Boundary Cone Summit Route

Dogs Unknown

Features Cave · Views

"Main Ridge" is a sort of plateau with some nice views partway up. On your way up, follow the main ridge until you make the first turn left towards some broken boulders. Do not be sucked into going up and right. That is unless you like to climb some sketchy rock.

Park at one of the pullouts on the side of Oatman Highway 10 near the trailhead.

Approach: Cross the road to the obvious old ATV loop road that goes on the mountain a bit. Follow the road/trail uphill until it forks, go left (or either way), and continue up until you reach the top of the loop.

Trail: From there, go up 15 meters straight up loose gravel to a flat area with a concrete slab and barbed wire on the left. If you continue going up about 30 meters you can find a cool little mine cave. However, the main route goes left, skirting around the broken barbed wire fence, avoiding a quite deep mine shaft on your right, and past one more broken barbed wire fence (step over). Continue on the direction you are facing (rotating around the mountain). After a short while, the trail should start going uphill towards a giant drainage gully. This is how you get up.

Drainage: Continue following the trail upwards. The easiest way is to stay quite close to the giant rock wall on your right and continue following the drainage upwards. You come to a 1-2 move scramble on smoothed rock. Continue upwards trying to stay on the path, which starts trending a little left before zigging right (towards the obvious ridge) at a little tree and rock cairn. Zag left just before the ridge and follow that path up to rock cairns and the "Main Ridge."

Main Ridge/Boulders: You'll then trend left and up on the Main Ridge trying to follow the cairns and protecting the plants. You'll pass over a small mini ridge and into an open gully. Rather than continue going up and right, you want to go across the gully up and left to get to some rocky boulders (this is the safest way up as far as I can tell). Take the path of least resistance up and between the boulders until you get to a worn down mini ridge.

Finish: Now, you'll cut across another gully right and slightly up until you reach some more faded trails/flatter areas. This is where it gets confusing. There are many ways up. Try to go upwards towards the peak and (generally) trend LEFT as you rotate around the peak following some of the cairns (some of which seem random). Follow the path of least resistance up to the top.

Summit: There are two similar summits, the one on the back side is the slightly higher of the two and contains the black summit box (could use an extra plastic bag). Also, be careful as there are dropoffs on the backside of the summit.

Enjoy Mohave desert views!

Lots of rocks, a few barrel cactus, quite a lot of Cholla cactus! Careful, and thorn bushes.