The April schedule includes hikes
in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (including Cottonwood Valley
and Mount Charleston), and the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. Meeting
locations for hikes in any other areas will be specified in the hike
description. You can locate detailed information on these locations at the ATBF
blog and in a file at the Yahoo group website. Also, the exposure information
is now located on the blog.
IMPORTANT NOTE #1 - Hike
coordinators may not always be at either the early or primary assembly points.
Participants will need to monitor the time and set up carpooling to the next
meeting location or pickup point when that occurs. Although most of these
situations are noted in the hike descriptions, others may occur that are not so
noted.
IMPORTANT NOTE #2 - When reading
the descriptions you will see references to both Lake Mead Boulevard and Lake
Mead Parkway. These are different streets. Lake Mead Boulevard is an east-west
street on the north side of Las Vegas that runs completely across the city.
Lake Mead Parkway is on the south side of the city and is an east-west street
that starts at the junction of I-515 and I-215 and extends over to the
lake.
Times indicated for each hike
are departure times and are strictly observed.
Please pay attention to the
difficulty ratings for each hike offered and do not attempt hikes that are
beyond your abilities. Participants can find additional descriptions about
hikes on the blog by clicking on the Updated Hike Descriptions link and/or Jim
Boone’s Bird and Hike link. Members should also contact the coordinator if they
have any concerns or questions about the hike. As two of our prime considerations on any hike
are safety and enjoyment, it is important that each participant have the
capability of completing any advertised hike at the pace published by the
coordinator.
It is the responsibility of new
members to prove their hiking ability, therefore, hikers new to our club must
begin with one of the easy or easy to moderate hikes offered on the monthly
schedule. After they have gained sufficient experience, have been able to
assess their abilities relative to the group, and have had a chance to interact
with our coordinators, they will be free to start moving up to more difficult
hikes. New hikers who are guests of existing members may initially participate
in other than leisurely hikes, but must be accompanied by the existing member
who will take responsibility for their safety if the situation demands.
Hike coordinators will have the
right to reject any hiker, whether new to the club or an existing member, if
they believe that such person’s participation would infringe on the ability of
the group to conduct the hike as advertised or if overall safety becomes an
issue.
Questions regarding general
information should be directed to Lettie Gutierrez at chico04@msn.com or by
telephone at (702)498-3050. Specific questions regarding hikes should be
directed to the listed coordinator. Refer to the club roster for contact
information.
Difficulty Levels
Easy- Hikes of 3 miles or less
with not more than 300 feet of gain, generally with only gradual elevation
gains on even surface trails.
Easy to Moderate- Hikes ranging
up to 5 miles and 500 feet of elevation gain with the potential for some minor
trail irregularities.
Moderate- Hikes that generally
have a maximum distance of 7 miles with 800 feet of elevation gain. Somewhat
longer mileage with less elevation gain or shorter mileage with more elevation
gain may also fit in this category.
Moderately Strenuous- Distances
of up to 12 miles and/or 2000 feet of elevation gain involving less than 25% of
off-trail hiking such as boulder scrambling or bushwhacking.
Strenuous- Longer distances with
elevation gain of 3,000 feet or shorter distances that encompass significant
off-trail sections not requiring additional safety equipment.
Saturday, April 1st, Waterfall Canyon -
This moderately strenuous 4.5 mile hike will be out and back
on the Rocky Gap Road. There will be scrambling
and slippery footing in the canyon with around 1000 feet of elevation gain. It
will be nice to see what all that rain has done to this canyon that always has
water flowing through it. Meet at Red Rock Casino for
an 8:00am departure to the Willow Springs Picnic Area. Coordinator
- Kay Blackwell
Saturday, April 1st,
Red Valley Partial Loop – Starting this moderate hike from the gravel parking
lot used for the Badger Pass hike, we will follow the steadily climbing trail
up Red Valley for 2.5 miles, then double back to our break point. From there we
will climb to the Badger Pass saddle and take the ridge trail back to the cars.
