Bridge Mountain - 4/16/25

Bridge Mountain (R) from Approach

Hikers under the Bridge on Bridge Mountain

Getting There

Starting the Scramble Descent

Cheryl in her Element

Seven hikers met at the Willow Springs Picnic area to get into two 4x4s. We proceeded up Rocky Gap road. There seemed to be several spots where the road had improved since the last time we had gone up the road. But there were several spots where the road had deteriorated. It was still one of the worst roads we have driven on with our 4x4. It took us a little over one hour to drive 4.7 miles up to the Bridge Mountain trail head.

Photos: Bruno, Terri, Jerry and Cheryl

Chuck uses a nearby Tree

The Scramble Descent to Base of Peak

The Crack Climb (crack to left of indicated)

The Bridge Area

The Bridge Area

We got out and checked our tires and then started up the trail. We hiked up the trail to the crest of the limestone ridge and then started down the other side with Bridge Mountain coming into view. Approaching from the trail the view of our route up the crack to the arch seems almost impossibly vertical. We pointed out the route to the one newbie who had not climbed the mountain before.

On top of the Bridge

Climbing out of the Bridge Well

Hiking down to pass Hidden Forest (R)

Circling the Sandstone Slab

The Summit Well

We crossed from the limestone into the sandstone and took a short break at the Fern Canyon overlook. Only one hiker decided to crawl on their belly to get a close look at the drop off. The rest of us stayed well back. After the break we started following the well cairned route through the sandstone, scrambling up and down solid sandstone slabs and chutes.

The Summit Block

First part of Descent

Tinaja near the Bridge

Over the hump to gain the top of the Bridge

Crossing the Bridge

Finally, we reached the flat neck of sandstone that forms a land bridge to the base of the crack. We took another break before we continued up the crack. We took the standard route up the crack which actually goes up and out of the crack about a third of the way up onto the right hand ridge. The climbing here is all class 3. Everyone made it up safely and we climbed up the short distance to the arch. After a number of photos were taken we continued up and around the hidden forest and up the steep slabs of the peak itself. We finally reached the peak after 3 hours. We took a break and several more photos and then returned the way we came. On the way down we hiked on top of the arch. We reached the cars after 6 hours and 45 minutes. It would take us another hour to get back to Willow Springs.  ~Jerry

Stats for the hike: 6 3/4 hours, 2800 ft elevation gain, 6.6 miles.

Negotiating the Crack Descent

Climbing the Scrambles

Resting among the Scrambles

One more to Go!