This
hike schedule is a supplement to the club's monthly newsletter, which
includes other important information regarding club business and
activities. All club members should at least review the newsletter when
it is sent out each month so they can participate more thoroughly in
club activities.
Here is a list of scheduled club hikes for September 2012. Hikes
scheduled during the week are of varying difficulty levels to
accommodate the different skill levels of club members. The
more strenuous Tuesday hikes are only open to existing club members. In
addition, Tuesday participants should have completed at least two of
the Thursday hikes, which are generally rated moderately strenuous or
strenuous. Two hikes are usually offered each Saturday during
the seasons at Red Rock Canyon and Lake Mead. The earlier Saturday hike
will generally be rated either moderate or moderately strenuous and
will be conducted at a moderate pace. The later hike that day is
intended for the general membership, is rated no more than moderate, and
is conducted at a leisurely pace. Hikes on other days of the week may
vary significantly depending on who has volunteered to serve as
coordinator. Please pay attention to the difficulty ratings for
each hike offered and do not attempt hikes that are beyond your
abilities. New hikers without recent hiking experience MUST begin with
the later Saturday hike or a weekday hike rated no more than moderate
before attempting any of the more difficult offerings. No
reservations are required for any of the hikes unless specified below.
Cancellation due to weather may occur without prior notice the morning
of a hike. Whenever possible, e-mails will be sent out through Yahoo
Groups informing of any changes or cancellations. If you have any
questions or comments about any of the hikes contact Chris Dempsey at dempseylv@aol.com or at (702) 823-2355.
With the exception of possible evening walks or hikes in the
valley, all club hikes during the summer months will be conducted in the
higher elevations of the Spring Mountains near Mount Charleston. The
assembly point for these hikes is along the south wall on the third
floor of the southeast parking garage at Santa Fe Station Casino. As
there are two garages at Santa Fe, the correct one is the one closest to
the intersection of Rancho and Lone Mountain Road. If you are meeting
the group at this location for the first time, the easiest directions
are to exit on Rancho from either northbound or southbound Highway 95,
pass the front of the casino on Rancho, and enter the garage on your
right between the two signalized intersections. Details for other assembly areas will be included in the appropriate hike description. Times
indicated for each hike are departure times and are strictly observed.
Usually the group will begin assembling as much as one-half hour prior
to the scheduled departure time.
Saturday, September 1 - Fletcher Canyon. One of
our club's favorite routes in the Spring Mountains is this moderate
4-mile out-and-back hike into a side canyon accessed from Kyle Canyon
Road. One of the reasons is that there is only 600 feet of elevation
gain over the entire route and the lack of steepness makes for a great
leisurely hike. Another is the fabulous scenery in the narrow slot
canyon approaching the customary snack spot at the turn-around point.
Whatever your reason, come out and mingle with your fellow club members
and enjoy the beginning of September in the higher elevations. The
group will assemble at Santa Fe Station for an 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Diane Dempsey.
Monday, September 3 - Mary Jane Falls. It's Labor
Day, but what the heck. If you are looking for a little exercise to
start the day off before heading to a family barbeque, then consider
this moderate 3-mile out-and-back hike that gains 920 feet of elevation
getting to a seasonal waterfall draining a significant portion of the
ridge between Mount Charleston and Mummy Mountain. The speedier hikers
will have time to explore a small cave just beyond the waterfall and
still get in a snack break at the top. Meet the rest of the group at
Santa Fe Station for a 7:45 AM departure. Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.
Tuesday, September 4 - Mummy's Head, Chin & Nose. Each
of the high points on the north end of Mummy's anatomy involves some
pretty significant scrambling over loose scree on steep slopes to get
to the top. In addition, there is some exposure to drop offs on the
approach ridges. As a result, anyone interested in this very strenuous
outing must clear their participation in advance with the hike
coordinator at (702) 341-9723. Total distance to be covered is about 5
or 6 miles and the overall elevation gain must be something over 4,000
feet. Plan on this hike taking at least six or seven hours because of
the terrain. The group will assemble at Santa Fe Station and depart
from there at 6:30 AM. Don't forget to RSVP if you are interested. Coordinator - Steve Anderson.
