Stepladder Mountains in Stepladder Mountains Wilderness BLM, CA

Hike Stepladder Mountains Stepladder Mountains Wilderness BLM, CA

Class 4 14.4 miles 3700 gain 7-10 hrs Out + Back Feb 27, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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The Stepladder Mountains are a small volcanic range in the Mojave Desert with a long enough drive and walk to access them to deter most hikers. Once out here, the high point is generally the only peak people end up going for, but the other little peaks in the area are interesting. Tyler, Matt, and I weren't thrilled about the long drive if it meant only getting the high point, so we planned a few add-ons. Passenger cars can make it here (34.67878, -114.79147), and then the road proceeds as mid-clearance-friendly with some dips, but not particularly rocky.

We set out generally southwest through the open desert for a few miles, wrapping around the foothills of the northern Stepladder Mountains and entering a major wash. We followed this wash to the base of Stepladder Mountain, where the rocky/brushy east slopes introduced a few options for ascending the peak. We chose to head up a gully surrounded by volcanic rock outcrops, and encountered some easy Class 3 to get above a series of cliff bands. There are likely easier options to get up to the base of Stepladder Mountain, but the area has lots of volcanic obstacles and I couldn't say what seemed better. Once at the base of the peak, we easily found a delightful conglomerate slab that led up Class 2/3 interesting scrambling up a "seam" – it just looked like a slab of rock was layered on top of the one we were scrambling on. The slab led to a series of interesting switchbacks, barely Class 2 and boasting a nice social trail. The switchbacks brought us to a notch in the conglomerate formation, where left leads to the high point. We checked out the views to the south in an attempt to figure out what peaks were on our itinerary, but it was kind of just a jumble of fun-looking rock.

We backtracked through the switchbacks, and rather than descend back through the cliff band, we headed south in an attempt to find an alternative route down to save time on our way to the next peaks. Although somewhat loose, we made it into the major wash below without incident. The wash led us south, past Stepstool Peak (which we'd end the day on), but slowly started to deviate from the direction we wanted to head, forcing us to leave the wash and head through the desert. Another major drainage on the north side of Conical Benchmark served as a nice access portal to the west side of the Stepladder Mountains, where we planned to go for a peak that we'd later call "Misstep Peak" (more on that in a minute). You might notice we didn't do any peaks in the centeral region of the Stepladder Mountains. None of the central peaks had enough prominence to be "peaks". An unnamed and unranked peak to the north drew our attention, but it looked sheer and likely impossible, so we saved our energy for bigger rocks.

Finding ourselves at the base of Misstep Peak, we briefly debated on the best option. I resisted my friends' excitement to scramble up an unlikely-looking dark chute on the peak's east face, hoping we could wrap around to the west side and find a more reasonable option, but I lost the debate. Fortunately, my friends were right to push for the chute since we later learned there's no way in hell another ascent option exists, the sheer walls of this peak fortifying the summit in pretty much every direction but our chute. The chute started as Class 2, slowly progressing to Class 2+. It involved some fun stemming, but there are some loose boulders and we took turns as not to knock each other out. We reached a point about a hundred feet from the summit where a Class 3+ spine of rock added some optional exposure, but two brushy drainages exist to either side of it (Class 2). However, once above this spine, a single Class 4 move almost stopped me from reaching the summit. A rock rib with a head-sized boulder sticking out at chest-level forced the move to feel far more scary than it was, the feature forcing me to make an arch with my back and slowly shuffle to the left with some severe exposure. The move isn't hard, but the rock feels hollow and slightly crumbly, but nothing popped out for any of us. An alternative exists to the right of the rock rib: a 10-foot Class 5 headwall with ample big pebbles poking out. I used this as a descent option on the way down, too freaked out to do the wrap-around Class 4 move, preferring to risk a pebble popping out and my friends spotting a small fall on this headwall. Class 2 led to the summit, where we found no indication of a previous ascent. Due to the step-around move and the theme of "Stepladders" of the range, we named the peak "Misstep Peak". I inched around the summit area in search for a descent option, hoping our ascent was just us goofing off and finding a hard route unnecessarily, but I couldn't find anything less scary than our choice.

