Highpoint Loop

Both of the slots start with a slick pour-off that requires an awkward scramble up one side. The exposure is not very substantial, but some folks may need some help in here. Note that there is often tumbleweed piled up at the foot of each pour-off.

The photo shows the entrance to the southern slot; the northern slot looks pretty similar.

Going up the southern canyon, the wash zags to the south (right) and runs in a tilted slot. This slot often fills up with tumbleweed, unfortunately.

Above the southern slot, the canyon widens substantially and gets less interesting. If you're doing the southern route, go northeast (left) at a major fork and climb the ridge to the north (left) when the wash gets brushy. Follow the ridge east until you reach the crest.

The fun in the northern canyon goes on longer. Hike and scramble up the canyon until you reach the massive pour-off shown here. It's possible to get above the pour-off by climbing a steep grassy slope to the north (left) and crossing back south (right), but that's not the fun route.

Look to the south (your right) and you'll see a steep, tilted crack coming down to you. Believe it or not, this crack is walkable, although you may need to brace yourself against the tilted wall on your right in places. This is a really cool spot.

Once you reach the top of the crack, turn east (left) and keep scrambling up the canyon. There are a couple more steep scrambles through additional cliff bands, but there is no significant exposure. The canyon remains pleasantly narrow for a while.

Eventually the canyon opens up a little bit, although it remains fairly steep. Keep following the wash bottom until you reach the head of the canyon. Climb out of the canyon onto the ridge to the east, and follow the high ground up to a larger east-trending ridge.

There are some minor, fun obstacles on both the southern and northern ridge routes. The one in this photo is on the southern route; we passed the crags on the south (right), then cut left into a crack to get above a cliff band. It's easy scrambling with minimal exposure.

As you climb, the ridge gets more open and the views get nicer. Before reaching the top of the crest, you should see a very good wild horse trail that contours around the ridge. Go northeast on the wild horse trail, avoiding the extra up-and-down on the ridgeline, until you reach the next major saddle.

At the saddle, look carefully for the wild horse route. It switchbacks up the steep slope to your north, then peels off onto the east (right) side. Follow it along the east side as it takes you through a brushy area and switchbacks up the slope. There are several trails; try to stay on the one with the best tread. It's not awful if you end up off-trail, but the horses have routes through the brush and the cliff bands that make the climb easier.

Eventually you end up on Peak 7624, with a view north to the summit crags. Walk along the rolling ridge to the foot of the first crag.

Pass below the first crag on the east (right). Angle up toward the cliff band on the next crag and look for an opening through the ledges.

There are two or three reasonable gaps in the cliff; they are all steep and have a bit of brush. Pick one and climb up onto the crag.

The route starts out a little easier on the east (right) side of the crag, but eventually you are forced onto the top. Descend a series of ledges, then cross to the narrow section as seen in this photo.

This photo looks back south at the route. You can see the ledges coming down from the crag, and in the foreground is a little scramble over a small obstacle. There are small drops on both sides, but it's really not very challenging. Work your way down on the east (right) side of the crest and cross the saddle.

More scrambling awaits you on the north side of the saddle. There are routes through the cliff band on both the east (right) and west (left) sides, but the west side is a little easier. You can see most of the west side route in the photo — head up to the grassy slope shown in the upper left of the photo, dodge some trees and then cut to the right up an easy crack to the top.

And then you're done with the scrambling. You can just walk up the easy slope to the high point. Have lunch while admiring the views. You can see a fine stretch of sand dunes to the west, inside the Dugway Proving Ground.

The next bit of route-finding is a bit tricky. You need to go down into Quincy Spring Canyon to the north and west. All of the valley heads on that side look similar. To get to the right spot, you should walk along the rolling ridgeline as it descends to a major saddle. Continue past the saddle to the next bump; you will see a much more substantial bump above you to the northeast (right), with a gully dropping down to the northwest (left).

Head down this gully. The footing is bit awkward on the steep grassy slope. Work your way down into the wash bottom.

The wash gets rockier and eventually becomes rock-floored. It's a pretty section of ledges and towers.

Rather abruptly, the wash turns left and goes over a cliff.

Don't follow the wash over the cliff. Instead, go up and to the north (right) and look for a route down through the cliff band. Once you're below the cliff, you can switchback down between the boulders on the steep, grassy slope to the wash bottom.

From here, it's a fairly straight shot back to the cars, although you still have a few miles to go. Quincy Spring itself is up on the slope on the north side of the canyon; there isn't much to see there now (the structures burned in a range fire). A jeep road was bulldozed to service the spring, and you can follow the road down through some pleasant cliffy sections of the canyon. Eventually you will pop out above the stock pond near where your shuttle vehicle is parked.

If you don't have a lot of time, you can reach the summit by going up Quincy Spring Canyon. The ridge on the west opposite the big pour-off makes a decent ascent route. This route skips almost all of the fun, though.