Macks Peak | Mt Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada – Overview

Macks Peak is located in the Spring Mountains near Las Vegas, Nevada. There are 2 summits: SE summit, elevation 9,924ft and NW summit, elevation 10,036ft. There is a long ridgeline between the summits that dips around 100-200ft below the elevation of the summits.

Views on the Macks Peak SE Summit Approach

Once you rise along the approach ridge over about 8,500ft the wilderness assumes a beautiful, untouched alpine feel with various wildflowers, pine forests and eventually Bristlecone Pines. There are spectacular 360 degree views all along the approach ridge including the Sisters peaks, Charleston Peak, Lee Peak and Mummy Mountain along with the high ridgeline between, Angel Peak, the Northern part of the Las Vegas Valley, Gass Peak and the Sheep Range.

Macks Peak Class 3 Summit Approach

Not many people know of or ascend Macks Peak, though the entire summit approach can be completed with no greater difficulty level than class 3, provided you take the somewhat hidden Southeast summit approach. Otherwise, the entire summit area is rimmed by sheer cliffs.

Initial Exploration to the Beginning of the SE Final Summit Approach

On my first adventure I explored the area up to the final summit approach, scoping out various approach ridges in order to discover the most streamlined route to the final summit approach.

Best Time of Year to Summit Macks Peak

The best time of year to summit Macks Peak is in the later Spring or early Fall. On my first exploration the second weekend in June, the temperature in the Las Vegas Valley was 109 degrees! I was on foot from the intersection of Lee Canyon Road and Macks Canyon Road. It was around 80 degrees near Macks Peak summit and promising to rise further. By the time I returned to Lee Canyon Road it was about 90 degrees. I’d prefer a temperature in the Las Vegas Valley of 80-90 degrees for a good day to summit Macks Peak. In September or October you won’t have to deal with left-over Winter snow which could make the final approach ledge a bit unnerving. You’ll also have had the entire Summer to acclimatize yourself to altitudes 10,000ft and above.

Macks Peak | Mt Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada – Trailhead Directions

Getting to Macks Canyon Road

Begin on Hwy 95 North from Las Vegas. Take a left onto the Lee Canyon Road turn-off. You’ll pass the Sawmill Trailhead. Be watching for the Macks Canyon unpaved road turn-off on your right. The sign will actually say, “Macks Canyon Group Camp”. If you reach the Deer Creek Road junction you’ve gone 1-2 miles too far.

Macks Canyon Road to Upper Macks Canyon Group Camp

Continue on Macks Canyon Road for 4 miles to the end of the road (at least where it’s blocked off at the Upper Macks Canyon Group Camp. Macks Canyon road is a fairly good unpaved road, but there are a few places where you might want to have a high-centered 4WD vehicle. Your ascent on foot to Macks Peak will begin at the Upper Macks Canyon Group Camp.

Macks Peak | Mt Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada – Trail Description

2nd Exploration: Refine Lower Approach + Explore Final SE Summit Approach of Macks Peak

This exploration brought two important results:

1) Discovery of a very nice gradual approach ridge to the final summit approach.

There are a few potential lower approach ridges from Macks Canyon above the group camp. Most of those approach ridges are very very steep! I headed up a ridge two ridges too soon and ended up scaling a very steep loose rock slope. However, on the return trip I discovered the key. The key is that as you’re heading up Macks Canyon from the upper group camp area, you need to pass about 4 potential approach ridges. I believe the right turn is up the gully after the 4th approach ridge. I’ll test that out on the next trip and get the ridge numbers exact.

The gully you begin to ascend will, within about 1000ft split into two gullies with a ridgeline between. Head up the ridgeline between the two gullies. That ridgeline will be the most gradual approach to the final summit approach, compared to all the other alternate gullies and ridgelines. I know this is a pretty sketchy description, but locating this approach is so much quicker, better and energy saving than all the other lower approaches!

2) Closer, more detailed study of the final summit approach.

I got weirded out AGAIN by the narrow, loose rock final summit approach ledge. But this time I had two climbing partners, John and Gregg, with me who ascended that final approach while I took detailed video of their progress. See the video on this page. It looked pretty challenging, but with no difficulty level beyond mid-to-high class 3 climbing. And, John and Gregg made the slow challenging final summit approach to the summit and back in no more than 45 minutes! This shows how close that final approach is to the summit of Macks Peak! 

Spectacular Views from Macks Peak Summit

Of course, John and Gregg gave long, extended detail of the spectacular views I missed on the summit! Macks Peak stands alone in the area with amazing 360-degree views of:

• The Sisters South
• The Sisters North
• The Connecting Saddle Between the Sisters
• Black Rock Sister
• Mid-to-Lower Lee Canyon
• The Sheep Range and Gass Peak across Lee Canyon
• Lee Peak
• Charleston Peak
• Mummy Mountain
• The Bonanza Trail Ridgeline
• McFarland Peak
• Bonanza Peak
• Panorama of the Highway 95 Corridor and surroundings stretching far North of Las Vegas 
• Much Much More!!!!!!!

A Streamlined Half-Day Adventure to Macks Peak Summit is Possible

Next adventure here I’ll count the lower approach ridges and gullies, nail the location of the best lower approach ridge and then tackle and video document the final summit approach. I’m confident that between the streamlined lower approach ridge and the short final summit approach Macks Peak can be a half-day adventure…if you have a decent high-centered vehicle and begin about 4 miles up Macks Canyon Road.

