Last
month there was a glitch when the monthly schedule was sent out. Half
of our membership received the incoming e-mail the day after I actually
posted it and the other half didn't seem to receive it at all. Then
there was something strange going on in regard to the October 2012 list
getting substituted, but that is not something I initiated. Hopefully,
everyone will receive this e-mail on a timely basis.
Other than a handful of
hikes, all of the outings will be in the Red Rock Canyon area. Those
that are not close to Red Rock are Red & Black Mountains on November
1, Siena "Little Grand Canyon" on November 15, the Valley of Fire hikes
on November 21 and 26, and Fracture Ridge Peak on November 29. Those
write-ups will contain full information on assembly areas and related
departure times.
Red Rock Canyon Area -
The assembly point for Red Rock hikes is in the parking lot of the
shopping center that contains an Albertsons Grocery and a Dunkin Donuts
retail outlet. This
shopping center is located at the intersection of Charleston Boulevard
(Highway 159) and Desert Foothills Drive, about one-half mile west of
CR215. If you are driving west on Charleston you can turn into
the shopping center before you get to the stoplight at Desert
Foothills. Generally, we will be parking between the two commercial
establishments but somewhat closer to Dunkin Donuts.
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.
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 Saturday 8:30 AM hikes as
these are the only ones that guarantee a fairly leisurely pace.
Strenuous Tuesday hikes are only open to qualified experienced hikers.
Be sure to wear appropriate clothing, footwear, and hats and bring
sunscreen, water, electrolyte replacement fluids as needed, and food or
snacks for each outing.
Questions regarding any of the hikes should be directed to Chris Dempsey at dempseylv@aol.com or by telephone at (702) 823-2355.
Friday, November 1 - Red & Black Mountains. Boulder
City is the location for this 7-mile double out-and-back hike with a
moderately strenuous rating. Starting from the River Mountains parking
area next to St. Jude's Children's Ranch, the route will follow the city
maintained trail up a canyon dividing the two peaks, climb to the top
of Red Mountain with its flight instrument center, zip line and mountain
bike launch pads, then backtrack and climb Black Mountain Overlook.
Overall, gross elevation gain is around 1,600 feet. The Henderson
Fiesta, located near the intersection of I-215 and I-515, will be used
as the primary staging point for the hike with the group assembling
below the large outdoor sign for an 8:00 AM departure. Boulder City residents can drive directly to the trailhead but should be there no later than 8:15 AM. Coordinator - Richard Hansen.
Saturday, November 2 - White Rock Springs Peak. Scrambling
is the primary theme for this short but moderately strenuous
out-and-back hike to the lower of the two peaks in the White Rock
Hills. This outing will probably start at the beginning of the gravel
road leading to the White Rock Springs parking lot, making it 4 miles in
length. There is about 1,200 feet of gain, lots of boulder scrambling,
and some exposure along the route. The group will be assembling at the
Albertsons parking lot on Charleston for the regular 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.
Saturday, November 2 - Calico I Moenkopi Loop. The
leisurely hike this Saturday is an easy to moderate 3-mile loop on
trail with only a few hundred feet of gain that begins at the Red Rock
Visitor Center. Crossing the scenic drive, the group will take its
first stop at Calico I Overlook for an up close view of the sandstone
Calico Hills. The route continues to the west, meeting the Moenkopi
Trail and climbing the gradual ridge north of the visitor center for a
snack break. Views from this location are actually quite spectacular.
Meet the group at Albertsons for an 8:30 AM getaway. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.
Sunday, November 3 - Grand Circle. Participants
on this hike will cover a distance of between 11 and 12 miles as they
visit many of the key points many of the key points along the scenic
drive. There is about 1,300 feet of elevation gain with most of it
being quite gradual. The hike is generally rated moderately strenuous
because of the distance rather than any difficult terrain. It will
probably be conducted in a clockwise direction which affords the maximum
in scenery along the route. Departure time from Albertsons will be at 7:30 AM. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.
Monday, November 4 - Blue Diamond Bike Trails. This
moderate loop hike gains about 700 feet of elevation on the ridge
behind the community of Blue Diamond. Distance for the hike is either a
little under or a little over 5 miles depending on which side of the
final drainage is used as part of the descent off the ridge. In the
first mile, the group will pass the remains of concrete markers
commemorating the main route followed by the Old Spanish Trail back in
the 1800's. A herd of wild burros generally inhabits the area close to
the hike so sightings are certainly possible. The group will leave at 8:00 AM from the Albertsons parking lot. Coordinator - Nancy Moore.
