The schedule includes hikes in the Red Rock Canyon National
Conservation Area, Lake Mead Recreation Area and Valley of Fire State Park.
Meeting locations for hikes in any other areas will be specified in the hike
description. You can locate detailed information on all locations at the AtBF
blog and in a file at the Yahoo group website. Also, the exposure information
is now located on the blog. Blogsite: www.aroundthebendfriends.com
IMPORTANT NOTE - 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. 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 using the Search Box
found at the top right of the blog. 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 enough
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 easy or easy moderate 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.
Difficulty Levels
Easy- Hikes of 3-4 miles or less with not more
than 500 feet of gain, generally with only gradual elevation gains on even
surface trails.
Easy to Moderate- Hikes ranging up to 5 miles and 500
to 700 feet of elevation gain with the potential for some minor trail irregularities.
Moderate- Hikes that have a maximum distance of 7
miles with 800 to 1000 feet of elevation gain.
Moderately Strenuous- Distances of up to 12 miles and/or
1400 to 2400 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 2500 to 3000 feet or shorter distances that encompass significant
off-trail sections not requiring additional safety equipment.
Thursday, November 1st,
Mountain Springs Peak Loop - Moderately Strenuous; 6.5 miles; 1500' elevation
gain; Moderate pace; 8:00 AM - This loop climbs up
Heartbreak Hill and circles around to Mountain Springs Peak. Then the route
continues around the escarpment rim a short way to the overlook for a break.
From there, the route descends a wash to connect with the trail that crosses
the back of the escarpment to the town of Mountain Springs. Hopefully, we will
see the two miniature horses on our last leg of the hike. Meet at Red Rock
Casino for an 8:00am departure. If you are meeting at the gas station
(159 & 160), please leave there on your own at 8:15am. The hike will start
at the Mountain Springs Pass Trailhead no earlier than 8:30am. Coordinator -
Kay Blackwell
Friday,
November 2nd, Muffins/Skull Canyon Balloon – Moderately Strenuous;
5-6miles, 1400’ elevation gain; 8:00 AM – A traditional trek up to the
Muffins where we take in the views while on break. We hike along the ridge to
the turn for Skull Canyon and return to the cars by descending the canyon trail.
The trail has several steep sections of uneven rocky terrain. Depart the Red
Rock Casino at 8:00 AM or meet at
the Cowboy Trails dirt lot at 8:15 AM. Coordinator – Lettie Gutierrez
Saturday, November 3rd, Peak 3844 -
Easy/moderate, 3.5 miles, 781' elevation gain, 8:30 AM - The trail begins at the
big wash on Calico Basin Rd. We will follow it up to the ridge route that takes
us up to the top of the peak. After our break, we make our way back to the
cars. Our pace will be leisurely. Depart the Red Rock Casino at 8:30 AM. Coordinator – Ron and
Sandi Hindmarch
Saturday,
November 3rd, Dragon Canyon / Gateway Canyon Loop - Moderately Strenuous,
5 miles, 1178’ elevation gain, class II-III scrambling, 8:00 AM- From the Kraft MT TH parking lot we’ll head into Ash Meadow to
begin our efforts to slay the dragon. From there we continue over into the
colorful Gateway Canyon to hike in behind the red rock of Kraft MT where more
scrambling awaits us. Meet at the trailhead at the end of Sandstone Drive in
Calico Basin at 8:00 AM.
Coordinator- David Gray
Sunday,
November 4th, Skull Rock Loop - Moderate, 5.8 miles, 800 FT
elevation, 8:00 AM- This is an interesting
trek that takes us from Oak Creek over to Pine Creek, and to our goal, the
landmark we call Skull Rock. From the Scenic Loop Exit TH, we follow several of
our favorite trails: Arnight, Pine Creek, Dale’s, Fire Ecology, and the Old Two
Track Road for an enjoyable day. Meet at the Scenic Loop Exit to start the hike
at 8:00 AM. Remember to set your clock backward one hour the night before. Coordinator-
David Gray
Sunday, November 4th, Back Hills Lawn Mower Route - 6 miles, 600’ elevation gain, Moderate.
