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Apr 07, 2022 — Mount Ferguson is yet another big lump in the western Great Basin Desert. It's got some cool colors and expansive views. Most people seem to approach the peak from the southeast via some combination of ridges and drainages, and this seemed like a good option to me, too. I took two slightly different routes, but included only information about my preferred option. The summit register had a few entries of people mentioning "The Desert Trail", a route I had never heard of. Later research revealed it's a cairned route stretching from Mexico to Canada, and I guess it came close enough to Mount Ferguson for people to bag the summit. Perhaps coming from the west via this "trail/route" is better somehow? Regardless, I overall enjoyed the way I came. To get to where I started, head northwest here (38.61062, -118.09191) on a road suitable for Crossover vehicles. Keep left at this junction (38.63213, -118.11562), and then take a right (north) here (38.61759, -118.1368).
I headed north along an animal trail which dropped me into a significant drainage. This drainage ascended gradually to the northwest. Its banks were colorful, and looking back while farther along revealed generally pretty colorful terrain. I left this drainage when it started getting choked with brush, taking a lightly-colored slope north. Animals seem to like this option as well, since there was ample cow poo and a notable trail. This slope was pretty tame and had no brush, so I followed it to the 7200' contour where the terrain leveled out briefly. The last hundred feet or so became a bit rockier and introduced some tree-dodging, but it wasn't unpleasant.
I continued north along a flat section until the next slope, this one a bit steeper than the previous one. The slope would lead to the east ridge of Mount Ferguson. I don't think there's one "best" way to ascend this slope to gain the ridge, all options seeming a teeny bit brushy and with some embedded boulders that are slightly annoying. Once on the ridgeline, the hiking was mostly straightforward and at a very gradual angle. Along the way is some light talus-hopping and more tree-dodging, but nothing too bad. Fortunately the summit was free of trees, so I stuck around for the excellent views for a bit.
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