White Rock Hills High Point

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV Red Rock Canyon

Trip stats

Distance
4.9 mi
Net Gain
3,200 ft
Time
4-6 hrs
YDS Rating
Class 2
Route
Out/Back
Peaks
2

Ratings out of 10

Effort
4.6/10
Personality
5/10
Beauty
5/10
Solitude
3.6/10
What do these mean? →

Peaks on this hike

Summits listed in route order

  1. White Rock Spring Peak
    5,977′ elevation · 440′ prominence
  2. White Rock Hills High Point
    6,462′ elevation · 982′ prominence

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

36.173320, -115.477650

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.

Trip report

Jun 30, 2019 — White Rock Spring Peak and White Rock Hills High Point, the larger neighbor to White Rock Spring Peak. However, it snowed a lot relative to the area and I apparently forgot that fact, and stopped at the summit of White Rock Spring Peak despite hoping to bag both peaks. I went back on a cloudy June day before the heat rolled in to attempt this route again, so excuse the obvious difference in photos from winter to summer.

Starting from the White Rock Trailhead, I got onto a social trail leading up the obvious east ridge of White Rock Spring Peak, which had some short Class 2 sections. I've seen beta for two peaks being the highest point, and the one farther west had the summit register. I got both just in case. A couple of Class 2+ moves led me to the second summit.

From White Rock Spring Peak, I worked back a bit to avoid cliffs on its south side and instead followed a social trail west, curving back around to regain the ridge. It was a somewhat unpleasant loose slope, but once I got back to the ridge, this turning into a fun hike of route-finding and interesting scrambling. I can't describe it well in words nor pictures, but there were cairns marking the way, and doing any moves harder than easy Class 3 means there's an easier way.

On the way back, I opted to follow a southeast draining gully, choked with brush. I'd recommend just going back the same way, as it would probably have been less effort. I left both routes on my attached map.

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Photos

32 photos

  1. Starting at the White Rock Trailhead, you can see White Rock Hills High Point on the left and White Rock Spring Peak right.
  2. Headed along the Class 2 ridgeline.
  3. Looking back toward the Calico Hills (center).
  4. Approaching the east summit of White Rock Spring Peak. I've read different labels for the two high points up here, but you have to pass over the eastern peak to get to the western one regardless. The register is on the western peak.
  5. Some Class 2 moves (maybe Class 2+ because the snow made it feel harder?)
  6. White Rock Spring Peak summit, looking west toward White Rock Hills HP.
  7. White Rock Spring Peak looking back toward the ridge I came up.
  8. Jump ahead a few months, I returned to complete the route. This is a photo looking west along the social trail that leads around the cliffs surrounding White Rock Spring Peak (see map).
  9. Working around the northwest side of White Rock Spring Peak. White Rock Hills High Point ahead.
  10. Looking back at the cliffs surrounding White Rock Spring Peak - I came around on the left side in this photo.
  11. Continuing along the ridge.
  12. There were a couple of gullies like this that helped avoid Class 4/5 stuff.
  13. Looking at a particularly interesting section of Class 2/3, where ledges lead up.
  14. Continuing along the ridge. It's pretty slow-moving, but fun.
  15. Looking back at my progress so far. White Rock Spring Peak visible on the right.
  16. More fun Class 2/3.
  17. Toward the top, cairns pointed me to the left (southeast) to avoid potentially serious climbing just along the ridge.
  18. Looking back.
  19. Class 2 slope on the southeast side of White Rock Hills HP.
  20. Almost at the summit, view south.
  21. Last bit to the summit.
  22. Looking down at some Class 3 stuff.
  23. Summit block of White Rock Hills HP.
  24. White Rock Hills HP, view north along the ridge I ascended.
  25. On the way back, I chose to take a brushy gully. I recommend just re-ascending White Rock Spring Peak and returning the same way.
  26. White Rock Hills HP (left), White Rock Spring Peak (right), and the gully I descended (center/right).

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!

GPX track

White Rock Hills High Point 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.