Minor correction to SierraNevada's post along with some further clarification as well as elaboration.
It's called Frenchman Mountain and only has ONE name (although it is often called -- erroneously -- Sunrise Mountain).
Frenchman Mountain has two distinct peaks, with the southern one being the higher. And -- actually -- that southern peak really has 2 high points, the more northern one (with radio towers) the higher. One can -- furthermore -- arguably say that there are other peaks or high points on the long ridge extending south from there.
Frenchman is a fine local climb if you want it short but want to really exercise. It's a 2 mile trek going up 2,000 feet, all on a 4 wheel drive road that goes all the way to the summit. Actually, you lose maybe 300 feet in elevation on the hike -- you get up to a certain height but then drop down to the saddle between the northern peak and the high peak. That 4 wheel drive road going up from there looks impossibly steep but, of course, it's climbable.
The road is full of loose scree, and with the steepness involved, it's VERY easy to fall on your keister (or worse), especially on the return down -- be careful.
And in the warmer months, with literally NO tree to be seen on the climb, you want water for sure.
The view of fabulous Las Vegas from the top is stellar (the city goes right up to the base of the mountain).
I've gone up to the top twice. One thing I haven't done yet is climb to the northern summit. One gets off the 4 wheel drive road at the saddle to do that and free styles it up the slope to the peak (to your right in the above picture).
Besides the 4 wheel drive road route (accessible off Lake Mead Boulevard about 2 miles east of Hollywood Boulevard -- you'll see a place for cars to park), there are routes (much dicier) directly up the eastern face. Haven't done them nor will I.
Oh yes -- there IS a Sunrise Mountain. That is the mountain north of Frenchman Mountain across Lake Mead Boulevard. It is lower than Frenchman Mountain. (Haven't climbed that yet either.)
Although Las Vegas is surrounded by mountains, quite a few higher than Frenchman Mountain (a tad over 4,000 feet above sea level -- whereas both Le Madre and Potosi on the other side of the valley hit over 8,000 feet, and other mountains hit 6,000 feet (Mt. Charleston, the local highest peak at 11,900 feet is tucked behind Le Madre to the west and doesn't lie on the immediate perimeter of the city)), Frenchman Mountain is nonetheless more or less deserving of being called Las Vegas' iconic mountain. It's closer than any other mountain, more or less, it's pretty big as far as it's footprint, it is the first thing you see when getting off the plane and meandering around the airport, it's pretty good looking (definitely a desert peak).
(And I get to see it daily from my condo at 3,200 feet 20 miles away, with the city and Strip in the middle below me -- reason # 236 for living in Las Vegas!)
