The
information below is important to determine where our group meets prior
to each hike. Please read this section before skipping to the actual
hike descriptions. Hikes during the month of May will be split between
the Red Rock Canyon Area and the higher elevations of the Spring
Mountains (usually referred to as the Mount Charleston area).
Information regarding assembly locations and directions to those
locations is immediately below. Some of the Red Rock area hikes will
have a secondary pickup location if they are south in Cottonwood Valley
or on the west side of the escarpment.
Red Rock Canyon Area. Our
main assembly point for hikes in Red Rock Canyon, Cottonwood Valley,
and the west side of the escarpment is at the Red Rock Casino on
Charleston Boulevard just east of 215. To
access the meeting spot, turn into the casino property at the
signalized intersection directly across from Canyon Pointe, turn right
directly in front of the casino, and immediately turn right into the
lot. If traveling east on Charleston from 215 you can turn right at the
first entrance and then make an immediate left. We will be parking at
the north end of the lot along Charleston Boulevard. Whenever Red Rock area hikes start from Highway 160, there will be a secondary pickup point for south side participants. That location is at the gas station at the intersection of Highways 159 and 160. Generally,
this will be a brief stop which will occur about twenty-five minutes
after the departure from Red Rock Casino. When hikes begin at or near
the community of Blue Diamond, south side participants can drive
directly to that location.
Mount Charleston Area. For
hikes north of Las Vegas in either the Mount Charleston area or in the
Sheep Mountains the assembly point will be at the Santa Fe Station
Casino. This property has two parking garages, one on the north end of
the casino close to Highway 95 and one on the southeast side closer to
the intersection of Rancho and Lone Mountain Road. We always use the third level of the southeast parking garage as our meeting location. This
garage can be accessed from Lone Mountain Road traveling in either
direction at the entrance near the theater addition. It can also be
accessed from Rancho. If
traveling northbound on Rancho turn in at the signal and turn left to
access the garage. If traveling southbound on Rancho pass the signal
and turn at the entrance that directly accesses the garage. This second
option is used if you are getting to Santa Fe using northbound Highway
95 and taking the Rancho exit. Drive up to the third level and turn left - we will be meeting right there.
Times indicated for each hike are departure times and are strictly observed. Usually the group will begin arriving 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 8:30 AM Saturday 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 general information should be directed to Chris Dempsey at dempseylv@aol.com
or by telephone at (702) 823-2355. Specific questions regarding hikes
should be directed to the listed coordinator. Refer to the club roster
for contact information.
Starting
this month there will be a number of early hikes offered in the
immediate Red Rock area on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The
exact destination and route for these hikes will be determined on the
morning of each hike by the participants. The general parameters are
between 4 and 6 miles, no more than 1,000 feet of elevation gain, and a
moderate rating. These hikes will be listed on the schedule as "Early
Morning Red Rock Hike with Doug." One of the goals for these hikes is
to be back at the vehicles by 9:30 to avoid as much of the heat of the
day as possible. For those who become regulars on these hikes, Doug
will compile a list of names and e-mail addresses to send out occasional
notifications of any short term schedule changes.
Thursday, May 1 - Little Zion. Here
is one of those classic bushwhack hikes that we haven't had on the
schedule for some time. This strenuous out-and-back trek starts
from the end of a gravel Forest Service road in Lovell Canyon and
follows a series of drainages up the back side of the escarpment to an
overlook behind Spring Mountain Ranch. An undulating trail then follows
the edge of the upper ridges to an open area with spectacular sandstone
slabs and features including an arch in the making. Total distance is
about 6 miles and elevation gain is around 1,400 feet. High clearance
vehicles are needed for the drive. Meet the group at Red Rock Casino
for a 7:30 AM departure. There will be a quick stop at the gas station at the junction of Highways 159 and 160 about 7:50 AM to pick up any south side participants. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.