Wednesday, September 5 - Lee Canyon Narrows. This
moderate 5-mile hike is a bit different in that the elevation gain of
700 feet occurs during the second half of the trek. The route will
begin at the junction of Lee Canyon Road (Highway 156) and Deer Creek
Road (Highway 158) and head down the drainage to the east, passing a
number of camp sites and bullet riddled vintage automobiles. It then
loops through a small, picturesque slot canyon before returning to the
parking area. The group will be meeting at Santa Fe Station for a 9:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Keith Lane.
Thursday, September 6 - Fletcher Peak. What is
normally a full out-and-back hike will have a slight wrinkle as the
group will be doing the early uphill portion to the mid-level meadows
utilizing the trail in Wild Horse Canyon. After a trek to the top of
the most accessible peak surrounding Kyle Canyon, the last part of the
return will follow the North Loop Trail back to the parking area.
Overall, this strenuous hike will cover about 7.5 miles while having a
net elevation gain around 1,800 feet. The group will assemble at Santa
Fe Station for a 7:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Steve Anderson.
Friday, September 7 - Fletcher Canyon. It will be
twice in one week for the moderate 4-mile out-and-back hike into the
scenic slot canyon on the western base of Fletcher Peak. This will
probably be the last time this summer season that this particular
destination is scheduled, so if you missed last Saturday's outing and
can't go today you might have to wait until next year. As with all
Friday hikes, there will be an early assembly point at the Siena
Community Center with a departure from there at 7:45 AM. The entire group will get together at Santa Fe Station and a final departure at 8:15 AM. Coordinator - Roger Hembree.
Saturday, September 8 - South Fletcher Base. A
new area to explore will provide the venue for another
leisurely Saturday hike in the Kyle Canyon area near Mount Charleston.
This particular out-and-back hike will start up the Fletcher Canyon
Trail and turn right on an old abandoned gravel road that winds through
the slopes at the southern base of Fletcher Peak above Highway 158.
Participants should be rewarded with excellent views of the canyon
stretching toward the resort hotel. Total distance will be around 3
miles, elevation gain should be less than 500 feet, and the rating is
moderate. Assembly will be at Santa Fe Station for an 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Diane Dempsey.
Sunday, September 9 - Wallace Canyon Plane Crash. This
is the first of two outings this month for members of Around the Bend
Friends to visit the site of a light plane crash near the top of Wallace
Canyon, just on the other side of the ridge separating it from Lee
Canyon. For this Sunday version of the hike, the group will be taking a
circuitous route involving both Bonanza Trail and Upper Bristlecone
Trail, with a surprise route over the ridge down into Upper
Bristlecone. The coordinator rates this hike as moderately strenuous,
and the distance should be around 6 or 7 miles. Meet at Santa Fe
Station for a 7:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.
Monday, September 10 - Bristlecone to Old Mill. Another
variation of the Bristlecone Trail will occur today as the group will
be doing a point-to-point hike of 5 or 6 miles that will have more
downhill than uphill. Starting from the Upper Bristlecone trail head,
the route will follow the trail through the upper wooded section and
pass the Bonanza junction on the fire service road heading toward the
lower trail head. At a sharp bend of the road, the route will turn on
a maintained trail that leads to Old Mill Picnic Area, where a few cars
will be positioned for the driver shuttle. Departure from the meeting
location at Santa Fe Station is 7:45 AM. Coordinator - Ed Matulis.
Tuesday, September 11 - Cockscomb Ridge. With so
many of the hard core Tuesday regulars at Flagstaff this week, it's time
for something a little more laid back. Thus the chosen option is a
moderate out-and-back hike primarily along Trail Canyon and then
connecting with a rocky platform at the very beginning of Cockscomb
Ridge that offers great views down into Fletcher Canyon as well as most
of the major peaks surrounding Kyle Canyon. Total distance is right at 5
miles with 1,500 feet of elevation gain. Meet the rest of the group at
Santa Fe Station for a 9:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Susan Haase.
