Hike Bat Mountain Funeral Mountains Wilderness BLM, CA

Jan 13, 2021 — After hiking Funeral Mountains Wilderness High Point and Pyramid Peak to the west of Bat Mountain, I felt I needed to wrap up the area and get this cluster of Bat-named peaks. It's one of the better hikes in the area. I loved the colorful rocks, sloping limestone cliff bands, and the sheer drop on the west side of Bat Mountain North. To access the trailhead, navigate here (36.39961, -116.42247) and just follow the very good southwest-running Clay Road, which then curves north, and then heads southwest again.

I hiked past a construction site and followed a dirt road to just before a gate. I believe this gate is used to access a mine that you can see on the way along the hike, but I didn't do the extra credit to check it out. A canyon appeared on the right just before the gate, which I followed on Class 2 for a mile or so before gaining elevation and entering the higher hilly terrain. I tried to keep to the minor drainage when possible, but for the most part just followed the path of least resistance. The route I took avoids the major canyon to the west, though I was tempted multiple times to drop in and check it out. Instead, I ascended and descended a couple of times before reaching the base of Bat Mountain East. A Class 2 section on big boulders brought me to just below the cliff guarding the summit. Adam and Frances had just done the peak the day before and approached from the south (which I used as my descent route later), and they recommended the peak. Bat Mountain East's formidable cliffs looked impossible, but I wanted to try to find a reasonable route up. I located a Class 3 couple of moves up the white base rock toward the northern end of the peak, which led to a ledge. The ledge wrapped around toward the northwest and a Class 3 good chute within the maroon rock led to Class 2/3 terrain above. I don't know if there are other options, but there likely are since it only took me one attempt. You can keep the entire route Class 2 if you avoid this section I ascended by just using the descent route, but I thought the scramble was enjoyable and I recommend it. I took in the views of Bat Mountain and Bat Mountain North and the possible routes between them before descending on Class 2 along the southern ridge of Bat Mountain East. A break in the cliffs allowed me to head down on loose terrain into the drainage separating Bat Mountain East from the other two taller peaks.

Bat Mountain was next. I located a nice route up a gully and side-hilled a bit. The route stayed Class 2 to the summit. I briefly considered attempting the ridge crest traverse from Bat Mountain to Bat Mountain North, but the jaggedness deterred me (it looked like exposed Class 4). Plus, I wanted to experiment with the lower terrain to see if a route would go without having to drop too far down the slope. From Bat Mountain, I backtracked a bit and then continued along the base of the limestone cliffs, navigating a few terrace-like cliff bands (Class 2) before finding mellow terrain to get back to the ridge. I was able to keep the traverse safe without dropping more than 100 feet from the crest. It felt like a small success. The crest leading to Bat Mountain North seemed potentially hazardous so I followed the base of the cliffs on the east until I could see one of many Class 2 limestone slab options to gain the summit. I loved looking back along the ridge toward Bat Mountain where the sheer west face dropped down to the desert. I dropped east off the summit of Bat Mountain North (Class 2, despite how it may look from above/below) back to the saddle with Bat Mountain East and retraced my route back to the trailhead.