Shenandoah Peak

BOU AVENUE
Shenandoah Peak

Inspired by a 2013 trip report by Bob Spirko, Zosia Zgolak and I made plans to climb Devil Peak in southern Nevada on 6 January 2024. When we tried to drive to the starting point though, we were dismayed to find the access road heavily washed out. Lengthening the trip with extra kilometres of uninspiring walking across the desert flats did not hold much appeal for either of us, and we quickly pivoted to find an alternate objective for the day. After browsing Spirko's website, we decided to try Shenandoah Peak which is near the community of Goodsprings, a relatively short drive from where we were. Most importantly, we believed the access road would be in much better shape than that for Devil Peak. There are several different possible approaches for Shenandoah Peak, but we would essentially follow Spirko's route up the north ridge as described in his 2012 trip report.

From I-15, take Exit 12 at Jean and head west on Goodsprings Road (Highway 161). In the community of Goodsprings, head west along Pacific Avenue which bends north to become Beacon Street. If needed, there is a convenient vault toilet in a parking lot just north of the fire station on Beacon Street. Past the fire station, Beacon Street turns into Wilson Pass/Kingston Road (2WD gravel). From the fire station, drive 3.9 kilometres and keep straight at a split. Drive another 1.6 kilometres and veer left at a second split. Drive another 1.9 kilometres and find a suitable spot to park off the road. This last section of road is rougher (high clearance helps) but should still be okay for 2WD vehicles.

From where we parked, Zosia and I headed south toward the start of Shenandoah Peak's broad north ridge. Despite the lack of a trail, travel was easy, and we quickly gained elevation. For the most part, we just kept following the gently undulating ridge upward, and the one minor cliff band of any significance was easily surmounted. A light dusting of snow on the upper mountain did not pose any trouble for us, and we easily reached the summit a little more than 1.5 hours after leaving our car.

After signing the summit register and having a light snack, Zosia and I descended the west ridge for a short distance to check out a small natural arch that we spotted on our way up. From there, we traversed across the northwest face of the summit block to regain our ascent route. We then retreated down the mountain the same way. Near the bottom, we spotted a herd of wild horses below the ridge, and we took a slight detour to visit them. The horses were wary of us but did not necessarily bolt when we approached to within a few metres of them. We eventually left the horses in peace and walked back to our car to conclude our short but rewarding adventure.

	Zosia gets ready to hike up Shenandoah Peak behind her.
	Zosia heads up the broad north ridge of Shenandoah Peak.
	The cliff band ahead can either be tackled head-on or circumvented to the left.
	Zosia finds a fragment of a sheep horn.
	Zosia hugs the cliff band looking for a weakness to scramble up.
	The top of Shenandoah Peak is barely visible above the ridge at left.
	The remainder of the ascent is a simple and pleasant ridge walk.
	An old glass Coca-Cola bottle has seemingly survived the elements on Shenandoah Peak.

Kinda beautiful with the dusting of snow!

Zosia approaches the final rise before the summit.

	Sonny and Zosia stand on the summit of Shenandoah Peak (1788 metres).
	The view to the south includes Devil Peak (dark, pointy peak at left), Little Devil Peak (dark, pointy peak left of centre), and Clark Mountain (right horizon).
	The most notable mountain to the west is Kingston Peak (left of centre).
	Snow-capped Charleston Peak and Potosi Mountain (darker bump right of centre) are visible to the north.
	Zosia checks out a natural arch located a short distance west of the summit.
	Wild horses roam in the valley north of Shenandoah Peak.
	Here is a closer look at some of the wild horses. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	As Zosia heads back to the car which is visible at right, a lone white horse wanders far from the rest of the herd.
	Total Distance: 5.7 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 3 hours 46 minutes Net Elevation Gain: 341 metres GPX Data