Friday, May 2 - First Creek. Easy
to moderate is the general description for this 4-mile out-and-back
hike from the signed trailhead along Highway 159. The first mile is
very level and leads to a hidden waterfall in a grotto area that
provides a sharp contrast to the desert setting forming the approach. A
set of trails then continues upstream along the creek and includes some
choppy terrain and a bit of scrambling reaching a seasonal boulder
waterfall near the entrance to First Creek Canyon. The return to the
vehicles will follow a snack break on the sandstone boulders. Departure
from Red Rock Casino will be at 7:30 AM. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Saturday, May 3 - Two Peaks and an Arch.
This is a 4-mile scramble in the northern section of the Calico Hills
that visits the arch near Sandstone Quarry, the main Calico Tank, and
Calico II Peak before backtracking down the upper portions of the
western side of the sandstone hills. After descending back onto
the Calico Tanks Trail the group will climb on the east side of the
trail along Mass Production Wall and stop at Red Cap in the northern
section of the hills. After a break the traditional ascent route will
be used for the descent back to Sandstone Quarry. This hike is rated
strenuous due to the amount of scrambling and there is around 1,500 feet
of elevation gain. Meet at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.
Saturday, May 3 - Fossil Ridge. Across
the highway from the entrance to Red Rock Canyon is Blue Diamond Hill
with its collection of ridges and canyons that beg to be explored. The
later hike for this Saturday that starts from the Cowboy Stables parking
lot along Highway 159 will take a look at the first ridge to the
south. This 4-mile loop version of the hike is rated easy to moderate
with some emphasis on the moderate as it gains about 700 feet climbing
on the ridge above Echo Canyon with a return along the Bunny Trail.
Bring plenty of water as the temperatures in early May can start
climbing early in the day. The group will assemble at Red Rock Casino
for an 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator -John Stewart.
Sunday, May 4 - Raintree via Trail Canyon. Our
first hike of the year in the higher elevations of the Spring Mountains
will be an out-and-back trek starting at the trailhead for Trail Canyon
and continuing east along North Loop Trail to the base of a 3,000 year
old Bristlecone pine. Total distance is 7.5 miles with elevation gain
of 2,200 feet and the hike carries a strenuous rating. As this is our
first effort getting close to 10,000 feet above sea level the pace will
probably be somewhat slower with more breaks. Don't attempt this outing
unless you are familiar with hiking where the air is thin. The
assembly point for the group will be on the 3rd level of the southeast parking garage at Santa Fe Station. Departure for the hike will be at 7:30 AM. Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.
Monday, May 5 - Oak Creek. This
moderate 5 to 6-mile out-and-back hike along the creek and into the
canyon of the same name is for the most part fairly level as elevation
gain is only about 300 feet. The first (and last) mile of the hike is
across the desert floor from the gravel parking lot where the scenic
drive exits back onto Highway 159. As the group nears the creek and the
escarpment to the west vegetation becomes much more luxuriant and
scenery abounds. There are six crossings of Oak Creek on this hike and
the snack break will be taken on sandstone boulders in the drainage of
the canyon. Meet the other hikers at Red Rock Casino for a 7:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Tuesday, May 6 - Mummy's Toe. Tough
is the best description one can come up with for this strenuous 7 to
8-mile out-and-back hike gaining about 2,600 feet of elevation. The
trek begins innocently enough heading up North Loop Trail from the
eastern end and passing both Raintree and Mummy Springs getting to
the drainage that leads to the top of the ridge. Quite soon starting
the climb from Mummy Springs the trail turns steep and loose, then
disintegrates into a route along the ridge and a final steep assault
through the rocks to the top of this distinctive peak. Once off the
trail the unmarked route is quite specific and the group will need to
stick together. Meet the other participants at Santa Fe Station for a 7:30 AM start. Coordinator - Steve Anderson.
