Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Elevation: 4,152 ft 1,266 m
GPS: 36.15799, -115.43361
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 34,263 total · 354/month
Shared By: kenr on Feb 10, 2017 · Updates
Admins: Luke EF, Larry DeAngelo, Justin Johnsen
Warning Access Issue: Red Rock RAIN AND WET ROCK: The sandstone is fragile and is very easily damaged when wet. DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

Though climbers think of the Calico area mainly for sport crags and bouldering, there is also lots of scrambling and hiking in dramatic situations and with interesting moves.

Indeed there is so much interesting scrambling in a half-day range of some trailhead that lots of people head up and out with no specific objective or route description and just start exploring, making up their own adventure along the way. However, one should keep in mind that the Calico terrain is complicated and serious, and sometimes it is much more difficult to get back down a steep section than it is to climb up it.

Visitors with limited time might appreciate some clues about which routes have interesting climbing of which kinds and what difficulty, and the descriptions linked from this page should be helpful for that. There is no danger of public descriptions "taming" the Calicos, since there are hundreds of possible 3rd and 4th and low-5th class scrambling variations.

There are many loose rocks and weak breakable hand and foot holds on these routes, even when they are dry. The two major implications of this:

  • Maintain extra energy and time and attention to keep testing lots of holds.
  • Keep the difficulty of the climbing sequences well within your capabilities so you can always have a free hand available for testing.
  • Parties with multiple persons need to either climb very close together so there's not much vertical distance for a loose or breaking rock to accelerate before hitting one of the following climbers (who presumably is wearing a helmet), or climb potential loose rock sequences one at a time, with following members staying far off to the side from the current climber. Loose rocks often bounce in unexpected directions off sideways and far outward from where they start.

The warning about wet sandstone rock being fragile applies also to scrambling routes around here. Scrambling on ridges and peaks in the Calico area is not necessarily a "safer alternative" to technical sport or trad rock climbing a day or two after substantial rain. One can still die or get seriously injured if a hold breaks.

Info sources:

Peaks Suggest change

Some of the interesting peaks include - - > see on Map
. . . (South to North) . . .

* Red Book Point (or Point 4608) . (GPS lat long approx N36.1558 W115.4336)
Red sandstone, and with several interesting routes, but not as high as the more northerly peaks of the Calico Hills.

* Calico Peak (or Point 4850) . (4870 ft) . (N36.1602 W115.4387)
Not the highest peak in the Calico Hills proper, but the most prominent seen from the nearby section of the Red Rock Scenic Loop Road. Top section is white sandstone, and it's the second or third highest peak in Calico Hills proper.

* Tank Peak (or "Calico Tank Peak") . (4880 ft) . (N36.1620 W115.4374)
East above one of the largest "tanks" (depression that collects rain-water) in the Calicos. Top section is white limestrone, and it's the second or third highest peak in Calico Hills proper.
. . . (see on SummitPost).

* "Quarry View" / Point 4708 ft . (N36.1621 W115.4470)
. . . (can be reached from Sandstone Quarry parking - with non-trivial navigation).
. . . (There are two other summits of similar elevation nearby NorthEast from this.
. . . . Farthest east is around (N36.1636 W115.4451).

* Red Cap (or "Turtlehead Junior") (4925 ft) . (N36.1661 W115.4426)
Highest peak in the Calico Hills "proper".
Mostly white sandstone -- except for its summit cap which is red sandstone (and not so easy to get up on top of).
. . . (see on SummitPost, and detailed description in Courtney Purcell book page 70
. . . . also with photos + GPS in Branch Whitney book pages 69-73).
_______________________________________________________

nearby peaks not in the Calico Hills "proper":
. . . mostly different rock type . . .
. . . but accessed from the same trailheads . . .
. . . so often included under the "Calico Hills" name.

* Kraft Mt (elevation 4715 ft) . (lat long approx N36.1641 W115.4217)
. . . (see detailed description in Courtney Purcell book page 68
. . . . and with photos + GPS in Branch Whitney book pages 29-35).

* "New Peak" (4990 ft) . (N36.1653 W115.4326)

* "Tinaja Peak" (4765 ft) . (N36.1696 W115.4515)

* "Goat Bed Peak" (5200 ft) . (N36.1698 W115.4138)
. . . (off the map : NE from Kraft Mt).
. . . (? perhaps reach it by a traverse from Greycap ?)

