October 2012 Hike List

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 October 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.

 

October marks the transition between the higher elevations of the Spring Mountains and the lower elevations of Red Rock Canyon.  Hikes through October 7 will occur in the higher elevations.  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.  Starting October 8, club hikes will occur in the Red Rock area.  For all Red Rock area hikes, the group will meet in the parking lot somewhat in front of the Best Buy store on the north side of Charleston across from the Red Rock Station Casino.  The store backs up to Highway 215, and the entrance to the parking lot is off Canyon Pointe.  For hikes on the back side of the escarpment, there is a secondary pickup point at the gas station at the intersection of Highways 159 and 160 to accommodate south side participants.  Directions to the staging points for any hikes at different locations will be contained in the appropriate hike descriptions.  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.

 

 

Monday, October 1 - Mormon Girls' Camp.  Here is one more chance to experience the thrill (or watch someone else do it) of crossing the rope bridge over the ravine in the heart of the campgrounds.  Other than that, the moderate 5-mile loop hike will have a few thrills of its own as the route makes a steep descent past a rock waterfall with the aid of a rope.  The climb section passes the historic structures associated with a resort and a sawmill.  The group will be meeting at Santa Fe Station for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Monday, October 1 - Cottonwood Canyon.  Weather for our recent outings to see the full moon rise over Las Vegas haven't been very successful, but maybe our luck will change in October.  The easy 3-mile walk over a paved surface will give us the opportunity to see the light of day fade behind the La Madre Mountains with a sunset at 6:23 and we will be in position to observe the moon rise at 7:08 from the grassy lawn somewhat behind Costco.  Cottonwood Canyon is located on Park Run Drive one block north of Charleston Boulevard and 200 feet west of Town Center Drive.  The walk will start promptly at 6:00 PM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Tuesday, October 2 - Mummy's Tummy.  The Tuesday pattern of tough hikes continues with a very strenuous out-and-back to the second highest mountain in southern Nevada that will cover a total distance of 10 miles.  Trail Canyon forms the first and last leg of this trek that gains 3,900 feet of elevation.  The scree field rising above North Loop Trail is at roughly a 45% angle and the final notch through the cliffs is definitely Class 3 scrambling.  The group will meet at Santa Fe Station for a 7:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Steve Anderson.

 

Wednesday, October 3 - 6000 Foot Road.  This might as well be labeled as a mystery hike because I have no idea what we are likely to encounter.  All I can tell you is that Ed Matulis and I noticed a gravel road climbing over a shallow ridge on the north side of Lee Canyon Road this summer and thought it might be a good idea to find out where it goes without driving it.  The road starts just a few feet from the 6,000 foot elevation sign on Lee Canyon Road.  We will probably try to limit the distance to 5 or 6 miles total.  The group will get together at Santa Fe Station for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Thursday, October 4 - Gass Peak.  Deviating from the Spring Mountains just a bit our intrepid hikers will head to the Las Vegas Range almost directly north of downtown Las Vegas for a strenuous 7 or 8-mile out-and-back hike with 2,500 feet of elevation gain.  The road to the trail head is very rough and requires high clearance vehicles.  The trail to the top also involves climbing through sections of gravel, and is fairly steep in several places.  The group will assemble at Santa Fe Station for a departure at 7:00 AM.  Coordinator - Steve Anderson.

 

Friday, October 5 - Mount Charleston.  Let's finish the Spring Mountain portion of the 2012 hike calendar in style with a trip to the highest point in southern Nevada.  At 17 miles in total distance and 4,300 net feet of elevation gain, this very strenuous hike ranks right up with the toughest on our yearly schedule.  The route for the day will be up South Loop Trail and down North Loop to Trail Canyon.  To give us the best chance of getting off the mountain in daylight, we will be meeting at Santa Fe Station for a 5:15 AM departure.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Saturday, October 6 - Cathedral Rock.  The last Saturday hike in the Mount Charleston area will feature one of the signature hikes in the Spring Mountains.  The moderate 3-mile out-and-back hike climbs 950 feet through Mazie Canyon, the site of a major avalanche back in 2005.  While the aspen trees have rebounded from the slide, there is still some remaining debris and a bunch of snapped pine trees close to the center of the canyon.  The group will assemble at Santa Fe Station for an 8:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Diane Dempsey.

