April 2013 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 comes out each month so they can participate more thoroughly in club activities.

 

Here is a list of scheduled club hikes for April 2013.  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 an equivalent weekday hike 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.

 

Except for about three hikes, all of the offerings in April are located in the vicinity of Red Rock Canyon.  For most of the 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 Boulevard across from Red Rock Station Casino.  The store backs up to Highway 215 and the entrance to the parking lot is off Canyon Pointe.  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.  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.

 

 

Monday, April 1 - Skull Canyon & Boneshaker.  With a distance of close to 6 miles and an elevation gain of 1,100 feet, this loop hike is classified as moderate in terms of overall difficulty level.  The hike starts at the Cowboy Trails parking lot along Highway 159 and follows the trail into Skull Canyon where the major climb element occurs.  The group will reach the snack break at the eastern ridge of Blue Diamond Hill with a fantastic view of the Las Vegas valley.  The return leg starts by retracing steps over the first ridge back toward Skull Canyon.  At the first trail junction, the line will turn left, cross another ridge and fairly deep side canyon, and intersect the Boneshaker Trail about two miles from the parking lot.  Hiking sticks are strongly recommended for the descent on Boneshaker.  The group will assemble at Best Buy for a 9:00 AM departure.  Coordinators - Keith & Beth Lane.

 

Tuesday, April 2 - Terrace Canyon.  Join the group today for one of the premier scrambling experiences in Red Rock Canyon.  Starting from the Pine Creek parking lot, this very strenuous out-and-back trek covers a distance of 6 miles and gains 1,600 feet of elevation.  After a relatively flat start past the Wilson foundation going toward Mescalito, the trail empties into the drainage for South Fork Pine Creek Canyon and the real scrambling begins.  While the scrambling is pretty intense for nearly four miles of the distance with boulders to climb ranging up to fifteen feet, this hike is suitable for most accomplished hikers.  The setting at the terraces is probably the most idyllic in Red Rock.  Pace is secondary to using caution on the boulders, and the time element will probably be around six or seven hours.  The assembled group will depart from Best Buy at 7:30 AM.  Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.

 

Wednesday, April 3 - Rubber Ducky Yucca.  This is certainly a strange name for a hike but all will be self-explanatory along the return leg of this moderate 6-mile outing in Cottonwood Valley.  The paved parking lot along Highway 160 east of the escarpment will be the starting point for a trek that covers much of the ground back toward the ridge above the community of Blue Diamond.  With a few small ridges and knobs between the valley and the highway there is a sense of seclusion, which will definitely be heightened if we spot one of the herds of wild burros that wander through the area.  Elevation change is minimal at a couple of hundred feet, but it essentially occurs on the way back to the vehicles.  The primary group will depart from Best Buy at 8:00 AM and stop at the gas station on Highways 159 and 160 about twenty-five minutes later.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Thursday, April 4 - Black Mountain (Henderson).  This strenuous out-and-back hike, like the three previous outings this month, is about 6 miles in length.  The elevation gain, however, is 2,100 feet and the steepness continues to increase the closer one gets to the top.  The mountain is littered with chunks of lava from the active volcanic period, and several of these pose minor impediments along the trail in the last half mile below the summit.  The panoramic view from the top is sweeping, stretching all the way to Searchlight in the south and the Spring and Sheep Mountains in the north.  While the main departure point will be from Best Buy at 7:30 AM, the final assembly point will be at the Walgreens Drug Store at the intersection of Anthem Parkway and Hampton Road about 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Friday, April 5 - Calico Canyon.  Rained out as a scheduled hike in March, this trek on the south end of the Calico Hills begins at Red Springs Picnic Area and climbs over the ridge south of the boardwalk, crossing a narrow valley and taking the high trail along the scenic loop drive to Calico I Overlook.  The route will continue on the low trail toward Calico II, with a snack break in a small cave indent below the overlook.  After the break, the group will cross to the high trail heading back toward Calico I and drop into the canyon just west of the Calico Hills for some scrambling on the return to the starting point.  Total distance should be around 4 miles with a generally moderate rating but a few more difficult spots.  Meet the rest of the group at Best Buy for an 8:15 AM departure.  Coordinator - Roger Hembree.

