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Corkscrew Peak
Death Valley, California
April 20, 2009

Distance: 11.2 km (7.0 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 970 m (3182 ft
)

In search of peaks to do near Las Vegas I was intrigued when I came across Corkscrew Peak on Summitpost. I was attracted to climbing a peak in Death Valley. Summitpost didn't provide a route description, but I was able to Google a route for it. Good thing, as I had read about a party who didn't make it to the summit. They followed a canyon and became “rim walled": they hit a dead end.

After parking on the side of the road, Dinah and I set off up the trail and immediately became immersed in our surroundings: lizards, flowering cacti, huge beetles and striking, colourful flowers everywhere.

We got off course a bit when we realized the trail we were on didn't follow the route I had. So we took off across the flats and reached the base of the mountain. Here the route ascends the southeast ridge. We followed it until it intersected a well-worn path.

Once on the trail, we hiked easily to the top. Behind us, the vast expanse of Death Valley spread out below us, including Badwater Basin, the lowest elevation in the United States.

After we had our fill of the summit, we headed down. It was hot when we started the trip, but the summit air had been a comfortable temperature. Now as we descended, it grew hotter. It was 33°C when we walked back across the flats. Our next objective was an ice cream shop in nearby Beatty, Nevada!

KML and GPX Tracks
MOVIE


Corkscrew Peak got its name from its distinctive shape


Horned lizard


When disturbed, a desert blister beetle can squirt a substance that can cause blistering on human skin, something I learned later!


The route eventually wends right and goes behind the summit block


Looking back across the desert flats


Fishhook cactus named for its auxiliary hook-shaped spines


After crossing the flats we finally started climbing


We were careful not to bump into barrel cacti (mouse over to see a close-up)

Clockwise from upper left: beavertail cactus, smooth desert dandelion, desert fivespot, desert chicory


Badwater Basin below is the lowest spot in the U.S. (86 m below sea level)


As we worked our way around to the backside of Corkscrew, we saw the mountains to the east


The trip was never more than an offtrail hike


From here we could only see the false summit


On the far right, near the skyline, a trail goes up through the cliffs


The route goes right, below the rock outcrops


Telescope Peak (3368 m) is the highest mountain in Death Valley (mouse over for a close-up)


On the backside, a trail leads to the notch above me


Hiking up the trail


Looking back as we continued up the trail


A trail can be seen on the left, but we hiked offtrail between the two hills rising from the flats


The long ridge on the left is Daylight Peak


Nearing the notch


Posing in an arch


The trail continues to the summit


Looking back


Dinah waits for me on a false summit


One last false summit


On top of Corkscrew Peak


Chloride City, Daylight Pass, Thimble Peak (7.0 mi, 5781 ft, 3235 ft)


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