Savahia Peak

Whipple Mountains BLM, CA Lake Mojave + Lake Havasu

Trip stats

Distance
2.1 mi
Net Gain
1,300 ft
Time
1-2 hrs
YDS Rating
Class 2
Route
Out/Back
Peaks
1

Ratings out of 10

Effort
2.7/10
Personality
6/10
Beauty
5/10
Solitude
4.6/10
What do these mean? →

Peaks on this hike

Summits listed in route order

  1. Savahia Peak
    2,695′ elevation · 895′ prominence

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

34.273810, -114.543510

The directions link below drops a pin on the trailhead coordinates and lets Google Maps pick the route. If the drive has rough roads or access issues that GPS nav might get wrong, I cover that in my trip report.

Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Trip report

Nov 19, 2021 — Savahia Peak is a big hunk of dark volcanic rock on the west side of the Whipple Mountains. It's a bit set apart from other peaks in the area, but despite its relatively small stature its a great little peak. To reach the trailhead, leave CA-62 here and head north (34.19729, -114.50578), then after 0.2 miles make a left here (34.19924, -114.5059) and parallel an aqueduct as it heads west. Veer right here to go over the aqueduct (34.19855, -114.51443) and continue west. Head north here (34.1986, -114.52903) and follow Independence Mine Road to the trailhead. There was one spot where the road isn't clear here (34.2624, -114.54686), but just keep heading north and it'll be obvious again.

We set out along an eroded road and left shortly after to gain the west slope of Savahia Peak. The boulder-strewn slope quickly became more steep as we ascended toward the major drainage just south of the summit. I recommend initially sticking to the left (north) side of the drainage. The drainage itself is choked with big boulders and some brush, and the south side seems to be more loose. After ascending along the north side for a bit, we started noticing the terrain would soon become more cliffy, so we ultimately made our way to the south side. The terrain never exceeded Class 2, but it was steep and at times I found myself using larger boulders to pull myself up the somewhat loose terrain. It wasn't by any means unpleasant, just rocky. Fortunately the hike is short and reaching the top of the drainage wasn't a particularly daunting task. The top of the drainage offered some great views to the east, highlighted by the sunset.

We started north to gain the summit. The ridgeline is Class 3/4, but keeping just left of it follows wide Class 2 ledges that progressively ascend to just below the summit block. The drop is significant, but I never felt exposed at any point. A short slope led to a Class 2/2+ summit block. We returned the same way, a more difficult task now that it was dark.

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Photos

18 photos

  1. We followed an old road for a short time and then ascended into the hills to the east. Savahia Peak visible center.
  2. Rocky terrain. Our goal is the gully in the center.
  3. Entering the gully. Initially we kept to the left, then when the cliffs became a deterrent, we passed over the gully to get to the right side.
  4. Quite a bit of Class 2, and pretty steep.
  5. View back, the car is somewhere in the center.
  6. More progress, just a lot of relatively fun boulder-hopping up the steep slope.
  7. Another shot back as the light became brilliant.
  8. Close-up of our progress up the gully.
  9. At the notch above the gully, view back.
  10. Still at the notch, view toward the ascent ridge. Keeping to the ridge is Class 3/4, while using the pleasant ledge system in the center of this photo meant Class 2.
  11. Along the ledges.
  12. View back to the notch (center), and the gully we came up (bottom right).
  13. More ledge system fun. The summit will become visible just around the corner.
  14. Savahia Peak summit ahead, a short slope away.
  15. Savahia Peak summit block, Class 2+.
  16. Savahia Peak summit, view back south along the ridge.
  17. Whipple Mountains High Point visible to the east.
  18. Close-up of Avery posing on a false summit.

Photo 1 of 1

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Hire or refer me as a web developer, or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so it's funded by yours truly. It also takes a ton of work to edit photos and write these reports. I really appreciate it!

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GPX track

Savahia Peak GPX route and driving track

The complete GPX track is available to download, so you can load the route straight into your navigation app or device. The trip report, route info, photos and planning details stay free.

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