 

Saturday, April 6 - Calico Hills Scramble.  The north end of the Calico Hills is the site for a fairly intense scrambling effort that features some absolutely breathtaking scenery.  The trek will begin with the group heading up the Calico Tanks Trail to the end of the official trail above the tank.  The route then turns southwest up a notch with the target destination being Calico II Overlook Peak.  As the route turns north along the ridge for the descent, it follows what our coordinator describes as Phase II of the Tank Discovery Route.  One of the highlights on this leg of the journey is an arch near the top of a canyon that drops back to the Sandstone Quarry drainage just a short distance from the quarry.  Total distance is about 3 miles with perhaps 1,000 feet of elevation gain and a moderately strenuous rating.  Departure from Best Buy will be at 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Saturday, April 6 - Keystone Thrust.  There are lots of options available for the coordinator to choose from on this moderate hike in the northern part of Red Rock Canyon.  The hike can be done as an out-and-back trek from either the pullout at the start of the gravel road at Mile Marker 6 on the scenic drive or it can begin at the White Rock Springs parking lot at the end of the gravel road.  In the first case, the hike would be around 4 miles and in the second case it would measure in at 3 miles.  The other possibility is to loop down Keystone Canyon and return to the vehicles along the scenic drive, making the hike just under 4 miles.  Come prepared for a little adventure and possibly a bit of scrambling as you observe the famous geologic significance of the thrust fault.  This group will meet at Best Buy for an 8:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Steve Anderson.

 

Sunday, April 7 - Krafft Mountain Loop.  For this workout hike, the group will be parking at the dirt lot at the northwest corner of Calico Basin and heading up Five Stop Hill to the saddle between Krafft Mountain and Gateway Peak.  Instead of taking the regular trail down to Lower Gateway Canyon, they will veer right down another drainage and slide down a sandstone formation into the canyon.  The rest of the hike will follow the regular route down a series of waterfalls and spillways, exiting the canyon near the boulder field at the base of Krafft Mountain.  The loop hike is about 4 miles with a moderate rating, but there is quite a bit of off-trail scrambling involved in Lower Gateway.  The meeting location is at Best Buy and departure for the trail head will be at 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.

 

Monday, April 8 - La Madre Miner's Cabin.  At a total distance of 5 miles, this out-and-back hike climbs over 1,500 feet, so it probably gets a rating of moderately strenuous assigned to it.  The hike begins at Willow Springs Picnic Area and follows the official trail along an active and an abandoned gravel road past a couple of old foundation slabs on the the way to the pond behind a wildlife dam.  At that point, a single track trail follows the creek upstream along the drainage, crossing the creek several times and turning steep as it approaches the old stone canyon on a ledge about one-third mile below the actual mine shafts.  Following a snack break, everyone will retrace their steps back to Willow Springs.  Meet the rest of the group at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Susan Haase.

 

Tuesday, April 9 - Indecision Peak.  About in the middle of the escarpment on the west side of Red Rock Canyon is an imposing sandstone peak accessible from the base that is seldom climbed.  Listed as having a total distance of 10 miles in Hiking Las Vegas, written by Branch Whitney, this out-and-back hike starts from the First Creek pullout and gains over 2,000 feet in reaching the summit.  The intended route winds up being an assault straight up the southernmost crag on the ridge line, utilizing a series of chutes and passages that lead to the peak, where participants will be treated to a dynamite view of the entire surrounding area.  As this very strenuous hike will probably take around seven or eight hours to complete, only the strongest hikers in the club should attempt it.  Participants can get together at Best Buy for a 7:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Laszlo Heredy.

 

Wednesday, April 10 - White Rock Hills Loop.  One of the most traveled trails in Red Rock Canyon is this moderate 6.4-mile loop that extends around the two cream colored sandstone peaks on the north end of Red Rock.  With twice as much rainfall on the back side of the peaks as on the front side, participants will be treated to starkly different varieties of vegetation as they motor their way around.  Our coordinator has expressed a desire to do this hike in a counter-clockwise direction from Willow Springs, meaning the probably warmer desert side will be tackled first.  Elevation gain is just under 1,000 feet and the steepest section of the trail is climbing up to the snack spot on a sandstone outcropping.  The assembled group will leave from Best Buy at 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Susan Haase.