Tuesday, May 6 - Lost Creek Waterfall. The
alternate outing for this Tuesday is a moderately strenuous partial
loop hike of 5 miles that is situated in Red Rock Canyon. The hike
begins from the Ice Box parking lot, proceeds along Ice Box Trail a
short distance, then turns north on SMYC Trail. After a visit to the
base of Lost Creek Waterfall the group will climb along a steep trail to
reach a ledge that leads around back to the top of that same
waterfall. After a break and the following descent the group will
probably visit a petroglyph wall and swing around on the eastern section
of the Willow Springs Loop Trail to return on SMYC Trail. The group
will depart from Red Rock Casino at 7:30 AM. Coordinator - Nancy Moore.
Wednesday, May 7 - Early Morning Red Rock Hike with Doug. The
early morning summer hiking season in the Red Rock Canyon area kicks
off today with a 4 to 5-mile outing that will attempt to beat the
scorching heat associated with Las Vegas in the summer. See the
description for the series in the preamble to this schedule. Pace will
be moderate but not too quick and there will be a short break along the
way. The group will meet at Red Rock Casino prior to leaving for the
hike. Departure times in May will be at 6:30 AM. Coordinator - Doug Chang.
Wednesday, May 7 - No Name/Bristlecone Loop. For
those interested in hiking in the higher elevations of the Spring
Mountains where it is cooler there will be an alternative this
Wednesday. The partial loop version of this moderately strenuous 5 or
6-mile hike will be done in a counter clockwise direction, meaning the
short section of the Bonanza Trail involved on the hike will come before
a descent on No Name Trail back to the Bristlecone Trail. Total
elevation gain is around 1,000 feet starting from the top end of Lee
Canyon Road. Participants on this hike will meet at Santa Fe Station
for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Richard Hansen.
Thursday, May 8 - Sandstone/White Rock Loop. The
first time the coordinator ever did this moderately strenuous 7-mile
loop hike he was trudging along in about eight inches of snow in the top
section. That won't be the case today as we will probably all be
sweating from the rising temperatures, so we need to get as much of the
1,500 foot climb out of the way as early as possible. The route used
starts at Sandstone Quarry and follows the Grand Circle Trail over to
the White Rock Springs parking area, then climbs past Keystone Thrust
toward La Madre Mountain and an eventual descent in a series of
drainages. The group will gather at Red Rock Casino for a 7:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Friday, May 9 - Cottonwood Pass Loop. Continuing
our early morning hikes in the general Red Rock area will be this
moderate 6-mile loop outing in South Cottonwood Valley. The trek will
start from the gravel parking area south of Highway 160 also used for
Badger Pass, which occurs the following day. It will follow
a combination of dirt roads and trails toward Mount Potosi and loop past
Cottonwood Pass on the Goodsprings Road before heading back to the
vehicles on the Deadhorse Trail in Red Valley. Early group departure
from Red Rock Casino will be at 6:00 AM, there will be a quick stop at the gas station on Highways 159 and 160 at 6:25 AM, and participants will meet the coordinator at the gravel parking lot for a 6:45 AM start of hike. Coordinator - David Hardy.
Saturday, May 10 - Badger Pass. The
earlier hike of the day will be a moderate partial loop effort starting
from the Late Night parking area along Highway 160 and heading past the
low northern section of the Bird Spring Range to the destination.
After climbing to the pass from the ridge to the north the group will
descend down the east side of the saddle for a return to the starting
point. Total distance for this hike is 7 miles. The group will
assemble at Red Rock Casino and the departure time will be 8:00 AM. There will be a stopover at the gas station at the 159/160 highway junction about 8:25 AM to pick up south side participants. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Saturday, May 10 - Badger Pass. This
is not a typo - the leisurely group on this Saturday will be going to
the same destination as the early group, just using the trail that
starts from the gravel parking area indicated in the May 9 hike
description. This makes the total distance for the loop hike 3 miles
and there is 700 feet of elevation gain. Rating is easy to moderate.
The shorter version of the hike approaches the pass along the same ridge
used in the longer hike, but makes its descent from the saddle on the
west side down to Deadhorse Trail. This group will also assemble at Red
Rock Casino and will leave at 8:30 AM, with a quick stop at the gas station around 8:55 AM on the way to the hike. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.
