Tunnel Spring Mountain in Desert Range Experimental Station, UT

Hike Tunnel Spring Mountain Desert Range Experimental Station, UT

Class 2 5.1 miles 2000 gain 2-4 hrs Out + Back May 17, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Tunnel Spring Mountain GPX Track

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Tunnel Spring Mountain is a remote peak in Utah's West Desert. It's a bit different-looking from other high points in the area, being less forested and with more loose rock than dirt slopes. Leave UT-21 here (38.72249, -113.92532), then bear right here (38.7253, -113.91663). The road fades briefly here (38.74205, -113.83758), but any car can make it down the somewhat steep, short hill and rejoin the road where it becomes obvious again a hundred feet later. Continue northeast here (38.74024, -113.83422) and follow the road to where I parked at a water container of some sort. The road appears to continue on Google, but it's so faint that I didn't feel it was proper to drive on it. I started hiking east toward the range. From here it wasn't clear which of the bumps was the high point, but as I got closer through the desert/grassy terrain I made out a spur ridge that would take me up there.

The spur ridge I headed up was less steep on its northern end, so I headed there rather than directly up its west slope. The first few hundred feet of the ridge ascent was just steep dirt, which slowly introduced some sporadic light Class 2. Once I made it about 2/3 of the way up, the terrain changed significantly. Whereas until this point it was best to stick to the ridge crest, now I found myself trying to interpret a possibly difficult-looking spine of rock along the ridge. I started up what looked like a fun and straightforward option. I marked my initial ascent on the attached map as "Optional Class 3 Section". Keeping to the left avoids this scrambling if that's your preference.

Past this section the terrain became more jumbled. On my ascent, I continued along the ridge crest and found myself on pretty terrifying terrain. I doubt staying along the crest will result in anything easier than Class 5. I backtracked and instead kept to the right of the rocky ridge on somewhat loose scree (Class 2). I kept just below the cliffs that marked the ridge crest until a weakness came into view on the left. This steep, loose Class 2 ascent worked fine, but it wasn't fun by any means. After a hundred feet or so I found myself back on the ridge crest, but past the scary cliffs. It was an easy walk to the summit from here.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Tunnel Spring Mountain
8440 ft
2430 rise

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I parked here at this water containment thing.
I parked here at this water containment thing.
View from where I parked toward Tunnel Spring Mountain (just right of center).
View from where I parked toward Tunnel Spring Mountain (just right of center).
I walked through the open and mostly flat terrain to the base of the peak. My goal is to go up the spur ridge in the center.
I walked through the open and mostly flat terrain to the base of the peak. My goal is to go up the spur ridge in the center.
Starting up the spur ridge.
Starting up the spur ridge.
View back into the vast open approach. My car is in the center somewhere.
View back into the vast open approach. My car is in the center somewhere.
Easy, steep walking up the spur ridge at first.
Easy, steep walking up the spur ridge at first.
And then the ridge introduced some light Class 2.
And then the ridge introduced some light Class 2.
Class 2 along the ridge.
Class 2 along the ridge.
View back along the ridge.
View back along the ridge.
The ridge then became a bit more rocky and less obvious. The summit is out of view, but in the center.
The ridge then became a bit more rocky and less obvious. The summit is out of view, but in the center.
Optional Class 3. Avoid on the left.
Optional Class 3. Avoid on the left.
Past the optional Class 3, the ridge gets jumped by a rock spine. Keep right of the cliffs.
Past the optional Class 3, the ridge gets jumped by a rock spine. Keep right of the cliffs.
Class 2 on the right of the ridge crest cliffs.
Class 2 on the right of the ridge crest cliffs.
A little side-hilling on Class 2 scree as I look for a weakness on the left to get above the cliffs.
A little side-hilling on Class 2 scree as I look for a weakness on the left to get above the cliffs.
View back along the short side-hilling section.
View back along the short side-hilling section.
A Class 2 steep weakness.
A Class 2 steep weakness.
View back down the Class 2 steep weakness.
View back down the Class 2 steep weakness.
I emerged above the cliff, a view toward the high point.
I emerged above the cliff, a view toward the high point.
Tunnel Spring Mountain summit, view south.
Tunnel Spring Mountain summit, view south.

Hire me or show me some love!

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!