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.
The February schedule includes hikes in the
Red Rock Canyon area (including Cottonwood Valley) and Lake Mead area. In addition, this month
we will be conducting a number of hikes in Valley of Fire State Park. Below is information
regarding our meeting locations for each of these destinations. There are different
assembly points for Lake Mead hikes depending on whether those hikes are on the
north or south sides of the lake. Meeting locations for hikes in any other areas will be specified
in the appropriate hike description.
Red
Rock Canyon
Area- Our assembly point for hikes in Red Rock Canyon and the
immediate vicinity is at the Red Rock Casino on Charleston Boulevard just east
of 215. To access the meeting
location 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 outdoor lot. If traveling east
on Charleston from 215 you can turn right at the first entrance and then make
an immediate left into the lot. The group will be parking at the north end of the lot close to
Charleston Boulevard. For hikes located in Cottonwood Valley and west there will be a
secondary meeting location available for individuals coming from the south side
of Las Vegas. That will be at
the gas station located at the intersection of Highways 159 and 160 (Blue
Diamond Road). This will be a quick stop that will occur about twenty or
twenty-five minutes after the regular departure from Red Rock Casino.
Lake Mead South- For all hikes on the south side of the lake the general
meeting spot will be near the large outdoor sign in front of the Henderson
Fiesta Casino. Henderson Fiesta is located on Lake Mead Parkway just east of
the junction of I-215 and I-515. Lake Mead Parkway is the eastbound extension of I-215. There will also be an
earlier assembly point for west side participants at the Red Rock Casino, with
directions above, and there could be local stopping points after the group
leaves Henderson Fiesta. Those stopping points will be detailed in the appropriate hike
descriptions.
Lake Mead North- For hikes on the north side of the lake the early west side
collection point will be on the top level of the parking garage at Rampart Casino rather than at
Red Rock Casino. Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin (a J. W. Marriot
property) is located on Rampart Boulevard just south of Summerlin Parkway. The garage is
located on the northeast side of the casino and is four stories in height. The best route
from Rampart to the general meeting location is Summerlin Parkway to Highway 95
to I-15 north to eastbound Lake Mead Boulevard. The general assembly point will be in the parking lot behind the CVS Pharmacy
located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Lake Mead Boulevard and
Hollywood. There will also be a secondary pickup point at the pullout
area close to Mile Marker 4 on the eastbound side of Northshore Road for south side participants not using the CVS Pharmacy
location.
Valley of Fire- For hikes in the state park
northeast of Las Vegas the general assembly point will be in the parking lot of
Lucky Cub Casino. The Lucky Club Casino is located on the northeast corner
of the junction of I-15 and Cheyenne Road along Cheyenne. If traveling
northbound on I-15 and using the Cheyenne exit, it is necessary to cross
several lanes of traffic quickly and access the left turn lane to get in to the
property off the first side street. West side participants can meet early and carpool from the top level of the
parking garage at Rampart Casino. Information on that location is specified in the above
paragraph.
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. Please do not mix these up.
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 times.
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 hikes that guarantee a fairly
leisurely pace. Strenuous Tuesday hikes are only open to existing members who
are properly experienced. Be sure to wear appropriate clothing, footwear, and hats and
bring sunscreen, water, electrolyte replacement fluids as needed, and food or
snacks as desired for each outing.
Questions regarding general information should be directed
to Steve Allen at siallen@icloud.com
or by telephone at (847) 772-3193. Specific
questions regarding hikes should be directed to the listed coordinator. Refer
to the club roster for contact information.