Sunday, May 11 - Southern Calico Hills Scramble. Although
this strenuous scramble is only 4 miles in length it certainly seems
much longer when it is finally finished. With around 1,900 feet of
gross elevation gain in the total package the hike will challenge strong
club members. Starting at Red Springs Picnic Area the route climbs to
Angel Pass and on to the peak above. From there it traverses toward the
main Calico Tank and down to Calico II. After following the canyon
past Calico I the group will turn left and climb over the ridge,
descending along the Grand Staircase. Instead of meeting at Red Rock
Casino participants should drive directly to Red Springs Picnic Area for
a 7:30 AM start. GPS coordinates for the meeting
location are 36 degrees 08'49.18" N by 115 degrees 25'08.06" W.
Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.
Monday, May 12 - Early Morning Red Rock Hike with Doug. Meet
the rest of the group at Red Rock Casino for a 4 to 6-mile
moderate hike in the Red Rock area to be determined at the meeting
location. Departure will be at 6:30 AM. Coordinator - Doug Chang.
Tuesday, May 13 - Mummy's Tummy. Plan
on about five hours or more for this very strenuous outing that climbs
to the top of Mummy Mountain, at 11,542 feet the second highest official
peak in the Spring Mountains. Elevation gain is 3,900 feet and the
total distance to be covered on this out-and-back hike is around 9
miles. The opening segment is along Trail Canyon, which many people
consider to be tough, but wait until you get to the scree field above
North Loop Trail, where two steps forward also means one back. Once on
the ridge the going is still difficult and includes a Class 3 climb up a
notch in the cliffs to the top. Participants should meet at Santa Fe
Station for a 7:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Laszlo Heredy.
Tuesday, May 13 - White Rock Hills Loop. The
alternative to the tough climb of Mummy Mountain is a straightforward
loop around the two cream colored sandstone peaks at the north end of
Red Rock Canyon. At 6.4 miles in length the trail hike climbs a net of
900 feet of elevation and is rated moderate. The route for this effort
will start at Willow Springs Picnic Area and proceed in a counter
clockwise direction, going through the desert section first to minimize
the heat of a typical May morning. Assembly point is at Red Rock Casino
from which the group will leave at 7:30 AM. Coordinator - Nancy Moore.
Wednesday, May 14 - Early Morning Red Rock Hike with Doug. Meet
the rest of the group at Red Rock Casino for a 4 to 6-mile moderate
hike in the Red Rock area to be determined at the meeting location.
Departure will be at 6:30 AM. Coordinator - Doug Chang.
Thursday, May 15 - Krafft Mountain Traverse. Changing
up the experience from the April 17 trek across the rose colored peak
behind the community of Calico Basin, this strenuous 5-mile loop hike
will cross the top of the mountain in a west to east direction.
Starting from Red Springs Picnic Area the group will head up Five Stop
Hill and turn right for some serious boulder scrambling climbing to the
top ridge. After reaching the high point they will continue east and
follow the tricky descent route to the lower portion of Gateway Canyon.
The trail walk back to the starting point through a world-class boulder
field will seem quite tame in comparison. Departure of the group from
Red Rock Casino will be at 7:00 AM. Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.
Friday, May 16 - Early Morning Red Rock Hike with Doug. Here
is a final chance for the week to join the early risers and accomplish a
moderate hike of around 5 miles in the Red Rock Canyon area. As with
the other hikes in this series, it is intended to get people off the
trails by mid-morning when the heat of the day starts to come on. Meet
the group at Red Rock Casino for a 6:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Doug Chang.
Saturday, May 17 - Fern Canyon & Beyond. This
moderately strenuous 4-mile hike has a bit of everything and will start
at the Pine Creek trailhead along the scenic drive. The group will
hike across the desert, enter the North Fork of Pine Creek (locally
referred to as Fern Canyon),
and stroll past ponds with an abundance of ferns under a nice shade
canopy of trees. Some people may choose to stay in this spot while
others continue up the canyon, doing some Class 3 scrambling over and
around boulders to a trickling waterfall. Elevation gain is around 500
feet. Departure of the group from Red Rock Casino will be at 8:00 AM. Coordinator - Jim Billetdeaux.
