Spruce Mountain
Place Name: Elko County
Place Description: State: Nevada
Date: 07/23/2022
Elevation: 10,262 Feet
Prominence: 3,930 Feet
Miles: 3.2
Elevation Gain: 1,570 Feet
Lists: Great Basin Peak List, NV P2K List
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Difficulty
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Solitude
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Kid Friendly
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Summit Views
Welcome To The Middle Of Nowhere
Spruce Mountain is one of those Nevada peaks with lots of prominence and lots of solitude. Located way out in the middle of nowhere along US-93, Spruce Mountain is a really cool spot to check out.
Overall
3.1Pros
- Good access road
- Great views
- Lots of mining and ghost town stuff
Cons
- Steep road to the summit
- Radio towers
- Would be hot in summer
Prominent peaks and Nevada are synonymous. One such peak is Spruce Mountain. This little know peaks stands over 10,000 feet with nearly 4,000 feet of prominence. With a spot on the Great Basin Peak List, it was a must for me.
Lying in a very remote region along US-93 about 45 miles south of Wells, Spruce Mountain makes for a short excursion and side trip if you have 2-3 hours to spare.
Getting There
Spruce Mountain is accessed from US -93 and heading east on Spruce Mountain Road. It’s unsigned, however, mapping software will get you there.
The first 7 miles are on a wide dirt road that can be driven between 30-40mph. After this, we made a slight turn onto BLM 1526 which we followed for about 3.5 miles to the parking spot. This road requires some clearance and passes through old mining structures and a ghost town. It becomes a one lane road as it traverses the base of the mountain.
Road
At the 10-mile mark, you come out to a large parking area where a few roads merge. The road continues to the summit. Even though the road is in great shape and very well maintained, it is extremely steep and would require 4lo to get up it. Each switchback has a nice big turn where a car could park, camp, or turnaround.
Parking area
The Trail
Wherever you decide to start, you will be hiking up a road to the comms towers. The road is steep and there are areas you can cut the switchbacks.
View down to the parking area.
The views along the hike are quite nice and we even saw a wild horse.
The Summit
Once you arrive at the comms towers, the summit is the second rock outcropping to the south. There you will find the reference markers and register.
The views of the Rubies are awesome. Looking in the other directions, Goshute Peak, North Schell Peak and Wheeler Peak can all be seen.
Ruby Mountains
The Final Word
This peak is out there. So be prepared. We picked up a screw that led to a flat tire that needed to be repaired. We had cell service higher up, but not on the lower road and it was 90+ degrees out.
If you are chasing the Great Basin or Nevada P2K lists, this is a great addition. I really enjoyed this peak a lot and the short steep hike was better than driving up the road.
If you find yourself out this way, give it a visit!
