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Apr 19, 2020 — A few weeks ago I noted Palo Verde Peak from a distance for the first time and immediately wanted to hike it. It's prominent enough to be seen from most directions, but is still a relatively small mountain. The approach I took came in from the west, after driving a sandy road suitable by mid-clearance. I parked shortly before the ideal start point because the road became more narrow and turning around would be difficult. A tiny canyon with a short chockstone Class 3 move seemed to be the starting point for most, so I began there.
A wash followed the tiny canyon, and the beautiful Palo Verde Peak summit ridge above came into view as I continued through the wash. For the most part I stayed within the drainage, navigating some brush and rockiness for a bit, and then headed up an annoyingly steep and loose slope. Seriously, this slope sucks. Toward the top it got more scree-filled and I found myself using all four limbs to grab at talus/scree to make progress. I topped out on the southern ridge of Palo Verde Peak and was amazed by the views. The jagged ridge had a sheer cliff on the east side and the sunset accentuated the curves.
I followed the ridge toward the summit, initially easy and pleasant terrain. I encountered a short down climb to avoid a sketchy notch. A Class 3 move on the right brought me into the notch, and then some fun scrambling brought me back up on the other side. I then continued just to the right of an interesting-looking optional ridge, but it seemed to add more danger than it was worth, so I kept just below the rocky crest. I found myself on a false summit just south of Palo Verde Peak. I had two options: stay along the ridge and step across an airy one-move knife-edge (Class 3), or down climb a small chimney on the left, which looked a lot safer (Class 3+). I did the knife edge on the ascent, and on my way back came up the chimney. I generally always recommend the less-exposed feeling option, but either way works fine. The rest of the route is quick Class 2 to the summit of Palo Verde Peak.
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