Tuesday, November 5 - Far Peak & Spirit Peak. A
typical hard core Tuesday is in store for participants on this very
strenuous outing on the back side of the escarpment. Starting from
Rainbow Springs in Lovell Canyon, the group will hike up to the
limestone ridge behind the escarpment and on to Far Peak. Instead of
going to Peak EE Toe as was the case earlier this year, the group will
return to the ridge and climb Spirit Peak to the south. Distance will
probably be in the 5-mile range. The initial group will meet at
Albertsons for a 7:30 AM departure and there will be a
secondary pickup point at the gas station at the intersection of
Highways 159 and 160 twenty minutes later. Coordinator - Paul Eckhart.
Wednesday, November 6 - Waterfall Canyon. Although
this 4-mile out-and-back hike probably carries a moderate rating,
participants should be aware that there is significant scrambling over
about one mile with sections of slick rock as the group heads into the
canyon off Rocky Gap Road. The creek that issues from the canyon is
heavily spring fed so water is generally flowing year round and needs to
be crossed on several occasions. The snack break occurs either at the
base of a 30-foot waterfall or at the top for the adventurous
participants. We will be leaving Albertsons at 8:00 AM for the trailhead at Willow Springs. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Thursday, November 7 - Cave Canyon & The Muffins. Our
coordinator lists this moderately strenuous loop outing on Blue Diamond
Hill at 7.5 miles, and it starts with some pretty serious scrambling in
the lower section of the aforementioned canyon, including a 15-foot
waterfall that requires use of hands. After exiting the canyon, the
group will head north along the high eastern ridge of Blue Diamond Hill,
visit the Las Vegas Overlooks, then descend on the trail past the
composite boulders known as the Muffins. Group departure is at 8:00 AM from Albertsons. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.
Friday, November 8 - Dale's Trail from Ice Box. Dale's
Trail is a 2.2-mile segment of several connecting trails that run along
the base of the escarpment on the west side of Red Rock Canyon. On
this moderate out-and-back hike, the group will access the trail
from Ice Box Canyon Trail, probably stopping in the vicinity of Skull
Rock on the return from the intersection with Pine Creek Trail. Overall
distance of the moderate hike should be 5 miles, and the rolling
terrain should account for a gross elevation gain of 800 feet or so.
Meet the group at Albertsons for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Roger Hembree.
Saturday, November 9 - Conglomerate Gardens. The
outgoing leg of this moderate 6-mile loop hike only accounts for 1/3 of
the total distance as it climbs 800 feet along the Fossil Ridge Trail
to the edge of the gypsum mining property on Blue Diamond Hill. The
return section includes lots of twists and turns and reaches a great
snack spot on top of a section of composite boulders tucked next to a
shallow side canyon back in the hinterland. There is the possibility of
still being able to see the fall flowers in bloom along the route.
Albertsons will be the assembly point and 8:00 AM will be the departure time for the first Saturday hike. Coordinator - Diane Dempsey.
Saturday, November 9 - Skull Rock. The snack
break destination on this easy to moderate 3-mile hike is the unusual
boulder next to Dale's Trail that bears a resemblance to a human skull.
Prior to getting there, the group will do a little exploration of other
trails in the Pine Creek area, possibly including the seldom hiked Fire
Ecology Trail, to build the distance up to that level. Of course the
pace will be leisurely to accommodate those people who want to more
fully enjoy the beauty of Red Rock Canyon. The group will assemble at
Albertsons for an 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Marg Biesiada.
Sunday, November 10 - Red Cap & Tank Exploration. This
strenuous out-and-back hike will cover somewhere between 3 and 5 miles
depending on what location is used as the starting point. In any event,
participants will climb up Dragon Canyon on the south side of Gateway
Peak, hike past Ash Canyon Overlook, and continue up the east slope of
sandstone to the top of Red Cap, passing a few tanks along the way. The
section to the peak generally consists of scrambling using hands past
sandstone formations and there is a bit of exposure. Departure time
will be 7:30 AM from Albertsons. Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.
Monday, November 11 - Echo Canyon & First Finger. A
rescheduled outing from the previous month, this moderate 6-mile loop
hike gains 900 feet as it does some light scrambling through Echo Canyon
to a trail junction, turns left onto a dead end ridge called First
Finger, and gets to the return section of the hike along Fossil Ridge
via a short trail along an abandoned section of mining road. The tops
of these ridges on Blue Diamond Hill provide great views of the
escarpment and Red Rock Canyon. Assembly point will be at Albertsons
with an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.
