Currant - Duckwater Loop, NV

Overview
A challenging CW lasso loop that tags two >11K peaks in the East Central Great Basin Range of Nevada. Currant Mountain is the highpoint of the White Pine Range, boasting >P4K and dwarfing Duckwater Peak to its north. Indisputably, this hike's culmination is the north/south orientated Stage II sweeping Bristlecone ridge that connects these two stunning summits in the Currant Mountain Wilderness.


Stage I starts west of the creek crossing, following FR-644 west about a half mile, then bears left and attempts to follow an obscure path through the multitude of avy debris. At about mile one, you'll be ascending a more defined drainage, but now dealing with occasional bouldering and thick deadfall. The pitch increases past some eroded and jumbled tarns, eventually becoming even steeper for >1500' of gain over loose limestone talus, some sheer shelves, and more boulders to a saddle south of 11273 T. From here, tracking north to Currant Mountain is straightforward.Apparently, from the mountain top, a direct ramp north is possible to start Stage II, but the official route for this guide doesn't track that possible route. It descends west through some jumbled terrain, then eventually north across some steeply angled talus and in time picks up an obscure trail near 11413 T. Progress north is less intense now as one traverses several saddles and subpeaks. The western slopes below this scenic ridge are mostly blowtorched, with a few areas recently disposed of by an intense fire that had crept/crowned down some of the east-facing slopes.

Duckwater is a rocky and peaceful peak, I'd guess about 3 hours from its more sought-after and prominent prize to the south. Stage III is mainly a steep ~2500' descent, kind of exposed except for some Bristlecone shade, which in due course transects the eastern wilderness boundary at FR-644. Continuing south (right), following the road for a mile and a half, where it then descends more steeply through some broad switchbacks ending up at the spring and creek crossing at ~7800'.

Synopsis
A challenging loop (3.5 of 5.0) in a beautifully rugged landscape that would warrant many return trips to explore other areas in this wild and protected place.

2025-09-23 pseudalpine