 

Thursday, April 11 - Mountain Springs Peak.  On the back side of the escarpment is a limestone peak sitting somewhat behind Black Velvet Peak that is readily accessible from the trail head near Mountain Springs Summit on Highway 160.  The hike for this Thursday will be the moderately strenuous loop version accessing the summit that covers a distance of 7 miles and gains 1,400 feet of elevation.  The trail reaches the peak about 2.5 miles from the start, but the group will continue farther north along the west edge of the escarpment to the break spot, which is found on a high ledge above Black Velvet Canyon with breathtaking views.  The return includes scrambling above and in a drainage until intersecting the gravel Rainbow Springs Road, along which the group will pass both natural springs on the way to the starting point.  Participants should meet at Best Buy for a 7:30 AM departure, or connect with the group at the gas station on Highways 159 and 160 about twenty-five minutes later.  Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.

 

Friday, April 12 - First Creek.  At just under 4 miles, this easy to moderate out-and-back hike heads across the desert on the established trail to a magnificent seasonal waterfall with a deep pool at its base that usually holds water year round.  After viewing the hidden alcove close to some brown caliche boulders, the trail continues upstream to an area with large boulders surrounding another seasonal waterfall that is perfect for a leisurely snack or a short nap.  The final couple of hundred yards reaching the boulders includes some minor scrambling, but most hikers will not have any problem reaching the spot.  The return trip provides some expansive views of this section of Red Rock Canyon.  The group will get together at Best Buy for a departure at 8:15 AM.  Coordinator - Roger Hembree.

 

Saturday, April 13 - Fossils to Tailings.  The intended route for this early Saturday hike starts at the Cowboy Trails parking lot off Highway 159 and follows the Fossil Ridge Trail along and eventually into the top portion of Echo Canyon.  From the abandoned mining road at the top of the canyon, the group will follow a trail that loops under a large tailings pile south of the road, eventually coming back to Fossil Ridge.  The distance measures out at 6 miles with 800 feet of elevation gain and is rated as moderate.  If this trail winds up being closed due to the reopening of the gypsum mine, the group will do a somewhat shorter loop on First Finger, which should result in a distance of 5 miles.  Meet the group at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - John Stewart.

 

Saturday, April 13 - Pine Creek.  A relatively easy trek across the desert from the Pine Creek parking area leads to the famous Wilson Homestead foundation situated on a bank above a portion of Pine Creek that usually carries running water throughout the year.  After a short stop at this historic site, the group will cross the creek along the north end of the Arnight Trail, then turn west toward South Fork Pine Creek Canyon and Mescalito Peak.  Some minor boulder scrambling along the trail leads back to the north side of the combined creek with that trail heading back past the homestead.  At 3 miles in total distance and minimal elevation gain, this partial loop hike is listed as easy to moderate.  The group will assemble at Best Buy, leaving for the trail head at 8:30 AM.  Coordinator - Rick Dutton.

 

Sunday, April 14 - North Peak (Sandstone).  From Willow Springs Picnic Area, the group will be hiking up the beginning couple miles of Rocky Gap Road or will follow Red Rock Drainage up to the turnoff for the North Peak that sits on the front side of the escarpment across Ice Box Canyon from Bridge Mountain.  The steep trail ascends to the ridge behind the escarpment, passing the transition from limestone to sandstone on the way to the peak.  If there are enough high clearance vehicles to reach the start of the steep trail off Rocky Gap Road, the group will explore the area above Ice Box Canyon, otherwise they will return by the regular trail and walk down Rocky Gap Road to Willow Springs.  Total distance should be around 6 or 7 miles with up to 2,600 feet of elevation gain and a strenuous rating.  Meet the group at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.

 

Monday, April 15 - Ash Canyon Overlook.  The alternate route to the overlook will be in play for this hike as the group will start from the gravel parking area at the northwest corner of Calico Basin.  The trail heads up Five Stop Hill and continues down to Gateway Canyon, then turns into a route as it heads up that canyon and another side canyon that leads directly to the base of Red Cap in the Calico Hills.  The snack break will occur on a red sandstone formation at the top of Ash Canyon.  Estimated distance for the moderate out-and-back hike is 4 to 5 miles and there is about 1,100 feet of elevation gain.  The group will leave from Best Buy at 7:30 AM since there could be the prospect of considerably warmer temperatures by the middle of April.  Coordinator - Judy Warner.