* Greycap (or Gray Cap) (5443 ft) . (N36.1788 W115.4277)
. . . (off the map : N from New Peak).
. . . (see on BirdAndHike).
. . . (see detailed description in Courtney Purcell book page 73,
. . . . also with photos + GPS in Branch Whitney book pages 42-48).

* Turtlehead Mt (6325 ft) . (N36.1802 W115.4459) - (more for its size and views than the climbing quality).
. . . (off the map : N from sq="Sandstone Quarry" + rc="Red Cap").
. . . (see on SummitPost, also with photos + GPS in Branch Whitney book pages 74-76).

Pass crossings

Suggest change
Three lower points to enable crossing over the hills might be:

Stairmaster Pass
. (sometimes caleed "South Pass") - (GPS lat long approx N36.1534 W115.4323).-.(elevation 4295 ft /1310m) .
- - > "so" on the map.
Located between the South Ridge and Red Book Point. Might(?) enable crossing West->East from the Second Pullout on the Scenic Loop road to any of the East side parking areas - (but that crossing not checked by us).
East access by Calico Basin:
* from Assisi Rd parking (N36.1495 W115.4199) : Hike WNW about +630 vertical feet over 0.75 mile distance, at first on rough gravel road, gets much steeper with some scrambing sections near the end.
* from Red Springs parking (N36.1466 W115.4186) : Hike NorthWest about +650 vertical feet over 0.85 mile distance, gets much steeper with some scrambing sections near the end.
West access by Scenic Loop road:
* ? west approach from Second Pull-out.

Frostie Shack Pass (sometimes called "Middle Pass") - (N36.1581 W115.4369).-.(4380 ft /1335m) .
- - > "mid" on the map.
. . . (Arrive here on a hot sunny day and stop in for a drink in the shade -- but bring your own ice).

Located between Red Book Point and Calico Peak. Enables crossing from the Second Pullout on the Scenic Loop road on the West side, to the Sandstone Rd or Assisi Rd parking areas on the SouthEast side.

West approach from Second Pull-out parking on the Red Rock Scenic Loop road is quickest.

East access by Calico Basin:
* from Assisi Rd parking (N36.1495 W115.4199) : Hike NW 0.4 mile (toward the big lower SE ridge of Red Book Point) on rough gravel road to some picnic tables, then NNW 0.3 mile going right along the base of the ridge to the base of a wide gully (N36.1540 W115.4260) ... (this point could also be reached by going 0.4 mile WSW from Sandstone Rd parking) ... The central gully starts narrow and steep, so likely better at first to scramble up right (NNW) onto slabs above its right side and scramble up on those (roughly West) for about 350 feet, then traverse left into the central gully and scramble up that, at first West then curves WNW and finally NorthWest (along the base of the Red Book Point ridge above left) for a total of about 0.5 mile to a higher saddle - somewhere around (N36.1567 W115.4335) - (see the Calico / Tanks Pass ahead above slightly rightward). Continue over this saddle and scramble down 0.15 mile NW to a flat sandy (wet?) area - the "Middle Sand Flat" (N36.1577 W115.4354). Then continue farther left (WNW) about 400 ft in a narrow gully (somewhat difficult) which goes over a small pass, to reach Middle Pass . . . (Total about +600 vertical feet over 1.4 mile distance from Assisi Rd).

* return to Assisi Rd parking from Frostie Shack Pass:
Head roughly SE about 0.15 mile parallel alongside below the NW ridge of Red Book Point (first to the the "Middle Sand Flat" (N36.1577 W115.4354) and scramble up onto a rise - (somewhere around N36.1567 W115.4335) - (with big view to S + E). Scramble over this rise down into a broad gully. Go a long ways SSE then SE down in this gully, with some interesting scrambling sections. Just before the central gully drops down steeper and narrower - (? somewhere around (N36.1542 W115.4274 ?) - exit Left (NE) onto slabs. Find the easiest way wandering down those slabs until reach unsigned trail on gentle ground (N36.1540 W115.4260). Next hike SSE for 0.3 mile along base of big rock ridge to some picnic tables, then down a rough gravel road SE 0.4 mile to Assisi Rd parking.

Calico / Tank Pass (N36.1610 W115.4381).-.(4750 ft /1450m) - [ photo1 | photo2 ] .
- - > "ct" on the map.
Located between Calico Peak and Tank Peak. Enables crossing from the Sandstone Quarry parking on the Scenic Loop road on the NorthWest side to the Sandstone Rd or Assisi Rd parking areas on the SouthEast side.