Sunday, February 1st, Cottonwood Valley Loop-
A moderate hike of 6 miles with around 700 feet of
elevation gain will start from the dirt parking area we also use for Badger
Pass. The hike will head towards Mt. Potosi
then head towards Cottonwood Pass, and then down Red Canyon back to the cars. We
may see wild horses. Those carpooling from Red Rock Casino should leave there at
7:30 AM to join the coordinator and other south side participants at the
gas station at the junction of Highways 159 and 160. The combined groups will
leave the gas station at 8:00 AM for the trailhead. Coordinator-
David Hardy
Sunday, February 1st, Calico Hills Scramble- Ascend a drainage north of Angel Pass to a highpoint, then
transversing along the rocks south of the pass and navigating a route back to
the hills overlooking Red Springs for a descent to the basin floor. Expect some
class 3 exposure. Route finding may be necessary. Distance will be around 3-4
miles with an elevation gain of less than 1000’. If you are adventurous meet at Red Springs at 8:00 AM. Coordinator-Steve Allen
Monday, February 2nd, Lava Butte- The
hike will start from the pullout on Northshore Road close to Mile Marker 3
where Lava Butte Wash flows under the road. This
is about one mile from the junction with Lake Mead Boulevard. The
group will follow the wash and angle toward the mountain and climb the steep
ridge that climbs on the east face. Total
distance is about 6 miles and there is 1,800 feet of vertical gain. These
factors, along with the amount of scrambling involved, result in the hike
carrying a strenuous rating. The Rampart
Casino group will leave at 7:20 AM and the complete group will leave the
CVS Pharmacy on Lake Mead Boulevard and Hollywood at 8:00 AM. Anyone
driving from the south side can drive straight to the pullout where the hike
starts at MM#3 on North Shore Road at 8:20 AM. Coordinator- Michael O’Connor
Monday, February 2nd, Lava Butte Gardens Exploratory- While
the stronger hikers head up to the top of Lava Butte, we will begin the hike on
the regular Rainbow Gardens route then head up into the hills below Lava Butte
to take in the colorful views of the area. The route circles back around nearer
to the base of the butte and returns to the cars parked at mile marker 2 on
Northshore Road using various washes which are unknown entities at this time.
The colors should be splendid! Totals for this moderate to possibly moderately
strenuous exploratory are 6 miles and 1000 feet elevation gain. The first
meeting will be at the Rampart Casino for a 7:50 AM departure. The
primary meeting will be at the CVS/Albertsons on Lake Mead Blvd & Hollywood
for an 8:30 AM departure. Finally, south side participants will meet the
group in the pull out nearest mile marker 2 on North Shore Road. We will be
getting there after the Lava Butte hikers so the parking will be at a minimum.
Please carpool. Coordinator- Kay Blackwell
Tuesday, February 3rd, North McCullough Wilderness
Highpoint- This hike starts at the trailhead for
Black Mountain in Henderson on Shadow Canyon Dr. The distance is 7 miles and
elevation gain is 2700 ft. The high point is along the ridge line directly
south of the summit of Black Mountain. People
living on the west side can meet at Red Rock Casino at 7:30 AM. People
on the east side or in Henderson can meet at the trailhead at 8:10 AM.
Directions to the trailhead are: take Eastern Avenue south, turn left onto
Anthem Pkwy, turn left onto Atchley Dr, follow along as it turns into
Somersworth then turn left onto Shadow Canyon Dr.The trailhead parking lot is
down the street on the right.Coordinator- Jerry Thomas
Tuesday, February 3rd, Rainbow Gardens- This
version of the popular hike on the west side of Lake Mead will visit an inlet
of Lake Las Vegas and view a couple of spectacular desert dry waterfalls from
the bottom. Basically an out-and-back
hike, it will cover a total distance of 6 miles with a moderate rating. There is a short stretch of scrambling on the
outward bound portion of the hike going through Rainbow Canyon. West side departure will be at 7:50 AM
with the main group departure from CVS Pharmacy on Lake Mead Boulevard at 8:30
AM. South side participants can meet the group at the Mile Marker 3 pullout
along Northshore Road at the crossing of Lava Butte Wash where the hike will
begin about 8:50 AM. Coordinator- Chris Dempsey
Wednesday, February 4th, Sandstone
Quarry/Keystone Thrust Loop- This moderate 7 mile partial loop hike starts
from Sandstone Quarry on a section of the Grand Circle Trail and has a net
elevation gain of 800 feet. The
loop portion involves heading to the north side of Cactus Hill on the Keystone
Thrust Trail and descending through Keystone Canyon and
its continuation wash south of the scenic drive. There
is scrambling involved in the canyon descent and quite a bit of brush. Meeting
location will be at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00 AM departure.
