hiked up more-or-less as described. I followed footprints and found a few small cairns - a complex ascent for a small mountain. P.S.: bring your own firewood if you need it - the camp area is stripped of fallen wood and people are starting to cut down the trees. Trees grow very slowly here!
aobbard - May 24, 2021 2:46 pm Date Climbed: May 23, 2021
Different and fun
Totally different than any other West Desert peak. Short/small, so best to combine with something else in area. (I visited in the afternoon after climbing Wah Wah HP.) The easiest route, up the South side, is not particularly difficult, but trying one of the many wrong routes can get sketchy quick. The base of the route, right at about 38.78987, -113.60087, is marked with a cairn of slate-colored rocks that stand out clearly against the white rock of the mountain itself. As an earlier commenter noted, if it turns into real climbing, you're making it harder than it needs to be.
Outdoorpartner - May 30, 2016 10:53 am Date Climbed: May 29, 2016
Thunderstorms nearby
We climbed on it, but not to the top due to nasty thunderclouds coming in from the West. This is a really fun place to explore due to all the holes in the rock. We'll try again for the summit another time! Very unique looking mountain and it is so different then everything surrounding. Roads to get there were fine - we watched a Harley full-dresser arrive to check it out.
AbinadiWitness - May 24, 2016 6:22 pm Date Climbed: Feb 11, 2015
Hidden Treasure in the West Desert :)
Amazing peak; views from the Tushar Range to the House Range to the Snake Range and beyond! :)
Very cool area. Along with Crystal Peak I climbed Crystal Benchmark, Peak 7353, and Peak 7792 (highest peak in the area). Fun scramble on Crystal, though very brittle rock.
Climbed in April 1995 with Kim, my brother Richard, and my cousin Danny.
SabineInUtah - Oct 22, 2015 2:43 pm Date Climbed: Oct 16, 2015
Crumbly!
Hiked with RDB and AKB. Didn't make the peak because scrambling on this rock is very sketchy. Surface of the rock is rough, but loose gravel on top of it and handholds can't be trusted. Not worth risking a fall as this area is very remote. Really more of a big rock than a mountain. Very cool place though and nice camping sites below in the PJ. There are shell fossils all over in the olive colored soil just below the saddle from where you climb up the rock to the peak.
I was an interesting different experience, I had a feet injury so I just made it to the saddle there I had lunch and watch my friend climb to the summit, good times still...
Decided to drive back from Coachella taking the scenic route. Vaugely remembered there being this cool short peak out here from my days of geeking out on Summitpost. Located it on the road map and made our way there. Hadn't consulted anything and so we just scrambled up the north east ridge until reaching a class 2 gully. Encountered some class 4 that was a little scetchy due to the crumbly nature of some of the rock, but what we were on held fine. Decided to descend a different route and almost made it down a gully before reaching a 20 foot flaring and very crumbly chimney that barred the way. Lost an hour there. The next gully worked out fine with a short chimney section. This turned into a nice little adventure and is a very beautiful and unique peak.
Side note: On the drive in I startled a pronghorn and he proceeded to run down the dirt road. I was going ~ 40 mph and he was pulling away! He refused to leave the road and I ended up following him for ~2 miles before reaching the saddle and start of the route. Feel a little bad for wearing him out, but it was so interesting, those suckers are fast!
Wander up the drainage on the north side between the tuff and the treed sections. Took an hour to the saddle, then 20 minutes to the peak. Some class 4 scrambling involved.
idpeakgirl - Jul 24, 2011 4:52 pm Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2005
Geologically fabulous
My climbing partner pooped out, but I made it close to the top before feeling guilty for leaving him behind! Great mountain, and otherworldly feel.
I love this peak! This is a desert classic. The rock is very interesting and the scramble is very fun.