Wednesday, September 12 - Cathedral Rock. One of
the busiest routes in the Spring Mountains is this moderate 3-mile
out-and-back hike to the top of a rock outcropping near the base of the
ridge between Griffith Peak and Mount Charleston. The trail winds
through Mazie Canyon where a major avalanche occurred in 2005 and some
of the remnants of that slide can still be observed. There is an
elevation gain of 950 feet getting to the ledge which provides stunning
views of the entire length of Kyle Canyon back toward Highway 95. The
group will meet at Santa Fe Station for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Jen Lindsay.
Thursday, September 13 - Raintree via Trail Canyon. From
the new parking area along Echo Road that was constructed to service
Trail Canyon, the total distance for this moderately strenuous
out-and-back hike is a shade more than 7.5 miles. The elevation gain
along Trail Canyon is close to 1,500 feet, with another 700 occurring on
the stretch of North Loop Trail that winds along the top of Fletcher
Canyon near the base of Mummy's Toe. Once on the North Loop section,
participants will be treated to great views of all the peaks surrounding
Kyle Canyon. Meet the group at Santa Fe Station for a 7:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Ed Matulis.
Friday, September 14 - Raintree via North Loop. The
only thing this hike has in common with the one on the previous day is
the snack break destination at the 3,000 year old bristlecone pine in
the shadow of Mummy's Toe. The route for this hike begins at the North
Loop trail head off Deer Road and proceeds west on the trail past a
mid-level meadows and a dozen of the toughest switchbacks in the Spring
Mountains. The moderately strenuous out-and-back route covers a total
distance of 6 miles and gains 1,500 feet along the way. An early group
will meet at the Siena Community Center for a 7:45 AM departure with the entire group leaving Santa Fe Station at 8:15 AM. Coordinator - Roger Hembree.
Saturday, September 15 - Telephone Canyon. This
moderate version of the 4-mile downhill point-to-point hike that
connects Robbers' Roost with the lower parking area near the police
substation will be quite a bit different from the route that was used
earlier in the year. Actually, very little of the hike will occur in
the canyon as the higher trail that parallels Highway 158 will be used
for the descent. This will take the group on the opposite side of a
ridge above Telephone Canyon and closer to the substation. Bring plenty
of water as there is very little shade on the last half of the hike.
The group will assemble at Santa Fe Station for the traditional 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Sunday, September 16 - No Name/Bristlecone Loop. The
moderately strenuous 6 to 7-mile loop will be taken in a counter
clockwise direction for this hike that will start at the Lower
Bristlecone trail head. That means the switchbacks of the lowest
section of the Bonanza Trail will be taken uphill and the descent
portion will include No Name Trail. Overall, this route has a net
elevation gain of 1,100 feet. Because No Name has several sections of
steep trail with looser surface conditions, it is advised that
participants bring hiking sticks for the descent. The group will meet
at Santa Fe Station for a 7:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.
Monday, September 17 - Cathedral Rock. The route
for today's hike to the top of the distinctive rock outcropping along
the ridge between Griffith and Charleston is identical to that used on
the hike for the previous Wednesday. That means the 3-mile out-and-back
hike will follow the trail as it winds through Mazie Canyon and past
Echo Falls. Once at the top of the outcropping, the sensational view
looks straight down Kyle Canyon and takes in Gass Peak on the other side
of the valley containing Highway 95. The group will get together at
Santa Fe Station for a 7:45 AM departure. Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.
Tuesday, September 18 - Bonanza Trail. The long
trek across the northern end of the Spring Mountains is a point-to-point
hike that covers a total distance of 15 or 16 miles, depending on
whether No Name Trail is used instead of the lower Bonanza switchbacks.
The group will be split at the beginning, with half starting at the
northern trail head near Cold Creek and the others starting at the ski
resort near the top of Lee Canyon. A key exchange will be made when the
two groups meet for lunch. Besides the distance, this trail has two
significant climbs from either end totaling over 3,500 feet, resulting
in a rating of very strenuous. Santa Fe Station is the assembly point
with a departure time of 7:00 AM. Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.
