December 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 (except December) so they can participate more thoroughly in club activities.

 

Here is a list of scheduled club hikes for December 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 hikes 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.

 

Nearly all of the hikes during December will occur either in the area around Red Rock Canyon or close to Lake Mead.  For most Red Rock area hikes, the primary meeting place is 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.  On a couple of occasions (December 6 and 11), the primary meeting location will be in the parking lot in front of the Albertsons Grocery located on Charleston Boulevard and Desert Foothills Drive west of 215.   For hikes west on Highway 160, there is a secondary pickup point at the gas station at the intersection of Highways 159 and 160 to accommodate south side participants.  The primary meeting locations for Lake Mead hikes will be different depending on which side of the lake the hike occurs.  For hikes on the south side of the lake, the primary meeting location will generally be under the large outdoor sign at the Henderson Fiesta, located immediately southeast of the intersection of I-515 (also identified as Highways 93 and 95) and I-215 on Lake Mead Parkway (the extension of I-215).  On occasion, the Railroad Pass Casino or the River Mountains Trail parking area next to St Jude Children's Home may be used as a primary or secondary assembly or pickup point.  For hikes on the north side of the lake, the primary assembly point will be the parking lot at the Albertsons Grocery Store located just southeast of the intersection of Lake Mead Boulevard (not Parkway) and Hollywood.  A secondary pickup point will be at the pull-off parking area at Mile Marker 4 on Northshore Road.  Participants from the south side may wish to carpool from Henderson Fiesta going to the secondary pickup point, but this earlier departure point is not organized or controlled.  For west side participants on Lake Mead hikes, there will be an earlier gathering site available, but it may not be controlled.  For south side hikes, that prior location is at Best Buy as indicated above.  For north side hikes, the meeting location is the top level of the Rampart Casino parking garage.  The Rampart Casino is located on Rampart Boulevard just south of Summerlin Parkway and the parking garage is on the northeast side of the casino complex.  Directions to the staging points for any other hikes will be included in the descriptive write-up for those hikes.  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, December 1 - North Blue Diamond Ridges.  This moderate loop hike on the north end of Blue Diamond Hill, somewhat across from the entrance to the Red Rock Visitor Center, covers a distance of 6 miles.  The most difficult part of the hike occurs in the first mile as the route ascends quite steeply on Boneshaker Trail to the first plateau.  The second mile is fairly steep but not as difficult, then the trail levels out as it passes the top section of Cave Canyon before continuing the descent along Fossil Ridge.  Total elevation gain is about 1,000 feet.  The trail provides really great views of the Sandstone escarpment on the west side of Red Rock Canyon.  Departure time from Best Buy will be 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Saturday, December 1 - Sandstone Quarry Loop.  The leisurely hike in the Red Rock area this particular Saturday will stage from Sandstone Quarry and begin along the Grand Circle Trail, heading across the desert to the sandstone formations north of the parking lot.  The loop route will continue toward the Turtlehead Trail, then pass through some more sandstone formations toward the north end of Red Cap and the trail used for the Ash Canyon Overlook hike.  Total distance should be 3 miles or slightly less and there is some light rock scrambling involved.  Even with the scrambling, the appropriate rating is easy to moderate.  The group will be departing from Best Buy at 8:30 AM.  Coordinator - Ann Cronin.

 

Monday, December 3 - White Owl Canyon.  This hike is only possible because the waters of Lake Mead have receded over the last decade and exposed a narrow canyon that is the domain of one or more white owls.  The hike itself is an easy to moderate 2 or 3 mile out-and-back route that starts from the Hole 33 parking lot along Lakeshore Drive.  There is minimal elevation gain involved on the hike, but there is a steep bank that must be descended at the start and ascended at the end along with some minor scrambling in the canyon.  West side departure will be from Best Buy at 7:50 AM with the full group leaving Henderson Fiesta at 8:30 AM.  Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.

 

Tuesday, December 4 - Majestic Canyon.  Billed as something of an exploratory hike on the southeast side of the River Mountains, this strenuous loop hike will cover a distance around 6 miles and gain something over 1,000 feet.  The route used involves climbing several dry waterfalls and a traverse past a mountain to the named canyon before looping back to the starting point.  The route will certainly involve areas of loose scree and possibly the use of ropes to descend on some dry waterfalls.  The trail head is located near the Alan Bible Visitor Center.  The group will depart from Henderson Fiesta at 9:00 AM with the early west side group leaving Best Buy about forty minutes prior to that at 8:20 AM.  Coordinator - Keith Lane.