Coordinator- Tony Fountain
Thursday, February 5th,
Anniversary Narrows Peak- This
strenuous 8 mile loop hike involves a peak, some exposure,
narrow slots, and a lot of wash hiking. That
said, the views of the North and South Bowls of Fire are fantastic. The trek
will be done in a counter clockwise direction which should mean the return
section includes the famous Anniversary Narrows. Overall elevation
gain is around 1,800 feet. Anyone carpooling
from Rampart Casino should leave there at 7:20 AM to head for the main
assembly point at the CVS Pharmacy on Lake Mead Boulevard. Departure
from there will be at 8:00 AM and there will be a very short stop at the
Mile Marker 4 pullout along North Shore Road about 8:15 AM to collect
any south side participants. Coordinator- Kay Blackwell.
Friday, February 6th, Red Cap- This
strenuous 3 mile loop hike to the highest point in the Calico Hills involves a
significant amount of scrambling and use of hands. The
climb to the top of the formation will be from the east side of the sandstone
hills, finishing through a narrow seam. The
return will be along a relatively newly explored seam on the northwest side
connecting to the route usually used for the approach to ascend to Red Cap.The
assembled group will leave at 8:00 AM from Red Rock Casino. Coordinator-
Tony Fountain
Friday, February 6th, Lone Grapevine Spring- This moderate 5 mile
partial loop hike begins at the improved parking area serving the Late Night
bike trail system. The route heads over to a protected spring near the base of
Windy Peak, then crosses and continues to follow a major drainage in the
escarpment watershed getting to the horse trough south of the named spring.The break will occur in an area of significant
petroglyphs found on boulders and slabs below the spring. The return to the
starting point is more direct than the outbound portion. Elevation gain is about
300 feet and occurs on the return. The group will assemble at Red Rock Casino for an 12:30 PM departure and there
will be a stop at the gas station at the junction of Highways 159 and 160 at 12:50
PM to
meet south side participants. Coordinator-Nancy Moore.
Saturday, February 7th, Hollow Rock Point- The
traditional out-and-back route to the top of the southern most sandstone
peak in the Wilson Cliffs covers a total distance of 6 miles and gains slightly
more than 1,000 feet. The opening portion
of the hike is on a fairly steep trail starting near Mountain Springs Summit. After
a mile of hiking the route branches toward the peak and soon becomes a
significant scramble over sandstone ridges and through
steep canyons. This is a strenuous
hike with some exposure at the peak. The
main group will meet at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00 AM departure and
there will be a secondary stop at the gas station at the junction of
Highways159 and 160 about 8:20 AM to pick up south side participants.
Coordinator- Letti Gutierrez
Saturday, February 7th, Blue Point Springs- This
generally moderate 5 to 6 mile hike starts at Blue Point Spring near Mile
Marker 40 on Northshore Road. There are
numerous red Aztec sandstone formations that will be explored, including an
arch in which the waters of Lake Mead can be framed for photographs along with
several other arches. It has some of the
nicest formations in the Lake Mead area, which definitely compensates for the
long drive. The Rampart Casino will be the early
west side staging point with a 7:20 AM departure. The
primary meeting spot is at CVS Pharmacy on Lake Mead Boulevard and Hollywood
for an 8:00 AM departure. The
coordinators and any other south side participants should be at the Northshore
Road Mile Marker 4 pullout by 8:15
AM to join the rest of the group. Coordinators- Joan & Chuck Hawkins
Saturday, February
7th, Bluff Trail & Las Vegas Wash Trail-The
leisurely outing this Saturday will actually be two separate short hikes on the
west side of Lake Mead. The Bluff Trail, which will occur first, is a 2 mile
out-and-back hike from the Lake Mead Campground that follows a lower section of
the Las Vegas Wash. The second hike
starts from a gravel parking lot just below the Lake Las Vegas dam and follows
a rapidly falling section of the wash, again for about 2 miles. Early west side
participants should meet at Red Rock Casino for a 7:50 AM departure and
the main group will assemble at Henderson Fiesta, leaving there at 8:30 AM. Coordinator-
Chris Dempsey
Sunday, February 8th, North Wind Wash-
We begin near Mile 10 for this hike with a lot of variety with colorful short
side narrows, hiking along ridge lines and over green rock. Lunch
will be in an area of red sandstone, a little Bowl of Fire. Distance
is around 8 miles and there may be short sections of scrambling. The Rampart
Casino will be the early west side staging point with a 7:20 AM departure.
