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Mountain High Adventures

@mountainhighadventures

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Chris Gorney
Outdoor Adventure 🎥
from the Mountains around Las Vegas, NV

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You going hiking Bro? Nah, I’m going dancing….
Wilson Traverse
Red Rock Canyon
Las Vegas, Nevada
#dance #run #climb #summit taken in Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas by @mountainhighadventures

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3 years ago

It’s like a rollercoaster 🎢 every time. That’s one of my favorite things about Red Rock: the varying terrain. Choose your own adventure and have some fun…

Catch ya on the next one…✌🏽 taken in Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas by @mountainhighadventures

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14 days ago

We scored last minute permits to summit Mt Whitney at the end of our trip.

We had originally wanted to climb the East Ridge of Russell, but without permits for the North Fork we had to go with what we got.

A proper alpine start had us up near Trail Camp by the time the sun came up. Absolutely gorgeous morning in the high country. Cool, calm, and not a cloud in the sky.

We trudged up the 99 switchbacks to Trail Crest where the view opens up to the west. I felt surprisingly good on the final 2 miles to the summit and reached the top in just over 5 hours elapsed. I think the first few days really helped me to acclimatize.

The boys were right behind me, and there we were on the summit of the tallest mountain in the lower 48! Mt Whitney 14,505’! My 5th lifetime summit of Whitney.

We chilled and ate and took in the amazing views. I showed Sam @trailrunner80 the top of the Mountaineers route and how steep it is leading down toward Iceburg Lake.

After some photos we hit the trail and jogged it back down to the portal, finishing in about 9.5 hours round trip. Another fantastic day in the high Sierra!!
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#highsierra #mtwhitney #sierranevada #hiking #alpine taken in Mt Whitney Summit by @mountainhighadventures

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2 months ago

On Day 2 of our Sierra trip we attempted Mt Humphreys (13,987’) one of the Sierra Club’s 15 emblem peaks and the highest peak in the Bishop region. It’s basically the gnarliest summit in the Sierra that’s not a 14er.

Its summit block is only rated at 4th class, but as you can see it’s stout.

I attempted this peak back in 2024, and turned back when I reached “Married Man’s Ledge.” You can imagine why it’s named that. I had to go back for redemption!

Well, we got up to the shoulder at about 13,500’ and my boys decided that was far enough. The summit block is so intimidating. I pushed on solo and worked my way up toward the famous ledge again. I stopped just short this time, not being able to find the beta to continue up comfortably. You can see me poking around in one of the videos.

All good with me. I don’t have to stand on every summit, but I always love the challenge and decision making that it takes to get that far.

Even tho none of us stood on the summit, we had a fantastic day up high, and got a heavy dose of high sierra scree.

We reversed our track back down the Piute Pass Trail and even took a dip in Loch Leven. On to the next one!
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#highsierra #easternsierra #hiking #mountains #rocks taken in Eastern Sierra Nevada by @mountainhighadventures

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2 months ago

Spent a week in the Eastern Sierra in late July.

On day 1 @trailrunner80 and I did the Keyhole Route, a 17 mile odyssey into the backcountry.

We started up Lamarck Col just before sunrise and hit the lakes as the alpine glow hit the massive peaks above us. Divine timing. One small snow field had us don the microspikes, and before we knew it we were peering down into Darwin Canyon. Pure magic.

After descending down to the lakes and running past them on the shores, we took a right hand turn and headed up toward the Keyhole.

Another smattering of lakes brought us to the awful scree slope guarding the Keyhole. We trudged up the steep slope and found ourselves looking over the other side without ever having gone through the Keyhole.?.?. Hmmmm.

We poked around for a few minutes and found what must be the Keyhole, a small opening between two huge boulders with one resting on top. Very anti-climactic. We walked thru it, but it was not necessary. There was a much more straightforward line over the ridge. We thought we were going to be forced into some small gap in the rocks having to crawl through to make passage over the ridge, but it was merely a steep hike.

After navigating around a few more lakes we found ourselves at the top of Piute Pass and continued down to the North Lake TH where we started, completing the loop with 5,800’ of elevation gain.

Amazing day in the high Sierra. Has anyone else done this route? Did we botch the Keyhole? It was so unimpressive we didn’t even take a photo, lol.
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#highsierra #lamarckcol #mountains #alpinelakes #hiking taken in Eastern Sierra Nevada by @mountainhighadventures

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2 months ago

Sunrise hikes in the mountains (Sierra Nevada) with the boys are the best! @trailrunner80 @liftone2021 @rayfong555
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#sierra #sierranevada #sunrise #hike #hiking taken in Eastern Sierra Nevada by @mountainhighadventures

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2 months ago

There are some mornings that stay with you.