 

Wednesday, December 5 - Red Springs Loop.  It's relatively short at a little under 4 miles, but there is enough scrambling on this trek to satisfy hard core hikers as well.  The moderately strenuous loop route starts at Red Springs Picnic Area and aims for a notch in the Calico Hills that drops into Angel Canyon and passes by the somewhat famous carving of an angel on a sizeable boulder.  On the Red Rock side of the Calico Hills, the route stays mostly in the narrow canyon between the sandstone hills and the scenic drive, coming around the south end of the hills below Balancing Rock.  The group will meet at Best Buy for an 8:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Jen Lindsay.

 

Thursday, December 6 - First Creek Arch.  This hike will start from the First Creek pullout on Highway 159 at the south end of Red Rock Canyon.  The hike is a 4-mile out-and-back rated strenuous.  There is a significant amount of steep off-trail scrambling getting to the arch, but it is definitely worth the effort.  The assembly point for this hike will not be the usual spot at Best Buy.  Instead it will be in the parking lot at the Albertsons Grocery Store located on Charleston Boulevard and Desert Foothills Drive.  Departure for the trail head will be at 8:00 AM.  Coordinators - Richard Natale & Steve Anderson.

 

Friday, December 7 - White Rock Loop.  What could be more standard than this 6.4-mile loop that goes around the two cream-colored mountains at the north end of Red Rock Canyon?  Elevation gain for this moderate trail hike is 900 feet and it will begin at Willow Springs Picnic Area and proceed in a counter clockwise direction, heading through the desert portion of the hike first.  The snack break will occur in the usual place on a sandstone outcropping just below the high point of the trail.  We will be back to using Best Buy as the staging point and will leave there at 8:15 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Saturday, December 8 - Brownstone Canyon.  One of the more significant outings our club attempts on Saturdays, this strenuous out-and-back hike will start from the gravel parking area at the end of the pavement in Calico Basin, proceed up Five Stop Hill and drop into Gateway Canyon.  From there it will be a scrambling effort up the canyon, crossing the top of the sandstone east of Turtlehead Peak and dropping into Brownstone Canyon near the protected wall of pictographs.  Return will be in the reverse direction with total distance around 8 miles.  The group will meet at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.

 

Saturday, December 8 - Badger Pass.  This loop hike on the south side of Highway 160 fits the bill as a leisurely hike as the group will cover a total distance of 3 miles while gaining about 600 feet of elevation.  The start of the trek will be at a gravel parking area about 3/4 mile south of Highway 160 on a gravel road that will be dusty and a little rough but won't require high clearance vehicles.  Rating will be easy to moderate with a scenic climb along one of the main ridges in the Bird Spring Range and a return along Deadhorse Trail.  Departure time from Best Buy is at 8:30 AM with a secondary pickup at the gas station on Highways 159 and 160 around 8:50 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Sunday, December 9 - Red Cap.  Billed as one of the most picturesque short hikes in the Red Rock area, the standard trek to the top of Red Cap only covers a distance of 3 miles, but there is plenty of scrambling involved covering the elevation gain of 900 feet.  Rated strenuous even though it is short, the partial loop route will ascend the ledges on the west and south sides of the sandstone mountain, then descend along Mass Production Wall, a well known climbing site.  The first and last sections of the hike follow the Calico Tanks Trail from Sandstone Quarry.  The group will depart from the assembly point at Best Buy at 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Monday, December 10 - Black Mountain (Boulder City).  We will be welcoming a couple of new coordinators on this moderately strenuous out-and-back 6-mile trek to the top of Black Mountain Overlook in Boulder City.  The route will also be different from the norm as it will start from the Bootleg Canyon parking area below the Boulder City Zip Line and follow some biking trails near the base of the River Mountains to a junction with the regular trail.  Elevation gain is close to 1,200 feet.  The west side group will assemble at Best Buy for a 7:45 AM departure to join the main group in the upper parking lot at RAILROAD PASS CASINO (not Henderson Fiesta).  Railroad Pass Casino is located on Highway 93 & 95 about ten or fifteen minutes south of the Henderson Fiesta.  Departure time for the group from that location is at 8:30 AM.  Coordinators - Linda O'Leary & Gail Surgent.