 

Sunday, October 7 - Griffith Saddle.  The very last club hike in the Spring Mountains for 2012 will be a strenuous 9-mile out-and-back hike along South Loop Trail to the saddle a bit north of Griffith Peak at the junction with the Harris Springs Trail.  The saddle is at 10,700 feet above sea level, meaning the hikers will have climbed just over 3,000 feet when they stretch their legs for the mid-hike snack break.  Departure time for the group from Santa Fe Station will be at 7:00 AM.  Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.

 

Monday, October 8 - Escarpment Base Trail.  It's finally time to come back to Red Rock for the fall portion of our hiking calendar.  We will be opening up with a moderate point-to-point hike on the trails near the base of the escarpment, including all of Arnight, Dale's, and SMYC Trails along with a bit of the Pine Creek Trail.  Total distance is 5.4 miles over rolling terrain that crosses quite a number of creeks and drainages exiting from the sandstone cliffs to the west.  Departure time for the group from Best Buy will be 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Tuesday, October 9 - Wilson Peak.  We aren't wasting any time when it comes to offering tough hikes in Red Rock, as this very strenuous outing to one of the most prominent peaks on the escarpment will tax even the strongest club members.  The route used will come in from Lovell Canyon past First Creek Overlook Peak and connect with the ridge leading to Wilson near the top of First Creek Canyon.  Lots of scrambling and occasional exposure is included, with a total distance around 6 miles.  The group will leave from Best Buy at 6:30 AM, an early time but necessary because of the drive and the hike difficulty.  Departure from the gas station at 159 and 160 will be at 6:50 AM.  Coordinator - Steve Anderson.

 

Wednesday, October 10 - Ice Box Canyon.  There is also some boulder scrambling involved on this moderate 3-mile out-and-back hike into the sheltered canyon near the north end of the escarpment using the regular trail head, but it won't involve climbing any extremely large rocks or waterfalls.  There is a bit of exposure on the final climb to the ledge which affords the snack break below a 40-foot seasonal waterfall at the end of the canyon.  The group will meet at Best Buy for an 8:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Jen Lindsay.

 

Thursday, October 11 - Windy Peak.  Another one of the prominent peaks toward the southern end of the escarpment, Windy Peak gets a strenuous rating over the out-and-back route of 6 total miles.  The hike will start near Mountain Spring Summit with the steepest part of the hike along a gravel road past a communications tower.  After the transition from limestone to sandstone, there is about 100 feet of rolling exposure getting onto the top formation.  The group will depart from Best Buy at 7:30 AM and pick up south side participants at the Highway 159 and 160 gas station at 7:50 AM.  Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.

 

Friday, October 12 - Calico Tanks.  One of the signature shorter hikes in the Red Rock area is this moderate 3-mile out-and-back trek through a canyon in the heart of the Calico Hills.  Elevation gain is around 700 feet and there are over a dozen sections of rock steps along the trail that has amazing colorful sandstone formations on either side.  Just past the major tank which seasonally holds water is a rock outcropping that provides a great view of the southern half of Las Vegas and across Lake Mead to Arizona.  The group will depart from Best Buy at 8:15 AM for this hike.  Coordinator - Roger Hembree.

