Ten top Trailblazers start from Willow Springs Trailhead on a cool, windy morning. Our first quarter mile is on a mine road across Willow Springs Canyon.

The road passes close to Gonzales Needle, a prominent landmark at the northern end of the Goldfield mining district. Named after a great-grandnephew of the Peralta family, the needle looks like Weaver’s Needle from certain directions. Three gold mines are close by.

Photographers snap away while everyone relishes our conquest of this panoramic viewpoint.

Our descent northwest along the ridge is easy and very scenic. We’re headed for Prevention Gap, clearly visible down ahead of us. At one point we have to cross a fence at a pass. This was ranching country, so fences were built wherever the mountains don’t provide a natural barrier. Soon we arrive at Prevention Gap.

A horse trail that wasn’t here before leads down toward the streambed. We follow it a short distance, then veer to the right and walk diagonally down the slope toward Helmet Rock. When we get to level ground we meet the horse trail again, heading east toward Willow Springs Canyon.

The approach to Helmet Rock is one of the most colorful places on Earth, with lava formations in subtle hues of red, yellow and orange, with brilliant lichens.

The crevice lies between us and Helmet Rock. To get there we have to go around it on the east side. So we begin a descent over slickrock formations between thorny plants.

As we approach the bottom of the crevice we are treated to a distant view of the lower Thornscrub Arch below Helmet Rock. Ted finishes a climb up a ravine he had started once before, reaching the arches and a steep chute that gets us up to the golden rhyolite formations.

The rocks on the north side of the crevice are just as colorful but more sloping. We walk around admiring the view, and then choose an idyllic spot for our picnic lunch.

Brian, Bob, and Chip make the climb while everyone else enjoys the peaceful sunshine or walks around to take pictures. Ted scouts our way down from here on the west side.

The descent is steep at the top, but then it moderates as we walk the easy western slope of the crevice.

There’s almost a trail along the stream that leads north to Wishbone Junction. We enjoy a distant view of Peak 3141 and the fantastic Razorback Knob, then turn west on an gentle wash that leads to the Bright Golden Valley.

A brief detour for picture taking, and we head south, upstream, following game trails and a streambed in our gradual climb out of the valley.

We leave the stream and turn east for the home stretch.

An awesome monolith towers ahead of us. “We were on top of it this morning,” Ted observes.

After walking to the pass at 2264' we take an diagonal descent to the mine road, Willow Springs Canyon, and back to the trailhead. Everyone stays with the hike leader, to his delight.

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Thanks to Ken McGinty for leading the Tomahawk Mine hike on November 16, 1996—my first hike in the Goldfields. We followed much of Ken’s route, but instead of climbing that last, steepest hill, we saw the Thornscrub Arches, IQ Arch, and Elephant Arch.

Ted