Saturday, May 17 - Cowboy Horse Trails. The
last Saturday Red Rock area hike for the season will be a 3.5-mile hike
in the desert across from the entrance to Red Rock Canyon. Following
the dirt paths normally used by trail riders from the Cowboy Horse
Stables, the loop route winds through the valley north of Blue Diamond
Hill and climbs to the top of a 500-foot hill for a break. Except for
this climb the terrain is quite level, so the leisurely paced hike
should probably be rated easy to moderate. Meet other participants at
Red Rock Casino for an 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.
Sunday, May 18 - Blue Diamond Ridges. This
moderate early morning hike will cover a distance up to 7
miles starting from the gravel parking lot at the Cowboy Stables located
on Highway 159 a short distance beyond the entrance to Red Rock
Canyon. How much the group does will be determined by how much the
temperature rises. If it stays cool enough to get in the full hike it
will include a visit to the Las Vegas Overlook on Blue Diamond
Hill. Participants should gather at Red Rock Casino, leaving at 6:15 AM for the stables. The coordinator will meet them at the parking area for a 6:30 AM start of the hike. Coordinator - David Hardy.
Monday, May 19 - Early Morning Red Rock Hike with Doug. Begin
the week with a moderate early morning trek in the vicinity of Red
Rock. The actual hike will be determined by the group at the assembly
point. Generally, these hikes cover a distance around 5 miles and get
finished by 9:30 AM to take advantage of any cooler temperatures. Meet
the group at Red Rock Casino for a 6:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Doug Chang.
Tuesday, May 20 - South Sister. Tough
Tuesdays in the Spring Mountains continue this week with an assault of
an exposed peak on the north side of Lee Canyon. This hike will start
from the Lower Bristlecone trailhead and follow an old interpretive
trail toward the top end of Old Mill Picnic Area. From there the group
will turn left into a steep canyon and access the ridge west of the
peak. The final part of the 1,800 foot climb will include a very steep
trail and some exposed scrambling through a cliff and across a rocky
top. Rating for this 5-mile out-and-back hike is strenuous. The group
will assemble at Santa Fe Station for a 7:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.
Tuesday, May 20 - Stanley B/Fletcher Canyons. The
alternative hike this Tuesday is strenuous enough in its own right.
Starting from the parking area on Kyle Canyon Road across from the start
of the Fletcher Canyon Trail, the group will follow a trail along the
Kyle Canyon drainage for about a mile to access Stanley B. Once past
the Leroy Mine it turns into a scrambling route up a drainage to a ridge
extending out from Cockscomb Peak. The descent into Fletcher Canyon is
tricky and there is lots of brush heading down the canyon toward the
rabbit hole at Obstacle Rock. There will be an 8:00 AM departure from Santa Fe Station for this hike. Coordinator - Nancy Moore.
Wednesday, May 21 - Early Morning Red Rock Hike with Doug. Getting
back to the starting point before the heat of the day sets in is one of
the major goals of this early morning outing in the Red Rock area.
Come prepared to offer suggestions of where the hike should be, for the
destination will be determined by the participants at the assembly
point. The general mileage range for these hikes is between 4 and 6
miles. Departure from Red Rock Casino will occur at 6:30 AM. Coordinator - Doug Chang.
Thursday, May 22 - Echo Canyon & Skull Canyon. A
bit later start may mean rising temperatures, so bring extra water for
this moderately strenuous 7-mile loop hike from the Cowboy Stables
parking lot just off Highway 159. The route will climb through Echo
Canyon, follow some of the established trails on the plateau above the
northern canyons of Blue Diamond Hill, then descend through Skull Canyon
to the valley. The hike has a small amount of scrambling and the pace
will be set faster than normal due to the impending heat. Those who wish to carpool from Red Rock Casino should leave there at 7:15 AM to join the coordinator at the trailhead . The hike will start promptly at 7:30 AM from
the Cowboy Stables. GPS coordinates for this meeting spot is 36
degrees 07'17.02" N by 115 degrees 26'01.22" W. Coordinator - Kay
Blackwell.