 

Saturday, October 13 - Krafft Mountain Loop.  The early outing for the first Saturday back in Red Rock will be through one of the most scenic accessible areas west of Las Vegas.  This moderate 5-mile loop hike starts near Calico Basin on the east side of the Calico Hills and tromps through Lower Gateway Canyon on the back side of Krafft Mountain.  The different colors and patterns of the sandstone are awesome.  Scrambling is included with one major waterfall to negotiate on the way down.  This group will leave from the Best Buy parking lot at 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Saturday, October 13 - Oak Creek.  The more leisurely outing for the first Saturday back in Red Rock will be an easy to moderate out-and-back hike that will follow the Oak Creek Trail off the scenic loop road and have the turn around point at the base of Potato Knoll.  Total distance is around 3 miles and there is very little elevation gain involved.  Participants will be treated to some good views of the high cliff walls on either side of the opening to Oak Creek Canyon.  Departure time from Best Buy will be at 8:30 AM.  Coordinator - Ann Cronin.

 

Sunday, October 14 - Grapevine Springs Exploratory Hike. Six to Seven moderate miles in the desert off of Kyle Canyon Road. Meet at the Santa Fe for a 7:30am departure time. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
 

Monday, October 15 - White Rock Loop.  Another classic Red Rock hike is this moderate 6.4-mile trail that circles two cream-colored sandstone peaks at the north end of the canyon.  The hike offers two distinctly different ecosystems with creosote desert on the front side of the mountains and lush vegetation on the back side, which receives double the amount of precipitation during the year as the front side.  Starting point should be at Willow Springs.  The group will meet at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.

 

Tuesday, October 16 - Gray Cap Peak.  Be prepared for significant scrambling and lots of exposure if you plan on taking part in this very strenuous hike to the limestone topped peak just west of Brownstone Canyon that is known for its fabulous sandstone formations.  The 4 to 5-mile out-and-back route will start near Calico Basin, cross Five Stop Hill to Gateway Canyon, and then start climbing through the sandstone just a short distance up the canyon.  The group will be leaving promptly from Best Buy at 7:00 AM for this hike.  Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.

 

Wednesday, October 17 - Skull Canyon & The Muffins.  Counter clockwise will be the direction for the first hike of the season on Blue Diamond Hill across from the entrance to Red Rock Canyon.  From the horse stable entrance on Highway 159, the group will head up Skull Canyon and visit the original Las Vegas Overlook on the long hill that is well known for its gypsum mine.  After a snack break, the group will head over to the distinctive caliche boulders known as The Muffins before descending back to the starting point.  Distance is around 5 miles with 1,100 feet of elevation gain and a moderate rating.  Meet the group at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Laszlo Heredy.

 

Thursday, October 18 - Mountain Spring Peak.  The west side of the escarpment will be the backdrop for this moderately strenuous 7-mile loop hike that explores the area above the community of Mountain Springs.  The hike begins along the steep gravel road that is also used for Windy and Hollow Rock Peaks but heads south to the limestone peak somewhat behind Black Velvet.  Rather than stopping at the top, the group will continue down the other side and reach a sensational ledge above Black Velvet Canyon for a snack break.  The return includes some minor scrambling in a drainage and passes a small cave and two springs.  Departure from Best Buy will be at 8:00 AM with a secondary pickup at the Highway 160 gas station at 8:20 AM. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Friday, October 19 - Moenkopi/Angel Canyon Loop.  Starting from the Red Rock fee booth parking lot, this moderate 5-mile clockwise loop hike will take the Moenkopi Trail to the bench on the ridge north of the Visitor Center, then follow the trails to Calico I and Calico II Overlooks before heading into the canyon with the rock angel carving.  After a snack break near the rock, the hike will continue back past the Calico I Overlook and take the trail on the east side of the road back to the entrance station.  The group will meet at Best Buy for an 8:15 AM departure.  Coordinator - Roger Hembree.

