7.5 miles and 4500 gain from the Trail Canyon trailhead to the Nevada state highpoint.

This is the "Trail Canyon Variant" that gained the Boundary ridge south of the Trail Canyon Saddle.
(If I go back to tag Montgomery I'm probably going to try the Trail Canyon standard route- the variant was a whole lot of steep sandy terrain)
Last comment 07/21/2011.

The beginning of Trail Canyon road which was near the junction of NV 264 and 773 near Fish Lake Valley.

The trailhead was ~14 miles back this road, which was in good shape and easily 2wd traversable.

There was a herd of horses hanging out in the valley near the start of the road. Not sure if these were domestic or wild horses- but the name of the area was "Wildhorse Flat"

I had missed the turnoff about a mile from the 2wd trailhead and had to backtrack.
(The main road continues on toward Queen Mine and reportedly gets much rougher)

The Trail Canyon trailhead had space for about a half dozen cars and had this trailhead sign.

The first couple miles of trail paralleled a small spring fed stream and headed toward the head of Trail Canyon. The canyon was surprisingly lush for the Nevada desert.

Boundary Peak Wilderness sign a half mile into the trail.
The saddle directly ahead is Trail Canyon Saddle- but the trail I was following would head left to climb the north slope of the Boundary ridge.

For the most part the trail stayed up in the sagebrush and out of the creekbed vegetation. Lots of wildflowers today.

The valley widened a bit as it approached the head of the canyon. Supposedly there was a trail junction here someplace- but I missed it. (The trail was somewhat indeterminate in a couple places)

The "Trail Canyon Variant" hung a left and soon climbed up out of the sagebrush onto the barren sandy slopes of the Boundary Ridge