Snow Lake Peak, the fifth highest named peak of the Ruby Mountains

Ruby Mountains

The Ruby Mountains comprise one of the many mountain ranges of the Great Basin in the western United States. They are the predominant range in Elko County, in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada. To the north is Secret Pass and the East Humboldt Range, and from there the Rubies run...

 and the seventh highest in Elko County

Elko County, Nevada

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 45,291 people, 15,638 households, and 11,493 families residing in the county. The population density was 3/sq mi . There were 18,456 housing units at an average density of 1/sq mi...

, is located in the northeast portion of the state of Nevada

Nevada

Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...

 in the western United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It rises from the head of Box Canyon (above Snow Lake

Snow Lake, Nevada

Snow Lake is a glacial tarn in the Ruby Mountains, in Elko County in the northeastern part of the state of Nevada. It is located at the head of Box Canyon just south of Snow Lake Peak and at an elevation of ....

), is part of the headwall

Headwall

In physical geography and geology the headwall of a glacial cirque is its highest cliff.In civil engineering, a headwall is a small retaining wall placed at the outlet of a stormwater pipe or culvert....

 of Thomas Canyon (with Mount Fitzgerald), and is a prominent part of the west wall of Lamoille Canyon

Lamoille Canyon

Lamoille Canyon is the largest valley in the Ruby Mountains, located in the central portion of Elko County in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada, in the western United States. Approximately in length, it was extensively sculpted by glaciers in previous ice ages.Lamoille Canyon begins...

 above Lamoille

Lamoille Lake, Nevada

Lamoille Lake is a glacial tarn in the Ruby Mountains, in Elko County in the northeastern part of the state of Nevada. It is located at the head of Lamoille Canyon, at approximately , and at an elevation of 9740 feet . It has an area of approximately 13.6 acres...

 and Dollar

Dollar Lakes, Nevada

Dollar Lakes are a group of three glacial tarns in the Ruby Mountains, in Elko County in the northeastern part of the state of Nevada. They are located near the head of Lamoille Canyon at approximately , and at an elevation of 9610 feet . They have a combined area of approximately 3 acres , and...

 Lakes.

Geography

The summit is a high glacial horn located about 25 miles (40 km) southeast of the community of Elko

Elko, Nevada

Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 18,297 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Elko County. The city straddles the Humboldt River....

. It is the only major peak of the Ruby Mountains that cannot be reached via a scramble

Scrambling

Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent...

.