Overview

This difficult and exposed route heads cross-country from a turnout on the Northshore Road to the summit of Northshore Peak. The route ascends a gully and very steep scree slopes to the west ridge, and then follows the 3rd-class west ridge to the summit. Despite the relatively low elevation at the summit, the lay of the land is such that the views from the peak are spectacular. However, the views are the same if you walk up the mountain via the east ridge, and I would recommend using the East Ridge Route to climb this mountain. This difficult and exposed route should only be climbed by experienced mountaineers; while most routes look easier up close, this one looks harder up close.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this is a difficult and dangerous route. A slip on the scree slopes, in the chute, from the summit ridge, or from the summit would result in serious injury or sudden death. If climbing with a friend, rockfall would be a constant danger.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, this is a rough hike in a remote area, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located along Northshore Road in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, about 1 hour northeast of Las Vegas.

From town, drive out to Lake Mead. From the intersection of Northshore Road and Lakeshore Road (Table 1, Site 654), drive north on Northshore Road for about 19.1 miles to a paved pullout on the north side of the road (Site 008). Park here; this is the trailhead.

The Hike

From the trailhead (Table 2, Waypoint 8), the route crosses the highway and runs up washes to the base of a steep chute (Wpt. 7) that drops off of the west ridge, just west (right) of the summit cliffs.

The route ascends the steep chute to the crest of the ridge (Wpt. 6). The top of the chute, perhaps the most difficult part, can be bypassed by following narrow sheep trails, more or less horizontally (westward), across the slope towards the lowest point on the saddle.

After gaining the summit ridge, the route runs up and east, staying on the crest of the ridge. The route looks improbable from below, but it goes 3rd-class. The final headwall can be passed on the crest of the ridge to gain the summit (Wpt. 5).

Enjoy the view from the summit (see the East Ridge Route). It should be particularly sweet after a climb like this.

To get back to the trailhead, walk down the East Ridge Route and follow the road back to your vehicle.