ZeeJay - May 9, 2020 7:58 pm Date Climbed: May 6, 2020
Mosquitoes
I went from the west up the gully that tops out at the saddle just north of 8001 and then went north to the summit. I also did Peak 8354. Getting to George H Hansen via this route was relatively easy. Getting from there to 8354 was not.
I got more mosquito bites on this trip than I have on trips to the Uintas. Three days later, my face is still a mess of welts. Some googling revealed that most mosquito species can travel 1-3 miles, but some salt water marsh ones can travel up to 40 miles!! I'm wondering if Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge is the culprit. I've never even seen a mosquito on any other west desert hike that I've done and was totally unprepared.
DarrenKnezek - May 15, 2017 11:48 am Date Climbed: May 13, 2017
East Side
Did 6559 (Small Fish) first and then up and down the route used by most.
Very fun climb!
apachedino - Mar 25, 2016 12:30 pm Date Climbed: Mar 20, 2016
Fishbone Traverse
Fishbone Traverse! Or so I will call it. We followed Eric Willhites (summitpost) route and completed the traverse to Fishhead (8354) and Fishscale (8220) to the south along the main ridgeline (also tagged Little Fish (6559) on the way up and recommend it for the views of the main objective). Fishhead in many ways is the most impressive peak in the range, so many cliff layers. The views from George are the best though as they take in the best Fish springs and salt flat views I have had on any peak. Clear day, we could see from the Raft Rivers near Idaho to the Tushars near Beaver, plus great Ibapah, Moriah and Wheeler angles to the Wasatch and Pilot peak. Pretty much half of Utah from this isolated gem. We descended the route from the saddle between Fishhead and Fishscale and found it much more pleasant than the route up George even though there were a couple dryfalls to negotiate that were reminiscent of the southern Utah desert. Someon should go for the full traverse to Fishtail (8080) and bag all the peaks above 8000 ft in one go. It would be long, but very doable and even though you would have to retrace a bit to get back the the main canyon the descent from that southern side looks to be the quickest and least hasslesome. Really fun area!
aobbard - Jun 3, 2015 1:49 pm Date Climbed: May 30, 2015
Back for seconds!
Climbed again this past weekend. There's talk about this range being added to the USAF range, and if that happens, it's unclear whether/how future access will be impacted. Climbed from West side again, ascending/descending different ridges. Added route to this page.
One visitor in register (December 2014) between scgrant's visit and mine. (The next day I climbed Mt. Elliott in the Book Cliffs. Sign-in before mine? scgrant. The guy gets around.)
On a side note- I wonder if I'm the only guy to have climbed this one twice? It's a great peak- hell, I'd do it again!
scgrant - Jan 8, 2015 6:06 pm Date Climbed: Nov 29, 2014
GH Hansen
One of the better if not best west desert peaks I have done. Unbelievably cool area. Hiked up with Donovan Lynch via the way described by most write-ups. We made our own variations of the route, some intentionally, most not. very rugged and remote country. From the top the views of Ibapah, Granite Peak (Dugway), Swasey Peak, and the Fish Springs are awesome.
aobbard - Sep 4, 2012 12:04 am Date Climbed: Oct 10, 2005
Easier from West side
I'm surprised nobody else seems to have climbed this one from the West side. In October 2005 a buddy and I intended to climb Ibapah but it stormed that night as we camped in the Snake Valley below. The next morning there was clearly a foot+ on the Deep Creeks. So we turned around, drove across the valley and climbed G.H. Hansen. We had only the BLM 30x60 and no beta, but just worked our way East up the main ridge to the peak. It was challenging, but honestly no big deal. From the reports here, it was WAY easier than the Eastern approach.
There were only 2 notable difficulties. First, we couldn't get close to the range. We saw a 4WD track on the BLM 30x60 coming in from the NW but after driving up/down the road that runs North->South paralleling the range to the West, were unable to find it. (Frustratingly, when we finally summitted, we could see the track down below us...) So finally we just set off cross-country, an extra- but easy- 4 miles of walking to begin, and again to finish, the hike.
The 2nd challenge was a brief class 4 chute just before the summit. Maybe 20 feet, no big deal, one at a time to avoid stoning each other. We loved this peak. I was on Ibapah and Haystack last week, looking over at it wistfully, thinking about how I need to get back up it...
Pfeiffer75 - May 9, 2010 10:15 pm Date Climbed: May 8, 2010
Routefinding!
A great hike with tons of bushwacking and routefinding. Tried to take the standard route through the south drainage. Ended up getting sidetracked in one of the minor drainages. Ended up still finding a short 4th class section on one of the cliff bands. Once past this cliff band, a standard climb to the south saddle and then north to the summit. Last register entry was Eric's in March of 2009. On the way down, we had to do a lot of routefinding due to coming across a 50' cliff band. Ended up heading south into the main drainage east of "Fish Head Peak" and where we had camped the night before. Definately a tough and remote peak, but the solitude and views were well worth it
Dean - May 18, 2008 10:50 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2008
What a beast
Using the information that the author of this page provides, we summitted but it was probably the hardest mountain I've done in utah to this date. There were four of us altogether and the other three are very experienced Arizonan's who are used to tough desert mountains. It took us most of a day as some sections are susceptible to rock fall and the more you have in a party, the slower you go through some sections. I wouldn't recommend doing this solo but two would work well. As mentioned, pay attention to the route finding and perhaps there might be an easier route from the west side. The register had just a few entries. Enough said.