 

Tuesday, December 11 - Global Peak.  This is a 7-mile hike that starts from the Mountain Springs area near the summit on Highway 160 that is rated very strenuous.  After climbing up and down several limestone hills the route turns into a scramble over sandstone to the peak.  Only the most hard core hikers in the club should attempt this hike, as there is significant difficulty along with exposure.  The meeting place will be the parking lot at the Albertsons Grocery Store on Charleston Boulevard and Desert Foothills Drive.  Departure from there will be 8:00 AM with a stop at the gas station on Highways 159 and 160 about 8:20 AM to pick up any south side participants.  Coordinators - Richard Natale & Steve Anderson.

 

Wednesday, December 12 - Sloan Canyon to Hidden Valley.  Our club will be joining forces with the Sun City Anthem Hiking Club for a moderately strenuous 7-mile hike on the south side of Las Vegas.  From the Sloan Canyon trail head, the group will hike through a gravel wash and scramble up a couple dry waterfalls to a petroglyph area.  The route continues another 2 miles to Hidden Valley, which offers some fantastic views, and then returns to the starting point along a newly constructed trail.  Elevation gain is around 1,200 feet.  High clearance vehicles are recommended to get to the trail head.  The west side group will leave from Best Buy at 8:15 AM, with the main group meeting at the Albertsons Grocery Store parking lot at Sun City Anthem Drive and Bicentennial Parkway for a 9:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Keith Lane.

 

Thursday, December 13 - Gray Cap Peak.  It's the traditional route that will be used to get to the top of this limestone capped peak east of Turtlehead.  The strenuous out-and-back hike will start from Sandstone Quarry and drop into Gateway Canyon for the climb to the peak.  There is lots of scrambling over limestone dry waterfalls in the canyon and continuing on the sandstone immediately below the peak.  Total distance is about 6 miles with elevation gain around 1,400 feet.  This is one of the most picturesque hikes in the Red Rock area.  Join the rest of the group at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Friday, December 14 - Ash Canyon Overlook/Petroglyph Loop.  This moderate partial loop hike will start at the Sandstone Quarry parking lot and follow the beginning of the Calico Tanks Trail until it turns into the canyon in the Calico Hills.  The route then continues in the drainage and passes the north end of Red Cap on the way to a great overlook at the top of Ash Canyon.  Following a short break, the group will head north to another set of sandstone formations containing petroglyphs and return to the start along the Turtlehead Trail.  Total distance is 3 to 4 miles with minimal elevation gain and a moderate rating.  Meet the rest of the group at Best Buy for an 8:15 AM departure.  Coordinator - Roger Hembree.

 

Saturday, December 15 - Cottonwood Valley.  Wander around on a series of mountain bike trails between Highway 160 and the ridge behind the community of Blue Diamond, looking for evidence of wild burros, on a moderate 6 to 7-mile loop hike that has minimal elevation change.  Although essentially a desert hike, the route will be through an area we seldom visit and will provide some pretty spectacular views of the southern part of the escarpment.  The group will assemble at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure with a secondary pickup at the gas station on Highways 159 and 160 at 8:20 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Saturday, December 15 - Fossil Ridge.  Get some great views of the escarpment and Red Rock Canyon in general from the open top of Fossil Ridge on an easy to moderate 3.6-mile loop trail hike.  The return section of the hike begins on the inside of a twenty foot cliff that sits on the ridge overlooking Echo Canyon, a location that will be the target for the group two days later.  Actual distance may vary by a few tenths of a mile depending on which trail is used for the final descent off the ridge.  The group will assemble at Best Buy for an 8:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Sunday, December 16 - Valley of Fire West East Loop.  This moderately strenuous loop hike in Valley of Fire is 4.5 miles in length and has 1,200 feet of elevation gain, with an expected hiking duration of 3.5 to 4 hours.  The hike starts from a turnoff in the southwest corner of the park, crosses an open area, and climbs through some boulders onto a plateau into a beautiful canyon area.  The high point on the hike provides a great panoramic view overlooking the park.  There are a couple of sections of steep descent on the return, so wear good shoes to avoid slipping.  The west side group will depart from the Rampart parking garage at 7:30 AM and will join the main group at Lucky Club Casino for a full group departure at 8:00 AM.  Lucky Club is located on the northeast corner of the intersection of I-15 and Cheyenne Avenue in the northern part of Las Vegas.  Most people will be taking the Cheyenne exit off northbound I-15 to get there.  Coordinator - Brian Dodd.