The route is all-trail that we will do at a leisurely to moderate pace. Distance: 6 miles. Elevation Change:
approximately 800 ft. Depart Red Rock Casino parking lot at 7:30am and meet the coordinator at the
gas station at the junction of Highway 159 and Highway 160 for an 8:00am departure to the trailhead.
Coordinator - Dennis Rohne
Sunday, April 2nd,
Calico Hills South/Loop Trails- A mostly moderate trek of just under 5
miles starting in Calico Basin, at the Wash Trail, which is a mix of trail, old
road, and wash, leading over into Red Rock NCA by Calico I, eventually circling
the visitor center, then back to the cars via the Ridge Trail. We’ll take time
to view a piece of history, an abandoned Chevrolet 210 Sedan. Elevation change
is 700 feet. Meet the coordinator for an 8:00am
departure from Red Rock Casino. Coordinator- David Gray
Tuesday, April 4th, Indecision Peak (6465’) - Indecision lies just to the south of, and some six hundred vertical feet lower than the high point of the escarpment, Mt. Wilson. From the First Creek pull-off on #159, it’s a fairly level, one-mile approach before tackling some steep, Class 3 terrain. At just under six miles with a daunting 2800 feet of vertical, this cap merits its strenuous rating. Depart from the Red Rock Casino at 7:30 AM. Coordinators - O’Connor/Héredy
Wednesday, April 5th, Sandstone Quarry Keystone Thrust O&B/Loop - A moderately strenuous traditional trek up to a unique geological area via the Grand Circle Trail that is hidden away by Cactus Peak. Distance- 7 miles, elevation change- 1,500 feet. Some Class II scrambling required. Meet the coordinator at the Red Rock Casino for an 8:00am departure. Coordinator- David Gray
Thursday, April 6th, Dragon / Gateway Loop -
This loop with a lot of scrambling will be 5 miles with 1000 feet of elevation
gain. Beginning at the end of Sandstone Drive, we will make our way to the base
of Dragon Canyon. The loop continues around and down through Gateway Canyon. It
will be moderately strenuous. Meet at the Red Springs picnic
area and we will carpool over to the Sandstone Drive parking area at 8:00am. Coordinator
- Kay Blackwell
Friday, April 7th,
Rattlesnake Canyon - A strenuous 2.5-mile
popular O&B trek that offers beauty and solitude. Hopefully, there will be
no rushing water or ice to deter us from reaching the Little Terrance area
above the normally dry waterfall. Elevation- 900 FT- Class III scrambling
required. Meet the coordinator at the Red Rock Casino for an 8:00am departure. Coordinator- David
Gray
Sunday, April 9th, Gray Cap - This will be the traditional out and back 5.5 mile hike from the Sandstone Drive parking area, up 5 Stop Hill, to the limestone peak above Gateway Canyon. There is a lot of scrambling so we'll call this strenuous. Elevation gain to gorgeous views is 1900 feet. Meet at the Sandstone Drive dirt parking for an 8:00am departure. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Monday, April 10th, The Crags - We start from Blue Diamond following the Landmine Trail which we will leave to climb slowly up to the top of the ridge into an area of crags. Then we follow the ridge at a moderate pace back to Blue Diamond. 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 where you will meet the coordinator at 8:00am. Leave Red Rock Casino by 7:35am. The weather may influence the start time so check the web site. Total miles are about 5 and 1000 feet of elevation gain, slow pace uphill, and then moderate. Coordinator - David Hardy
Tuesday, April 11th, Hidden Peak (6308’) - Sandwiched between Monument and Black Velvet Peaks, this wallflower pinnacle entertains very few visitors. From the trailhead near the Mountain Springs Saloon, it’s an out-and-back affair. Heartbreak Hill will get the juices flowing before continuing on to the Mountain Springs crest, our high point of the day at 6641'. Following a substantial descent, the final push for the summit is on some mild, Class 3 sandstone. No exposure, per se. In the nine-mile range with 2400’ vertical. Label it strenuous. Depart from the Red Rock Casino at 7:30 AM. Courtesy stop at the #160 gas station. Coordinator - Michael O’Connor
Tuesday, April 11th, Pittman Wash Trail - This is the first training hike for those people heading to