The hike begins at the gravel
parking area on the right side of Hwy 160 about 2 miles
beyond the gas station on 159 and 160. The route will
follow the Landmine Trail and then the Rubber Ducky trail. We will check the ducky tree for rubber ducks. A little beyond that, we connect with the 0ld Spanish
Trail for a short distance and then connect with the Lawn Mower Trail. We follow this until we connect with the trail
leading back to the parking lot. This is to be a
moderate paced hike. No fast pace! We leave from the gas
station on 159 & 160 at 7:15 AM. Remember to set your clock backward one
hour the night before. Coordinator – David Hardy
Monday,
November 5th, Traverse/Arnight/Knoll/Pine Creek Canyon O&B -
Moderately Strenuous, 8 miles, 1,000’ elevation gain, class 2 scrambling, 8:00 AM- These four trails will take us along the colorful red rock
escarpment to our goal where we’ll take in the meadow and a bit of Fern Canyon
for an enjoyable break of quiet waters, croaking frogs, and greenery. Meet at
the Scenic Loop Exit at 8:00 AM.
Coordinator- David Gray
Tuesday, November 6th, Kraft Mountain W-E traverse (4714’) –
Strenuous, 5 miles, 1500’ vertical, Class 3, 8:00 AM. Tackle Five-Stop
Hill before ascending the west flank of Kraft. Make the undulating traverse
across the top of the mountain and down climb the precipitous east face. Bring
it back home along the rolling Calico hills. Depart the Red Spring Boardwalk at
8:00 AM. Coordinator - Michael
O’Connor
Wednesday,
November 7th, Echo Canyon/Fossil Ridge – Moderate, 6 miles, 1000’
elevation gain, class 2 scrambling, moderate pace, 8:00 AM – This moderate hike will
go up Echo Canyon where hands are necessary to climb up 3 dry waterfalls. Then
we connect to the Fossil Ridge trail and turn onto the old road and hike up to
our break spot. Then it’s down the trail to reconnect to Fossil Ridge and back
to the cars. Depart Red Rock Casino at 8:00
AM. Coordinator – Lettie Gutierrez
Thursday, November 8th,
Cave Canyon/ Overlook/ Muffins - Moderately Strenuous; 7 miles; 1500' elevation
gain; Moderate pace; 8:00 AM - This loop climbs up through
Cave Canyon of the North Blue Diamond Hills where there is a 3rd class dry fall
that must be negotiated. (Some aide may be provided.) Bring a flashlight if you
wish to do a short exploration in a cave, then there is another dry fall area
that will provide an opportunity for another climb. After exiting the canyon,
we will see two different overlooks then descend past The Muffins to return.
Meet at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00am departure or meet the coordinator
at the Cowboy Trails parking lot on Hwy 159 at 8:15am for the start of the
hike. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Friday,
November 9th, Kraft Mountain Balloon - Moderate; 5.5 miles; 1000’
elevation gain; class 2 and 3 scrambling; moderate pace; 8:00 AM – We begin at Red Springs
Picnic area and hike the trails over and up 5 Stop. Then its down on trails and
sandstone to Lower Gateway wash. Use of hands is required to get down several
boulder sections in the wash. As we circle Kraft Mountain, we hike the trail
back to the cars. Depart Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM. Coordinator – Lettie Gutierrez
Friday, November 9th, Potosi
Climbers Alcove - Strenuous, 6-7 miles, up to 1800’
elevation gain, 7:00 AM - We hike into Potosi Canyon #3 for the strenuous climb up to
Climber’s Alcove. 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 7:00 AM. Coordinator – David Hardy
Saturday,
November 10th, Hollow Rock Peak (5960’) – Moderately
strenuous, 5 miles,
1300’ vertical, Class 2 scramble, 8:00 AM. From the
Mountain Springs Trailhead, we’ll bypass Heartbreak Hill altogether and head
east for a mile on the undulating pole line road. The arduous
climb starts here as we drop into the canyon and ascend the steep wash up to
the ridgeline. Come home across the top of the ridge and descend Big Horn Berm.
Depart the Red Rock Casino at 8:00
AM with a courtesy stop at the #160 gas station around 8:15 AM.
