Overview Well hidden behind entire mountain ranges in the backcountry of Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NRA), and only visible from a single paved road, it’s no wonder that Copper Mountain had only two recorded ascents before I wandered my way up to its top.
I’d never even heard of the mountain, but quickly noticed its striking, pointy mass and its serrated, winding south ridge in the distance to the northeast as I headed down Cottonwood Cove Road on my way to check out Lake Mohave for the first time.
With a little exploration, I found a dirt road heading off of the paved road that took me quite near the base of the mountain. Deciding on a whim to check it out, I found my way up to the crest of the fantastic south ridge, knife-edgy in not one, not two, but perhaps six different spots, and followed it northward and up. Along the way, the views grew ever-expansive: An impressive old mine, a striking hidden cactus garden of preternatural coloration, an awesome arch showing views of Lake Mohave through it, and of course, the long, winding ridge stretching all the way to the top.
Mostly class 2 with the occasional morsel of 3rd class, the crux of the route is a 4th class notch about halfway up that requires about 15 feet of 4th class downclimbing, followed by about 25 feet of 4th class upclimbing to continue.
The summit hosts a pair of nesting rusted tin cans housing a register. Perusing the brief (one page) commentary in the register, John Vitz gets credited with the FRA on 3-31-85, Howard Booth and Ursula Wilson-Booth grabbed the second on 1-21-01, and five years to the day after Howard and Ursula, my own intrusive fingers pulled apart the ratty, old cans.
Anyone with an interest in fine, scenic, obscure and seldom-visited peaks should enjoy Copper Mountain.
*You might also check out my website, which provides access to trip reports, beta, photos and other stuff covering hiking, scrambling, climbing and canyoneering around Las Vegas. My new hiking and scrambling guidebook, Rambles & Scrambles: The Definitive Guide to Peakbagging Around Las Vegas, is now available.
Getting ThereFrom highway 95 in Searchlight, NV (between Las Vegas, NV and Needles, CA), head east on the paved Cottonwood Cove Road. Following the road for 7.9 miles toward Lake Mohave, you’ll encounter a minor dirt road heading northeast from the paved road.
Copper Mountain should be plainly visible as the most striking peak to the northeast.
Get onto the dirt road (high clearance suggested, though probably not necessary) and follow it for 2.0 miles to a fork. The left fork is signed for park road #35; the right fork is signed for park road #32. Park just off the road at the fork, or continue a short distance more down the left fork to a place that seems about right.
The south ridge of Copper Mountain will be close at hand to the north.
Red TapeCopper Mountain lies within Lake Mead NRA, which falls under the management of the National Park Service.
Other than the usual NPS no firearms/no driving on undesignated roads red tape, there’s no real red tape (that I know of). Although Lake Mead NRA is a fee area, there’s no one around Copper Mountain to take your money, though there is a small ranger station a few miles beyond and down the road toward Lake Mohave.
Refer to this link if you have any specific questions.
CampingIn addition to the primitive camping that can be had close by on the BLM lands just outside of the NRA, 6 miles further down Cottonwood Cove Road at Cottonwood Cove Resort (on Lake Mohave), there are houseboats for rent, camp sites, RV sites, and even a motel. Here’s a link.When to ClimbAnytime but summer.
Bring plenty of water, as there’s none to be found on the mountain. The Colorado River and Lake Mohave, of course, are nearby, but still several miles away.Mountain ConditionsCheck the weather. Images
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Lake Mead NRA