Minnesota later this month. We will start training with a 12-mile
out-and-back hike from Pebble Park on the north side of I-215 and just east of
Eastern Ave. The hike will include a loop around the lake in Cornerstone
Park. There is a very small amount of dirt surface involved with mostly
pavement. Because of distance rating is probably strenuous but there is minimal elevation gain. West side departure from Red Rock Casino will be at 5:45am. A south group can assemble at Henderson Fiesta and
depart at 6:00am. To get to the trailhead, head
one block north of I-215 on Eastern, turn right on Pebble Road (1st
street), then turn right at the first street in about a quarter mile and park
along the street. We should be there to start the
hike about 6:15am. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey
Wednesday, April 12th, Pine Creek Canyon/South Fork O&B - Great scrambling trek of nearly 6-7 miles up into one of Red Rock’s beautiful canyons. Our goal is to reach the traditional stopping point, the large steep boulder just before the Terrace Canyon. Mostly strenuous/Class III. Pace will be balanced to handle the difficult (water) terrain. Meet at the Red Rock Casino at 8:00am. Coordinator- David Gray
Thursday, April 13th, Mountain Spring Peak O&B -
This simple moderately strenuous out and back hike from the
Mountain Springs Pass Trailhead takes on Heartbreak Hill. It
will be 6 miles with our snack break on the cliffs below the actual peak.
Elevation gain is 1600 feet and there is a trail the whole way. Just be
prepared to climb! Meet at the Red Rock Casino for carpooling
at 8:00am. We’ll swing by the gas station (160 & 159) on the
way around 8:20am. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Friday, April 14th,
Ice Box Canyon - This moderate 4 mile out-and-back hike will reach the turnaround point just below a
30 foot seasonal waterfall at an ideal spot for a snack break. Overall, there
is about 3/4 mile of scrambling in the drainage of the creek, but the
boulders are generally in the two to three foot height range rather than the ten-footers found in
some of the other canyons. Elevation gain is 900 feet. The group will depart
from Red Rock
Casino at 8:00am. Coordinator - Tony
Fountain
Saturday, April 15th,
Potato Knoll - The partial loop hike start
from the gravel parking lot at the exit of the scenic drive on Highway 159.
Climbing to the top of the 500 foot hill from the back involves some
scrambling. Overall the 5 mile hike is rated moderate, but will be done at a pace to keep the group together. Depart Red Rock Casino by 8:30am. Coordinator- John Ward
Saturday, April 15th, Yucca Peak Fossil Beds -
Unlike last month's cancelled hike, this version of the Fossil Beds hike in the
Desert National Wildlife Refuge will be moderately strenuous and
will include a little bit of exploring. We will aim for around 5 miles with
around 1500 feet of elevation gain. High clearance vehicles will be required
for 9 miles of the Mormon Well Road. Arrangements will be made prior to the day
of the hike. A short visit to the snail fossils on Fossil Ridge will also be
made. Meet at the Santa Fe Casino for an 8:00am departure. Coordinator
- Kay Blackwell
Sunday, April 16th, Escarpment Rim Loop -
A strenuous long distance favorite, this 10 mile loop begins
at the Mountain Springs Pass Trailhead and will include Heartbreak Hill. It
travels along the rim, on rough trail, of the escarpment all the way past
Little Zion and finds a trail down to Rainbow Springs. This trail continues
across the foothills back to the trailhead. There are 2200 feet of elevation
gain. Meet at the Red Rock Casino for an 8:00am departure. We’ll swing by the gas station (160 & 159) on the way around
8:20am. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Monday, April 17th,
Kraft Mountain Loop – This hike is a 6 mile moderate hike with 1,000 feet of
elevation. We will begin at the Red Springs picnic area and hike up 5 Stop.
Hiking down and through Lower Gateway is trail and scrambling on sandstone. Use
of hands and being able to lower yourself down and over large boulders is
required in several sections of scenic Lower Gateway. Meet at Red Rock at 8:00am or at Red Springs at 8:15am.