Scott Wesemann - Mar 31, 2008 12:15 pm Date Climbed: Mar 29, 2008
A little spooky
Climbed with Matthew Van Horn. We spent some time hiking around the East side, trying to find a route to the top. Eventually, we thought we saw a good route on the south side, so we headed up, but we soon got ourselves into some class 3 stuff and that ended up being horrifying, as the rock was brittle and I had a few holds break off in some precarious places. It definitely got my heart beating. On the way down we found an easier route that was class two the whole way. If you climb this peak, I would suggest backing off of anything that requires any sort of climbing, as the holds can’t be trusted. The route finding is also somewhat of a challenge. This is an incredibly unique peak with great views and it was over 70 degrees out there, while it was barely 50 in SLC. (For a trip report, please see the Notch Peak page, as I combined Notch and Crystal)
Matthew Van Horn - Mar 29, 2008 9:18 pm Date Climbed: Mar 29, 2008
Otherworldly
Scott W and I drove down to Crystal Peak after camping in Ibex (we climbed Notch Peak the day before). We had some route finding problems and made the climb more difficult than necessary. The way down was much easier. Beauty of a mountain!
jtree - Apr 22, 2007 12:31 pm Date Climbed: Mar 29, 2007
Close Call
My brother Mark and I scrambled to the top. The rock is friable and caution is advised. At one point my brother dislodged a couple of bowling ball sized rocks which narrowly missed me. This is a volcanic based rhyolite, but it is not like any other rhyolite I have climbed on. This little peak is quite unique in many ways and well worth a visit. One can also find many fossils (mostly shells, but my brother found a trilobite) in the talus and rocks located across the road directly to the north of Crystal Peak. We had the best luck looking approximately three to five hundred yards from the road.
DJR
mountaingazelle - May 2, 2006 2:50 am Date Climbed: Apr 30, 2006
Route Climbed: Many Date Climbed: April 30, 2006
This is one of the strangest mountains I have ever climbed. It is a small mountain but worth exploring because it is so unique. I felt like I was climbing up swiss cheese because the mountain is full of holes that make good handholds.
utahjimk - Sep 27, 2024 3:08 pm Date Climbed: Sep 24, 2024
can see it from far away!hiked up more-or-less as described. I followed footprints and found a few small cairns - a complex ascent for a small mountain. P.S.: bring your own firewood if you need it - the camp area is stripped of fallen wood and people are starting to cut down the trees. Trees grow very slowly here!
aobbard - May 24, 2021 2:46 pm Date Climbed: May 23, 2021
Different and funTotally different than any other West Desert peak. Short/small, so best to combine with something else in area. (I visited in the afternoon after climbing Wah Wah HP.) The easiest route, up the South side, is not particularly difficult, but trying one of the many wrong routes can get sketchy quick. The base of the route, right at about 38.78987, -113.60087, is marked with a cairn of slate-colored rocks that stand out clearly against the white rock of the mountain itself. As an earlier commenter noted, if it turns into real climbing, you're making it harder than it needs to be.
Outdoorpartner - May 30, 2016 10:53 am Date Climbed: May 29, 2016
Thunderstorms nearbyWe climbed on it, but not to the top due to nasty thunderclouds coming in from the West. This is a really fun place to explore due to all the holes in the rock. We'll try again for the summit another time! Very unique looking mountain and it is so different then everything surrounding. Roads to get there were fine - we watched a Harley full-dresser arrive to check it out.
AbinadiWitness - May 24, 2016 6:22 pm Date Climbed: Feb 11, 2015
Hidden Treasure in the West Desert :)Amazing peak; views from the Tushar Range to the House Range to the Snake Range and beyond! :)
scgrant - Apr 25, 2016 9:05 pm Date Climbed: Apr 21, 2016
Crystal PeakVery cool area. Along with Crystal Peak I climbed Crystal Benchmark, Peak 7353, and Peak 7792 (highest peak in the area). Fun scramble on Crystal, though very brittle rock.
Scott - Nov 3, 2015 6:41 pm
CrystalClimbed in April 1995 with Kim, my brother Richard, and my cousin Danny.
