Overview

There are several ways to approach Lee Peak, the peak along the North Loop Ridge that stands above the Lee Canyon ski area. The easiest approach is 0.22 miles from the North Loop Trail via the East Ridge. From the North Loop Trail, Lee Peak is a short detour on the way to or from Mt. Charleston (0.13 miles back to the North Loop Trail). For hikers too tired to make the Mt. Charleston summit, Lee Peak offers a grand consolation prize at 11,289 ft. Although not as high as Mt. Charleston, views from the summit of Lee Peak are nearly as good.

The flanks of Lee Peak are cloaked in wind-blown Bristlecone Pines, but the summit is bare, providing grand views in all directions. In October 2013, the summit register was missing.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this route is fairly safe, but hikers should stay on the south side of the ridge as there is some serious exposure on the north side. This is a spur off a long trail to a high-elevation place, so take it easy if you've just come up from the desert and aren't used to the elevation.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, this is a long hike, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials. This trail is in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness Area, so pay particular attention to respecting the land.

Getting to the Trailhead

The "trailhead" is located up in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (generally referred to as Mt. Charleston), about 7.8 miles out the North Loop Trail.

From town, drive out to the North Loop Trailhead or the Trail Canyon Trailhead. On the North Loop Trail, the trail climbs to near the top of the North Loop Ridge. At about 7.6 miles out, the trail switchbacks up the side of the ridge to gain elevation and pass rocky outcrops.

About 120 yards past the switchbacks, the North Loop Trail passes a high point and starts to descend slightly. At this point (Table 1, Waypoint 09.2), the Lee Peak Route departs the North Loop Trail. This is the "trailhead."

The Hike

From the trailhead (Wpt. 09.2), the route follows a faint use-trail northwest up the steep hillside towards a saddle (Wpt. 09.4) on the ridgeline above.

From the saddle (Wpt. 09.4), the route runs west, bending slightly left to stay on the south side of the ridge. A steep use-trail angles up and left across the slope to gain the South Ridge (Wpt. 09.6). The west side of the South Ridge is followed to the summit (Wpt. 09.8).

Views from the summit are grand and include a nice view northeast down Lee Canyon, views east into Las Vegas, Lake Mead, and the Grand Canyon region in Arizona; views west across the Pahrump Valley to Telescope Peak in Death Valley and the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California; and views north across the Nevada Test Site.

For hikers continuing to the summit of Mt. Charleston, hikers can descend the Southwest Ridge and return to the North Loop Trail.