DETAILS: 7,735-foot Sam’s Rock [previously unnamed]
is an attention-getting mass of bare granite visible from
Interstate 80 between Wells and Wendover, Nevada. If you’re
eastbound at Pequop Pass (mile post 373), Sam’s Rock is the
pinnacle you see on the far skyline as you head down from the
summit. As you continue on past Oasis to the Shafter exit (m.p.
387), the view of the Rock from the south reveals two summits, the
rounded one on the west being the higher by perhaps 20 feet.
Driving westbound from Wendover, your view of the Rock is blocked
by the southern masses of the Toano Range until you come to the
Shafter exit.
To get to Sam’s Rock, take the Shafter exit and turn onto
the frontage road that parallels the freeway on the north side.
Immediately after the first cattle guard, turn left and follow the
desert road north. High clearance is a good idea, but many
passenger cars can make it if driven very carefully. At 3.1 miles,
turn left onto the next road you come to; and in another 3/10 of a
mile, bear to the right. Just over a mile farther, take the
little-used but good road to the right and park at the top of the
rise.
From where you park, you’ll see a wooded draw that goes up
diagonally between the two summits. The draw is choked with trees
and brush, so the easiest way is to make you way across the draw to
the wall of the Rock itself, where you’ll find the going
steep but relatively easy. Near the top you’ll suddenly come
to the Crack, where the Rock is literally split in two. Except for
a 6-foot ledge, it’s an easy scramble up the crack and
suddenly you’re looking down the north face of the rock.
As you scout the west wall of the Crack, you’ll see a
couple of possible climbing routes; but the easiest route begins
right at the north end of the Crack. Simply step across some tree
branches to an overhung ledge and go up on your hands and knees.
Soon you come out on top of the Crack and find that you’re
separated from the summit block by a broken-up ridge that resembles
the back of a Stegosaurus. It looks a bit chancy, but is fairly
easy to work across. The summit block itself presents a 30-foot
broken wall with one obvious route to begin with. Two-thirds of the
way up, you can scout for a way over the top. At the far right
(north) is a fairly easy route both up and down, though with
exposure to the north wall.
The summit itself is a wonderful place to experience; and the
view is amazingly scenic—Pilot Peak (10,716 ft.) to the east,
Bonneville Salt Flats to the southeast, and many long views and
high ranges. At the high point (7,735 ft.) there’s a rock
cairn. The cache is easy to find. It’s a 4-inch ABS pipe with
a screw-on cap. After you’ve logged in, screw on the cap just
snug; if you crank it down too tight, it will be hard for the next
finder to open. Replace the cache with the screw-top downhill to
help ensure that water from rain or snow doesn’t seep in.
Be warned that reaching the cache at the
summit of Sam’s Rock is not a scramble and a quick grab.
It’s about 700 vertical feet from where you park to the
summit. The approximately 100 vertical feet from the Crack to the
summit involves solid Class 4 rock climbing. In most places there
are good holds on coarse granite, but it’s not for the
faint-of-heart or anyone afraid of heights, and good physical
condition is a must. Wear a helmet and boots suitable for climbing.
Take your time and be safe! Don’t tackle it if it really is
beyond your abilities.
Good luck!