 

Monday, December 17 - Echo Canyon & First Finger.  One of the more interesting treks on Blue Diamond Hill is this combination hike that provides a little scrambling in a narrow canyon along with majestic views from the top of a ridge.  The opening part of the hike has a few short dry waterfalls to negotiate, with the chance of seeing some ancient seabed fossils.  The higher portion is on a ridge separating Echo and Cave Canyons and looks straight back at the heart of Red Rock Canyon.  Distance for the loop hike is about 5 miles with 800 feet of elevation gain and a moderate rating.  Meet the rest of the group at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Tuesday, December 18 - Juniper Peak.  Another hike intended for only the hard core members of the club, the trek to the top of Juniper Peak combines sections of steep and loose terrain in Juniper Canyon, scrambling over sandstone slabs and around boulders, and exposure.  Distance is around 6 miles for the out-and-back hike and there is somewhat over 2,000 feet of elevation gain.  Needless to say, rating is very strenuous.  Expect the whole thing to take five or six hours plus driving time.  Assembly will be at Best Buy with a departure time of 7:30 AM.  Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.

 

Wednesday, December 19 - Liberty Bell Arch.  One of the classic hikes below the dam on the Colorado River is this moderate 6-mile out-and-back route from the new paved parking area on the Arizona side of the dam to a fantastic overlook 700 feet straight above the river.  Along the route are two noteworthy features.  First comes the site of an old mine with the sluice box on top of a ridge above the closed off mine shafts.  Second comes the spectacular arch in the shape of the Liberty Bell that gives the hike its name.  The route rolls quite a bit with somewhat over 1,000 feet of gross elevation gain.  West side participants will leave from Best Buy at 7:35 AM with the full group departing from Henderson Fiesta at 8:15 AM.  Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.

 

Thursday, December 20 - Fortification Hill.  This interesting peak on the Arizona side of the Colorado River overlooking the dam was formed both as a volcano (the crater is north of the trail on top) and as a drift spot for other volcanoes to the south.  The hike is quite short for its strenuous rating at only 4 miles, but the gain is around 1,500 feet and includes some exposed scrambling through the cliffs getting to the top level.  Once through the cliffs, the walk to the peak provides great views of the surrounding areas.  High clearance vehicles are required to get to the base of the mountain.  West side group will leave Best Buy at 7:20 AM and the whole group will leave Henderson Fiesta at 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Steve Anderson.

 

Friday, December 21 - Siena Ridge.  The now disbanded Over the Hills Hikers Club used to schedule this hike as the last one each calendar year, so we are somewhat keeping up a tradition.  The hike itself is a moderately strenuous 5-mile out-and-back effort with little trail, some recreational gravel road, and lots of bushwhacking across the desert and on the ridge.  The terrain itself is not pretty but there are many unique views that are only afforded from the vantage of this ridge on the west side of Town Center Drive.  The main group will gather at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure to the Siena Community Center, where the actual hike will begin about 8:20 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Saturday, December 22 - Anniversary Narrows.  Last year we had some difficulty doing this hike as the owner of the mine just west of the narrows had closed off the canyon to make some required improvements to maintain the mining claim.  This year it should be open so we can have access to the extremely narrow slot canyon through a mass of conglomerate that runs for one-third mile.  Our coordinator may show us the remains of the abandoned mining town and processing center that sit on a ledge above the drainage.  Total elevation gain for the moderate 5 or 6-mile hike is minimal, but there is some scrambling involved.  The west side group will depart from the Rampart parking garage at 7:20 AM and the whole group will leave from Albertsons Grocery on Lake Mead Boulevard and Hollywood at 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.

 

Saturday, December 22 - Historic Railroad Tunnels.  For the more leisurely hikers in the club, this easy to moderate 4-mile out-and-back hike starting from the lower parking lot at the Alan Bible Visitor Center will pass through all five tunnels along the rail bed used during the construction of Hoover Dam in the 1930's.  Without continuing on to the dam, elevation gain will only be a few hundred feet.  The trail is quite wide, allowing people to hike side by side, and there are numerous benches along the way to take in the excellent views of Lake Mead.  West side group should leave Best Buy at 7:50 AM to join the main group at Henderson Fiesta for an 8:30 AM departure.  The hike will start from the parking lot about twenty minutes later.  Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.