Coordinator - Michael O’Connor
Saturday,
November 10th, Rubber Ducky Yucca – Easy, 4 miles, 400’ elevation
gain, leisurely pace, 8:30 AM – We will meet at the gas
station on HWY 159 at 8:30 AM and
then drive to the trailhead. This Joshua tree has been singled out
by hikers and bikers alike to hold many donated rubber duckies strung from its
branches. Occasionally, someone removes them, so it depends on whether we are
lucky enough to see the tree full. Coordinator – Ron and Sandi Hindmarch
Sunday,
November 11, Grand Circle Loop - strenuous, 11 miles, 800’elevation, 8:00 AM- A traditional trek that circles the “inner” beauty of Red Rock
Canyon. Beginning at the Visitor Center, the trail climbs to the White Rock
Hills Trail then connects to Sandstone Quarry and finally passes Calico 2 and 1
to finish the loop. Meet at the Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM or the RRCNCA Visitors Center by 8:15 AM. Coordinator-
David Gray
Sunday, November 11th, Bird Spring Stair Climb
- Moderately Strenuous, 5 miles, 1000’ elevation gain, 7:30 AM - The hike begins at Late Night Parking, crossing under Hwy 160,
after about a half mile, turning left we leave the trail. Most of the hike will be off trail and climbing a
steep ridge to the east. Once on top, we will explore and
eventually drop down into a canyon which will take us back to the trail and Late-Night
parking. There will be some very steep climbing through loose
gravel. Meet the coordinator at the gas station at the intersection of Hwy. 159 and 160 at 7:30 AM. Coordinator - David Hardy
Monday, November 12th,
Calico Hills - High Moderate; 6 miles; 1200' elevation gain; Moderate pace,
8:00 AM -
We will begin at the fee booth parking lot in Red Rock Canyon NCA and do an out
and back hike to Sandstone Quarry using the old Grand Circle Trail on the way
out and the newer Grand Circle Trail on the way back. There is minimal easy
moderate scrambling involved on the old trail. Meet at the Red Rock Casino for
an 8:00am departure or meet the coordinator at the fee booth parking lot
for the 8:15 am start of the hike. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Tuesday, November 13th, North-South Traverse, Valley of Fire - Strenuous, 6 miles, 2400 ft
gross gain, Class 2, 7:30 AM - From White Domes
up and down the high ridge to the visitor’s center. It is a point to point hike,
so car shuttles are needed. We will
depart the NE corner of the Sun City Summerlin Pinnacle Community Center
parking lot at 0730 AM. The
Pinnacle address is 2215 Thomas Ryan Blvd and is an easy off and on to the 215.
Those meeting at the Lucky Club, organize yourselves and leave at 7:50 AM. We’ll all reassemble at
the Valley of Fire visitor’s center at 8:50-9:00 AM. Coordinator
– Brian Dodd
Tuesday, November 13th,
Calico 1 and 2 OB – Easy to moderate, 4 miles, 500’ elevation, light
scrambling, 9:00 AM – The hike starts at the Red
Springs Picnic Area in Calico Basin. The beginning of the trail climbs up a
rocky road and then drops down and around the southern end of the Navajo
Sandstone of the Calico Hills. We hike our way over to Calico 1 and then Calico
2. Pacing will be leisurely. Depart Red Rock Casino at 9:00
AM. Coordinators – Ron and Sandi
Hindmarch
Wednesday, November 14th,
Oak Creek Loop - Moderate, 6 miles, 800’ elevation gain, 8:00 AM - We’ll have great views of this colorful escarpment area as we
make our way back up into Oak Creek Canyon to the landmark break spot known as
the Trail/Wash Junction. The route will complete the loop as it circles around
the other side of Potato Knoll and crosses Oak Creek in two places. Meet at the
Oak Creek pull-off which is 1.5 miles beyond the Red Rock Scenic Loop exit at 8:00 AM. Coordinator- David Gray
Thursday,
November 15th, Fern Canyon - Moderately Strenuous; 6 miles; 900'
elevation gain; Moderate pace; 8:00 AM -
This out and back hike begins at the Pine Creek Trailhead off the Scenic Loop.
There will be a lot of moderate scrambling as we climb up to the waterfall at
the end. The climb to the top of the waterfall is best described as a 3rd class
effort. Meet at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00am departure so that we can
carpool around the Scenic Loop. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Friday,
November 16th, Windy Peak – Moderately Strenuous, 5 miles, 1600
‘elevation gain, class 3 scrambling, 8:00 AM – Located along the top of
the Red Rock Escarpment Ridge, this peak has great views. We tackle Heartbreak
Hill to the ridge and hike along the ridge trail up and down to the sandstone.
Class 2-3 scrambling takes us all the way up to the peak with one section of
exposure. We return to the top of Heartbreak Hill and then take the burnt ridge
back to the cars. Depart Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM. Those meeting at the gas station need to organize
themselves and drive to the trail head at 8:15 AM. Coordinator – Lettie
Gutierrez
Friday, November 16th, Slots of Fun - Easy, 4 miles, 400’ elevation gain, 8:00 AM -
We begin at the mile 4 parking lot for
White Rock Canyon Trailhead off highway 93 across the dam bridge. A short hike
back up the road about a half mile will drop us into the slot canyons. Cameras welcome. Leave from the Fiesta Henderson at 8:00 AM.
Coordinator - David Hardy.