 

Saturday, October 20 - Lone Mountain (followed by fall picnic).  If you would like some exercise before imbibing in all the good food offered at our club's annual fall picnic, then join the group for a short hike either to the summit or around the base of the 750-foot mountain on the northwest side of Las Vegas.  It's about 3 miles for the moderately strenuous climb to the summit while only 2 miles for the easy level loop around it.  The staging point will be the south parking lot at the Lone Mountain Regional Park, generally located near the intersection of Craig Road and Jensen.  The hike will start from there at 8:00 AM, which should give you plenty of time to make the picnic at Children's Discovery Park late that morning.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Sunday, October 21 - The Muffins & Skull Canyon.  The description is reverse from the same basic hike offered the previous Wednesday because the route taken will be in reverse.  From the horse stables parking lot, the group will first head up to the caliche boulders on the north end of Blue Diamond Hill, then take the somewhat obscure trail back to the old Las Vegas Overlook.  The last half of the moderate 5-mile loop hike descends through Skull Canyon, so named because of the full skeleton of a mule once found there.  You can join the group at Best Buy for a 7:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Monday, October 22 - Potato Knoll.  The normal route our club uses for this moderate 5-mile partial loop hike starts from the parking lot where the scenic loop drive exits onto Highway 159 and follows a trail originally laid down by horseback riders and then an old recreational jeep track toward the descent to Oak Creek.  The loop portion of the hike begins near the base of the hill, also known as Wilson's Pimple, and includes a fairly steep jaunt to the top for a great view of the Red Rock area.  There are four crossings of Oak Creek along the way and there should be some flowing water at a couple of them.  The group will meet at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.

 

Tuesday, October 23 - Two North Peaks.  Traditionally attempted on Halloween Day, this strenuous 11-mile hike with 2,800 feet of elevation gain will occur a week earlier this year.  The early and late stages of the partial loop hike will be along Potato Road, also known as Rocky Gap Road.  From the Red Rock Summit the group will follow the trail to the limestone North Peak, then descend through the cliff on the east side of the peak and take a ridge back to the sandstone portion of the escarpment that contains the sandstone North Peak.  Scrambling is involved and the descending trail back to the road is steep and loose in spots.  Meet the group at Best Buy for a 7:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Wednesday, October 24 - La Madre Miner's Cabin.  This moderately strenuous 5-mile out-and-back hike includes 1,600 feet of elevation gain in reaching the stone shelter on a ledge below a couple of lead mine shafts.  The route passes La Madre Springs using the official trail laid out on an abandoned gravel road past a couple of old foundations, then follows a narrow path into a canyon along a stream that gets steeper the nearer it gets to the shelter.  From the rest stop at the shelter participants will get a great view of the back side of the White Rock Hills.  Departure time from Best Buy will be at 9:00 AM.  Coordinator - Jen Lindsay.

 

Thursday, October 25 - Fern Canyon.  Although this out-and-back hike is rather short for a Thursday at 4 to 5 miles total, the boulder scrambling is pretty intense the farther back one goes into the canyon.  Officially referred to as North Fork Pine Creek, the local name comes from the abundance of ferns located in several sections of the canyon, largely due to confined spaces and the presence of flowing water during much of the year.  The trail section passes the old Wilson homestead foundation, and there is one remaining apple tree from the orchard that used to occupy the nearby field.  The overall rating for the hike is strenuous.  The group will assemble at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Friday, October 26 - First Creek.  The first mile of the trail getting to a hidden waterfall in the creek drainage is nearly level with mainly a dirt surface.  The second mile approaching the entrance to First Creek Canyon has more elevation gain, with the farthest point of the hike some large boulders that form a twelve foot seasonal waterfall.  Overall, the 4-mile out-and-back hike is rated easy to moderate.  Several areas along the trail are often visited by a herd of bighorn sheep that inhabit the canyon area.  Meet the rest of the group at Best Buy for an 8:15 AM departure.  Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.

