Wheeler Peak, NV 5/2/07

I jetted across the lonely state of Nevada on the first of May 2007, my route was west to east, 95 to 6 to 50. The landscape along here is characterized by islands of mountain ranges that run north to south, separated by mostly dried up alkaline lakebeds. At one time these mountains might have literally been islands between ancient lakes, a time when the climate was a bit cooler, and much wetter.
Sand Dunes near Sodaville, NV
The lone rider. This guy was riding for Jerusalem. I passed his truck and horse trailer 40 mi down the road.

I found my way into the Snake Range, and my objective, Wheeler Peak, the tallest peak in the eastern 9/10 of the state loomed thousands of feet above the valley floor.
It was apparent that this area doesn't see many people this time of year. This guy came up to me for a pet. There was 2 other vehicles at the campground, one of them was the host.
It looked like rain, and with my truck (second home)packed with all my belongings, I stretched a tarp between a couple trees. The clouds dried out when the sun dropped and the convection dissipated.
Bristlecone Pine, probably 4,000 years old. The oldest living things on earth. When this tree started growing ancient Egypt was peaking as a civilization, early Stonehenge was just being started, and its likely they didn't even know this continent existed.

Wheeler Peak and its huge north face.
Guardians of the Couloir
I climbed up to the eastern ridge, then followed that up.
View down my climbed route with my descent across the cirque on left
View down Andrew McLean's "Cortex Couloir" to the rock glacier far below. No thankyou, not this year. He gave it a rating of S6, which is: Most of the route steeper than 55 degrees. This is extreme terrain that's safe for only the elite athlete if turns are made. Sideslipping and ropework may be mandatory. Loose snow avalanches are common, especially after new snow accumulations; slab avalanches are uncommon.
By the way, that was on a year when the snowpack was well above average.


Just a moderate steady breeze at the pyramid like summit, over 6000 ft. above the valley floor
Some steep turns off the top
silky smooth creamy corn
Route off the NW ramp
This was quite a route finding adventure on the face, and I had to scramble over a rocky rib to connect the snow. This trip was inspired by the late Galen Rowell, one of the best adventure photographers ever. Check out his site Mountain Light Photography
Endless potential exists in this range for couloir shooting thanks to the amazing fault block geology. When it looks like there might be a line, there probably is, its just tucked away in a bend or fold in the rock. While far from a normal destination, its a great hit while traveling from the Sierra to the Rockies.