Saturday, November 17th, Boneshaker
Hill/ Echo Canyon - Moderately Strenuous; 6.5 miles; 1200' elevation gain;
Moderate pace; 8:00 AM - This loop uses the Cowboy Trails Trailhead and starts with a
bang. Boneshaker Hill is, at first, steep then, at last, long. At the
Boneshaker sign, we will turn to hike over to the top of Echo Canyon then make
the scrambling descent back to the cars. Meet at Red Rock Casino for
an 8:00am departure or meet the coordinator at the Cowboy
Trails parking lot on Hwy 159 at 8:15am for the start of the hike. Coordinator
- Kay Blackwell
Saturday,
November 17th, Muffins – Moderate but at a leisurely pace, 4 miles,
900’ elevation, 8:30 AM - Even though this is a moderate hike, our pace will be slow to
make sure all make it. The Muffins is a conglomerate limestone/dolomite rock
formation that gives us great views of Red Rock Canyon and the Las Vegas
Valley. The trail does have several uneven, rocky sections. Depart the Red Rock
Casino at 8:30 AM. Coordinator –
Judy Warner
Sunday,
November 18th, Kraft Mountain Loop – Moderate, 4 miles, 600’
elevation gain, class 2 and 3 scrambling, 8:00 AM – We begin at the dirt
lot at the end of Sandstone Drive in Calico Basin. The trail goes up 5 Stop Hill
and descends to Lower Gateway. We encounter fun class 3 scrambling in several
boulder sections in the canyon. We make the loop around the east side as we
hike back to the cars. Depart Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM. Coordinator – Donald Sanborn
Monday, November 19th,
Northern Calico Scramble - High Moderate Scramble; <4 miles; <1000'
elevation gain; Moderate pace; 8:00 AM - This high moderate
scramble will take us up to the lower Calico II Overlook then up to Calico II
Peak. From there, we will take the wash scramble down to the main Calico Tank.
Minimal route exposure will be involved. Next, we will climb Mass Production
Wall to the tanks and descend the west route. On the return, we will take a
side trip to the arch. Meet at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00 AM departure
so that we can carpool around the Scenic Loop. Coordinator - Kay
Blackwell
Tuesday,
November 20th, North Peak (Sandstone) - 8 miles, 2500' vertical, Strenuous,
8:00 AM - Depart Willow Springs trailhead
heading up the Red Rock Wash to the turnoff for the assent trail to North
Peak. Descend from the Peak using the Clark Wash that runs parallel and
next to the ascent trail. Back to Willow Springs via Rocky Gap
Road. Depart Red Rock Casino at 8:00
AM. Coordinator – Mark Z
Tuesday,
November 20th, White Owl Canyon – Easy, 4 miles, 400’ elevation,
leisurely pace, 8:30 AM – Starting from the Old Marina, the trail walks along the
shoreline of Lake Mead. We pass where the Las Vegas Wash drains into Lake Mead
as we hike over to the entrance to White Owl Canyon. We hike under two tunnels
then take our break before returning to the cars. Depart the Fiesta Henderson
at 8:30 AM. Coordinators – Ron and
Sandi Hindmarch
Wednesday,
November 20th, Calico Basin Loop – Moderate; 5 miles; 700’elevation
gain; 8:00 AM – The trail begins where the wash crosses the road. We take a
series of trails up to Peak 3844 and catch the ridge to connect to trails to
the east side of Kraft Mountain. We take a series of trails back to the picnic
area and hike up another connector trail and down to the Calico Basin Trail
which takes us back to the cars. Depart Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM. Coordinator – Lettie Gutierrez
Thursday, November 22nd, The Crags - Moderate, 5 miles, 1000’ elevation gain, 8:00 AM - 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. We meet at the gravel parking area just
past the bridge in Blue Diamond at 8:00 AM. If coming from Red Rock
Casino, you will leave there at 7:30 AM. Coordinator - David Hardy.
Friday
November 23rd, Beyond Mouse’s Tank - Moderate, 3.8 miles, 700’ gross
gain, class 1-2, 7:30 AM. From Mouse’s Tank, N then E
to the Fire Canyon wash, up and over rocks and back west to Mouse’s tank
itself. We will depart the NE corner of the Sun City
Summerlin Pinnacle Community Center parking lot at 7:30 AM. The Pinnacle address is 2215 Thomas Ryan Blvd and is
an easy off and on to the 215. Those meeting at the Lucky Club, organize
yourselves and leave at 7:50 AM. We’ll all reassemble at the Valley of
Fire visitor’s center at 8:50-9:00 AM. Coordinator – Brian Dodd
Saturday, November 24th, Mountain Springs Loop - Easy
moderate; <4 miles; 500' elevation gain; Easy pace; 8:30 AM - This loop route begins at
the Mountain Springs Pass Trailhead but does not climb Heartbreak Hill!