Coordinator- John Ward
Tuesday, April 18th,
Red Cap South Via Ash Canyon - From the Red Spring parking lot, ascend Ash
Canyon and the North Chute to Red Cap South, the highest point in the Calico Hills
at 4964’. The return trip will be via Five Stop and back to Red Springs. Class
3, strenuous and the pace will be
somewhat fast. Meet at Red Springs at 8:00am.
Coordinator - Tim Borem
Wednesday, April
19th, Cheyenne Mountain (3833’), aka Eagle Peak
- Dwarfed by Summerlin Peak to the south, Eagle Peak is a somewhat obscure crag
near Cheyenne Avenue and the 215. Right out of the gate it’s a 1000’ climb to
the summit, where we’ll salute the large American flag that flutters in the
breeze year-round. From here it's a northerly traverse across the ridge line
before completing the clockwise loop back to the park. Under four miles on
Class 2 terrain. Moderately strenuous. Depart from Gilmore Cliff Shadows Park at the
western terminus of Alexander Road, 7:30
AM. Coordinator - Michael O’Connor
Wednesday, April 19th, Union Pacific Railroad
Trail - The second strenuous preparatory hike for
the Minnesota trip will follow a paved trail along the somewhat
active Union Pacific rail line in Henderson. We will cover an
out-and-back distance of roughly 14 miles, trying to get to the
intersection with the Pittman Wash Trail. Early group will depart from
Red Rock Casino at 5:45am and the full group will assemble at
Henderson Fiesta for a departure around 6:25am. The
trailhead parking area is located on Nevada State Drive (Wagonwheel Exit) just
south of I-515 just after crossing the tracks. The group should get there
by 6:35am. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey
Thursday, April 20th, Muffins / Overlooks / Echo -
This strenuous 9 mile trek climbs up to the Muffins, passes by
the old and new Las Vegas Overlooks, descends the Three Amigos Trail and takes
the SARS Trail over to the top of Echo Canyon where we will descend back to the
trailhead. With only 1400 feet of elevation gain, the mostly trail hike only
begins scrambling at the Echo Canyon descent. Meet at Red Rock Casino for
an 8:00am departure or meet the coordinator at the Cowboy
Trails TH at 8:15am. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Friday, April 21st,
Calico Hills - The moderate out-and-back hike covers a total distance of 6 miles with
a net elevation gain of 700 feet as the route passes along the west side of the
sandstone hills essentially forming one boundary of Red Rock Canyon. Join the
group at Red Rock Casino for a 7:30am
departure or meet the group at the fee booth parking lot around 7:40am.
Coordinator- Barb Ulmer
Saturday, April,
22nd, Lone Mountain – The new recreational
trail around the base of Lone Mountain will be used for the easy and moderate hike today. The easy
group will do one loop that is about 3 miles with less than 500 feet of
elevation and the moderate group will do two loops. Both groups will depart the
Red Rock Casino at 6:45am then drive
to the parking area used for the club picnic for a 7:15am departure.
Coordinator – Richard Hansen
Saturday, April 22nd, Windy Peak -
This will be an out and back (with the option of using the burnt ridge for the
descent) moderately strenuous hike of 5 miles. There
are 1700 feet of elevation gain and involves scrambling when the hike reaches
the sandstone peak approach. There is a short amount of exposure here as well.