Tuesday, November 12 - Juniper Peak. This very
strenuous 5-mile out-and-back hike begins rather innocuously with a trek
across the desert floor from the Pine Creek parking lot but changes
drastically when it reaches the approach to Juniper Canyon. That canyon
rises rapidly from toward Rainbow Mountain with sections of loose
terrain and an occasional boulder to get around or over. At the top of
the canyon, the route turns left onto a huge tilted sandstone formation
approaching the final narrow ridge that leads to the peak. Lots of
exposure with 2,000 feet of elevation gain. The assembled group will
leave from Albertsons at 7:30 AM. Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.
Tuesday, November 12 - White Rock Hills Loop. Here
is the only Tuesday in November with an alternative to the crazy
stuff. Join this group for a pleasant loop trek around the two cream
colored mountains at the north end of Red Rock Canyon that covers a
distance of 6.4 miles and gains 900 feet of elevation. This hike passes
through two different groupings of vegetation with creosote, black
brush, and cactus dominating the lower half and manzanita, juniper, and
an occasional pine taking root behind the mountain, which gets much more
rainfall to support this vegetation. Departure will be at 8:00 AM from Albertsons. Coordinator - Nancy Moore.
Wednesday, November 13 - Krafft Mountain Loop. One
of the most scenic areas west of Las Vegas is found in Gateway Canyon
on the north side of Krafft Mountain, which is part of the route on this
moderate 5-mile loop hike starting at Red Springs Picnic Area. The
first part of the outing stays along the eastern edge of the Calico
Hills before the trail moves up Five Stop Hill on the way to the saddle
overlooking Gateway Canyon. The canyon itself possesses some of the
sweetest sandstone formations combining red and cream, with swirls,
lines, and dots among the visual effects. Some scrambling is involved.
Meet the group at Albertsons for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Thursday, November 14 - White Rock Springs Peak. There
is a good chance that this hike will basically follow the same route as
the one on November 2, starting at the beginning of the gravel road,
but once on the ridge leading to the peak there are so many boulders to
climb over that it may be on a slightly different track. If there are
any fearless hikers in the group they will be able to reach the peak
extension, with this short connection offering lots of thrills over
uneven terrain on a narrow ridge with scrambling and exposure. Assembly
point for the group will be at Albertsons and an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.
Friday, November 15 - Siena "Little Grand Canyon". I
will have to pre-hike this in order to establish the group route for
what I hope is a moderate 4 to 5-mile out-and-back trek and I will let
you know at a later date when that occurs if you care to join in the
exploration. The target canyon heads east from Town Center Drive in the
vicinity of Bishop Gorman High School and is narrow and deep, thus
receiving the comparison to the somewhat unfair comparison to the
awe-inspiring canyon in Arizona. Initial meeting place will be at
Albertsons for a 7:45 AM departure and we will head to the Siena Community Center for a final pickup at 8:00 AM before making the short drive south. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Saturday, November 16 - Escarpment Base Trail. The
earlier hike this Saturday involves connecting all the trails along the
base of the Wilson Cliffs between the northern Oak Creek trailhead and
Lost Creek. Namely, we will be on all or parts of Arnight, Pine Creek,
Dale's, and SMYC trail as we head north for 5.4 miles, gaining about 600
feet in the process. This hike is rated moderate and is almost all on
trail with a very minor amount of scrambling. Since this is a
point-to-point hike, extra vehicles will be required to shuttle
participants. Meet the group at Albertsons for an 8:00 AM getaway. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Saturday, November 16 - Calico I to Sandstone Quarry. This moderate
4-mile out-and-back hike will utilize the Calico Hills Trail to treat
participants to some exceptional displays of scenery where the desert
connects with the sandstone formations in the hills. It will begin at
the Calico I Overlook and head north to Sandstone Quarry for a snack
break before returning to the starting point. Net gain is somewhat
under 500 feet but rolling terrain increases the gross amount to 700 or
so. Pace will be leisurely. Departure from the assembly point at
Albertsons will be at 8:30 AM. Coordinator - Marg Biesiada.
