View of Clark Mountain from the "trailhead"
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A Birder's Guide to Clark Mountain
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View of Clark Mountain from the "trailhead"
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Clark Mountain (7,929 feet) is an isolated desert peak located just north of I-15 in eastern San Bernardino County. Although It is within the Mojave National Preserve, bad roads, a long strenuous uphill hike, and the remote location make access to this site difficult. Still, for the intrepid few who make the climb, Clark Mountain offers a unique birding experience. Some species of birds common to Arizona, but scarce in California, can be found here with relative ease. For years small groups of birders have been making this arduous trek. There are no proper trails, and to reach the small forest of white fir near the summit one must climb steep and treacherous slopes around a series of cliffs, scrambling over loose rock and debris, and carefully avoiding an array of painful cactus spines and yucca spikes. Only adventurous birders in good health should attempt this hike, and only after taking proper precautions.
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To reach Clark Mountain, take I-15 to the Cima Road exit, where there is a gas station and store. From the exit go north on Kingston Road for 8.5 miles, and turn right onto an unpaved road between twin rows of utility towers. Expect the roads to be in rough condition from here on, and drive very cautiously. Where the power lines noticeably veer to the right (6.1 miles) make a sharp right onto another rough road (go slowly so you don't hit rocks or bottom out!). At 2.8 miles, with a rocky hillside on your left, look for a narrow, unmaintained, and easy-to-miss road/trail on your right. Posted "no motor vehicles," it leads to the base of the mountain. Park and walk from here. Note: the roughness of the roads should not be underestimated, as I know too well from personal experience—I once lost a tire driving the powerline road. It's always smart to carry a viable spare, but here it is absolutely vital. Bill Deppe and Doug Shaw have advised me that you can also get to the mountain via a road from the California-Nevada border, coming in from the northeast. I am told that this route is "generally good, but has many dips on steep hills." Bill Deppe also offers a suggestion that may shorten the distance to the mountain. He uses an unmarked road (possibly to a mining claim) located "maybe a quarter of a mile or so" to the west of my previously described parking spot. He writes that "it has given me a big boost in getting up the hill another half mile or so." At TopoZone you can view a map of the area. Note that the route to the summit follows a (normally) dry drainage, which is shown on the map as a north-flowing creek that originates near the peak. If you follow this drainage up the canyon you will eventually arrive at a bowl on the north face of the mountain. It will take you at least 3 hours on foot to reach the fir forest near the summit.
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Along the "road" to the base of the mountain you should find Broad-tailed Hummingbird in spring (listen for the peculiar trilling produced by the male’s wings in flight). Also possible are Western Scrub-Jay, Pinyon Jay, Juniper Titmouse, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Crissal Thrasher, and Rufous-crowned, Black-chinned, and Black-throated Sparrows. Eventually the path ends at the first in a succession of steep precipices (dry waterfalls). Beyond this point there are no real trails, and you must forge your own way to the summit through a process of trial and error. Be careful and avoid risky situations! | |
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View from Clark Mountain, looking back toward the starting point
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best time to visit Clark Mountain is in May and June, when breeding birds
are present and most vociferous. Species
to look for on the mountain include Golden Eagle, White-throated Swift,
Dusky Flycatcher, Gray and Plumbeous Vireos, Mountain Chickadee, Rock,
Canyon, and Bewick’s Wrens, Virginia’s, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated
Gray, and Grace’s (rare) Warblers, Hepatic Tanager, the gray-headed race
of Dark-eyed Junco, and Black-headed Grosbeak. There are records of such
southwestern vagrants as Painted Redstart and Red-faced Warbler.
Flammulated Owl and Whip-poor-will have been found in the forest of white
fir near the summit at night.
It’s best to get an early start and bring PLENTY of fluids, since it gets very hot during the day. You will also need a good topographic map. Making this trip alone is UNSAFE, and is not recommended. Some birders have hiked up the mountain in the dark, hoping to find nocturnal species, but I would consider that to be quite dangerous. Doug Shaw offers the following advise: "I suggest driving the road in the late afternoon [the day before your hike] and camping out." If you do so, be prepared for nighttime cold as well as daytime heat. Doug writes that "one year Mike Feighner and I camped out on the mountain about 2/3 the way up, and it was bitterly cold and windy on that late May night." |
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