SabineInUtah - Oct 22, 2015 2:43 pm Date Climbed: Oct 16, 2015
Crumbly!Hiked with RDB and AKB. Didn't make the peak because scrambling on this rock is very sketchy. Surface of the rock is rough, but loose gravel on top of it and handholds can't be trusted. Not worth risking a fall as this area is very remote. Really more of a big rock than a mountain. Very cool place though and nice camping sites below in the PJ. There are shell fossils all over in the olive colored soil just below the saddle from where you climb up the rock to the peak.
liliacarrillo0822 - May 15, 2013 11:26 pm Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2012
Very different mountainI was an interesting different experience, I had a feet injury so I just made it to the saddle there I had lunch and watch my friend climb to the summit, good times still...
apachedino - Apr 25, 2013 3:08 pm Date Climbed: Apr 23, 2013
Northeast scrambleDecided to drive back from Coachella taking the scenic route. Vaugely remembered there being this cool short peak out here from my days of geeking out on Summitpost. Located it on the road map and made our way there. Hadn't consulted anything and so we just scrambled up the north east ridge until reaching a class 2 gully. Encountered some class 4 that was a little scetchy due to the crumbly nature of some of the rock, but what we were on held fine. Decided to descend a different route and almost made it down a gully before reaching a 20 foot flaring and very crumbly chimney that barred the way. Lost an hour there. The next gully worked out fine with a short chimney section. This turned into a nice little adventure and is a very beautiful and unique peak.
Side note: On the drive in I startled a pronghorn and he proceeded to run down the dirt road. I was going ~ 40 mph and he was pulling away! He refused to leave the road and I ended up following him for ~2 miles before reaching the saddle and start of the route. Feel a little bad for wearing him out, but it was so interesting, those suckers are fast!
vanman798 - Sep 5, 2012 6:45 pm Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2012
Interesting MountainWander up the drainage on the north side between the tuff and the treed sections. Took an hour to the saddle, then 20 minutes to the peak. Some class 4 scrambling involved.
idpeakgirl - Jul 24, 2011 4:52 pm Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2005
Geologically fabulousMy climbing partner pooped out, but I made it close to the top before feeling guilty for leaving him behind! Great mountain, and otherworldly feel.
Kadee - Nov 18, 2008 4:27 pm
Twice - 02/04/06 & 04/02/06I love this peak! This is a desert classic. The rock is very interesting and the scramble is very fun.
Scott Wesemann - Mar 31, 2008 12:15 pm Date Climbed: Mar 29, 2008
A little spookyClimbed with Matthew Van Horn. We spent some time hiking around the East side, trying to find a route to the top. Eventually, we thought we saw a good route on the south side, so we headed up, but we soon got ourselves into some class 3 stuff and that ended up being horrifying, as the rock was brittle and I had a few holds break off in some precarious places. It definitely got my heart beating. On the way down we found an easier route that was class two the whole way. If you climb this peak, I would suggest backing off of anything that requires any sort of climbing, as the holds can’t be trusted. The route finding is also somewhat of a challenge. This is an incredibly unique peak with great views and it was over 70 degrees out there, while it was barely 50 in SLC. (For a trip report, please see the Notch Peak page, as I combined Notch and Crystal)
Matthew Van Horn - Mar 29, 2008 9:18 pm Date Climbed: Mar 29, 2008
OtherworldlyScott W and I drove down to Crystal Peak after camping in Ibex (we climbed Notch Peak the day before). We had some route finding problems and made the climb more difficult than necessary. The way down was much easier. Beauty of a mountain!
jtree - Apr 22, 2007 12:31 pm Date Climbed: Mar 29, 2007
Close CallMy brother Mark and I scrambled to the top. The rock is friable and caution is advised. At one point my brother dislodged a couple of bowling ball sized rocks which narrowly missed me. This is a volcanic based rhyolite, but it is not like any other rhyolite I have climbed on. This little peak is quite unique in many ways and well worth a visit. One can also find many fossils (mostly shells, but my brother found a trilobite) in the talus and rocks located across the road directly to the north of Crystal Peak. We had the best luck looking approximately three to five hundred yards from the road.
DJR
mountaingazelle - May 2, 2006 2:50 am Date Climbed: Apr 30, 2006
Route Climbed: Many Date Climbed: April 30, 2006This is one of the strangest mountains I have ever climbed. It is a small mountain but worth exploring because it is so unique. I felt like I was climbing up swiss cheese because the mountain is full of holes that make good handholds.