Sunday, November 17 - Las Vegas Overlook & Skull Canyon. This moderately
strenuous hike starting from the cowboy stables parking lot involves
perhaps 1,500 feet of elevation gain over the course of an 8-mile
distance on a loop route. It will begin by taking the Fossil Ridge
Trail to the top of Echo Canyon, then connecting with the overlay trail
on an abandoned mining road, then head up the slope on the eastern ridge
of Blue Diamond Hill to a grand viewing spot. Closing the loop will be
a half mile trek along the top of the ridge and a descent through Skull
Canyon. The group will assemble at Albertsons for a 7:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.
Monday, November 18 - Ash Canyon. This strenuous
outing is a bit more difficult than the normal Monday offering, but is
certainly worth the effort. The loop route will start at Red Springs
Picnic Area, staying along the eastern edge of the Calico Hills until it
reaches the mouth of Ash Canyon. The climb through this canyon is
steep and involves quite a bit of boulder scrambling, but the view from
the top makes it worth the effort. The return leg includes a short
section of Gateway Canyon and a descent down Five Stop Hill. Distance
is about 5 miles with 1,600 feet of elevation gain. Departure time will
be 8:00 AM from Albertsons. Coordinator - Nancy Moore.
Tuesday, November 19 - Terrace Canyon. Scenery
doesn't get much better than the terraced floor of this canyon tucked
deep above the south fork of Pine Creek. The amount of scrambling
required is significant on this very strenuous 6-mile out-and-back hike
that will probably take six or seven hours to complete. Don't go unless
you are prepared to climb up 15-foot boulders and crawl through brush
to reach the objective. We have been treated to back country bighorn
sheep in this canyon several times in the past. Because of the extended
time for doing the hike, the group will be leaving from Albertsons at 7:00 AM. Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.
Wednesday, November 20 - White Rock/Sandstone Loop. Branch
Whitney describes this moderately strenuous 7-mile loop hike in his
first book as Grand Circle West, but it's actually located north of the
Grand Circle Trail. Starting at Sandstone Quarry we will be following
the Grand Circle Trail to the back of Cactus Hill on the edge of the
Keystone Thrust before following a partial jeep track along a ridge to a
saddle below La Madre Mountain. Turning downhill, we will pass through
a series of ever=widening drainages until we reach our starting point.
The assembled group will leave from Albertsons at 8:00 AM. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Thursday, November 21 - Drop Slot, Black Top, White Pimple and Fire Wave Loop. I
expect all these strange names of places will be explained during the
course of the 4.8-mile hike that I am told has precisely 1,124 feet of
gross elevation gain and is rated moderately strenuous. That's because
our coordinator is one of the real experts when it comes to meandering
through the seemingly endless dead-end canyons and sandstone
outcroppings found at Valley of Fire. Plan on about 6 hours for this
hike including travel time, wear long pants and sleeves, and take
gloves. An early west side assembly point will occur on the top floor
of the Rampart Casino parking garage, located near Rampart and Summerlin
Parkway. That group will leave at 7:15 AM for the
primary meeting spot at Lucky Club Casino, on the northwest corner
of I-15 and Cheyenne. The full group should leave there by 7:45 AM. Coordinator - Brian Dodd.
Friday, November 22 - Lone Grapevine Spring. Tucked
into Cottonwood Valley close to the base of Windy Peak is a field of
boulders containing petroglyphs that may span over 1,000 years or more.
Come and get a vision of history in southern Nevada on this moderate
5-mile hike that stops briefly at Shovel Spring prior to heading across
the desert to Lone Grapevine Spring and the petroglyph field.
The middle part of the hike is a loop with the beginning and ending
sections the same. Meet the other participants at Albertsons for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Saturday, November 23 - White Rock Hills Loop. One
of the most traveled trails in Red Rock Canyon is the moderate 6.4-mile
route around the two cream colored sandstone peaks at the north end of
the canyon that compromise the White Rock Hills. The well-maintained
trail goes completely around them, gaining a net of 900 feet of
elevation in the process. Unique in terms of plant variations, the
front side is regular Mojave Desert with creosote, black brush, and
cactus, while the backside is prolific with pine, juniper, manzanita,
and some oak. Departure from Albertsons will occur at 8:00 AM. Coordinator - Ed Matulis.