 

Tuesday, April 16 - Bridge Point.  This very strenuous out-and-back hike should only be attempted by the most accomplished hikers in the club.  Starting from the Pine Creek parking area, the group will follow the regular trail into North Fork Pine Creek Canyon, which is also locally known as Fern Canyon.  The trail stays above the drainage on the northeast side for about one-third of a mile, then drops into the center of the canyon where the scrambling begins.  At some point the route heads northwest out of the canyon up to a very wide ridge heading back to the north.  At the far end of the ridge, the route turns west up a very steep drainage, accessing another ridge that leads to the high point in front of Bridge Mountain.  Estimated total distance is perhaps 7 or 8 miles, the elevation gain is close to 3,000 feet, and there is plenty of Class 3 scrambling along with some exposure.  The meeting location will be at Best Buy for a 7:30 AM departure.  Coordinators - Michael O'Connor & Richard Natale.

 

Wednesday, April 17 - Potato Knoll.  No month during the Red Rock season seems to be complete without one run to the top of the hill that came into existence because of a massive landslide off the cliff face of Wilson Peak.  Starting from the gravel parking lot where the scenic drive exits onto Highway 159, the partial loop route follows a series of horse trails, abandoned jeep roads, and hiking trails to the back side of the hill also known locally as Wilson's Pimple.  A very minor amount of scrambling is required across some steep terrain getting to the top.  The overall route includes several crossings of Oak Creek with the likelihood of some flowing water.  Distance is about 5 miles with 500 feet of elevation gain and a moderate rating.  Participants should gather at Best Buy for a 9:00 AM departure.  Coordinators - Keith & Beth Lane.

 

Thursday, April 18 - Tank Discovery Scramble.  This strenuous scramble outing in the northern section of the Calico Hills will cover a distance of 5 miles.  There are three ascents over three phases of the hike that together total about 1,000 feet of elevation gain.  The route across the top of the high sandstone hills passes several tinajas off the beaten path that are visited only by true explorers of the Calico Hills.  There is some exposure on a couple of the descents, but there are also alternate routes that can eliminate most of it.  The group will meet and depart from Best Buy at 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Friday, April 19 - Krafft Mountain Loop.  If you missed the shorter version of this hike on April 7, you will probably want to be in attendance for this moderate 5-mile loop that highlights spectacular scenery in Lower Gateway Canyon on the back side of Krafft Mountain.  Starting from Red Springs Picnic Area, the trail heads along the east flank of the Calico Hills and eventually climbs to the saddle above Five Stop Hill before dropping into Gateway.  Several boulder waterfalls need to be negotiated on the way down through the canyon, although none of them require use of ropes or other equipment.  The return section passes the front of Krafft Mountain with its unique boulder field.  The group will meet at Best Buy for an 8:15 AM departure.  Coordinator - Roger Hembree.

 

Saturday, April 20 - Sandstone Quarry/Keystone Thrust Loop.  Technically only a partial loop, this moderate 6-mile hike starts at the Sandstone Quarry parking lot and utilizes a section of the Grand Circle Trail for most of the first three miles.  After passing the White Rock Springs parking area, the route turns onto the Keystone Thrust Trail and circles around Cactus Hill to access the thrust fault canyon.  The trail ends in the canyon near the base of a 30-foot seasonal waterfall, and the group will have to scramble down the canyon, going past the scenic drive and following the gravel filled drainage back to a crossing of the Grand Circle Trail.  A left at this point leads back to the start.  Overall elevation gain is around 800 feet.  The group will meet at Best Buy and take off for Sandstone Quarry at 8:00 AM.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Saturday, April 20 - First Creek.  The second club hike to be repeated this month is one that fits right into the mold of the leisurely Saturday hike.  After parking at the signed First Creek pullout along Highway 159, the group will head across the desert on the official designated trail toward the mouth of First Creek Canyon.  Nearly a mile into the hike and as the participants approach the wide and deep drainage, they will notice a grouping of brown caliche boulders on the far side of the drainage that marks the area of the seasonal waterfall.  After a brief stop to check out water conditions, they will again head toward the mouth of the canyon to the turn-around point of the easy to moderate out-and-back hike.  Total distance is between 3 and 4 miles.  The assembly point is at Best Buy and the departure time is at 8:30 AM.  Coordinator - Liz Kerby.

