff band and headed down steep, loose terrain to the road below.
Once on the road, we headed southeast until we would leave the road and head cross-country for a short time back to the car.
Once on the road, we headed southeast until we would leave the road and head cross-country for a short time back to the car.

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