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Adventure Video Guide and Slide Guide will appear soon after March 1st, 2024
Gray Cap Ridge is just Northeast of the Calico Basin in Nevada. It’s actually located in the La Madre Mountains Wilderness. View the Nevada Wilderness Finder to see wilderness boundaries in Nevada.
Gray Cap Ridge towers over the Calico Basin, Kraft Mountain and the Calico Hills to the West. It also forms the Western border of the Brownstone Basin.
The Southeast Summit of Gray Cap Ridge offers a unique and spectacular view of the following great reference points:
And the above are just a short list of sights visible from the Southeast summit of Gray Cap Ridge.
Another reason to visit the Southeast summit of Gray Cap Ridge is the relative ease of hiking to that summit. The entire route is a class 1-2 walk with no rock climbing and no exposure to a fall, unless you stray off course. There are good trails that lead all the way to the summit’s final approach. However, all the trails are unmarked, so it’s important to consult the map, slide guide and narrative guide on this page to help you stay on course all the way from the trailhead to the summit.
The route begins at Gene’s Trailhead in the Calico Basin. From there, take the Half Wilson Trail, circling Peak 3844 into Brownstone Basin. Continue to circle the East side of the next hill before ascending to the saddle at the base of Gray Cap Ridge. Once on the saddle, look for some cairns which mark a rock-lined trail which I call the Lower Gray Cap Ridgeline Trail. This trail will guide you up lower Gray Cap Ridgeline to the first and second of three spectacular viewpoints. You can stop here, or navigate the pathless ridgeline to the clearly visible Southeast summit of Gray Cap Ridge about a half-mile ahead. The entire route out-and-back is less than 10 miles.
You’ll want to avoid the high temperatures of mid-Summer which can reach and even exceed the upper 90s. Mid-Winter can bring snow and ice which create hazardous conditions. However, most of the time the entire route is free of snow and ice. The best time of year for this adventure is during the Spring and Fall months.
From Hwy 215 in the Summerlin area, take the Charleston Blvd exit, turn upward (West) on Charleston Blvd toward the mountains. Charleston Blvd becomes Blue Diamond Rd. (159) as you leave the city. Take the Calico Basin exit off 159 (right turn) onto Calico Basin Road. Park at Gene’s Trailhead near the beginning of Calico Basin Road.
At Gene’s Trailhead, begin by getting your bearings. You can see the tip of Kraft Mountain to the North. Just to the right of Kraft Mountain is Turtlehead Peak. The next high point to the right of Turtlehead Peak is Gray Cap Ridge. Beyond, on the horizon, are the cliffs of the La Madre Mountains Ridgeline. Standing at the edge of Calico Basin Road at Gene’s Trailhead and looking East you will see ridges and hills. You’re looking toward the Peak 3844 ridge area. You want to circle around the right (Southeast) edge of the hills you’re viewing. There are three trails at Gene’s Trailhead. The trail to the far left leads Northwest toward Kraft Mountain. The middle trail is Gene’s Trail, leading up a ridge. A fainter trail to the right circles around the Southeastern edge of the hills you are facing. This is the Half Wilson Trail. You’ll know you’re on the Half Wilson trail because all the hills will be to your left.
Once on the very distinct Half Wilson Trail, you need to circle the Southeastern base of two large hills to your left. The first and largest is Peak 3844 and its ridgeline. As you round that ridgeline the Half Wilson Trail ends in a wash. You’re now in Brownstone Basin. There’s one more hill ahead and to your left. Head up the wash and circle around the right (Eastern) base of that second hill. As you round the hill take a trail branching off to your left. This trail will lead you to the saddle between that second hill and the base of Gray Cap Ridge.
Once on the saddle at the base of Gray Cap Ridge, look for some cairns on your right. These cairns mark the beginning of a nice rock-lined trail meandering up Gray Cap Ridgeline. This trail will guide you to the first high point overlook of the Calico Basin. The trail continues to a second high point overlook. Each high point has a more spectacular view than the preceding. Take time to wander to the edge of the ridgeline overlooking the Calico Basin, Kraft Mountain, the Calico Hills and the distant Rainbow Mountains. Turn 360 degrees to see all the viewpoints listed above.
In addition to the spectacular views along this great ridgeline, with is like being on a mountaintop the entire way, look carefully at the darker limestone rocks and boulders to see ancient fossils! This entire area was once the bottom of an ancient sea and the limestone is the frozen ocean bottom mud.
Before the second high point, you’ll come across a survey marker. Beyond the second high point the Lower Gray Cap Ridgeline Trail will give out, but you can see the Gray Cap Ridge Southeast Summit ahead. It looks steep and imposing from this perspective. Just realize that when you actually get to the base of that summit, the final ascent will appear easier and more gradual. Continue toward the Southeastern Summit. There’s another great high point view along the way. Stay high in the center of the ridgeline for the best views.
One of the great features of this adventure is that, even if you turn around at one of the high points before the Southeastern summit of Gray Cap Ridge, you’ll still experience some very expansive views and a very rewarding hike!
After that final high point before the Southeast Summit, you’re on the final summit approach. The ascent is steeper as you weave around boulders up the base of the summit. Look ahead to see a reddish rocky outcrop. Navigate around the right side of that outcrop and a little further upward to arrive on the Gray Cap Ridge Southeast Summit.
Once on the Southeast Summit, the view is even more expansive. Now you can see Gray Cap Ridge extending over a mile ahead to Gray Cap Summit. Gray Cap Ridge is wide, and feels like it’s own unique “lost world”. Another climber reports seeing a flock of Big Horn Sheep on the ridge.
If you wish to proceed north on the ridgeline to Gray Cap Summit, you’ll be navigating a few rocky high points along the way. I’ll soon make that traverse, but at this time I cannot vouch for that final stretch to the Northwestern summit of Gray Cap Ridge, referred to as Gray Cap Peak.
For the return descent from the Southeast Summit to Gene’s Trailhead I took a different route through the center of the Calico Basin for variety. I took a right on the Powerline Maintenance Road to navigate along the Northern base of the Peak 3844 ridge. Then took a small trail branching to the left to ascend a long low ridgeline where I turned left to descend that ridgeline on Gene’s Trail back to Gene’s Trailhead on Calico Basin Road.
Congratulations! In this amazing round trip of less than 10 miles, you’ve encountered spectacular views, practiced a bit of pathless wilderness navigation and perhaps seen some ancient fossils! In addition, you’ve captured a glimpse of Gray Cap Ridgeline’s unique “lost world”. These experiences along with the pictures and videos you’ve taken will form lasting memories!
David Smith has devoted the better part of one day each week over the past 20 years to experiencing a mountain trail running adventure. He began in the Pacific Northwest with the Columbia Gorge and Cascade Mountains; then moved to Southern California and experienced the Angeles Crest mountains; then the Northeast where he experienced the Hudson River Valley and Minnewaska; finally in 2016 to Las Vegas where he is experiencing and documenting Red Rock Canyon, the Spring Mountains (Mt. Charleston area), Death Valley and beyond!
Return often to experience one new adventure each week! From the home page scroll to “Most Recent Adventures“. More about David Smith…
The trail adventures on this website require proper conditioning, preparation and safety precautions. There are many factors beyond our control including weather conditions, unstable ground, loose rocks, insects and snakes, people you may encounter, your own level of physical conditioning, the potential of getting lost just to mention a few. While this site offers guidance, helpful tips, direction and training, the reader assumes full responsibility for whatever may occur during their trail adventure. Have fun and be safe!
