Page Type:
|
Mountain/Rock |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
|
36.12272°N / 114.13496°W |
County:
|
Clark |
Activities:
|
Scrambling |
Season:
|
Winter |
|
Elevation:
|
2700 ft / 823 m |
|
Overview
Powell Mountain is a peak in the Hiller Mountains range, and named on the "Hiller Mountains" 7.5' USGS topo map. This topo shows an elevation of 823m (2700') at or near the summit. The mountain is in a remote area on the north shore of Lake Mead, and from the summit you can see the muddy Colorado River water meeting the blue water of the lake.
When I climbed this peak on March 28, 2017, I had no route information. I also found no sign that anyone else had ever climbed it. Though I'm sure others have, they did not place a summit register nor did they even build a cairn on the summit. And I did the best I could to leave it as I found it. :) There is no survey benchmark on the summit either.
Despite the remote location, I did have solid AT&T 4G service on the summit.
Getting There
Driving to the peak requires a transit of the notorious Scanlon Dugway. A robust high-clearance 4WD vehicle with good off-road tires is needed. In March 2017, I successfully drove out there and back in a fully stock 2015 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I would not have wanted to be driving anything much wider than the Wrangler. In particular because there were two spots on the dugway where large rocks forced me to drive closer to the outside edge.
Online, I have seen reports indicating that other people (who were targeting nearby Gold Cross Peak) rented boats and approached via Lake Mead. So that is also an option for reaching this peak, though I can't tell you anything about the logistics of this approach.
However you get there, the route begins from NPS Road 116, not far from the shore of Lake Mead.
Red Tape
No particular red tape involved.
When to Climb
Given the low elevation of this area, winter or early Spring are the best seasons to visit or climb. Much of the year would be quite hot out here.
Camping
Primitive camping is readily available in the area. There are no developed campgrounds nearby. Please practice "leave no trace."
External Links
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
1 Routes