Thanks to John Gardner and Gregg Spector, my climbing partners, for demonstrating the final summit approach! 

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Initial Exploration: To the Final SE Summit Approach of Macks Peak

On this day I parked at the intersection of Lee Canyon Road and Macks Canyon Road, then traveled the entire distance on foot. The 4-mile Macks Canyon Road is beautifully pine and juniper forested and rises to a high point with a spectacular overlook down Lee Canyon all the way to the Sheep Range and Gass Peak. All along the way there are numerous camping pullouts generous enough for a few vehicles and a large trailer. Some of these are perched on high points with incredible views. There are no services, so if you’re camping bring everything you need.

Additional Routes to the Eastern Ridge of Macks Canyon

Since I was on foot, I noticed at least 4-5 places where there was a branching trail or old road (now blocked to motorized vehicles) to the left. After seeing Macks Canyon from above, I believe these routes lead to the high ridgeline on the East side of Macks Canyon (pictured in the video and slide show on this page). This ridgeline looks like an adventure in itself. I’ll return at some point to explore!

Arrival At Macks Canyon Group Camps

I continued on Macks Canyon Road to the Lower Macks Canyon Group Camp which had a cluster of camping spots. Less than 1/8th mile further up Macks Canyon Road there was the Upper Macks Canyon Group Camp. At the upper end of the Upper Macks Canyon Group Camp Macks Canyon Road is blocked to motorized vehicles by a line of boulders, though the road continues for foot traffic. My time from Lee Canyon Road to the Upper Macks Canyon Group Camp was about an hour and a half — remember I was on foot.

3 Alternate Routes from the Upper Macks Canyon Group Camp

It’s at the Upper Macks Canyon Group Camp that you have some alternate choices for the roughly 2.5-mile route to Macks Peak SE and NE Summits. There are basically main 3 approaches, but one could be creative and find multiple additional variations. All 3 variations are ways to get over the obvious ridgeline to the West (right side) of Macks Canyon Road that parallels the road.

Things are much simpler if you consider a top-down perspective from the Macks Peak final SE summit approach. There are 2 main ridges branching down in an upside down “V” formation from Macks Peak final summit approach cliff area to Macks Canyon Road.

Macks Peak SE Summit Approach #1 – Straight Approach from the Macks Canyon Upper Group Camp:

This is not my favorite, but it works. I took this route on the return trip from Macks Peak just to check it out.

Near the top of the Macks Canyon Upper Group Camp, right where the turn-around loop begins in the road, take a right turn (SW) up an unmarked narrow gully wash. The gully is at first surprisingly simple, gradual and open almost without any obstacles. But after about 3/4ths mile it turns evil with a steep loose rock avalanche slope. This slope angles upward and a bit to the left to a ridge with will taper off a bit and finally rise up to adjoin the Northernmost of the main 2 summit approach ridges shortly before that main ridge reaches the final summit approach.

The 2 reasons I do not prefer this route are the steep avalanche slope and the lack of views.

Macks Peak SE Summit Approach #2: The Main Northern Approach Ridge:

I prefer this approach as it has only a couple brief sections of avalanche slope, is more gradual overall and the views all along the ridgeline are spectacular!

To catch this main approach ridge continue on Macks Canyon Road for about 1/2 mile beyond the Upper Macks Canyon Group Camp. Watch for a small obscure cairn of only a couple rocks at the base of the rather steep loose rock slope to your right. The slope is steep, but relatively short. Once you reach the ridgeline, angle left. You’re now on the main approach ridge to Macks Peak. There is a faint trail that alternately appears and disappears. Just stay on the ridgeline. Macks Peak will soon appear. Continue toward Macks Peak. This is the approach route I took in the video on this page; and SE Summit Approach #1 is the route I used to descend back to the Upper Macks Canyon Group Camp.

Macks Peak SE Summit Approach #3:

When you’re on main approach ridge #2, you’ll notice another main ridge to the South (your left) forming the other arm of the upsidedown “V” angling down from Macks Peak SE final summit approach cliff. If you had stayed on Macks Canyon Road about a half mile further from the point you headed up the main Northern approach ridge (above), you could have taken this alternate ridge to the South, but it appears to be a longer route and it doesn’t end up exactly at the SE summit approach…you have to circumvent the Macks Peak cliff base for a couple hundred feet to arrive at the upper end of main approach ridge #2, which you’ll probably at this point wish you had taken in the first place. That said, this Northern approach ridge looks interesting and beautiful as an alternate SE summit approach.

Macks Peak Final SE Summit Approach

All three of the above summit approaches land you at the Macks Peak final SE summit approach cliff. As you’re nearing the SE summit you’ll notice a band of trees stretching diagonally down the cliff line from the upper left to the lower right. This band of trees is the final SE summit approach ledge. In the video and slide show on this page I get to the lower base of the approach ledge (tree line) and show the view up the ledge.

Though it seems impossible from a distance that there might be a summit approach along that imposing cliff face, when you get there, it’s actually a fairly wide ledge. There are some brief less wide exposed stretches along the ledge with a loose rock base, but these do not look too horrible. I’ll return on a cooler day, in better condition, to document the final summit approach.