Friday, May 23 - Early Morning Red Rock Hike with Doug. Join
the other early morning risers for a moderate trek in the area of Red
Rock Canyon. The actual destination will be determined at Red Rock
Casino where the group will assemble. Normal parameters are between 4
and 6 miles which should allow the group to finish under three hours.
Departure will be at 6:30 AM. Coordinator - Doug Chang.
Friday, May 23 - Grand Staircase & Guardian Angel Loop. Starting
from Red Springs Picnic Area the group will climb Grand Staircase at
the south end of the Calico Hills and descend on the back side to a wash
below the Calico I turnout. Heading north, they will navigate an
inward scrambling route to the wash below Calico II, then pass the angel
carving on the way to the saddle in the Calico Hills, descending
straight back to the Calico Basin side of the sandstone hills. This
4-mile loop hike is rated strenuous with 90% scrambling off-trail and a
total elevation gain of 1,500 feet. Departure from Red Rock Casino will
be at 7:30 AM. Coordinator - Jim Billetdeaux.
Saturday, May 24 - Telephone Canyon. Our
coordinators have joined forces to offer two hikes starting at the same
time from the same location. Kay will be taking the more adventurous
route from Robbers' Roost, crossing the upper section of Telephone
Canyon and heading uphill to a horse trough and on to a ridge with
unencumbered views of Angel Peak. This loop route is about 4 or 5 miles
in length, has some steep sections of trail, and is rated moderate.
Chris will be taking the other group on a point-to-point hike from
Robbers' Roost to a pullout along Kyle Canyon Road that is essentially
downhill the entire way. This hike is 4 miles in length and is rated
easy to moderate. Ideally, we will be able to get all the participants
to the start of the hike and have enough vehicles at the end of the
point-o-point hike to avoid car shuttling. Hikers will assemble at
Santa Fe Station and pick their hike, departing at 8:30 AM. Coordinators - Kay Blackwell and Chris Dempsey.
Sunday, May 25 - Sawmill Wiggle Route. This
hike will take the Sawmill Trail to the next level! Adding to the
original hike along the higher ridge, the trail turns off to the left
and begins switch-backing down to a forest road utilizing part of the
large network of equestrian trails. The group will cross Lee Canyon
Road (Highway 156) and drop down into lower Lee Canyon, hike up the wide
wash passing a narrow slot in the rocks, and cross back over the
highway to the trailhead. Expect a reasonably fast pace for this
moderately strenuous outing that will cover a distance of 6 miles with
an elevation gain of 1,500 feet. Meet at Santa Fe Station for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell.
Tuesday, May 27 - Cockscomb Peak. After
a day off for Memorial Day our tough Tuesday crowd will be itching for a
challenge. They will get one on this strenuous 6-mile hike in Kyle
Canyon. The start of the hike will be at the Trail Canyon trailhead and
will follow a Class 1 trail for the first 2.5 miles. At that point the
outing becomes a scramble over Class 3 terrain with exposure en route
to the summit. There is lots of loose rock through these steep sections
and some crumbling limestone that needs to be navigated with extreme
care. Vertical gain is around 2,000 feet. The group will depart from
Santa Fe Station at 7:30 AM. Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.
Tuesday, May 27 - Avalanche Canyon. Somewhat
less intimidating on this Tuesday after Memorial Day is this
5-mile partial loop hike that visits a canyon decimated by a large
avalanche back in 2005. Since there are no official trails into the
canyon, much of the debris consisting of downed trees and boulders still
lies where the rush of snow pushed it that year. This version of the
trek winds up beneath the cave near Mary Jane Falls and follows the
regular trail down through a series of switchbacks. Gross elevation
gain will be around 1,200 feet and a strenuous rating applies.