I’m still not sure what left me more in awe—the way Chris and Becca moved so effortlessly through this landscape, or the space of care, trust, and connection they created around each other from the very first moment.

As two people who’ve spent countless hours scrambling through these mountains, watching them share a sunrise in a place that means so much to them felt incredibly special. It was a privilege to follow along, documenting not just their love for each other, but their relationship with this remarkable landscape.

There’s something magical about warm red sandstone, first light, and two people who make each other feel completely at home.

Red Rocks, you never disappoint. ❤️

#JoyageAdventures #elopementphotographer #adventureelopement by @mountainhighadventures

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3 months ago

⛰️⛰️ 3 BIG SIERRA DOUBLE SUMMIT LINK-UPS ⛰️⛰️

Here’s my ranking from “demanding run/scramble” —> “whose idea was this?”

Why bag one peak when you can bag 2? ⛰️⛰️ Link-ups are the next level progression when chasing summits and big days in the mountains. Buckle up, these adventures will take you on a wild ride!

1️⃣ Cloudripper -> Vagabond ⛰️⛰️

📍📈 22 miles - 6,500’ vert
🗺️ Big Pine North Fork Trailhead

This is a loop route and tags two 13ers that will have your eyes ogling and senses tingling all day. Running up through one of the most scenic basins in the entire Sierra, Big Pine Lakes, past 7 multi-colored tarns, and ending with a heart pounding scramble. After bagging the two peaks, you get miles of rolling downhill through the Baker Lake Basin.

2️⃣ Langley -> Whitney ⛰️⛰️

📍📈 28 miles - 9,000’ of vert
🗺️ Horseshoe Meadows Trailhead

This less obvious link-up might seem ambiguous but it allows for a huge point to point bagging the tallest peak in the lower 48, and finishing at the famous Whitney Portal. After tagging Langley, you get to work your way up through Miter Basin which is a remote and super scenic part of the southern Sierra that you wouldn’t likely hit otherwise. Lake after lake will take you from below one 14er to the foot of another. This one requires a car shuttle, or you can go all human powered and ride a bike 🚵‍♂️ between trailheads like I did.

3️⃣ Tyndall -> Williamson ⛰️⛰️

📍📈 29 miles - 12,200’ vert
🗺️ Shepherd Pass Trailhead

Big mountain ultra running at its finest! Shepherd Pass trail will take you 12 miles and 6k feet of vert up to the base of these two 14,000’ monsters. I suggest hitting Tyndall first, then Williamson, because after Big Willy, you’ll be begging for mercy. This double 14er is ultra distance with well over 12,000’ of vert, a graduate level course in HIGH SIERRA peakbagging.

When one summit isn’t enough, try one of these routes for twice the fun and suffering.

✅ Save this post, bookmark it, or send it to a friend that you want to adventure with.

Better yet, leave me a comment below, What’s your favorite link-up in the Sierra? taken in Eastern Sierra Nevada by @mountainhighadventures

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4 months ago

🔥 4 EPIC SIERRA RIDGELINES 🔥

My 4 favorite Sierra ridgeline scrambles — ranked from “casual spice” to “full alpine commitment” 🏔️👇

1️⃣ The Candlelight Traverse (Whitney Zone) 🕯️⛰️📍 ~10 mi📈 ~4,800 ft gain🧗 Class 3

🔥 The perfect intro to Sierra ridge scrambling: fun knife-edge movement, clean granite, airy sections, and just enough exposure to keep you honest. Killer views of Mt Whitney. A route where you can actually flow through the terrain and feel fast.

2️⃣ Goode + No Goode Ridge (South Lake TH) 🪨🏔️📍 ~13.5 mi📈 ~4,500 ft gain🧗 Class 3/4⚡

Sustained ridge movement with route-finding, fun hands-on scrambling, and endless Sierra granite. The kind of day where you’re constantly moving between talus hopping, scrambling, and ridge cruising while soaking in ridiculous views.

3️⃣ South Lake Peaks Traverse (Hurd → Trapezoid → Johnson) ⛰️⛰️⛰️📍 ~10.5 mi📈 ~6,500 ft gain🧗 Mostly Class 3/4 (with spicy moves depending on your line 😈)

Multiple summits. Constant scrambling. Route-finding. Exposure. This one feels like an all-day alpine playground where every ridge presents another puzzle to unlock.

4️⃣ East Ridge of Mt Russell 👑🏔️📍 ~10 mi📈 ~5,800 ft gain🧗 Exposed Class 3/4💀

The King 👑 of Sierra ridges. Air under your feet, huge exposure, committing terrain, and some of the most aesthetic scrambling in the range. Big consequence energy with huge rewards 🤌

✨ Why ridgelines > trails:• More movement, less hiking 🧗• Route-finding > mindless trail miles 🗺️• Exposure, flow state, and pure mountain freedom 🌬️• Nothing beats Sierra granite 😮‍💨

Share this with your adventure partner or better yet, bookmark it for yourself so you can visit these high Sierra masterpieces.