 

Monday, December 24 - Bird Spring Range.  It's not all trail on the route across the main ridge of the small mountain range east of Mount Potosi and South Cottonwood Valley, so wear good shoes for extra traction.  The hike will provide unique views of Las Vegas and the surrounding area and will cross a section of the ridge that has an abundance of ancient seabed fossils.  Total elevation gain should be around 1,300 feet with a distance of 6 miles along the loop route that includes a return along a shallow drainage on Deadhorse Trail.  Rating is moderately strenuous.  The gravel road to the starting point is rough but does not require high clearance.  The group will leave from Best Buy at 8:00 AM with the secondary pickup at the Highway 159 and 160 gas station in play about 8:20 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Wednesday, December 26 - Calico Hills.  We don't often do this moderate 6-mile out-and-back trail hike on the west side of the sandstone hills in Red Rock Canyon, but the day after Christmas is probably the perfect time for a little exercise.  Net elevation gain is about 700 feet along the route from the fee booth to Sandstone Quarry, but there is mostly rolling terrain that probably doubles that for gross elevation gain.  If you are interested in wearing off some potatoes and dressing, join us at Best Buy for an 8:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Thursday, December 27 - Hamblin Mountain.  One of the more spectacular high points for a Lake Mead area hike is found on this peak north of Boulder Narrows.  Besides looking northwest toward Las Vegas and west toward Boulder Basin, views include a couple of shots of Virgin Basin and some impressive rugged terrain toward the narrows.  The standard route for this moderately strenuous 7-mile hike includes elevation gain around 1,400 feet and is generally an out-and-back route with a hitch.  West side group will leave from the Rampart parking garage at 7:20 AM, the main group will leave from Albertson's on Lake Mead Boulevard and Hollywood at 8:00 AM, and there will be a drive through at the Northshore Road Mile Marker 4 pull off about fifteen minutes later.  Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.

 

Friday, December 28 - Lone Grapevine Spring.  The highlight of this moderate 5-mile partial loop hike is probably the aggregation of ground level petroglyphs on boulders just south of the springs, but there are also the views of the southern end of the escarpment and the trek past the two protected springs.  The starting point for the hike is the large paved parking lot on the north side of Highway 160 and much of the route is along trails initially laid out by area mountain bikers.  Elevation gain is only a couple of hundred feet but it is on the return.  The main group will leave Best Buy at 8:15 AM and pick up any south side participants at the gas station at the junction of Highways 159 and 160 about twenty minutes later.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Saturday, December 29 - Pinto Valley.  Distance is somewhat more significant than elevation gain on this moderate out-and-back hike that follows the northwest drainage back toward a broad valley just north of Lake Mead.  That distance should be around 6 or 7 miles and part of the route will follow the old Arrowhead Highway, the first major driving route connecting Salt Lake City with Los Angeles.  Also along the way are several geologic features associated with ancient inland seas and some cryptobiotic soil deposits.  The west side group should leave the Rampart parking garage by 7:20 AM to join the main group at the Albertsons on Lake Mead and Hollywood for an 8:00 AM departure.  The Mile Marker 4 parking area on Northshore Drive will be passed through about fifteen minutes later.  Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.

 

Saturday, December 29 - Las Vegas Wetlands & Duck Creek.  Nothing can be more relaxing than hearing running water in the desert, and this easy leisurely walk will certainly give participants the chance to experience it first hand.  Much of the trail system in the wetlands is paved, with some crossing dirt paths and a gravel road over to the area around Duck Creek.  Terrain is almost totally level and the distance should be around 3 or 4 miles.  There will be plenty of opportunities to see ducks and other waterfall on the streams and ponds.  The early west side group will leave Best Buy at 7:50 AM and the entire group will depart from Henderson Fiesta at 8:30 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Monday, December 31 - La Madre Miner's Cabin.  The last club hike for 2012 will be coordinated by our incoming treasurer, who by the next day will be responsible for handling dues payments from our more than 300 members.  Where she will be taking us is an old stone shelter perched on a ledge above a drainage overlooking the White Rock Hills to the south.  This 5-mile out-and-back hike is generally rated moderately strenuous as it climbs about 1,500 feet and gets steeper closer to the cabin.  The section above the La Madre Springs wildlife pond also includes several crossings of the stream running through the drainage.  Join the group at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure to celebrate the close of 2012.  Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.

 

 

One of the most intriguing aspects of our club is that we continue to find new places to explore in the area around Las Vegas.  By my count, there are seven hikes on the schedule in the first half of the month that we have never done as specific club outings before.  In addition, there are some hikes that are new composites of old terrain and others we probably only attempt once a year.  It is only through the experience and effort put forth by all those individuals willing to coordinate activities for our club that we are able to do this.  Thanks to all of them for their contributions and may it continue to make our program the best in Las Vegas for many years to come.