 

Sunday, April 21 - Brownstone Canyon.  Another previously scheduled but rained out event from March is this strenuous out-and-back hike of 7 or 8 miles exploring a major canyon with significant groupings of petroglyphs and an historic pictograph wall.  From the gravel parking area at the northwest corner of Calico Basin, the group will proceed up Five Stop Hill and descend into Gateway Canyon.  There is lots of Class 3 scrambling as the route climbs to the top of that canyon, crosses a wide section of colorful sandstone, and descends through a series of narrow slots into Brownstone Canyon.  After a snack break near the pictographs and observation of the native artifacts, the group will reverse the route for the return to the vehicles.  Meet the group at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.

 

Monday, April 22 - Lovell Canyon.  Although it's a fairly long drive to the start of this moderate loop hike, the rewards are definitely worth a little extra time for a chance to see some country that is seldom explored.  The hike is located at the end of Lovell Canyon Road on the west side of the escarpment where a rough 4x4 road leads up to Red Rock Summit and a connection with Rocky Gap Road.  The basic hike is 5 miles in length with 500 feet of elevation gain, and there is an optional loop of 2 miles that heads in the direction of Schaefer Springs.  Most of the hike is in rolling terrain through pinion and juniper forest with a few open meadows areas.  Those meeting at Best Buy will depart at 8:00 AM and will stop at the gas station on Highways 159 and 160 to pick up south side participants around 8:25 AM.  Coordinator - Annie Hoskin.

 

Tuesday, April 23 - Gass Peak.  A change of pace from Red Rock Canyon, Gass Peak is located in the Las Vegas Range directly north of the city.  The strenuous out-and-back hike has a total distance of 7 miles and an elevation gain around 2,000 feet.  Several sections of the trail are fairly steep, including the final approach to the peak where participants will find a large solar screen array and a flight positioning locator with instrumentation.  The trail head is accessed by driving a high clearance gravel road past the Desert National Wildlife Range at Corn Creek.  Expect about one hour of travel time in each direction because of the rough roads.  Since this hike is north of the city, we will be using our summer location on the 3rd floor of the southeast parking garage at Santa Fe Station, which is located close to the intersection of Rancho and Lone Mountain Road.  Our meeting spot is along the south wall and our departure time will be at 7:30 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Wednesday, April 24 - The Muffins & Skull Canyon.  Starting at the Cowboy Trails gravel parking lot, the group will head up the trail leading directly to the conglomerate boulders on the north end of Blue Diamond Hill, then traverse along the top of a fairly deep canyon on a somewhat obscure trail to the old Las Vegas Overlook.  After a snack break, the group will descend through Skull Canyon back to the starting point.  The hike is rated as moderate with a distance of 6 miles and 1,100 feet of elevation gain.  This will be a joint hike with Lone Mountain Hiking Club, who will meet the Around the Bend Friends contingent at the Cowboy Trails parking lot for the start of the hike.  Departure time from Best Buy will be at 7:35 AM.  Coordinator - Roger Montgomery.

 

Thursday, April 25 - Hollow Rock Peak.  Hollow Rock is the southernmost peak along the escarpment and is situated directly across Highway 160 from Mount Potosi.  The strenuous out-and-back route follows the trail past the telephone relay tower above Mountain Springs that is also used as the start for Windy Peak and Mountain Springs Peak.  Elevation gain is only about 1,000 feet and the highest point of the hike actually occurs on a knob more than a mile from the peak.  In between, participants will experience progressively more significant scrambling along a ridge, especially after the transition is made from limestone to sandstone.  The peak at the end of the ridge contains a 30-foot high split boulder that provides the name.  The first meeting spot will be at Best Buy with a 7:30 AM departure and there will be an additional pickup at the 159-160 gas station around 7:55 AM.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Friday, April 26 - St. Thomas/Lost City Museum.  Annie Hoskin will be coordinating an all day outing to the north side of Lake Mead that will include a morning hike into the once submerged Mormon agricultural town of St. Thomas.  This walking tour is 3 miles in length, is relatively flat, and is rated as easy to moderate.  After the hike the group will head to Overton for lunch either at an establishment called Inside Scoop or at one of the other restaurants in town.  After lunch, the tour continues with a visit to the Lost City Museum, which charges an entrance fee of $5.00 per person.  Look for a separate e-mail from Annie with full details of this day trip back in time.

