minglefest - Apr 13, 2022 11:29 am Date Climbed: Dec 28, 2020
Finally made it!
We successfully reached the summit on December 28, 2020. Fourth group to be up there in 2020 according to the summit register which goes all the way back to 1958. It was my third try. The trick is to stay on the ridge. We spent too much time off the ridge on the way there but on the way back we stuck to the ridge nearly the entire time before heading down to Bonanza King Mine where we parked. Also, this hike shreds your hands so some gloves might be a good idea. I've been on peaks all over the California Desert and Mitchell Point is arguably the greatest challenge and the most worthwhile. 8 hours exactly to get up and down. 2WD high clearance can make it to camp. Once you turn left towards the Bonanza King Mine make sure you bear left 0.8 miles in to reach the best camp spot in the old mining town of Providence. Staying to the right will take you to the quarry. No permit needed if you start from Providence.
I climbed this via the DPS "D" route, from Bonanza King Mine. I used the GPX & map I found here.
I drove all the way to the dilapidated buildings and parked there. High clearance 4WD required. From that point to the summit is 2.77 miles per my GPS. But after about the first half-mile, it's rough and tough all the way.
Up on the ridge, that GPX sticks to the crest. Which probably is your best bet. There was one spot (a tiny notch between the false and true summits) that I couldn't negotiate. This is just above a steep gray limestone slab on the south side of the ridge. At this point, the north side of the ridge is a cliff.
On my way up, I bypassed this notch by dropping down a ways, coming across a few cairns and a faint use trail. Assuming this was the "class 2" DPS bypass, I tried to follow it. But soon there was little to follow, and I was side-hilling on a very steep slope. No fun.
Since it was such a mess, I gave up, and scrabbled my way upward to the ridge crest, then followed it to the summit.
During my descent, I again had trouble with that tiny notch. I downclimbed into it, but didn't like the upclimb to continue. So I dropped just below it, frictioning across the top of the slab. Once across that, I was able to get back up on the ridge crest.
And people are not kidding when they moan about the flora along this route! Tons of cactus and other spiny, pointy things. I got poked a few times, but did not end up with any splinters. But, I was only doing this peak and not rushing to also tag Edgar or, worse, all three summits in one day.
gimpilator - May 6, 2018 9:16 am Date Climbed: Jan 28, 2018
Edgar and Mitchell
Also explored part of a cave but couldn't go further without rope. trip report
jdmorehouse - Nov 20, 2016 2:12 am Date Climbed: Nov 19, 2016
2nd Ascent
Up the east ridge this time. Longer, and no real benefit. Cactus, crappy limestone, and pain. What a wonderful peak.
jdmorehouse - Mar 17, 2013 12:59 pm Date Climbed: Mar 16, 2013
Nightmare
A cactus nightmare. I'll be pulling cactus spines out ten years from now. That coupled with the loose, unstable rock and steep side hilling (the knife edge ridgeline was discontinuous) made for a long, tedious day. I took a variation of the DPS D route, btw. I tried to stay on the top of the ridge as much as possible, mainly because there were fewer cactus up there. But the vertical drops made down climbing necessary between them. It was a long, difficult day.
cab - Jan 14, 2013 12:02 pm Date Climbed: Jan 12, 2013
Winding Stair Cave
Started at Winding Stair Cave and followed DPS Route C to the summit. The route didn't seem as infested with cactus as I thought it was going to be after reading some of the trip reports. We also continued on to Edgar Peak afterwards. Hike with Pat and Mark.
MoapaPk - Jun 1, 2011 11:25 am Date Climbed: Oct 27, 2007
minglefest - Apr 13, 2022 11:29 am Date Climbed: Dec 28, 2020
Finally made it!We successfully reached the summit on December 28, 2020. Fourth group to be up there in 2020 according to the summit register which goes all the way back to 1958. It was my third try. The trick is to stay on the ridge. We spent too much time off the ridge on the way there but on the way back we stuck to the ridge nearly the entire time before heading down to Bonanza King Mine where we parked. Also, this hike shreds your hands so some gloves might be a good idea. I've been on peaks all over the California Desert and Mitchell Point is arguably the greatest challenge and the most worthwhile. 8 hours exactly to get up and down. 2WD high clearance can make it to camp. Once you turn left towards the Bonanza King Mine make sure you bear left 0.8 miles in to reach the best camp spot in the old mining town of Providence. Staying to the right will take you to the quarry. No permit needed if you start from Providence.
Candace66 - Apr 26, 2021 7:04 pm Date Climbed: Apr 18, 2021
Ugh!I climbed this via the DPS "D" route, from Bonanza King Mine. I used the GPX & map I found here.
I drove all the way to the dilapidated buildings and parked there. High clearance 4WD required. From that point to the summit is 2.77 miles per my GPS. But after about the first half-mile, it's rough and tough all the way.
Up on the ridge, that GPX sticks to the crest. Which probably is your best bet. There was one spot (a tiny notch between the false and true summits) that I couldn't negotiate. This is just above a steep gray limestone slab on the south side of the ridge. At this point, the north side of the ridge is a cliff.
On my way up, I bypassed this notch by dropping down a ways, coming across a few cairns and a faint use trail. Assuming this was the "class 2" DPS bypass, I tried to follow it. But soon there was little to follow, and I was side-hilling on a very steep slope. No fun.
Since it was such a mess, I gave up, and scrabbled my way upward to the ridge crest, then followed it to the summit.
During my descent, I again had trouble with that tiny notch. I downclimbed into it, but didn't like the upclimb to continue. So I dropped just below it, frictioning across the top of the slab. Once across that, I was able to get back up on the ridge crest.
And people are not kidding when they moan about the flora along this route! Tons of cactus and other spiny, pointy things. I got poked a few times, but did not end up with any splinters. But, I was only doing this peak and not rushing to also tag Edgar or, worse, all three summits in one day.
gimpilator - May 6, 2018 9:16 am Date Climbed: Jan 28, 2018
Edgar and MitchellAlso explored part of a cave but couldn't go further without rope.
trip report
jdmorehouse - Nov 20, 2016 2:12 am Date Climbed: Nov 19, 2016
2nd AscentUp the east ridge this time. Longer, and no real benefit. Cactus, crappy limestone, and pain. What a wonderful peak.
jdmorehouse - Mar 17, 2013 12:59 pm Date Climbed: Mar 16, 2013
NightmareA cactus nightmare. I'll be pulling cactus spines out ten years from now. That coupled with the loose, unstable rock and steep side hilling (the knife edge ridgeline was discontinuous) made for a long, tedious day. I took a variation of the DPS D route, btw. I tried to stay on the top of the ridge as much as possible, mainly because there were fewer cactus up there. But the vertical drops made down climbing necessary between them. It was a long, difficult day.
cab - Jan 14, 2013 12:02 pm Date Climbed: Jan 12, 2013
Winding Stair CaveStarted at Winding Stair Cave and followed DPS Route C to the summit. The route didn't seem as infested with cactus as I thought it was going to be after reading some of the trip reports. We also continued on to Edgar Peak afterwards. Hike with Pat and Mark.
MoapaPk - Jun 1, 2011 11:25 am Date Climbed: Oct 27, 2007
stayed at mid-hillsSmoky from all the fires in CA.