Departure from Santa Fe Station will be at 8:00 AM. Coordinator - Nancy Moore.
Wednesday, May 28 - Early Morning Red Rock Hike with Doug. Participants
for this early 4 to 6-mile outing in the Red Rock Canyon area can
expect a moderate hike lasting something under three hours. Doug may
show up with a recommendation of a trail or the group may decide at the
assembly point what the destination should be. Departure from Red Rock
Casino will be at 6:30 AM. Coordinator - Doug Chang.
Wednesday, May 28 - Raintree via North Loop Trail. One
of our standard summer hikes is this moderately strenuous 6-mile
out-and-back hike that follows North Loop Trail from its
eastern trailhead off Deer Creek Road. Elevation gain for the hike is
1,500 feet with half of that coming on the slope
covered by a dozen switchbacks above a mid-ridge meadows. Come and
find out what a 3,000 year old tree looks like and why we hike to it so
often. The group will assemble at Santa Fe Station for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Richard Hansen.
Thursday, May 29 - Fletcher Peak. The
group will be doing the standard route to one of the peaks surrounding
Kyle Canyon on this out-and-back hike of 7.5 miles. The route is
identical to the one of the previous day going to Raintree, except it
cuts over an adjoining ridge about a quarter mile before getting to the
old Bristlecone tree. The faint and sporadic trail leading to the top
provides some great views of the distant peaks in several
directions. Plan on meeting the other participants at Santa Fe Station
for a 7:30 AM departure. Coordinator - Michael O'Connor.
Thursday, May 29 - Lee Canyon Narrows. This
area of lower Lee Canyon is often referred to as Champion Canyon, but
Champion is really only the name of the old gravel road running along
the bottom of the canyon. This largely out-and-back hike will follow
sections of the road and also include a bypass of a narrow twenty foot
slot in a cliff that has given rise to the name of the hike. Distance
will be about 5 miles and there is 700 feet of elevation change
involved. The hike itself will start at the north end of Highway 158
near the junction with Lee Canyon Road. The meeting location is at
Santa Fe Station and the departure time is 8:00 AM. Coordinator - Gail Surgent.
Friday, May 30 - Blue Diamond Canyon #1. Avoiding
the heat of the day will be one of the main objectives for this short
hike into the first canyon on the south end of Blue Diamond Hill. It's
not a long hike at around 3 miles but it does involve a considerable
amount of scrambling, resulting in an overall rating of moderately
strenuous. There is a good chance of seeing owls in the canyon. The
return will most likely be along the ridge to the immediate north.
The main assembly point will be the gravel parking lot on the right side
of the entrance road to the community of Blue Diamond just past the
bridge. Starting time for the hike will be at 6:00 AM so
participants carpooling from Red Rock Casino will have to leave there
about twenty minutes before that. Coordinator - David Hardy.
Friday, May 30 - Ash Meadows. Here
is a chance to do an easy to moderate loop hike in the vicinity of
Calico Basin on the east side of the Calico Hills. The group will start
off from Red Springs Picnic Area heading toward Five Stop Hill, but
will only do the first section of climb from Ash Creek before turning
left onto another trail. This trail leads toward the mouth of Ash
Canyon where a break will take place in a shaded area close to Ash
Springs. The return will be along the base of the sandstone hills.
Elevation gain is probably only a couple hundred feet and distance is
around 3 or 4 miles. Departure of the group from Red Rock Casino will
be at 7:00 AM. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey.
Saturday, May 31 - Big Falls Overlook. This
strenuous out-and-back hike utilizes Trail Canyon to access North Loop
Trail, then turns left heading toward Mount Charleston on North Loop
Trail. A broad ledge a couple thousand feet above the floor of Kyle
Canyon provides a dramatic view of Big Falls and the folded strata that
make up much of the south ridge leading to Charleston. There has been
an interpretive sign at this spot and it might still be there. Total
distance of the hike is around 8 miles. The group will assemble at
Santa Fe Station for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Lettie Gutierrez.
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