Mummy Mountain West
Mummy Mountain Viewed from South Climb Trail Across Kyle Canyon
Mummy Mountain West
Mummy Mt Viewed More Closely from South Climb Trail to Mt. Charleston
Mummy Mountain West
Trail Canyon / North Loop Junction Approaching Mummy Mountain, Nevada
Mummy Mountain West
Cave Spring on North Loop Trail Approaching Mummy Mountain, Nevada
Mummy Mountain West
Tree On North Loop Trail Pointing To Mummy Mt. Approach
Mummy Mountain West
Direction from Top of Scree Hill to Upper North Loop Trail
Mummy Mountain West
Looking Down the "Horrifying Half" Scree Hill
Mummy Mountain West
Summit and Summit Box, Griffith Peak in Background
Mummy Mountain West
Ridge from Griffith Peak to Mt. Charleston Viewed from Mummy Mt. Summit
Mummy Mountain West
La Madre Mountain Viewed from Mummy Mt. Summit
Mummy Mountain West
Gass Peak and Centennial Hills Viewed from Mummy Mountain Summit
Mummy Mountain West
Fallen, Sun Bleached Bristlecone Pine on Mummy Mt. Summit
Mummy Mountain West
Mt. Charleston Viewed from Mummy Mountain Summit
Mummy Mountain West
Camping Shelter on Mummy Mountain Summit
Mummy Mountain West
Looking Down V-Shaped Canyon Final Approach
Mummy Mountain West
Mummy Mt from West Summit of Gass Peak (Mt Charleston & Griffith Peak to Left).

Mummy Mountain Western Approach | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada

Mummy Mountain Summit

Mummy Mountain, at 11,528 feet, is the second highest peak in the Spring Mountains, just 390ft short of Mt. Charleston, the highest, 11,918ft. However, when it comes to sheer massiveness, Mummy Mountain surpasses Mt. Charleston with a summit an entire half mile in length and wider than a football field. In terms of beauty Mummy Mountain again surpasses the barren Mt. Charleston with a landscape of ancient living bristlecone pine trees and sculpted, sun bleached bristlecone pine wood.

View From Mummy Mountain Summit

From the summit one can see sweeping views of Griffith Peak, Mt. Charleston and the ridge between, Kyle Canyon and Mt. Charleston Village, Lee Canyon, Las Vegas and the Strip, Gass Peak, the Sheep Mountain Range and the Desert National Wildlife Refuge (largest wildlife refuge in the lower 48 States), La Madre Mountain Wilderness and the Keystone Thrust spanning upper Red Rock Canyon and Calico Basin, Pahrump, Telescope Peak, the Panamint Mountain Range (above Death Valley) and very faintly the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. There’s a lot more if you look carefully.

Drive to the Trail Canyon Trailhead

Driving to the trailhead at Trail Canyon is pretty easy, up I-95 North from Las Vegas, take a left at the Kyle Canyon exit, continue about 20 miles up Kyle Canyon to Mt. Charleston Village, pass a fire station continuing straight where the road bends to the left. You’ll arrive at a parking area (same parking used for Mary Jane Falls). In all, it’s less than 40 miles from the Las Vegas Strip.

The Trail to Mummy Mountain

Head up Trail Canyon trail for about 2 miles until you reach the junction of the Trail Canyon trail and North Loop Trail. Take a left at the junction. You’re now on the North Loop Trail. Pass Cave Spring and continue the switchbacks upward for another mile until you see a sun-bleached bristlecone pine tree trunk marked with an “M” and an arrow pointing to the right.

End of Marked Trails

Now any official trail disappears. Continue up a very steep scree avalanche slope I call “The Horrifying Half”. Take a right up the ridge at the top.

In about an 8th of a mile when you reach a rock wall turn left and skirt to the right and upward around the left edge of the rock wall. Continue up and take a left skirting along the base of the Mummy Mountain cliff face. In another 8th mile take a right up a V-shaped canyon on up to the summit. Note that there is no marked trail beyond the “M” tree, you’re pretty much on your own. A kind of trail will at times appear and disappear between the “M” tree and the summit, so go by the landmarks. Look back often so you know how the way should look when you return. It’s easy to get disoriented on the return trip and go down a false route ultimately ending in a huge cliff drop-off!

Most Direct Route from Mummy to Mt. Charleston Summit

On the return trip if you want to loop over to the upper North Loop Trail avoiding descending down the “Horrifying Half” and reascending the North Loop here’s the key: Once you descend to the top of the “Horrifying Half”, descend about 50 ft, take a right and continue just below the top left side of the upper ridge. Skirt to the left of the rocky outcrop. Descend about 50 feet along a fallen tree. Take a sharp right and hug the rocky outcrop. Cross under a suspended tree trunk. Continue to weave your way along the upper ridge staying as high on the ridge as possible without ascending any vertical boulders. After the first 8th mile the ridge widens out. Stay on the Kyle Canyon cliff side of the ridge. A faint trail will appear and disappear along the way. Stick to the landmarks, not the trail. After a mile or so, when you see an abandoned ski lift tower take a left and descend off the ridge on to the North Loop Trail…surprisingly only about 50 yards from the ski tower! Now you can continue along the North Loop Trail to Mt. Charleston summit having saved yourself about 1000 feet descent and reascent.

Have fun! This is my favorite summit in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness!

Mummy Mountain Western Approach Summit Adventure with Sister Sharon Howe

Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Sharon Howe Ready to Ascend Mummy Mt. Avalanche Slope
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Sharon at the M Tree Marking the Western Avalanche Approach to Mummy Mt
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
David at the M Tree Pointing to the Western Avalanche Approach to Mummy Mt
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Sharon Ascending the Avalance Slope on the Western Approach to Mummy Mt
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Sharon Ascending the Avalance Slope on the Western Approach to Mummy Mt
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Sharon At the Top of the Avalanche Slope to Mummy Mt., Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
David At the 15-Mile Mark on the 4-Peak Circuit Below Mummy Mt.
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Sharon Ascending the Final Approach Canyon to Mummy Mt. Summit
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Sharon Ascending the Final Approach Canyon to Mummy Mt. Summit
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Sharon on the Summit Tree of Mummy Mt. in Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
David on the Summit Tree of Mummy Mt. in Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
View Toward Northern Las Vegas from Mummy Mt Summit, Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
View Toward La Madre Mt from Mummy Mt Summit, Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
View Toward Griffith Peak and Harris Mt from Mummy Mt Summit, Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
View Toward Kyle Canyon North Ridge from Mummy Mt Summit, Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
View Toward Harris Mt and Griffith Peak from Mummy Mt Summit, Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Sharon Howe on Mummy Mt Summit in Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Walk Toward the Northern Edge of Mummy Mt. Summit, Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Sculpted Bristlecone Pines on the Northern End of Mummy Mt, Nevada
Mummy Mt West with Sister Sharon
Perfect Sculpted Ancient Bristlecone Pine Chair on Mummy Mt, Nevada
Summary
Mummy Mountain Western Approach | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada
Article Name
Mummy Mountain Western Approach | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada
Description
Mummy Mountain, at 11,528 feet, is the second highest peak in the Spring Mountains, just 390ft short of Mt. Charleston, the highest, 11,918ft. This is the traditional popular route to the summit.
Author
Publisher Name
LasVegasAreaTrails.com
Publisher Logo
Translate »