Sunflower Mountain and Kane Benchmark in Meadow Valley Range Wilderness BLM, NV

Hike Sunflower Mountain and Kane Benchmark Meadow Valley Range Wilderness BLM, NV

Class 2 10.5 miles 3900 gain 5-7 hrs Out + Back Mar 30, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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The Meadow Valley Mountains are a remote range north of Las Vegas, where not even the high point gets much visitation. This hike reaches the more obscure higher points of the range farther north, Sunflower Mountain and Kane Benchmark. Kane Springs Road is so good it might as well be paved, but the turn-off to reach the trailhead has a few bigger rocks that might require mid-clearance. I parked at the wilderness boundary and headed through the grassy field to the east, ascending a slope. I followed the slope into a minor drainage before ascending a Class 2 ridge to gain the plateau higher up. On my descent, I came down the major drainage, but more on that later. Either route visible on the attached map to reach the south side of Sunflower Mountain is fine, Class 2.

At the base of Sunflower Mountain, I took my time ascending. There were lots of really cool bubbly rocks and the unique meadowy landscape was a nice change from the other desert landscapes I've been exploring over the last few months. However, Sunflower Mountain took me out of my relaxed state when I realized how loose and steep it would be to gain its summit. Class 2+ on dirt and talus with the occasional bit of scree got me there, but it was pretty short-lived. Kane Benchmark to the northeast looked very far away, but I was looking forward to the pleasant-looking walk through the meadows. I continued north off the summit of Sunflower Mountain, Class 2 boulders leading to a drop-off. I kept to the right and was able to descend on easier terrain, where I worked around a small cliff band via a short chute weakness followed be a steep, loose scree slope. Then it was a few miles of easy walking along the rim along a faint animal trail. Along the way was a few hundred foot dip in the ridge, a couple of easy Class 2 moves the only obstacle. Of course, I'd have to reascend on the way back.

Ahead I noticed brightly-colored eroded cliffs on the face of an unnamed point south of Kane Benchmark. My first thought was to ascend through a potential weakness, but Adam Walker did a route that led around the west side of this obstacle, so I chose to follow that instead, and I'm glad I did. A bunch of black boulders were strewn across a pink volcanic slickrock landscape, something I'd never seen before. An animal trail led along the side of the slickrock, keeping pretty high to avoid small trenches below. I was hoping to get up to the ridge above on the right, but a small cliff band prevented this in the short-term. As soon as an opportunity presented itself, I scrambled up Class 2 and formed a hairpin turn in my route to get to higher ground. Just ahead was a jumbled mess of rock that guarded the final ridgeline to Kane Benchmark. I wrapped around to the south side and located a Class 2 weakness that gained a couple hundred feet of vertical. Going directly up instead would result in Class 3. My map reflects the easier option.

Once above this obstacle, I could see the false summit of Kane Benchmark about a half mile ahead. I ascended the false summit, dropped slightly past it, and ascended to the Kane Benchmark summit. The wooden survey remains were on the edge of the cliff, but the peak's high point might be slightly to the east. The summit seems to have been burned recently.

I returned the way I came, with one exception. Instead of re-ascending over Sunflower Mountain, I hugged its northwest base on surprisingly pleasant terrain before deciding to descend a major drainage to get back to my car. Alternatively, I could have continued wrapping around the peak's southwestern base and returned via my exact same ascent route, but I wanted to change it up. I'm not sure if I would recommend the drainage, though. It has more Class 2 boulder-hopping and brush. I was able to avoid a lot of it by keeping to the slopes on either side of the watercourse, but it felt less effiicient than the route up.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Sunflower Mountain
5022 ft
842 rise
2
Kane Benchmark
5438 ft
1358 rise