 

Saturday, October 27 - White Rock Loop.  Kick off the last weekend of October with a moderate 6.4 mile loop around White Rock Hills Peak and White Rock Springs Peak at the north end of Red Rock Canyon.  Our coordinator has opted to conduct the hike in a counter clockwise direction from Willow Springs, meaning the hotter desert portion of the hike will occur in the first half and the somewhat cooler and higher section behind the mountain, exhibiting taller trees and bushes, will highlight the second half.  This is the early club hike for the day and the group will depart from Best Buy at 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.

 

Saturday, October 27 - Ice Box Canyon.  The later outing for this Saturday is a repeat of a short hike conducted on a weekday earlier in the month.  At 3 miles, this moderate out-and-back hike follows the track from the trail head across Red Rock Wash and gains the somewhat higher ridge north of Ice Box Creek for a little over a mile.  Roughly 0.4 miles of the route is in the creek drainage and involves mostly minor scrambling over and around small boulders.  To get to the snack spot at the turn around point, participants will have to do a short Class 3 scramble past a tree and onto a ledge.  The group will depart from Best Buy at 8:30 AM.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Sunday, October 28 - Krafft Mountain Loop.  The standard route for this great 5-mile hike around the back side of Krafft Mountain is to climb over Five Stop Hill and descend into lower Gateway Canyon, exiting at the bottom of the canyon on the east side of the mountain.  Our coordinator for this hike usually likes to add a few wrinkles to her outings, so don't be surprised if the hike goes counter clockwise or she adds a bit of exploration to the otherwise moderate trek.  The assembly point for the group will be at Best Buy with a 7:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.

 

Monday, October 29 - South Cottonwood Valley.  The Deadhorse Trail in the valley south of Highway 160 will be the scene for this easy to moderate 4-mile out-and-back hike.  Originally established by mountain biking enthusiasts, the trail follows a gradual dirt track along a seasonal drainage to a signboard in the heart of South Cottonwood.  Halfway along the route is a connecting trail that leads to Badger Pass, a hike you can expect to see scheduled in the near future.  If the group is willing, there is a potential moderate add-on of about a mile up a gravel road that leads to a spot where Las Vegas is visible.  Departure time from Best Buy will be 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.

 

Tuesday, October 30 - Brownstone Canyon.  This strenuous loop hike will cover a total distance of 6 miles and gain 2,000 feet in the process.  The route used for this hike will climb on the normal trail to the saddle on the ridge below Turtlehead Peak and descend from there into Brownstone Canyon.  The snack break will occur near pictograph wall and also close to a number of petroglyphs from early natives in the area.  The return portion of the hike will descend through Gateway Canyon and pass the base of Red Cap on the return to Sandstone Quarry.  Meet the rest of the group at Best Buy for a 7:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Brian Dodd.

 

Wednesday, October 31 - Waterfall Canyon.  Celebrate Halloween day will a moderate 4-mile out-and-back trek into a side canyon about a mile and a half up Rocky Gap Road.  The canyon almost always has water flowing with at least a dozen waterfalls or slides providing one of the most beautiful settings in this part of the Spring Mountains.  There is a half mile of scrambling in each direction in the canyon and sections of slick rock, so make sure you have good tread on your hiking shoes.  Assembly will be at Best Buy with a 9:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Keith Lane.

 

Wednesday, October 31 - Sunset Park.  Spend Halloween evening with your ABF friends on a full moonrise hike in a park on the south side of Las Vegas on an easy walking trail 3.5 miles in length.  With sunset at 5:45 PM and moonrise at 7:02 PM, the skies should be perfect to catch the first light of the moon over Frenchman's Mountain.  Halloween costumes are encouraged and treats can be brought to share with each other (and maybe some kids).  Don't forget some water and possibly a flashlight.  Sunset Park is at the corner of Eastern Avenue and Sunset Road.  From the north, general directions are to take 215 west of I-15 to the airport exit and go east on Sunset before reaching the tunnel.  Once you get to Eastern, turn right and then left on the second driveway into the park.  The walk will start at 6:15 PM, so try and be ten to fifteen minutes early.  Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.