Saturday, November 23 - Cowboy Stables Trails. The
leisurely Saturday hike this weekend will be an easy to moderate trek
along the northern end of Blue Diamond Hill from the Cowboy Stables
parking lot. Pace will be accommodating as the group heads toward Skull
Canyon but turns sharply left at the drainage near the base of the
hill. Expect a total distance of 3 to 4 miles with a possible addition
of the low ridge climbing along Highway 159 across from Red Rock. We
will be leaving from Albertsons for this hike at precisely 8:30 AM. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Sunday, November 24 - Gray Cap Loop. The starting
point for this strenuous 5-mile hike is the gravel parking area at the
end of the main road through Calico Basin. From there, the group will
head up Five Stop Hill and drop into Gateway Canyon, taking the standard
route to the top of Gateway and up the steep ridge to the sandstone,
winding through the boulders and other formations to the peak. The
descent will be through Gray Fox Canyon to lower Gateway Canyon and back
over Five Stop Hill. This descent is more challenging with some Class 3
scrambling. Departure will be at 7:30 AM from Albertsons. Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.
Monday, November 25 - La Madre Miner's Cabin. This
moderately strenuous 5-mile out-and-back hike starts rather tamely
along Rocky Gap Road and still Is not very difficult as it follows
another abandoned road past a couple of old foundations to La Madre
Spring. From the spring a single track trail continues up the drainage,
crossing the creek on several occasions and getting progressively
steeper as the trail approaches the stone shelter with a tree trunk
roof. Elevation gain is in the vicinity of 1,600 feet and the view from
the cabin is an indication of that gain. Assembly point will
be Albertsons with an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Nancy Moore.
Tuesday, November 26 - Valley of Fire North-South Traverse. One
of only two point-to-point hikes on the docket during November, this
strenuous 6-mile hike with 1,700 feet of gross elevation gain has such
intense scrambling that it will probably take five hours to accomplish.
The route follows canyons and mesas from the White Dome area south
through a notch to the Visitor Center, where the backup cars will be
left. As is the case with other Valley of Fire hikes, travel
time will likely be an hour in each direction, so the entire outing
will take most of the day. Refer to the Valley of Fire hike on November 21 for logistics of travel. Departure times from the two assembly points will be 7:15 AM from the Rampart Casino and 7:45 AM from Lucky Club Casino. Coordinator - Brian Dodd.
Wednesday, November 27 - Rubber Ducky Yucca. You
will have to participate on this moderate 5-mile partial loop hike to
find out what the name is all about, as it is better experienced that
being told about. The hike has about 300 feet of elevation change and
it is on the return leg, but there isn't any steep or irregular terrain
to be concerned about. It will be conducted as a joint outing between
Around the Bend Friends and Lone Mountain Hiking Club, so the early
assembly point is at Desert Vista Community Center for an 8:00 AM departure. The combined group will then meet briefly at Albertsons with an 8:15 AM departure.
A final stop will be made at the gas station at the junction of
Highways 159 and 160 for any south side participants at 8:35 AM. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Thursday, November 28 - Red Springs Loop. Sometimes
referred to as the Guardian Angel Pass hike, this moderately strenuous
4-mile loop through the Calico Hills and then around the south end of
the sandstone formation involves a significant amount of scrambling,
both climbing and descending trough the gap in the sandstone hills and
then in the canyon on the Red Rock side. Somewhat over halfway along
the descent from the gap the group will encounter an etching on a large
sandstone boulder of an archangel. Meet the group at Albertsons for a
departure at 8:00 AM. Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.
Friday, November 29 - Fracture Ridge Peak. The
beginning of this strenuous 6-mile out-and-back hike follows the same
trail as the one to Black Mountain in Henderson. About a mile into the
hike, the Fracture Ridge trail branches off to the south, crosses a main
drainage, and begins the long ascent up the ridge. Toward the end the
trail dissipates, leaving a bit of scrambling through lava boulders to
reach the summit. Total elevation gain is around 1,800 feet. The early
west side group will congregate at Albertsons for a 7:20 AM departure
and head over to the combined meeting spot at a Walgreens located at
the intersection of Anthem Parkway and Hampton. All the participants
will leave there at 8:00 AM for the trailhead. Coordinator - Carl Weller.
Saturday, November 30 - Red Cap. The
hike is rather short at 3 miles but the terrain is truly awesome
getting to the highest point in the Calico Hills. The regular route to
the top will be used for the ascent, which involves a fair amount of
Class 3 scrambling up slabs and through cracks. Total elevation gain is
around 1,000 feet and the hike is rated strenuous. On the way down the
group will pass several tanks that generally hold water in the spring
and make a final descent onto the Calico Tanks Trail along Mass
Production Wall. Meet the other participants at Albertsons for a
departure at 8:00 AM. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
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