
I hiked past the Wilderness Study Area sign on an old dirt road. This spot is found just off to the right of the more prominent dirt road.

Along the nice, easy dirt road.

View toward Willow Peak (right) along the road. Wheeler Pass is just left of Willow Peak.

The road slowly degrades.

And eventually I was following more of a wash than a road.

The road remnants end at this old mine site. I continued past it to the eastern saddle of Mine Peak.

East saddle of Mine Peak, view toward Mine Peak. It's a steep, brushy slope initially.

Base of Mine Peak. There are a few Class 3 options for ascending the east face.

Class 3 option I took.

Along the summit ridge of Mine Peak.

High point of Mine Peak at the north end.

Summit of Mine Peak, view south.

Close-up of Wheeler Benchmark.

On my way down from Mine Peak. Wheeler Benchmark visible top left. My approach route would take the slope visible on the right.

Ascending the steep slope, view back. Mine Peak's minor rocky summit is visible top center.

Continuing along the slope/ridge to the south ridge of Wheeler Benchmark.

Pretty easy walking with some tree dodging.

View back. Mine Peak visible center right. Spring Peak visible in the distance.

The terrain becomes pretty clear and easy as I near the south ridge of Wheeler Benchmark.

Along the south ridge, heading to Wheeler Benchmark (on the right).

This is sort of what the ridgeline looks like. Occasional views, lots of trees, and some brush to dodge.

Wheeler Benchmark ahead.

Close-up of the steep ascent ridge.

View south along the ridge toward Willow Peak. Charleston Peak visible in the distant center.

Starting up the south ridge of Wheeler Benchmark.

View back along the south ridge as I start ascending to Wheeler Benchmark.

More progress up the steep, usually loose, slope. Also there's brush. Not super fun.

View back down as I make progress up Wheeler Benchmark.

Close-up of the terrain to content with along the ridge.

Some scree also. Meh.

False summit of Wheeler Benchmark, view back the way I came. On the left you can see Willow, Mummy, and Charleston.

View toward the true summit of Wheeler Benchmark.

Summit of Wheeler Benchmark, view north.

Summit of Wheeler Benchmark, view northwest.

Summit of Wheeler Benchmark, close-up toward the major peaks of the Spring Mountains.

Heading back along the south ridge from Wheeler Benchmark, heading to Wheeler Pass. More trees to dodge.

View back toward Wheeler Benchmark.


At the southern end of the ridge, view down toward Wheeler Pass. The ridge goes at Class 2, with some brush.

Close-up at the descent I took down the ridge.

Almost at Wheeler Benchmark, view back toward the descent I took.

Wheeler Pass is on my left, a view into the pretty meadows. My car is in the trees somewhere on the right.

Wheeler Pass.

Wheeler Pass, view north toward the brutal road approach.

Headed south along Wheeler Pass Road.

View back toward Wheeler Benchmark. It's just a forested road walk past this.
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