Tough climb, we went past the trail to the palm groves and turned to head up the ridge where the cairns are. Then we seem to hit a "trail" on top of the ridge but was stopped by an impassable pile of boulders with no go-around. Since we were carrying a heavy backpack, we gave up. Will give this a go another time.
Check out the North Ridge route! Hopefully you can bag it that way.
jdmorehouse - Dec 3, 2017 3:20 pm Date Climbed: Nov 30, 2017
2nd Ascent
First climbed in April of 2004, my first DPS peak before I even knew what the DPS was. Now I'm nearly done with the list a 2nd time. Cloud cover made this trip much nicer than my first!
sylvainalarie - Dec 31, 2016 4:57 pm Date Climbed: Dec 30, 2016
South ridge
Climbed the south ridge from the palm canyon, accessing it from higher up the canton via a side canyon -west side. Scrambling at the bottom, to heavy scrambling (cl4?), and then some rock climbing in the end up the final ridge. Quite exposed in some areas (minor cl5). Came back down through south-est face/canyon. Hard descent through heavy boulders. Good day, lots of work, 7 hrs.
IronHiker - Jul 23, 2015 1:38 pm Date Climbed: Feb 8, 2013
West Ridge
Tough hike. I left blood on several cacti and yucca. I love this mountain.
charitydominic - Oct 30, 2014 7:14 pm Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2012
Finally, after so many tries
I've tried to get up here so many times I can't believe I finally did it! Always logistics, not ability. What long scramble. Started heading up out of the riverbed a little early, followed mountain sheep. Came down the face looking at the parking lot. What's with all the burnt stuff up there? Would do again but I don't want to tempt fate.
sdhager - Jan 28, 2014 6:10 pm Date Climbed: Jan 26, 2014
Standard Route
Hard day! I'm out of shape.
jdmorehouse - May 22, 2013 5:43 pm Date Climbed: Apr 4, 2004
Heady
I started out just hiking into the canyon, but looked up and thought, I could go there. So I did.
mtneering - Feb 23, 2013 12:21 am Date Climbed: Feb 22, 2013
Cool scramble
South Rib scramble
Kristin5berry - Feb 23, 2013 12:15 am Date Climbed: Feb 22, 2013
Great fun
Awesome fun up! Kind of a beast on the way down, but worth it.
gimpilator - Dec 26, 2012 5:07 pm Date Climbed: Dec 26, 2012
Palm Canyon Approach
Started at 4:30am and got down at 11:15am. Plenty of wind and light rain up high. Be careful of the cactus. I drew blood a few times with a momentary lack of caution.
Late afternoon start with decent ascent speed until I hit the house sized boulders on top of the east peak. Descended directly off the southwest slope into Palm Canyon.
cab - Feb 20, 2012 1:52 pm Date Climbed: Feb 18, 2012
South Ridge
Started at Borrego Palm Canyon, went up Indianhead's South Ridge to the summit, then continued NW along the ridge to Palm Mesa (Pt. 4,660). Went down Palm Mesa's SW ridge back to Borrego Palm Canyon and followed that down to the car. Fun day with hvydrt.
DougHemken - Jan 16, 2012 9:41 am Date Climbed: Jan 8, 2012
Up and over
Up the SE ridge and down the W ridge to Borrego Palm Canyon. Loved the SE ridge!
SoCalHiker - Jan 10, 2012 1:45 pm Date Climbed: Jan 8, 2012
Gorgeous
Climbed the peak via the supposed standard route. We climbed a ridge about 3 miles from the trailhead to Borrego Palm Canyon. Fantastic weather and views. Great sustained class 2 with some class 3 if you stay on the summit ridge.
tdoughty - Dec 29, 2011 7:14 pm Date Climbed: Dec 22, 2011
Glancing Blow
Ascended next major ridge west of SE ridge (South Ridge?) that took me up directly to the chin of the Indian's head. At that point the 3rd class I had enjoyed here and there apparently turned into some extended 5th class work so I escaped East and scrambled the rest of my way to the south summit. I then walked over to the main summit, descended to the first major saddle to the west, and down south over steep slopes to the wash below, eventually hooking up with Palm Wash. Got dark on me about an hour from the car.
superdaddy - May 16, 2011 2:21 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2011
Via Palm Canyon
Hiked there and back via the Palm Canyon trail as described by Schad. The terrain at start of the steep climbing was very loose, otherwise not too bad. We took our sweet time and finished in 9hrs. Beautiful, breezy and cool for this late in spring. Saw bighorn sheep on our way out near the start of the campground trail.
Wild - Oct 28, 2010 12:31 am Date Climbed: Mar 15, 2010
False Peak
SE ridge to false peak with m3talibkweli. Really cool trek, and a long ways down.
m3talibkweli - Mar 31, 2010 12:02 pm Date Climbed: Mar 15, 2010
SE ridge to false peak
Hiked up southeast ridge with a couple of friends, up to the false peak where we watched the sunset. Broke out the flashlights for the downclimb. We took the southern chute.
minglefest - Apr 13, 2022 2:50 pm Date Climbed: Feb 4, 2018
Indian HeadReally rad hike. We were able to walk off the front and make it a loop of sorts.