Wednesday, September 19 - Mormon Girls' Camp. We
have to wait until the camp is vacated for the summer after Labor Day
before attempting this moderate 5-mile loop hike that involves following
the dirt road along Deer Creek in the early stages. Instead of taking a
break at the high point of the hike, the group will continue to the end
of the gravel road and descend into the camp using a faint trail along a
minor drainage. After the snack break, participants interested in
challenging the fabled rope bridge will get the chance. Another rope
aids the descent on a steep slope next to a dry waterfall. The group
meets at Santa Fe Station for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Thursday, September 20 - Wallace Canyon Plane Crash. The
easier of the two outings this month that have the light plane crash
site in Wallace Canyon as the destination will essentially be a moderate
out-and-back hike that is about 4 miles in length. The hike starts at
the top of Lee Canyon Road and follows the Bristlecone Trail through the
forest for about a mile before turning onto No Name Trail. The cutoff
to the crash site occurs before the steepest sections of No Name and
leads to the ridge separating Wallace from Lee Canyon. The assembly
point at Santa Fe Station will serve for an 8:00 AM getaway. Coordinator - Ed Matulis.
Friday, September 21 - South Loop 2nd Overlook. This
moderately strenuous 7-mile out-and-back hike will climb 2,000 feet
along the South Loop Trail to a rocky ledge at 9,600 feet of elevation
that overlooks to the top section of Kyle Canyon, including Cathedral
Rock. One of the better maintained trails in the Spring Mountains,
South Loop Trail features a great section of switchbacks overlooking
Echo Canyon that passes a good sized limestone slab with lots of ancient
sea bed fossils observable. Some participants might consider this
a warm up for a leisurely outing to Mount Charleston in two weeks. The
group will depart from the assembly point at Santa Fe Station at 8:00 AM. Coordinator - Susan Haase.
Friday, September 21 - Mary Jane Falls. A second
option for the last calendar day of summer will be the moderate 3-mile
out-and-back hike to the base of the seasonal waterfall below the north
ridge. With 920 feet of elevation gain and lots of switchbacks on the
second half of the climb, the route is perfect for a casual and
leisurely walk to a spot that has a great view of the Echo Cliffs and
the south ridge between Griffith and Charleston Peaks. With the early
group from Siena leaving their community center at 7:45 AM and the full group leaving Santa Fe at 8:15 AM, the return to Santa Fe should still be by early afternoon. Coordinator - Diane Dempsey.
Saturday, September 22 - Champion Canyon. A
pleasant walk through the woods categorizes this easy to moderate hike
in the wide drainage below Lee Canyon and its elevated peaks. This
partial loop hike will cover a total distance between 3 and 4 miles with
only a few hundred feet of elevation gain. It will start at Sawmill
Picnic Area on the way up Lee Canyon Road, but cross the highway on a
recreational gravel road and enter the drainage on the south side of the
highway. The group will be assembling at Santa Fe Station for its
customary 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Ann Cronin.
Sunday, September 23 - Mummy's Toe. This
strenuous hike is only 6 or 7 miles long, but it is loaded with steep
and irregular terrain approaching the distinctive peak on the south end
of the Mummy formation. The exact route will be selected at a later
date, but the two options include a partial loop that has the early
climbing past Deer Creek or the full out-and-back hike along North Loop
Trail to the Mummy Springs cutoff and on to the peak. In either event,
total elevation gain is around 2,500 feet. The group will be assembling
early at Santa Fe Station with a departure time of 7:00 AM. Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.
Monday, September 24 - Cave Springs. This is a
pretty aggressive effort for a Monday hike, but I'm sure the coordinator
will keep that in mind as she establishes the pace for the group. The
moderately strenuous out-and-back hike will head up Trail Canyon to the
junction with North Loop Trail and turn left on that trail toward the
scree field at the base of Mummy Mountain. Before getting that far,
however, the group will reach its destination at the horse trough right
along the trail at the base of the springs area for a well deserved
snack break. Total distance is 6 to 7 miles with close to 2,000 feet of
elevation gain. Departure time from Santa Fe Station will be at 7:45 AM. Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.
Tuesday, September 25 - McFarland Peak. Arguably
the toughest hike our club ever schedules in the Spring Mountains, the
out-and-back trek to the top of McFarland combines distance at 14 miles,
elevation gain at a gross 2,800 feet, steep terrain, and exposure. For
those who make it to the top, the sensational view is a pretty good
reward. This hike is rated very strenuous. On the descent from the
peak, participants will have to watch closely for the side trail that
leads to the jumping off point or face an additional significant
elevation gain just getting back to that point. The group will meet at
Santa Fe Station for a 6:00 AM departure due to the estimated seven or eight hours of hiking. Coordinator - Steve Anderson.