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Entering Meadow Valley Range Wilderness. Sunflower Mountain is visible top left. First, I'm headed to the slope above the sign.
Entering Meadow Valley Range Wilderness. Sunflower Mountain is visible top left. First, I'm headed to the slope above the sign.
Along the slope, heading to the plateau on the right. Sunflower Mountain visible center.
Along the slope, heading to the plateau on the right. Sunflower Mountain visible center.
View back as I ascend to the plateau. I came up from the far right. Meadow Valley Mountains High Point visible top left, cool eroded cliffs visible center.
View back as I ascend to the plateau. I came up from the far right. Meadow Valley Mountains High Point visible top left, cool eroded cliffs visible center.
Sunflower Mountain ahead.
Sunflower Mountain ahead.
View back as I ascend to Sunflower Mountain.
View back as I ascend to Sunflower Mountain.
Sunflower Mountain, it gets quite steep and loose toward the top.
Sunflower Mountain, it gets quite steep and loose toward the top.
View down Sunflower Mountain as I make progress. My car is on the right below that little black-capped butte. Meadow Valley Mountains High Point visible top left.
View down Sunflower Mountain as I make progress. My car is on the right below that little black-capped butte. Meadow Valley Mountains High Point visible top left.
Summit of Sunflower Mountain, view toward Kane Benchmark.
Summit of Sunflower Mountain, view toward Kane Benchmark.
Close-up toward Kane Benchmark.
Close-up toward Kane Benchmark.
I headed down the other side of Sunflower Mountain. This is a shot looking back toward the summit. I had to descend on the left in this photo since the ridge ended with the cliff visible here.
I headed down the other side of Sunflower Mountain. This is a shot looking back toward the summit. I had to descend on the left in this photo since the ridge ended with the cliff visible here.
Descending from Sunflower Mountain on the left in this photo down a steep scree slope among the trees.
Descending from Sunflower Mountain on the left in this photo down a steep scree slope among the trees.
View back again toward Sunflower Mountain. On my way back later, I'll wrap around Sunflower Mountain on the right in this photo.
View back again toward Sunflower Mountain. On my way back later, I'll wrap around Sunflower Mountain on the right in this photo.
Kane Benchmark way ahead.
Kane Benchmark way ahead.
View back toward Sunflower Mountain.
View back toward Sunflower Mountain.
Image 14 from gallery
A dip in the ridgeline with some easy Class 2. I stayed along the rim.
A dip in the ridgeline with some easy Class 2. I stayed along the rim.
View back toward the dip in the ridgeline.
View back toward the dip in the ridgeline.
Eroded cliffs ahead. I kept to the left.
Eroded cliffs ahead. I kept to the left.
Entering a volcanic slickrock wonderland with black boulders laying around.
Entering a volcanic slickrock wonderland with black boulders laying around.
View back toward Sunflower Mountain, left.
View back toward Sunflower Mountain, left.
Animal trail along the slickrock.
Animal trail along the slickrock.
Really cool section.
Really cool section.
View back along the animal trail that traverses the slickrock.
View back along the animal trail that traverses the slickrock.
Just past the slickrock I waited for a weakness in the cliff band and ascended toward the jumble of rocks above. Keep to the right to find a Class 2 gully.
Just past the slickrock I waited for a weakness in the cliff band and ascended toward the jumble of rocks above. Keep to the right to find a Class 2 gully.
At the top of the Class 2 gully. My route wrapped around from the right, out of frame. The point you see on the left is the thing I avoided by staying along the volcanic slickrock below.
At the top of the Class 2 gully. My route wrapped around from the right, out of frame. The point you see on the left is the thing I avoided by staying along the volcanic slickrock below.
Kane Benchmark ahead.
Kane Benchmark ahead.
View back as I ascend to Kane Benchmark.
View back as I ascend to Kane Benchmark.
At a false summit, view toward Kane Benchmark.
At a false summit, view toward Kane Benchmark.
Kane Benchmark summit, view north.
Kane Benchmark summit, view north.
Kane Benchmark summit, view back the way I came.
Kane Benchmark summit, view back the way I came.
On my way back, a shot below Sunflower Mountain. Rather than re-ascend, I kept to the right around the peak.
On my way back, a shot below Sunflower Mountain. Rather than re-ascend, I kept to the right around the peak.
Easy terrain to get around Sunflower Mountain.
Easy terrain to get around Sunflower Mountain.
View back as I near the southwest side of Sunflower Mountain.
View back as I near the southwest side of Sunflower Mountain.
Major drainage descent option to get back to my car.
Major drainage descent option to get back to my car.

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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!