NorthWest access by Scenic Loop road is quickest:
* approach from Sandstone Quarry parking (N36.1622 W115.4503) using the Calico Tanks trail.

SouthEast access by Calico Basin:
* approach from Sandstone Rd or Assisi Rd parking to the Middle Sand Flat (N36.1577 W115.4354), then scramble up from there - [ see Photo of S side of pass ].

Ridge traverses

Suggest change
There are some nice traverse loops, and there's the "grand traverse".

Grand Traverse ... going in the South-to-North direction has easier navigation and takes more of its difficult climbing in the (more fun) uphill direction ... crossing the summits in order of South Calico Ridge, Red Book Point, Calico Peak, Tank Peak, Red Cap. Start at Red Springs (or 1st Pull-Out) parking and finish at Sandstone Quarry parking.
. . . (Disadvantage of this direction is that it makes car-bike shuttle or two-car shuttle more difficult).
Directions -- link up these routes:
* South Calico Ridge
* Red Book Ridges
* Calico Peak SSE Ridge + SSE Groove
* Calico Peak NorthEast Ramp (in descent)
* Red Cap Ridge
Effort -- about
+2250 vertical feet uphill over 3.8 miles distance.
. . . (+675 vertical meters over 6.1 km distance).
But more important is the length of 5th + 4th + 3rd class climbing and scrambling: about
12100 ft total length of climbing+scrambling (or 3700 meters).
Which says that more than half the total distance is climbing and scrambling (rather than hiking or running).

shorter ...
Each section of the GT with a peak between passes has a worthwhile traverse:
* South Ridge from its south end to Stairmaster Pass
* Red Book Point from Stairmaster Pass to Frostie Shake Pass
* Calico Peak from near Frostie Shake Pass to Calico / Tank Pass
. . . (though most of the ridge scrambling can be done without C/T Pass)
* Tank Peak + Red Cap from Calico / Tank Pass to northeast end
. . . (perhaps at least as good in the opposite direction?)

* "Quarry View" traverse -- reaching and traversing the three summits has challenging navigation, with much of the tricky bushwhacking not on the ridge. Does not connect with the Grand Traverse, so most obviously done out-and-back from Sandstone Quarry parking.

Some link-ups of multiple traverse sections to consider:
* South Ridge + Red Book Point from 2nd Pull-Out or Calico Basin parking
. . . (with some extra hiking/running on trail parallel to Scenic Loop road).
* Red Book Point + Calico Peak from 2nd Pull-Out parking
. . . (perhaps returning down SouthEast Gully instead of going to Calico / Tank Pass).
* Calico Peak + Tank Peak + Red Cap from 2nd Pull-Out or Sandstone Quarry
. . . (with some extra hiking/running on trail parallel to Scenic Loop road).

Note that trying to link the northern west side ridges and "Quarry View" bumps of the Calicos directly between Calico Peak and Sandstone Quarry is blocked by at least two deep chasms - (but still it's interesting to explore different portions of those northwest ridges and peaks "in and out" from the Calico Tanks trail).

Getting There

Suggest change
There are several trailheads for this area
- - > see on the map . (marked with P circle icons).

East side by Calico Basin Rd ...
* Red Springs . (N36.1464 W115.4189).-.(elevation 3600ft /1100m): at west end of Calico Basin Road.
* Assisi Rd . (N36.1495 W115.4199) .-.(3620ft /1105m): at intersection of Calico Basin Rd with the south end of Sandstone Drive.
* Sandstone Drive . (N36.15679 W115.41995).-.(3700ft /1130m): at north end of Sandstone Drive.

West side by Red Rock Scenic Loop (requires paying entry fee) ...
* First Pull-Out (1PO) . (N36.1461 W115.4309).-.(3920ft / 1195m).
* Second Pull-out (2PO) . (N36.1518 W115.4374).-.(4020ft /1225m).
* Sandstone Quarry . (N36.1622 W115.4502).-.(4320ft /1317m).

20 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: (02) Calico Peaks Change
Type:  to 
Quality:
Pitches:
Sort by:   then:
 

Classic Climbing Routes at Calico Peaks

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R
 4
Calico Ridge Traverse
Trad 6 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Calico Ridge Traverse a. S Calico Ridge
 4
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b R Trad 6 pitches
More Classic Climbs in Calico Peaks »

Weather Averages

High
 
Low
 
Precip
 
Days w Precip
 
Prime Climbing Season
J F M A M J J A S O N D
J F M A M J J A S O N D

Photos

loading