Which Sierra ridgeline deserves a spot on this list? 👇⛰️

📊 Beta for these routes can be found @fastestknowntime and @mountainproject taken in Eastern Sierra Nevada by @mountainhighadventures

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4 months ago

THE 5 MOST EPIC SIERRA NEVADA HIKES — ranked from “hard” to “I want to be Kilian” 🏔️

The Sierra Nevada is home to some of the best mountain adventures on earth. These aren’t just hikes — they’re full-value journeys through granite cathedrals, alpine basins, knife-edge ridges, and type-2 fun.

Here’s my progression from difficult ➝ completely unhinged:

1️⃣ EVOLUTION LOOP

The perfect gateway to “big Sierra.” A greatest-hits tour of the High Sierra featuring Evolution Basin, Evolution Valley, Dusy Basin, and three massive passes: Piute, Muir, and Bishop Pass.
Highlights:
•Evolution Basin at sunrise = unreal
•The iconic Muir Hut at 12,000’
•Endless granite + alpine lakes

2️⃣ HIGH SIERRA TRAIL

A full west-to-east crossing of the Sierra ending on the summit of Mt. Whitney. Starts among giant sequoias and slowly climbs into high alpine terrain.
Highlights:
•Hamilton & Precipice Lakes (arguably Sierra perfection)
•Kaweah Gap + views into the Great Western Divide
•Finishing on Whitney at 14,505’

3️⃣ JOHN MUIR TRAIL

The classic. The crown jewel. Over 200 miles of nonstop Sierra magic through Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia. Long days, high passes, and scenery overload.
Highlights:
•Evolution Basin, Rae Lakes, and endless alpine lakes
•Famous passes like Forester and Muir Pass
•Ending (or beginning) on Mt. Whitney

4️⃣ SIERRA HIGH ROUTE (SHR)

Where trails become optional. Steve Roper’s legendary mostly off-trail traverse stays high, remote, and rugged with talus, scrambling, navigation, and serious commitment.
Highlights:
•Remote alpine basins few people ever see
•Endless class 2–3 terrain and route finding
•Living above 10,000 feet in the “Range of Light”

5️⃣ NORMAN’S 13 ☠️

The Sierra boss level: linking all 13 California fourteeners in one continuous push. Massive vert, technical terrain, brutal logistics, and enough exposure to make you question your life choices.
Highlights:
•Tagging every CA 14er in a single effort
•Huge alpine traverses and remote linkups
•Peak-bagging meets expedition suffering

Bookmark this post or send it to yourself or a friend for your next Sierra adventure. taken in Sierra Nevada by @mountainhighadventures

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4 months ago

Mt Wilson via the Cleaver Crack

The Crown Jewel of Red Rock Canyon. Mt Wilson is the tallest peak along the Red Rock Escarpment standing proud at over 7,000’, half of which you have to climb from the desert floor to reach the summit.

Her sheer east face is the most recognizable in all of the Spring Mountains and dominates the skyline while driving west on Highway 159 out of Las Vegas.

This route is the shortest and most direct way to scramble to the peak from the east side of the mountain. Head in from Middle Oak Creek Trailhead, scramble up the wash, past the upper slabs in the south fork, and find the entrance to the Cleaver Crack.

Once through the CC, the Nervous Traverse is the final challenge. Next thing you know you’re on top of the highest peak in Red Rock Canyon. Take in those views, you earned them. The quickest way down is the way you came, just reverse your track.

Catch ya on the next one! ✌🏽

#trailrunning #redrock #scrambling #climbing #mountainhigh taken in Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas by @mountainhighadventures

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5 months ago

Magic Mountain

One of the easier scrambles in Red Rock. Barely 3rd class except for the exposed summit block. Red Rock has a special way of gatekeeping. 😂

A chill 2 mile single track trail approach, and then a steep slog up a gully, which is also the standard walk off of Rose Tower for you climbers out there. Then a fun little scramble around the backside of the peak and poof, you’re on top of Magic 🪄🎩 Mountain.

The summit block has a steep 15’ face that goes at 3rd/4th class, but someone has tied a rope to the old bolt on top. The views from the peak are some of the best in the park because you’re kinda situated in the middle of it all.

It’s a short one, round trip is only about 5.3 miles, with 1,600’ of vert. Bookmark this post and save it for later, you’ll want to do this one next time you’re in the area. Follow along for more Red Rock Scrambling Beta.

#trailrunning #redrock #scrambling #precisionfuelandhydration #climbing taken in Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas by @mountainhighadventures

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5 months ago