 

Friday, April 26 - Arnight/Knoll Loop.  The Friday hike close to Red Rock is a loop route involving all or parts of three trails close to the base of the escarpment in Red Rock Canyon.  This version will be longer than the norm as it will start from the gravel parking lot where the scenic drive exits onto Highway 159, but this will also save the 35 minutes required to drive around the loop.  The moderate 6-mile version will follow a trail along the scenic drive and across the desert to the Oak Creek parking area accessed by the gravel road at Mile Marker 12, then proceed in a counter-clockwise direction on the Arnight Trail, the Knoll Trail, and a segment of the Oak Creek Trail before returning to the starting point.  The assembly point for the group will be at Best Buy with an 8:15 AM departure time.  Coordinator - Roger Hembree.

 

Saturday, April 27 - Escarpment Base Trail.  The only point-to-point hike of the month is this moderate 5.4-mile effort that involves vehicle placement at the Lost Creek trail head, where the group will finish.  The start will be on the Arnight Trail, the south end of which is situated at the Oak Creek parking lot on the gravel road that comes in from Mile Marker 12 of the scenic drive.  This hike follows the base of the escarpment, more technically named the Wilson Cliffs, in a northerly direction, and also includes all or parts of Pine Creek Trail, Dale's Trail, and SMYC Trail.  We will need about twice as many vehicles as normal because of the different starting and ending points.  Our group will leave from Best Buy at 8:00 AM and proceed to Lost Creek for rider reallocation.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Saturday, April 27 - Ice Box Canyon.  The later hike this Saturday will be the moderate 3-mile out-and-back hike that explores deep into one of the narrow canyons on the north end of the escarpment.  Starting from the regular parking area along the scenic drive, the group will head across the desert toward the mouth of the canyon on a dirt trail with quite a bit of imbedded rocks and boulders.  A little over a mile into the hike, the trail drops into the drainage and becomes a scrambling route for the remainder of the distance to a ledge at the base of a 40-foot waterfall and 20-foot waterslide.  Participants should not experience a great deal of difficulty with this scrambling, as the boulders tend to be fairly small.  This assembled group will depart from Best Buy at 8:30 AM.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Sunday, April 28 - Black Velvet Canyon.  It's almost amazing to think that we have not done this strenuous 8-mile partial loop hike previously this Red Rock season, so here it is.  Most of the trail route across Cottonwood Valley is relatively level and should allow for a reasonably fast-paced trek to and from the Black Velvet Trail.  That trail, which leads into the canyon, is quite irregular and eventually drops into the drainage at the mouth of the canyon.  From there, the group will boulder up the canyon and take a snack break below a 30-foot seasonal waterfall with a climbing rope tied to the top.  On the return the Black Velvet Bike Trail will be utilized, and this is the one where we had a double rattlesnake encounter just about four years ago.  The initial meeting point will be at Best Buy with a 7:30 AM departure and we will stop at the 159-160 gas station about twenty-five minutes later for south side participants.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

Monday, April 29 - Fern Canyon.  Head back into the narrow confines of North Fork Pine Creek Canyon on this strenuous 4 to 5-mile out-and-back jaunt.  Fern Canyon is the locals' name for the place and it was bestowed because of the abundance of ferns that grow due to the enclosed moistness that is seemingly trapped under the heavy forestation.  The scrambling toward the top of the route today will challenge most hikers because of the size of the boulders in the drainage, but there are plenty of opportunities for visual rewards along the way.  Keep a lookout for climbers on some of the steep vertical walls inside the canyon.  The group will be assembling at Best Buy for an 8:00 AM departure.  Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.

 

Tuesday, April 30 - Two North Peaks.  Finish the month off in style with this strenuous 11-mile double loop trek that visits both the limestone and sandstone North Peaks high atop Red Rock Canyon.  The opening portion of the hike will take place in the upper drainage of Red Rock Wash for a couple of miles.  A section of Rocky Gap road will then bring the group up to Red Rock Summit, where a single-track trail leads to the limestone North Peak.  The route continues directly over that peak and across a ridge to the sandstone area with the other peak of the same name.  A steep trail will bring the group back down to Rocky Gap Road and a return to Willow Springs.  Gross elevation gain is around 3,000 feet for this hike.  Meet the rest of the group at Best Buy for a 7:30 AM departure.  Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.

 

 

There you have it - at least one hike every day of the month.  This time I have managed to get the whole thing entered before hitting the Send key (and even proofread it).  Enjoy this seasonal portion featuring Red Rock hikes and get ready for a transition to the higher elevations of the Spring Mountains sometime in May.