Once back down from Misstep Peak, we headed southeast toward a saddle, working our way on surprisingly pleasant terrain with some minor side-hilling. Conical Benchmark came into view, a quick Class 2 endeavor to its pretty summit. A Class 2 descent led us back into the open desert and back to the major wash we had left earlier, Stepstool Peak the last on our list. Bob Burd's route worked great for this, involving some light Class 2 to the cliffy southern base of Stepstool Peak. We wrapped up and around on rocky Class 2 terrain to the east side of the peak, still following the base of the cliff band. At the end of the cliff band was a cliff, but a Class 3+ short chimney led to the summit block.

Once back down from the chimney, we headed down a Class 2 drainage back to the open desert, following our earlier route for a few miles back to the car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Stepladder Mountain
2940 ft
726 rise
2
Misstep Peak
2444 ft
328 rise
3
Conical Benchmark
2683 ft
600 rise
4
Stepstool Peak
2509 ft
443 rise

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Stepladder Mountains way out there. The day begins with a long-ass walk through the desert.
Stepladder Mountains way out there. The day begins with a long-ass walk through the desert.
Wrapping around the foothills and heading up a wash.
Wrapping around the foothills and heading up a wash.
Stepladder Mountain comes into view.
Stepladder Mountain comes into view.
Our choice of Class 3 ascent up the cliff bands. You can see the base of the conglomerate slab in the center. There is likely more than one way to get there from down here. Ours was fine, but it did have some brush.
Our choice of Class 3 ascent up the cliff bands. You can see the base of the conglomerate slab in the center. There is likely more than one way to get there from down here. Ours was fine, but it did have some brush.
Looking back from above the first bit of scrambling, just below the slabs. The drainage we came up is visible in the center, the foothills we wrapped around top right, and our car somewhere in the distance behind the darker hill in the center of the photo.
Looking back from above the first bit of scrambling, just below the slabs. The drainage we came up is visible in the center, the foothills we wrapped around top right, and our car somewhere in the distance behind the darker hill in the center of the photo.
Starting up the Class 2/3 slabs within the "seam".
Starting up the Class 2/3 slabs within the "seam".
Fun stuff.
Fun stuff.
Looking down at our progress, Matt coming up on the right.
Looking down at our progress, Matt coming up on the right.
At the top of the slab, a series of nice switchbacks guided us up.
At the top of the slab, a series of nice switchbacks guided us up.
Image 9 from gallery
One of the switchbacks, naturally formed on the face of the mountain.
One of the switchbacks, naturally formed on the face of the mountain.
At the top of the switchbacks at a conglomerate notch - a shot looking down as Tyler heads up toward me.
At the top of the switchbacks at a conglomerate notch - a shot looking down as Tyler heads up toward me.
Stepladder Mountain summit block. Tyler (left) is making it harder than necessary. It's a Class 2 summit block.
Stepladder Mountain summit block. Tyler (left) is making it harder than necessary. It's a Class 2 summit block.
Stepladder Mountain summit, view south.
Stepladder Mountain summit, view south.
After coming down from the slab, we headed south to find another way to the wash visible in the center. Stepstool Peak visible top left, our last peak of the day.
After coming down from the slab, we headed south to find another way to the wash visible in the center. Stepstool Peak visible top left, our last peak of the day.
Looking back up toward Stepladder Mountain as we descend.
Looking back up toward Stepladder Mountain as we descend.
A bit loose on the way down, but no crazy surprises. Stepstool Peak visible top center.
A bit loose on the way down, but no crazy surprises. Stepstool Peak visible top center.
Heading through the wash, just before leaving it (since it deviates from the direction we need to go). Our route heads straight through the desert and enters another wash.
Heading through the wash, just before leaving it (since it deviates from the direction we need to go). Our route heads straight through the desert and enters another wash.
Within the next drainage as we head toward Misstep Peak.
Within the next drainage as we head toward Misstep Peak.
View back down the drainage on our way to Misstep Peak.
View back down the drainage on our way to Misstep Peak.
Misstep Peak visible ahead (center).
Misstep Peak visible ahead (center).