ClarenceHuang - Dec 11, 2018 10:26 am
rocks and cactus!Tough climb, we went past the trail to the palm groves and turned to head up the ridge where the cairns are. Then we seem to hit a "trail" on top of the ridge but was stopped by an impassable pile of boulders with no go-around. Since we were carrying a heavy backpack, we gave up. Will give this a go another time.
Candace66 - Jun 30, 2020 5:34 pm
Re: rocks and cactus!Check out the North Ridge route! Hopefully you can bag it that way.
jdmorehouse - Dec 3, 2017 3:20 pm Date Climbed: Nov 30, 2017
2nd AscentFirst climbed in April of 2004, my first DPS peak before I even knew what the DPS was. Now I'm nearly done with the list a 2nd time. Cloud cover made this trip much nicer than my first!
sylvainalarie - Dec 31, 2016 4:57 pm Date Climbed: Dec 30, 2016
South ridgeClimbed the south ridge from the palm canyon, accessing it from higher up the canton via a side canyon -west side. Scrambling at the bottom, to heavy scrambling (cl4?), and then some rock climbing in the end up the final ridge. Quite exposed in some areas (minor cl5). Came back down through south-est face/canyon. Hard descent through heavy boulders. Good day, lots of work, 7 hrs.
IronHiker - Jul 23, 2015 1:38 pm Date Climbed: Feb 8, 2013
West RidgeTough hike. I left blood on several cacti and yucca. I love this mountain.
charitydominic - Oct 30, 2014 7:14 pm Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2012
Finally, after so many triesI've tried to get up here so many times I can't believe I finally did it! Always logistics, not ability. What long scramble. Started heading up out of the riverbed a little early, followed mountain sheep. Came down the face looking at the parking lot. What's with all the burnt stuff up there? Would do again but I don't want to tempt fate.
sdhager - Jan 28, 2014 6:10 pm Date Climbed: Jan 26, 2014
Standard RouteHard day! I'm out of shape.
jdmorehouse - May 22, 2013 5:43 pm Date Climbed: Apr 4, 2004
HeadyI started out just hiking into the canyon, but looked up and thought, I could go there. So I did.
mtneering - Feb 23, 2013 12:21 am Date Climbed: Feb 22, 2013
Cool scrambleSouth Rib scramble
Kristin5berry - Feb 23, 2013 12:15 am Date Climbed: Feb 22, 2013
Great funAwesome fun up! Kind of a beast on the way down, but worth it.
gimpilator - Dec 26, 2012 5:07 pm Date Climbed: Dec 26, 2012
Palm Canyon ApproachStarted at 4:30am and got down at 11:15am. Plenty of wind and light rain up high. Be careful of the cactus. I drew blood a few times with a momentary lack of caution.
bechtt - Apr 28, 2012 10:13 pm Date Climbed: Apr 27, 2012
SE ridgeLate afternoon start with decent ascent speed until I hit the house sized boulders on top of the east peak. Descended directly off the southwest slope into Palm Canyon.
cab - Feb 20, 2012 1:52 pm Date Climbed: Feb 18, 2012
South RidgeStarted at Borrego Palm Canyon, went up Indianhead's South Ridge to the summit, then continued NW along the ridge to Palm Mesa (Pt. 4,660). Went down Palm Mesa's SW ridge back to Borrego Palm Canyon and followed that down to the car. Fun day with hvydrt.
DougHemken - Jan 16, 2012 9:41 am Date Climbed: Jan 8, 2012
Up and overUp the SE ridge and down the W ridge to Borrego Palm Canyon. Loved the SE ridge!
SoCalHiker - Jan 10, 2012 1:45 pm Date Climbed: Jan 8, 2012
GorgeousClimbed the peak via the supposed standard route. We climbed a ridge about 3 miles from the trailhead to Borrego Palm Canyon. Fantastic weather and views. Great sustained class 2 with some class 3 if you stay on the summit ridge.
tdoughty - Dec 29, 2011 7:14 pm Date Climbed: Dec 22, 2011
Glancing BlowAscended next major ridge west of SE ridge (South Ridge?) that took me up directly to the chin of the Indian's head. At that point the 3rd class I had enjoyed here and there apparently turned into some extended 5th class work so I escaped East and scrambled the rest of my way to the south summit. I then walked over to the main summit, descended to the first major saddle to the west, and down south over steep slopes to the wash below, eventually hooking up with Palm Wash. Got dark on me about an hour from the car.
superdaddy - May 16, 2011 2:21 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2011
Via Palm CanyonHiked there and back via the Palm Canyon trail as described by Schad. The terrain at start of the steep climbing was very loose, otherwise not too bad. We took our sweet time and finished in 9hrs. Beautiful, breezy and cool for this late in spring. Saw bighorn sheep on our way out near the start of the campground trail.
Wild - Oct 28, 2010 12:31 am Date Climbed: Mar 15, 2010
False PeakSE ridge to false peak with m3talibkweli. Really cool trek, and a long ways down.
m3talibkweli - Mar 31, 2010 12:02 pm Date Climbed: Mar 15, 2010
SE ridge to false peakHiked up southeast ridge with a couple of friends, up to the false peak where we watched the sunset. Broke out the flashlights for the downclimb. We took the southern chute.