See also:
This adventure route is similar to the Fletcher Peak Mummy Mountain Circuit route. Like the Fletcher Peak Mummy Mountain Circuit route, this route begins at the Trail Canyon Trailhead in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness. It ascends to Fletcher Peak and Mummy Mountain. But there are two important differences:
Conclusion: If you want to travel across the wilderness in search of a short cut, forget it. Find the nearest trail even though the distance may be longer!
It would be hard to find 3 more beautiful mountaintops than Fletcher Peak (10,319ft), Mummy Mountain (11,528ft) and Lee Peak (11,289ft). Fletcher Peak and Mummy Mountain are both topped by beautiful ancient bristlecone pine forests. On the other hand, Charleston Peak summit is completely barren. You’re more likely to see deer on Fletcher Peak than on any other of the 6 highest summits in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness. And the views from Mummy Mountain and Lee Peak cover both Kyle Canyon and Lee Canyon and across to Gass Peak, the Desert National Wildlife Refuge and La Madre Mountains and wilderness bordering on Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
July through September are best. During these months the terrain at this altitude is a refreshing cool 70-85 degrees compared to the boiling 120-degree temperatures in the Las Vegas Valley below. On the other hand, from October through June you may encounter snow and ice and temperatures dropping below zero…especially from November through March. Deep snow can slow progress on the steep upper slopes. Ice can make navigation treacherous. And getting stuck in a storm can quickly become life-threatening!
Your adventure will begin at the Trail Canyon Trailhead in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness. To get there, head up Hwy-95 North from Las Vegas, take a left at the Kyle Canyon exit, continue about 20 miles up Kyle Canyon to Charleston Village, pass a fire station continuing straight where the road bends to the left. You’ll arrive at the Trail Canyon Trailhead parking area (same parking used for Mary Jane Falls). In all, it’s less than 40 miles from the Las Vegas Strip.
From the Trail Canyon Trailhead, head up 2 miles to the Trail Canyon/North Loop Trails junction and take a right to Rain Tree, then another right to Fletcher Peak (see the Fletcher Mummy Circuit page for more detail on the trail directions and sights from the Trail Canyon Trailhead to Fletcher Peak summit.
Descend again retracing your steps to the Trail Canyon/North Loop Trails junction and take a right to continue upward on the North Loop Trail to the Mummy Tree (large dead standing Bristlecone Pine tree with an “M” sketched on it and an arrow pointing to the right up the half-mile avalanche slope I call “The Horrifying Half“. Continue up this slope and take a right at the top following the directions on the Mummy Mountain West page to the summit of Mummy Mountain.
From Mummy Mountain summit, descend back to the top of the Horrifying Half avalanche slope. Here is where you have a choice of continuing to descend the avalanche slope until it meets the North Loop Trail, then take a right on the North Loop Trail toward Lee Peak. Or, you can turn right at the top of the avalanche slope and take the “shortcut” along the top of the North Ridge of Kyle Canyon to rejoin the upper North Loop Trail about a mile below Lee Peak’s summit. Note that shortcut will take 2-3 times longer! Let’s assume you’ve opted to take the shortcut. There is no ridge more beautiful than the North Ridge of Kyle Canyon with sweeping views of Kyle Canyon and Lee Canyon along most of the route. The Bristlecone Pine forest on that ridge is intact as opposed to the burnt Bristlecone Pine forest on the South ridge of Kyle Canyon.
During the first quarter mile of this leg of the journey you’ll weave around rocks, mini-avalanche slopes, cliffs and fallen trees until you gain the upper North ridge. The best direction I can give is to take a good look at the video which shows this portion of the adventure in detail. After about 1/4th mile the ridge will broaden out and becomes much easier to traverse. You will rise up to the top of the prominent hill you saw back where this ridge began at the top of the Mummy Mountain avalanche slope. At the top of this hill, the ridge then veers to the right heading straight for Lee Peak. The terrain broadens out even more and becomes much easier to traverse. Continue along the top of the North Ridge of Kyle Canyon towards Lee Peak until you see a structure that looks like an abandoned ski lift tower. It’s actually a weather station. More specifically, it’s the precipitation gauge of a SNOTEL Climate Station. Automated sensors like this may contain an electric charge, so it’s best not to touch them! At this point, take a left off of the ridge for an easy 100ft walk to rejoin the upper North Loop Trail.
Once on the upper North Loop Trail, take a right. You’ll continue for about a mile, the last part of which rises dramatically through a series of steep switchbacks. At the top of these switchbacks, leave the trail and veer off the trail to the right up the mountain slope to the summit of Lee Peak. There is a faint trail that splits off to the right of the North Loop Trail.
The summit of Lee Peak is most often overlooked and bypassed. However, its 360-degree views are unique and spectacular, in part due to the small sharp summit shape. You’re looking straight down the entire length of Lee Canyon to the Sheep Range. Turn, and look straight down the entire length of Kyle Canyon. Charleston Peak is so close you can almost touch it! In fact, all 6 of the high peaks in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness are visible from this one spot: Harris Mountain, Griffith Peak, Charleston Peak, Lee Peak, Mummy Mountain and Fletcher Peak. Turn again to see the Northern stretch of the Spring Mountains toward McFarland Peak, Bonanza Peak and beyond! And the summit of Lee Peak is in a beautiful Bristlecone Pine forest. If you have not been to Lee Peak’s summit, you’ve got to make a visit. Here is the most direct path to Lee Peak, all on nice trails except for the final half-mile!
Retrace your way from Lee Peak’s summit back to the North Loop Trail (less than a half-mile). Turn left on the North Loop Trail and descend on that trail to the Trail Canyon Trail Junction. Turn right at the Trail Canyon Trail Junction onto the Trail Canyon Trail for the final 2 miles back to the Trail Canyon Trailhead where you began.
Find another video of the stretch along the wild North Rim between Mummy Mountain and Lee Peak on the 4 Peak Circuit Adventure page.
You’ve just accomplished an extreme adventure more challenging than the Charleston Loop. In the process you enjoyed spectacular views of Kyle Canyon and Lee Canyon, and a magical day of total wilderness immersion!
