Lincoln County High Point Trip Report
Date: May 26, 2003
Author: Scott Casterlin
Using directions I got from Mike Coltrin, who had gotten advice from Andy Martin, I turned west off
Highway 93 onto an unsigned road about 400 feet south of the White Pine - Lincoln County line directly
across from an outbuilding of the Geyser Ranch. No signs forbidding entry, but there's a gate to open and close.
The sometimes-two-track road looks threatening at first, but doesn't get any worse than at the beginning.
However, 4WD could ultimately make things easier on this road for you. Stay on the best track,
avoiding side tracks marked "no vehicles - wilderness study area". Look sharp for a right fork about 1.7
miles in and take it. If you end up driving a rougher road next to a fence on the left of you, you missed this fork.
Continue generally westerly toward the mountains and into the Mill Creek drainage. Visible on the
topo are switchbacks you can drive up, though you'll have to double back on a few of the tightest switches.
A small flat area at the top of the switches is a nice car camp spot or parking area.
Driving further doesn't really help. Grunt your way up the sage/rock slope west past Point 9695 to Point 10562,
bushwhacking or rock-hopping all the way. Then turn north, cross the wide saddle, and scramble up
to the cairned county highpoint behind a wind-swept pinion or juniper. Stay as close as you can to the nose
of the ridge to catch the cairn. You may want to cut Point 10562 on the way back and go southeast directly
toward Point 9695 across the slope. Snow was a minor hindrance for me at the higher northeast-facing
elevations on this late May trip. Fast hikers can do this one in about four or five hours round trip.