ZeeJay - May 9, 2020 7:58 pm Date Climbed: May 6, 2020
MosquitoesI went from the west up the gully that tops out at the saddle just north of 8001 and then went north to the summit. I also did Peak 8354. Getting to George H Hansen via this route was relatively easy. Getting from there to 8354 was not.
I got more mosquito bites on this trip than I have on trips to the Uintas. Three days later, my face is still a mess of welts. Some googling revealed that most mosquito species can travel 1-3 miles, but some salt water marsh ones can travel up to 40 miles!! I'm wondering if Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge is the culprit. I've never even seen a mosquito on any other west desert hike that I've done and was totally unprepared.
DarrenKnezek - May 15, 2017 11:48 am Date Climbed: May 13, 2017
East SideDid 6559 (Small Fish) first and then up and down the route used by most.
Very fun climb!
apachedino - Mar 25, 2016 12:30 pm Date Climbed: Mar 20, 2016
Fishbone TraverseFishbone Traverse! Or so I will call it. We followed Eric Willhites (summitpost) route and completed the traverse to Fishhead (8354) and Fishscale (8220) to the south along the main ridgeline (also tagged Little Fish (6559) on the way up and recommend it for the views of the main objective). Fishhead in many ways is the most impressive peak in the range, so many cliff layers. The views from George are the best though as they take in the best Fish springs and salt flat views I have had on any peak. Clear day, we could see from the Raft Rivers near Idaho to the Tushars near Beaver, plus great Ibapah, Moriah and Wheeler angles to the Wasatch and Pilot peak. Pretty much half of Utah from this isolated gem. We descended the route from the saddle between Fishhead and Fishscale and found it much more pleasant than the route up George even though there were a couple dryfalls to negotiate that were reminiscent of the southern Utah desert. Someon should go for the full traverse to Fishtail (8080) and bag all the peaks above 8000 ft in one go. It would be long, but very doable and even though you would have to retrace a bit to get back the the main canyon the descent from that southern side looks to be the quickest and least hasslesome. Really fun area!
aobbard - Jun 3, 2015 1:49 pm Date Climbed: May 30, 2015
Back for seconds!Climbed again this past weekend. There's talk about this range being added to the USAF range, and if that happens, it's unclear whether/how future access will be impacted. Climbed from West side again, ascending/descending different ridges. Added route to this page.
One visitor in register (December 2014) between scgrant's visit and mine. (The next day I climbed Mt. Elliott in the Book Cliffs. Sign-in before mine? scgrant. The guy gets around.)
On a side note- I wonder if I'm the only guy to have climbed this one twice? It's a great peak- hell, I'd do it again!
scgrant - Jan 8, 2015 6:06 pm Date Climbed: Nov 29, 2014
GH HansenOne of the better if not best west desert peaks I have done. Unbelievably cool area. Hiked up with Donovan Lynch via the way described by most write-ups. We made our own variations of the route, some intentionally, most not. very rugged and remote country. From the top the views of Ibapah, Granite Peak (Dugway), Swasey Peak, and the Fish Springs are awesome.
aobbard - Sep 4, 2012 12:04 am Date Climbed: Oct 10, 2005
Easier from West sideI'm surprised nobody else seems to have climbed this one from the West side. In October 2005 a buddy and I intended to climb Ibapah but it stormed that night as we camped in the Snake Valley below. The next morning there was clearly a foot+ on the Deep Creeks. So we turned around, drove across the valley and climbed G.H. Hansen. We had only the BLM 30x60 and no beta, but just worked our way East up the main ridge to the peak. It was challenging, but honestly no big deal. From the reports here, it was WAY easier than the Eastern approach.
There were only 2 notable difficulties. First, we couldn't get close to the range. We saw a 4WD track on the BLM 30x60 coming in from the NW but after driving up/down the road that runs North->South paralleling the range to the West, were unable to find it. (Frustratingly, when we finally summitted, we could see the track down below us...) So finally we just set off cross-country, an extra- but easy- 4 miles of walking to begin, and again to finish, the hike.
The 2nd challenge was a brief class 4 chute just before the summit. Maybe 20 feet, no big deal, one at a time to avoid stoning each other. We loved this peak. I was on Ibapah and Haystack last week, looking over at it wistfully, thinking about how I need to get back up it...
Pfeiffer75 - May 9, 2010 10:15 pm Date Climbed: May 8, 2010
Routefinding!A great hike with tons of bushwacking and routefinding. Tried to take the standard route through the south drainage. Ended up getting sidetracked in one of the minor drainages. Ended up still finding a short 4th class section on one of the cliff bands. Once past this cliff band, a standard climb to the south saddle and then north to the summit. Last register entry was Eric's in March of 2009. On the way down, we had to do a lot of routefinding due to coming across a 50' cliff band. Ended up heading south into the main drainage east of "Fish Head Peak" and where we had camped the night before. Definately a tough and remote peak, but the solitude and views were well worth it
Dean - May 18, 2008 10:50 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2008
What a beastUsing the information that the author of this page provides, we summitted but it was probably the hardest mountain I've done in utah to this date. There were four of us altogether and the other three are very experienced Arizonan's who are used to tough desert mountains. It took us most of a day as some sections are susceptible to rock fall and the more you have in a party, the slower you go through some sections. I wouldn't recommend doing this solo but two would work well. As mentioned, pay attention to the route finding and perhaps there might be an easier route from the west side. The register had just a few entries. Enough said.