Tag: eureka gulch

Proposal Peak – 13,339

RT Length:  3.4 miles

Elevation Gain: 1652’

I drove up Eureka Gulch Road to 11930’ and parked on the side of the road.  This is a dirt road but can be driven in a high clearance 2WD.  From my parking spot, I could see the route before me. 

On my way in I went right, which ended up giving me needless elevation gain I would lose later.  Instead, head south/southwest and use the route to the left.  Game trails pick up there that will lead you to McCarty Basin. 

I was on the trail at 6:45am.  I started out by heading south/southwest up the tundra

As you can tell, I’d ascended too high and had to lose elevation to head into McCarty Basin.  However, I could now see my route to Proposal Peak

I dropped down into McCarty Basin, and followed the tundra southwest

I came to a game trail, that brought me to the upper basin

I could now see my route to the ridge.  If you want to keep this hike class 2, ascend to the saddle on the left, and skirt around the south side of the peak.  This will include steep scree, but it will remain class 2.  I chose to gain the ridge (the class 3 option).

I was able to follow the tundra all the way to the ridge

Once on the ridge I could see the true summit of Proposal Peak to the southwest. 

I continued following the ridge south. This was all class 2.

Until I came here.  There’s a short difficult class 3 section here.  I would dare to say it borders on class 4 (if you’re short like me).  It was much harder to navigate down than up, and so steep I couldn’t get a good picture of it looking down (I have a better one on the way back).  I turned and faced the mountain and headed down.  Be careful here: the rocks break off, so make sure you have a solid hand hold before committing your weight to a move. The ridge proper goes here at class 3, and it’s a very short section.

Here’s looking up at what I downclimbed:

Now for another short class 3 section, sticking to the ridge proper, before an easy class 2 hike to the summit.

I summited Proposal Peak at 8:15am

Proposal Peak:

Now to head back.  I took much of the same route on my way back down. I followed the ridge to the class 3 section

And then climbed back up the class 3 chimney.  This was much easier to navigate climbing up.

I now followed the ridge northeast, and then descended the gully back down to the basin. 

Here’s a look at my route through McCarty Basin

On the right side of a small pond I found a game trail that would lead me almost all the way back to my truck.

With the road in sight, I followed the tundra north back to my truck

I made it back to my truck at 9am, making this a 3.4 mile hike with 1652’ of elevation gain in 2 hours, 15 minutes.

On to the next trailhead!

Bonita Peak – 13,286

RT Length: 1.62 miles

Elevation Gain: 1009’

I drove up Eureka Gulch on a 4WD road.  This is a dirt road, but a high clearance 2WD can make it all the way.  I parked at 12275’ and was on the trail at 3:15pm.  This was a quick and easy hike.  From the parking area I could see the peak.

I know I’d already summited V5 earlier that morning, and after heading to town, putting together a trip report, hassling with Verizon being down and having a few work meetings (which luckily were over Zoom, not a phone call), I drove to the next trailhead.  When I got there it was 3pm, and I noticed how quick the summit route looked.  I bet I could get it done in an hour or so, and why put off for tomorrow what I could do today?  I put on my hiking boots and went at it. 

I started by heading west up the tundra to the ridge

Once on the ridge I turned left and followed it south to the summit.  The ridge started out with game trails below the rock outcroppings, and then turned rocky, but this entire hike was class 2.

I came to an area filled with scree and headed straight up. 

This is where the terrain became rocky (still class 2).  I followed the ridge south to the summit

I summited Bonita Peak at 3:55pm

Bonita Peak:

Now to head back down.  I followed the rocky ridge north

I continued following it as it turned to tundra.  Here’s where I descended:

And then to descend down the ridge, heading east back to my truck.

I made it back to my truck at 4:20pm, making this a 1.62 mile hike with 1009’ of elevation gain in 1 hour, 5 minutes.  Yep, it was a quick and easy hike.

Also, there was a closed-up mine where I parked. 

On to the next trailhead!