Close-up of Misstep Peak. The chute we decided to ascend started on the right where the lightly-colored line of rocks is visible, above Matt's head.
Close-up of Misstep Peak. The chute we decided to ascend started on the right where the lightly-colored line of rocks is visible, above Matt's head.
Class 2 up the chute to start.
Class 2 up the chute to start.
Looking back down the chute in Class 2/3 territory, toward the drainage we came from (top center).
Looking back down the chute in Class 2/3 territory, toward the drainage we came from (top center).
A Class 3+ rock spine leads higher, but the gully on the left goes at Class 2.
A Class 3+ rock spine leads higher, but the gully on the left goes at Class 2.
Looking down the rock spine, the Class 2 gully visible on the right - the left side in this photo likely would have worked, too. Just behind me is the scary Class 4 move.
Looking down the rock spine, the Class 2 gully visible on the right - the left side in this photo likely would have worked, too. Just behind me is the scary Class 4 move.
Matt sizing up the Class 4 move. See the head-sized boulder in his way? Yeah, it's too untrustworthy to hold, but it's definitely in the way.
Matt sizing up the Class 4 move. See the head-sized boulder in his way? Yeah, it's too untrustworthy to hold, but it's definitely in the way.
View down the Class 4 move, without anyone in it. The ten-foot Class 5 headwall I chose to down-climb later is in the shadows on the left. The rock spine we came up is visible left center.
View down the Class 4 move, without anyone in it. The ten-foot Class 5 headwall I chose to down-climb later is in the shadows on the left. The rock spine we came up is visible left center.
Class 4 move as Matt makes the step-around  move. The exposure is pretty real, just behind him.
Class 4 move as Matt makes the step-around move. The exposure is pretty real, just behind him.
A shot of Matt at the top of the Class 4 section, a bit hard to see in this photo.
A shot of Matt at the top of the Class 4 section, a bit hard to see in this photo.
Misstep Peak summit, view toward Stepladder Mountain.
Misstep Peak summit, view toward Stepladder Mountain.
Back down from Misstep Peak, now headed to the drainage right of center. We came into this area from the saddle in the center.
Back down from Misstep Peak, now headed to the drainage right of center. We came into this area from the saddle in the center.
View back toward Misstep Peak (left).
View back toward Misstep Peak (left).
Minor side-hilling and overall pleasant terrain as we made our way to Conical Benchmark.
Minor side-hilling and overall pleasant terrain as we made our way to Conical Benchmark.
Conincal Benchmark ahead, above Matt.
Conincal Benchmark ahead, above Matt.
Class 2/2+ up to Conical Benchmark.
Class 2/2+ up to Conical Benchmark.
Tyler along the Class 2+ summit ridge to Conical Benchmark.
Tyler along the Class 2+ summit ridge to Conical Benchmark.
View back from the summit of Conical Benchmark. Misstep Peak visible far left, Stepladder Mountain top right.
View back from the summit of Conical Benchmark. Misstep Peak visible far left, Stepladder Mountain top right.
Summit of Conical Benchmark, view south toward the Turtle Mountains.
Summit of Conical Benchmark, view south toward the Turtle Mountains.
Class 2 down from Conical Benchmark.
Class 2 down from Conical Benchmark.
Stepstool Peak ahead. Our route led to the lighter-colored blotch, then wrapped around to the right.
Stepstool Peak ahead. Our route led to the lighter-colored blotch, then wrapped around to the right.
Wrapping around the southwest base of Stepstool Peak.
Wrapping around the southwest base of Stepstool Peak.
Coming up and around to the peak's northeast side.
Coming up and around to the peak's northeast side.
View back toward Conical Benchmark (top center). You can see Matt coming up bottom center.
View back toward Conical Benchmark (top center). You can see Matt coming up bottom center.
Still wrapping around the peak along the cliff band's base, headed to the chimney visible at the end of the cliff band.
Still wrapping around the peak along the cliff band's base, headed to the chimney visible at the end of the cliff band.
Class 3+ chimney move.
Class 3+ chimney move.
Summit of Stepstool Peak, view toward the southern side of the Stepladder Mountains. We descended from Stepstool Peak's chimney and then via a Class 2 drainage behind me in this photo and headed through the desert back to the car.
Summit of Stepstool Peak, view toward the southern side of the Stepladder Mountains. We descended from Stepstool Peak's chimney and then via a Class 2 drainage behind me in this photo and headed through the desert back to the car.

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