This unranked; yet highest elevation peak, in the Hurricane, UT quad has had an inquisitive interest for me since I was a kid. Growing up in the Southern Utah area, with many family members living in and around Hurricane; the term "Mollies Nipple" required a young pre-teen to hold back giggles in a car full of adults, and this task was especially hard to contain around my 4 cousins of the same age. I have stated in other trip reports that I think "way too many mountain peaks have been named by lonely male hikers who had spent to much time in the backcountry". I don't know who Molly was, but apparently, she was well revered by early settlers.
High saddle view of Mollies Nipple
Directly behind the Hurricane, UT airport and at the end of the subdivision is a gravel pullout near the mouth of Frog Canyon. A nice hikers use trail leads up the ridge line to the plateau.
Looking back to trailhead
The trail is steep in places and spiders often leading to view points or decending into Frog Canyon. Scree is common and spots can be quite slippery during the descent. Despite the route through minor cliff bands, the trail would carry a simple class 2 rating. Elevation rises quickly and with it the stunning of views of water in the desert.
Trail view north across Frog Canyon with views of Hurricane Valley
Once the upper plateau is reached, the hike becomes a nice stroll along a sandy trail spotted with lava rock. View east open up to the rocky points of Zion National Park on the Horizon and the rugged cliff faces of Frog Canyon closer in view.
Frog Canyon and Zion National Park at the horizon.
The rocky "nipple" top is truly an interesting geographic phenomenon and I ponder how such a top might have been created with lava pushing up through the sandy surface or was the lava point here with the sand and erosion occurring after the event? I'm a hiker not a geologist, so I don't ponder for long, instead I simply enjoy the view of Sand Hollow and green fields.
Summit view west. Sand Hollow reservoir.