Three stalwart Trailblazers and Santa assembled at Lone Mountain trailhead to climb two of the tallest peaks in the Usery Mountains. The group crossed Usery Pass Road and walked up the wash.

About half a mile from the road the hikers spotted a cairn marking an old mining road that left the wash and climbed west toward the peaks. We found a faint trial that led up to the ridgeline from the northeast.

After a steep climb we reached the summit of a minor peak north of Peak 2972. We walked along the ridgeline and all stood on top the highest peak in the Userys.

We decided not to climb the rocky boulders of Peak 2959 and headed east down to a saddle and ridgeline that led to Peak 2933. This peak has the familiar “Phoenix Arrow” on its southern flank. It also has a shooting range at the base. The hikers contoured around to the western side of the mountain, out of sight of the shooting range, and soon reached the summit.

After a short break the group bushwhacked down the northeast side of the mountain. We followed the ridgeline of some minor hills to the wash were we had started the hike.

Photos by Ted Tenny and by Bill Zimmermann.