The weather was favorable for a partial traverse of the Santa Rosa range crossing five summits. I planned a loop in this order:
Pyramid Peak
Marble Peak
Rosa Point
Mile High Mountain
Villager Peak
Because of short winter days, I started and ended in the dark. From Pyramid Peak, I had a fantastic view of the Salton Sea, a 15-mile long salt water lake sitting on the San Andreas Fault. The next section of the hike to Rosa Point was a difficult 1700' climb with a trail that faded in and out. After a short rest, I continued to Mile High Mountain, a remote peak at 5320'. Then, I faced the hardest section, a 1000' drop and gain to the Villager Peak Ridge. This was off trail class 2/3 scrambling through cactus and boulders. Then, I headed up the ridge for a final mile to Villager Peak, sporting one of the most scenic perches over the desolate Clark Valley. I started descending the 7 mile long ridge back to the truck, only making it 2 miles before sunset. I spent the final 3 hours of the hike in the dark following the trail off the ridge. Total distance was 19.2 miles, 7107' of gain, and it took me 14 hours and 45 minutes to complete the hike. I finished dehydrated and exhausted, but rewarded for an unforgettable day in the mountains. Much more detail here.
Sunrise
Travelers Peak and Salton Sea from Pyramid Peak
Pink teddy bear cholla, the needles have barbs and are hard to remove
Villager Peak summit
Looking down to Clark Valley in the fading light
Twilight in the desert