BOU AVENUE
Potosi Mountain
During my week-long stay at Treasure Island hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, I woke up every morning to a wonderful view of Potosi Mountain from my room on the twenty-first floor.  On my second-last day in town, 29 January 2011, I decided to hike the service road that runs all the way up to the summit of Potosi Mountain.  Using the description from summitpost.org, I had no problems finding the start of the road at a locked gate.  The hike up the road, though steep and/or icy in places, was generally a piece of cake.  In addition to the summit, I also tagged the next highest bump to the north partly because it afforded a better panoramic view without antenna equipment.  On my return trip, I made a detour up to another antenna-cluttered bump known on Garmin's Topo USA 2008 as Potosi Mountain South.  Overall, my round-trip time was 6.5 hours with an estimated* net elevation gain of about 925 metres.  That night, I rejoined my wife back in Las Vegas, and we capped off our vacation with dinner at the Triple 7 Restaurant and Microbrewery and a visit to the famous Fremont Street.
If I had gotten here a little sooner, I might have been able to hitch a ride... This is as far as the public can drive up Potosi Mountain's service road.  A service truck is continuing up the road at left.  The road is also visible higher up in the distance (left of centre near horizon).
I wonder when was the last time they had to use this sucker... Not far up the road, a snow cat sits incongruously on the dry ridge.
I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. The road splits further up with the right branch heading directly to the top of Potosi Mountain South and the left branch contouring around the same.
Probably a good thing that I didn't attempt Griffith on this trip! Far to the north are Charleston Peak (left) and Griffith Peak (far right).
The summit is still at least a good hour away. Sonny avoids some slippery snow on the road.  The summit of Potosi Mountain is visible left of centre.
At least you won't get charged a resort fee if you stay here! A roofless concrete shed sits abandoned beside the road.
Careful what you do up here. There are security cameras! A short scramble behind the building leads to the summit.
Apparently, there is a summit register here, but I completely missed it. Here is a closer look at the antenna on the 2595-metre summit of Potosi Mountain.
I had only gummies and an orange pop for lunch! Getting away from all the antennas, Sonny proceeds to the next bump to the north. The Spring Mountains are visible in the distance.
Some of them look like they're doing more than just huddling! This is one of numerous clumps of ladybugs huddled among the rocks near the summit. Apparently, they do this to stay warm.
This ain't the summit, but it's more esthetically appealing. Sonny poses on the 2583-metre northern high point of Potosi Mountain.
If you squint hard enough, you should be able to spot snowy Telescope Peak about 145 kilometres away! This is looking down the west ridge which is another popular approach for Potosi Mountain.  The dark ridge near the horizon is the Nopah Range, and further behind it is the Panamint Range.
The Big Three of the Spring Mountains! Here is another look at Charleston Peak (left) and Griffith Peak (centre) plus Mummy Mountain (right).
All good reasons to go back to Vegas! The peaks of Red Rock Canyon are visible to the north including Bridge Mountain (far left), Rainbow Peak (left of centre), and Mount Wilson (right of centre).  La Madre Mountain at distant right dominates the skyline.
Click here for the view of Potosi Mountain from our room at Treasure Island! Past the Las Vegas Strip to the northeast are Sunrise Mountain (left of centre) and Virgin Peak (right horizon).
On 16 January 1942, Carole Lombard's plane crashed not far below the east (left) face of the middle bump in this photo. Most of Potosi Mountain's numerous high points are visible to the south.
I'm not absolutely certain, but I think that sliver of white in the distance is Silver Lake which is usually dry. This is looking southwest into California from the service road.
And that small peak above the buildings at far right is the 23,079,845th peak called Sheep Mountain. Spirit Mountain, over 100 kilometres away, stands out on the southeast horizon.  The light tan patch in the middle ground at far left is Jean Playa (dry lake).
They should have called this "Antenna Mountain"! Three identical towers stand atop Potosi Mountain South (2497 metres).
Strangely, all these multiple antennas kinda remind me of Christ's Crucifixion! Here is another view of Potosi Mountain's summit from Potosi Mountain South.
It took me a little over an hour to hike back down to my car from here. This is a last look southward from Potosi Mountain South.  The sharp peak at distant centre is Devil Peak while the big hulk on the horizon at right is Clark Mountain.
*Because I had left my GPS at the hotel, all elevation figures given on this page were taken or derived from the local 1:24,000 USGS topographic map.