Rumppah Point in Nopah Range Wilderness Area, CA

Hike Rumppah Point Nopah Range Wilderness Area, CA

Class 3 5.6 miles 2900 gain 2-4 hrs Out + Back Mar 4, 2022
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Rumppah Point GPX Track

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Rumppah Point is located on the northern end of the Nopah Range, and is the slightly taller neighbor of the more popular Pahrump Point, but the ridgeline connecting the two seems to elude most hikers due to its steep and jagged terrain. I wouldn’t be attempting the traverse today either, content to enjoy the thrill of the short knife-edge ridge. This peak seems to also be known as Pahrump Peak, but Rumppah Point was coined by Harlan Stockman, just the syllables reversed. I parked off the side of CA-178 at a poorly labeled wilderness boundary sign. People seem to ignore this sign and drive out into the desert to camp.

I started along the dirt roads on foot to the base of Rumppah Point’s northwestern ridge. The slope began ascending at a gradual pace, introducing some light rockiness and nice views to the west. A hump along the ridge is avoidable via some easy side-hilling on its east slope. A short section of relatively flat walking led to the base of the steeper ascent to the summit, but nothing exceeded light Class 2 along this ascent slope.

Now at the base of the final few hundred vertical feet, I prepared myself for what was reported to be an exposed knife edge ridge to gain the summit. I noted a more tame-looking slope on the right that could potentially bypass the knife-edge (more on that shortly), but I decided to first continue along the ridge crest, which introduced a short scree chute and then some light Class 3. Now confronted with the knife-edge, I secured my loose-hanging jacket and braced myself against the wind, starting across the initial few steps. The crux was comprised of a short Class 3 down-climb just left of the knife-edge crest with a severe drop on the left, followed by an easier few moves to regain the crest. Past here, there was a not particularly safe series of moves along the crest, but the rock was overall solid and aside from the exposure playing mind games with me I didn’t find it to be too difficult. Once the knife-edge was over, a few short Class 2/2+ moves led to the summit block of Rumppah Point.

After taking in the sunset views, I decided I wanted to try to find a less exposed route down, so after backtracking off the summit block and reaching the start of the knife-edge, I scrambled down a much more reasonable Class 3 set of moves on the south side of the ridge crest. I marked this in purple on my attached map. It was still a bit exposed, but there were more holds and it was a lot less scary. Now on the south side of the knife-edge on safe terrain, some scree along the base led to the spot I had noted earlier, bypassing the knife-edge completely. I returned the way I came along the northwest ridge.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Rumppah Point
5745 ft
1086 rise

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Starting from the wilderness boundary, I followed illegal to drive dirt roads to the base of Rumppah Point.
Starting from the wilderness boundary, I followed illegal to drive dirt roads to the base of Rumppah Point.
Along the northwest ridge, view back toward the highway and the Resting Spring Range.
Along the northwest ridge, view back toward the highway and the Resting Spring Range.
Straightforward hiking up the slope.
Straightforward hiking up the slope.
Higher up on the slope, I side-hilled on the right to avoid a bump along the ridge. Rumppah Point visible center.
Higher up on the slope, I side-hilled on the right to avoid a bump along the ridge. Rumppah Point visible center.
Flatter section as I ascend to Rumppah Point.
Flatter section as I ascend to Rumppah Point.
View back. I avoided the hump on the left by side-hilling center of this photo.
View back. I avoided the hump on the left by side-hilling center of this photo.
Close-up of the ascent slope still to come.
Close-up of the ascent slope still to come.
View back at my progress.
View back at my progress.
Class 2 ahead.
Class 2 ahead.
A shot back at some cool formations along the ridgeline.
A shot back at some cool formations along the ridgeline.
View back along the ridgeline.
View back along the ridgeline.
Class 2. Rumppah Point is hidden top center.
Class 2. Rumppah Point is hidden top center.
Keeping right here leads to the safer Class 3 route, and left (out of frame) leads up the ridge crest to the knife-edge option. I took the knife-edge option on the way up.
Keeping right here leads to the safer Class 3 route, and left (out of frame) leads up the ridge crest to the knife-edge option. I took the knife-edge option on the way up.
Headed along the ridgeline toward the knife-edge, but first some scree and then some light Class 3.
Headed along the ridgeline toward the knife-edge, but first some scree and then some light Class 3.
View back along the ridge, just below the knife-edge.
View back along the ridge, just below the knife-edge.
Rumppah Point knife edge.
Rumppah Point knife edge.
Close-up of the crux. A couple of steps along the crest leads to a short, exposed down-climb on the left, then traverses to the bush in the center of this photo. Note: If I had taken the bypass route mentioned a few photos earlier, I'd be below on the right.
Close-up of the crux. A couple of steps along the crest leads to a short, exposed down-climb on the left, then traverses to the bush in the center of this photo. Note: If I had taken the bypass route mentioned a few photos earlier, I'd be below on the right.
The knife edge bit past the short down-climb.
The knife edge bit past the short down-climb.
Short scramble along the crest to reach a false summit.
Short scramble along the crest to reach a false summit.
View back along the knife-edge from the false summit. Note: the bypass route comes up from below on the left.
View back along the knife-edge from the false summit. Note: the bypass route comes up from below on the left.
Close-up of the knife-edge. This false summit is where I located a somewhat safer Class 3 downclimb on my left.
Close-up of the knife-edge. This false summit is where I located a somewhat safer Class 3 downclimb on my left.
Final Class 2/2+ set of moves to gain the true summit, seen ahead.
Final Class 2/2+ set of moves to gain the true summit, seen ahead.
Rumppah Point, view north.
Rumppah Point, view north.
Close-up north.
Close-up north.
Rumppah Point, view south toward Pahrump Point and the rest of the Nopah Range.
Rumppah Point, view south toward Pahrump Point and the rest of the Nopah Range.
A shot at the bypass route (seen top right), which I descended from. Center left is the knife edge.
A shot at the bypass route (seen top right), which I descended from. Center left is the knife edge.

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