Jean's Peak Scramble Loop - 2/16/23

Large Cairn on Jean's Peak

View of Spring Mountains from Jean's Peak Ridgeline

Color in East Pinto Valley near Old Arrowhead Highway

Climbing up through Canyon to Arch

At the eastern terminus of Pinto Valley, where the Old Arrowhead Road turns to cross into the Bittersprings Valley and the rough sharp mountains turn into a beautiful arrangement of soft- cornered redstone, there is a mountain called Jean's Peak. It is named after a hiker from the Las Vegas area who loved the peak and the canyon below it. A very large cairn was built on the peak. It can be seen from Northshore Road driving from west to east around the mile markers 23 & 24. The trailhead for climbing this peak is at mile marker 25, aka the call box trailhead. Four hikers with two vehicles between them parked at MM 25 and crossed the road heading up to the right. We found the vague trail to climb up and into the nearby canyon wash.

Triple Arch

Climbing up the Hillside to Land Bridge

View of Redstone from Climb

Jean's Peak from Approach

It was a very chilly morning, 39° when we left the cars. We were dressed warmly as we scrambled up through the canyon that was still cast in shadow. No worries. We warmed ourselves up from the inside out. However, the cold stiff breeze pouring in from the north kept our personal thermostats fairly even. Soon, we saw the triple arch up on the right side wall of the canyon. The climb up to the arch was steep. Celebrating our target, we moved through quickly to get back into the sun. After that, we made a right turn up against the wall of a slanting rock layer. Again, it was steep. Our laboring efforts finally got us to a place we could turn to the right onto a game trail. The trail led us up to the right then around to the left putting us on the land bridge below Jean's Peak.

Arriving at Large Cairn on Jean's Peak

Precipitous view on West Side of Peak

View of Redstone from Jean's Peak

Retrieving the Log Book on High Point

Onward and upward. We climbed up to the large cairn on an angle across the slope. At the cairn, we could not find the log book. Perhaps someone decided to move the log book to the high point along the ridge. Or, perhaps someone took the book, planning to replace it on their next visit. Who knows? We hiked on up to the high point with an amazing cliff view to our right. The breeze was a bit harsher on the ridge so we didn't stay long. Back to the large cairn then down the steep gulley to our right. This would be the second time we have descended this gulley and wash below. But, by the looks of it, there have been a few hikers there since January '22. The waterslide at the gulley/wash junction was not as intimidating as the first time. 

Lake Mead and Bittersprings Valley from Ridgeline

Descending the Steep Wash to Canyon Below

Last Waterslide before junction of Canyon Below

Inside the Canyon Below

At the bottom in the canyon, we took out our clippers. The one thing we learned the first time was that the catclaw acacias think they own this wash. Au contraire! Not after today!! We scrambled, clipped, scrambled, and clipped until we were all the way down to the red sandstone of the high point saddle of Jean's Canyon. Moving to the right, we found a good place to surmount the sandstone. As soon as we got to the Jean's Canyon trail, we noticed many sprouting bear paw poppies. Thank goodness life goes on. The trail is difficult to decipher but if you turn to the right and find a thru wash, you will likely end up on it. We finally took our break at the bottom of the first waterslide on a part of the trail that was familiar. After break, we continued down the canyon to what first appears to be a terrible drop off. Familiar again with this landmark, we had fun dropping down. The next obstacle is the Slip 'n' Slide! There is a trail that leads up to the left to get past a non-negotiable dry fall. However, the past few years, Rita and I have taken to a go around on the right side. Mike and Charlie chose the Slip 'n' Slide! We all had fun! The remaining part of the west end of Jean's Canyon is without obstacle and seems to go on and on until you junction with Pinto Valley and the Old Arrowhead Road. Turn to the left here.

Descending Jean's Canyon west of its High Point Saddle

ABC's of Big Drop in Jean's Canyon

Jean's Canyon below Slip 'n' Slide Obstacle

Turning onto Old Arrowhead Highway

We hiked the highway aside the wash. It travels across the curves of the wash making short cuts. The route stays on the old road for almost a mile. Just before there is a major wash junction that turns to the right, our route jogged to the left and right to surmount a skinny ridge. There is a clear trail on top of this ridge. It makes the traveling easy. At the end of the ridge, we jogged to the right and turned left in the wash below. The wash was, again, the Old Arrowhead Highway. Very soon, the road turns to the right and starts up out of the arroyo kingdom. We call this Heartbreak Hill. Yes, another one! At the top of the hill, we turned left and followed the two-track road for around a quarter mile. We saw a trail come in from the right, and saw our trail to the left.

Wrong turn presents a Beautiful View of Highway and Pinto Valley Wash

The Correct Turn onto the Spine of a narrow Ridge

Trail up to Jean's Saddle

Taking in views on Jean's Saddle

This trail veers up to the left to reach Jean's Saddle at the top of the ridge. It is the last good climb of the day. Great views from the top. Then down the other side to Jean's Canyon below, we turned to the right. Not to be outdone by the west end of Jean's Canyon, this east end is full of color and interest. Near the terminus, there is a great scramble-able dry fall. We were tired but the pace picked up until we were almost to Northshore Road. Here, there is a couple of cairns that prod hikers to climb the embankment up to the road level and back to the cars. By now, the temps were great and the sky was blue! Fantastic scramble with color galore!

Stats: 5.7 miles; 1525' gain; 5.25 hours

Redstone from Jean's Saddle

Starting descent through the Lower Part of Jean's Canyon

Approaching a large Dry Fall