Phinney Pass

Phinney Canyon ends atop tiny Phinney Pass. This is a very remote little patch of almost flat ground where a couple of small 4wd vehicles might park for an overnight camp. Being over 5,000 feet elevation, it gets very cold up here at night, even when it is scorching in Death Valley below – better have a real good sleeping bag! There are some splendid red rocks on the south side of the pass, just a few feet from camp, that allow for great climbing to higher elevations for wonderful views or patchy cellular telephone contact.

If we have time on our hands, we can hike on down the old road on the west side of the pass that is now closed due to wilderness designation. It is very overgrown, but will take us a long ways down the western slope of the forested Grapevine Mountains. Few people ever come to this secret sweet spot, making it perfect for anyone really wanting to get away from the crowds. The reason for the minimal visitation is the difficulty of the road in places getting up here. It is very constricted in spots, with one minimal class-4 impediment (on last check). For those who like lots of trees, and vistas east into Nevada and west into California, this is a grand place.