It travels around taking in some of the points of interest in the Mountain
Springs area such as agave roasting pits, two of the springs, an old car in the
weeds, a cave and two miniature horses! Meet at Red Rock Casino for
an 8:30am departure. If you wish to meet at the gas station
(159 & 160), there will be a courtesy drive by at 8:45am. The hike will
start at the Mountain Springs Pass Trailhead no earlier than 9:00am.
Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Sunday, November 25th, First Creek - Easy, 4 miles, 9:00 AM - We will be hiking to an area of Ponderosa Pines near the mouth
of the canyon, normally found at much higher elevations. Allow
25 minutes if coming from the Red Rock Casino and meet at 9:00 AM at the First Creek parking area on SR 159. This is 2 miles past the Scenic Loop exit from Red Rock Casino. Coordinator
- David Hardy.
Sunday, November 25th,
Liberty Bell Arch/Colorado Overlook OB – Moderate/Moderately Strenuous, 5.25
miles, 1400’ elevation, 8:00 AM – Located
across the new bridge in Arizona, this hike offers plenty of scenery. Starting
from the new trailhead parking lot, the route starts down White Rock Canyon,
and then veers north to pick up the trail to the arch. With significantly
rolling terrain, it passes an old manganese mine and the appropriately named
arch, then reaches the break point on a ledge high above the Colorado River. We
will depart from the Henderson Fiesta at 8:00 AM. West side participants
should depart Red Rock Casino at 7:20AM. Coordinator – John Ward
Monday, November 26th,
Hidden Canyon - Moderately Strenuous; 6.5 miles; 1100' elevation gain;
Moderately Strenuous pace; 8:00 AM -
This loop is located at the Buckskin Cliff Shadows Park located west of 215 at
Cheyenne Ave. The hike is all bike trail and passes a large cave, a hidden
canyon, and much desert terrain. We will push the pace to 2.5 mph. Meet at the
Buckskin Cliff Shadows Horse Park by the restrooms for an 8:00am start
of the hike. (Email Kay the day before for more detailed directions to the
trailhead, if needed.) Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Monday, November 26th,
Five Slots Loop in Valley of Fire – Moderate, 5 miles, 300 ft gain,
easy-moderate pace, 8:00 AM - This
is a joint hike with the Sierra Club. Hike is off trail over sandstone with a
little scrambling. Meet at 8:00
AM at Aliante Casino, or 9:00 AM at Valley of Fire Visitor Center.
Coordinator - David Morrow.
Tuesday, November 27, Hidden Peak (6308’) – Strenuous, 8
miles, 2300’ vertical, mild Class 3 near the peak, 8:00 AM. From the Mountain
Springs Trailhead, ascend Heartbreak Hill and head for Mountain Springs Peak,
our high point of the day at 6641’. Drop into the canyon and make the final
scrambling ascent to the destination summit. Depart the Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM with a courtesy stop at the
#160 gas station. Coordinator - Michael O'Connor
Wednesday, November 28th,
Dale’s Trail/SMYC OB - Moderate, 5-6 miles, 700’ elevation, 8:00 AM. This combo begins at Pine Creek and then connects to Dale’s and
then SMYC as we hike to an overlook. This is another scenic hike along the
escarpment. It’s all trail but there are some uneven sections. After a break,
we return to our cars. Depart Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM. Coordinator-Lettie
Thursday, November 29th,
Escarpment Rim Loop - Strenuous; 10 miles; 2150' elevation gain; Moderate pace;
8:00 AM -
This loop route starts up Heartbreak Hill from Mountain Springs Pass Trailhead
and climbs over Mountain Springs Peak. From there, the route continues around
the rim of the escarpment with views of Calico Hills and various escarpment
canyons along the way. The descent is along a nice horse trail that will take
us all the way back to the cars. Meet at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00am departure.
If you are meeting at the gas station (159 & 160), please leave there on
your own at 8:15am. The hike will start at the Mountain Springs Pass Trailhead
no earlier than 8:30am. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Friday,
November 30th, New Las Vegas Overlook Loop – Moderately Strenuous;
6-7 miles; 1400’elevation gain; class 2 scrambling; moderate pace; 8:00 AM - Using Boneshaker to get
to the Overlook will get our heart rate going. Then we continue up to the
Overlook passing the weather apparatus. After our break, we hike back to Fossil
Ridge, and then go down Echo Canyon where we encounter class 2 dry waterfalls.
Depart the Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM.
Coordinator – Lettie Gutierrez
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