White Rock Springs Peak (I&II) - 11/19/24

(R to L) White Rock Peak, North Peak, Bridge Mountain and Bridgepoint Peaks from Ascent

Third Class area between two White Rock Springs Peaks I&II

First peak, preparing for the transition to second Peak

Ascent to first false Peak

White Rock Springs Peak is located at the north end of the Red Rock escarpment where the cliffs seem to get a little lower and the climb gets easier. Just to the west of it is a second peak that is a little more difficult to reach. Jerry and Cheryl led the hike and wrote the narrative below.

We drove up to our meeting spot for the hike only to find that seven hikers had decided to drive up to the White Rock upper parking lot. We had decided to start the hike at the White Rock lower parking lot for two reasons. First, the dirt road up to the upper parking lot can be very rough and hard on street cars. Although the road was apparently in good condition. Two, the hike is very short so an extra quarter mile each way could add a little more to our workout. We signed in the seven hikers that decided to meet at lower parking lot and we started hiking up to the upper parking lot. Once there we gathered everyone and made introductions. We had a newbie which had just joined the club so we wanted that person to feel welcome. After some brief chitchat we got on the trail up the southeast ridge to the first of two peaks.

Turtlehead and city view from Ascent

Halfway up to first White Rock Springs Peak

Route Finding

The trail up through the sandstone boulders quickly disappears and we found ourselves following a few sparsely placed cairns and the leader's GPS track. The hike went surprisingly well even though we were apprehensive since there are several routes through the boulders but we wanted to keep the scrambling to class 2 until we reached the first peak. Well, we reached the first peak, the White Rock Springs Peak, without going off course or doing any class 3 scrambling. At this point we asked for those hikers who wished to do the class 3 traverse over to the second peak called West White Rock Springs Peak. 

 All but two hikers decided to tackle the slightly harder traverse. As it turned out no one had any trouble at the two class 3 spots and we had our snack break and photo shoot at the west summit.

On the way back we were alarmed to see a large drone flying over our heads. We picked up the two hikers who had stayed back and had another large group shot and then we headed back to the cars.

Some Goodies

On top of West White Rock Springs Peak

Returning to first peak with west peak in Background

 We had reached a tricky section of the ridge with very large boulders when we suddenly realized that three hikers were missing. Two of us climbed atop some high boulders and spotted the three hiking down the slope into the wash on the north side of the ridge. We told them we would meet them at the cars and we continued down. A similar incident happened at exactly the same place last year when a hiker got separated and continued down into the gully on the south side of the ridge. We had tried to make sure everybody stayed together but with so many people it is sometimes very difficult. Anyway, everyone made it down safe and sound. ~Jerry and Cheryl Thomas

Photos by the group

Stats: 3 miles, 1300 ft, 3 1/2 hours.

Route Finding

Oops! We should go around.

Back down to the Upper White Rock Road Trailhead (Peak in Background to L)