The trail up from the Mountain Springs Pass involves a climb up Heartbreak
Hill. Be prepared. Meet at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00am departure. We’ll swing by the gas station (160 & 159) on the way around
8:20am. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Sunday, April 23rd, Gass Peak -
This strenuous peak climb in the Desert National Wildlife
Refuge is 7 miles with 2200 feet of elevation gain. There is no scrambling but
the trail offers a challenge. High clearance vehicles will be required for
Mormon Well Road and Gass Peak Road. The drive from Santa Fe Casino is around
an hour to the trailhead. Arrangements will be made prior to the day of the
hike. Meet at the Santa Fe Casino for an 8:00am departure. Coordinator
- Kay Blackwell
Monday, April 24th,
Escarpment Trail/Extended O&B in Red Rock Canyon NCA- A 13-mile hike
along the base of Wilson Peaks as spring continues to green up, and bring
flowers to the desert floor. Rated moderately
strenuous based on the distance, elevation gain (1,900 FT). Meet the
coordinator at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00am
departure. Coordinator- David Gray
Monday,
April 24th, Anthem East Trail - The third Minnesota preparatory hike will be a strenuous 13 mile out-and-back hike starting from Anthem Hills
Park, which is also the west end of the McCullough Trail. Trail surface for
this hike is generally dirt and gravel and there is more elevation gain than on
the previous two training hikes. West side group departure from
Red Rock Casino will be at 5:45am. Anyone assembling at Henderson
Fiesta should probably leave by 5:55am. To
get to the trailhead, go south on Eastern Avenue from I-215, veer left on
Anthem Parkway, and turn left on Reunion Drive. Anthem Hills Park is on
the left a few blocks away. Hopefully we can start the hike
by 6:25am. Coordinator - Chris Dempsey
Tuesday, April 25th,
Kraft Mountain East to West - This strenuous hike starts from the Base of Five Stop and treks to the
east flank of the mountain for the ascent, traverses across the top to the west
flank and then descends to the “Beach”.
The return route will be down Five Stop.
Distance is 3 miles with 1,000 feet of elevation gain and considerable
scrambling. Depart from the parking lot
from the base of Five Stop at 8:00am. Coordinator - Tim Borem
Wednesday, April
26th, Red Cap from Calico Basin - This moderately strenuous hike will start
from the gravel road in the Calico Basin and proceed up Dragon Canyon, then to
the north side approach to Red Cap. There’s lots of scrambling and some
exposure. We will return via Gateway Wash and 5 Stop Hill. Estimated
5 mile range and elevation gain of 1,500. Meet at Red Rock Casino at 7:30am. Coordinator
– Tony Fountain
Thursday, April 27th, Bristlecone Trail - You read that right, this is an early season hike in the Mount Charleston
area. Last year we did this moderate
7-mile out-and-back hike from the lower trailhead on April 29 and there
was surface snow for the entire trek. Who knows what we will
encounter this year. Be prepared nevertheless. The group will assemble on the third level of the Santa Fe Station
parking garage closest to Lone Mountain Road for an 8:30am departure. Coordinator
- Chris Dempsey
Friday, April 28th,
Sunday Potosi Climbers Alcove - We hike part way
up Potosi Canyon #3 for the strenuous
climb up to Climber’s Alcove. Elevation gain will be around 2000 ft. and about
5-6 miles. The trail leaving the canyon bottom is very steep, may have some
minor exposure. We will leave from the gas station on 159 & 160 at 7:00am. If the weather is cool, start
time may be later so check the website. Coordinator – David Hardy
Friday, April 28th,
La Madre Springs/Cabin/Mine O&B - A traditional
route that offers a bit of history and great views of White Rock and the
Limestone Escarpment. Moderately
strenuous- Distance- 6 mile- Elevation gain- 1,600 FT- Class I and II
scrambling required in places. Meet the coordinator at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00am departure. Coordinator- David
Gray
Saturday, April 29th,
Upper Showgirl/AtBF Canyon Loop - This 8.5 mile
hike with over 1500 feet of elevation is rated strenuous. The hike begins at the Upper Showgirl parking lot on
Angel Peak road. The trail rolls up and down and in and out as we make our way
to the turn for the AtBF Canyon. Hiking up this canyon requires use of hands to
climb up several dry waterfalls. Meet at the Santa Fe at 8:00am. Coordinator – Lettie Gutierrez
Sunday, April 30th,
Hollow Rock Peak - This is a moderately strenuous
hike of 5 miles with a net elevation gain of 1900 feet. Red Rock group departs at 7:00am and does a quick stop at the gas
station at the intersection of HWY 159 and 160. From there, we drive up to the
dirt parking that is the traditional trailhead for the hike. Right off the bat,
we hike up the trail aptly named Heart Attack Hill to the saddle. From the
saddle, the trail turns right as we hike along the ridge. Then we have to
scramble on sandstone down and up until we get to Hollow Rock. Use of hands is
necessary on several sections of the sandstone and exposure level is 2 and 3.
On the return, we will take a ridge back to the cars. Coordinator – Lettie
Gutierrez
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