With cool, windy weather persisting, I turned to Lake Mead Recreational Area. Because of its low elevation, it's warmer than Las Vegas. Besides, I could use the five-day, $5 pass I had bought the day before. While Dinah shopped for condos, I climbed Sentinel Peak. I used Harlan Stockman's web site for information. Instructions were sorely lacking but it provided a map with a GPS route.

I parked at a pullout on the south side of Northshore Scenic Drive and walked east a short distance to the guard rail where I found a road. I followed the road for 2 km before leaving it and taking a wash on the left. After leaving the wash I headed across the flats to Sentinel Peak. Specifically, I headed to the drainage east of the peak. I enjoyed ascending the drainage as it twisted and turned; I never knew what lay around the next bend.

After reaching a saddle I followed a sheep track below the ridge connected to the peak. When the slope became too steep to continue, I scrambled over the ridge to a saddle. Here the mountain rose precipitously and I hiked along a shelf below steep rock slabs to a chute that I climbed easily. To my surprise, I came out next to the summit. After a short stay, I continued on to do the descent route.

I had no difficulties until I reached a huge drop in a deep drainage. I knew I had to exit the drainage on my right but the only advice given was to “Follow the GPS Trace”! After an exhausting hour-long search where I kept hitting steep, smooth rock I gave up. Mindful of the amount of daylight left, I climbed back up to the summit. Having dropped below the trailhead elevation, I had to ascend 350 m.

Two and a half hours after leaving the summit I stood on it for the second time. Had I not tried the descent route, this would have been a five-hour trip. My return was uneventful save for the setting sun lighting up the red rocks. The view was glorious while it lasted and I made my way back to the car in quickly fading light.

Download gpx track