Wednesday, September 26 - Sawmill Trail. Switching
to the other spectrum of opportunities in the Spring Mountains, the
hike selected for today will be an easy to moderate 3-mile outing that
will begin and end at the Sawmill Picnic Area along Lee Canyon Road.
The loop route will start with a rambling trail through a forest of
cliff rose bushes that slowly gains elevation as it approaches an open
ridge to the north of the picnic area that provides views stretching to
Creech AFB and the Nevada Test Site. The group will assemble at Santa
Fe Station for a 9:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Jen Lindsay.
Thursday, September 27 - Cockscomb Ridge. Following
the same route onto the ridge as the September 11 hike but continuing
along the ridge to the base of the rock thrust that constitutes the comb
will increase the overall distance for the out-and-back hike to 6 miles
and bump the rating to moderately strenuous. The snack break will
occur on a narrow rocky section of the ridge that looks directly down
into Fletcher Canyon and a view of the saddle at the top of Stanley B
Springs Canyon. Meet the rest of the group participants at Santa Fe
Station for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Friday, September 28 - Griffith Peak. If you
think you are ready for a more leisurely late season trek to Mount
Charleston (scheduled for October 5) then you will want to participate
on this warm up hike to the top of the third highest official peak in
southern Nevada. The out-and-back route along South Loop Trail will be
used for this strenuous 10-mile outing gaining 3,400 feet. Pace will be
fairly leisurely to accommodate slower hikers with the stamina to reach
the peak, and participants should expect the entire hike to take as
much as seven hours. Departure time from Santa Fe Station will be at 7:30 AM. Coordinators - Susan Haase & Chris Dempsey.
Friday, September 28 - Harris Slot Canyon. In
keeping with our normal standard for Friday hikes, the club will be
offering a second hiking option this day that will involve an easy to
moderate out-and-back trek through the narrow slot canyon near Harris
Springs Road. The estimated total distance will be 4 miles, meaning the
group will not be close to the auto graveyard farther up the canyon,
and total elevation gain should be around 300 feet. The trail past the
narrows follows a gravel filled drainage with quite a bit of hard pack.
The early group will depart from Siena at 7:45 AM and the full group will leave Santa Fe Station at 8:15 AM. Coordinator - Diane Dempsey.
Saturday, September 29 - Upper Bristlecone Trail. The
best part of the Bristlecone Trail is acknowledged to be the wooded
upper section that gains about 700 feet and passes several interesting
rock outcroppings on the way to the trail junction with Bonanza Trail.
The moderate out-and-back hike that utilizes this setting has a total
distance of nearly 5 miles and can be accomplished by most of the
members of our club. For those wanting a little less distance, there is
a great overlook near a downed tree trunk that holds the total distance
to 3.5 miles. The group will meet at Santa Fe Station and form
appropriate travel arrangements for an 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Steve Anderson.
Sunday, September 30 - Stanley B/Fletcher Canyons. It's
hard to believe that we waited nearly the entire summer season before
scheduling this strenuous 6-mile loop hike, but that was the case.
To provide the loop route, the group will start at the Fletcher Trail
parking area and follow the Kyle Canyon drainage west for about a mile
before starting the rigorous ascent of Stanley B Springs Canyon. While
there is no real exposure, there is a lot of rough terrain between the
mine shafts in Stanley B and the drop through the rabbit hole at
Obstacle Rock in Fletcher Canyon. Long pants are recommended because of
the brush. The group will meet at Santa Fe Station for a 7:00 AM departure. Coordinators - Lettie Gutierrez & Chris Dempsey.
That should provide an array of options for club members to
experience the beauty in the higher elevations of the Spring Mountains
before we start our return to the Red Rock Canyon area in
October. There will probably still be a few hikes in October in the
Mount Charleston area to view any residual fall colors, but the bulk of
the scheduled outings will be in the lower elevations.
September 11 through 14 - hikes in either Flagstaff or Sedona
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