The primary meeting is at CVS Pharmacy on Lake Mead Boulevard and Hollywood for
an 8:00 AM departure. The
coordinator and any other south side participants should be at the Northshore
Road Mile Marker 4 pullout by 8:15
AM. Coordinator-
David Hardy
Sunday, February 8th, Calico Hills Scramble-
A trek of 4 miles with minimal exposure. This strenuous scramble hike in the
Calico Hills gains about 1,100 feet of elevation. From Red Springs Picnic Area
the route heads up to the pass overlooking Red Rock Canyon before getting to
the really serious section of scrambling that takes the group through a narrow
crack and a descent back to the canyon floor. Ascending back to the saddle and
the descent to the basin floor for the return trip to the trailhead completes
the ballon loop. Meet at Red Springs for a 8:00 AM departure.
Coordinator- Steve Allen
Sunday, February 8th, Escarpment Base Trail Extended This
strenuous out-and-back hike will start from the gravel parking lot where the
scenic drive exits onto Highway 159, follow social trails and a gravel road to
the Arnight trailhead, take the set of trails below the base of the Wilson
Cliffs to the Lost Creek trailhead, then reverse the route to return to the
starting point. Total distance will
be about 13 miles with perhaps 1,500 feet of gross elevation gain. Allow six to
seven hours for the hike. Meet at Red Rock
Casino for a 7:30 AM departure or at the starting point no later than 7:45
AM. Coordinator-
Chris Dempsey
Monday, February 9th Spooky and other Slot Canyons-
This new generally moderate hike of about 6 to 7 miles begins at the White Rock
Canyon parking lot (four miles south of Hoover Dam). The loop covers ground on
both sides of Highway 93. It will go through several slot canyons, encounter
dry falls, walk along canyon rims, and traverse ridge lines and other high
points with sweeping vistas. Any participants from the west side can meet at
the top of Rampart Casino parking garage for a carpool departure at 7:20 AM and join the main group at the
Henderson Fiesta departing there at 8:00 AM. That combined group will
meet the coordinators and other participants at the White Rock Canyon (Arizona
Hot Springs) parking area at about 8:25 AM. This parking area is reached by going over
the new bridge on Highway 93 just past Hoover Dam. Take the first left hand
turn lane to Trailhead Parking for Arizona Hot Springs (about 4 miles after
going over the new bridge. Coordinators- Joan and Chuck Hawkins
Monday, February 9th, La Madre Miner’s
Cabin-This moderately strenuous 5 mile out-and-back hike offers
great views of the White Rock Hills back side from the perch along La Madre
Ridge occupied by the old stone cabin. The start of the route is fairly
innocuous getting to the wildlife pond at the base of La Madre Spring, but the
rest of the journey requires a pretty serious effort. Meet at Red Rock Casino
for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator Christ Dempsey
Tuesday, February 10th, Windy Peak from Grapevine Springs- The
out-and-back hike to the top of this red-capped sandstone peak in the southern
portion of the Wilson Cliffs begins from a pullout on
Highway 160 near Mountain Springs Summit. Total
distance is between 5 and 6 miles with 2400 feet of gain. Besides
a section of steep trail there is some bushwhacking and also some mild class 3 scrambling around
boulders near the top. There is also some rolling
exposure for about 50 feet just past
the transition from a limestone ridge to the sandstone mound that comprises the
peak. This hike is rated strenuous.
Departure of the group from Red Rock Casino will be at 8:00
AM with a secondary pickup at the Highway 159 and 160 gas
station at 8:20 AM. Coordinator- Michael O’Connor
Wednesday, February 11th, VoF Drop Slot/Pinnacles-
3.5 miles and 800 ft gross gain, trailhead: parking lot #3. Bring your camera
for this favorite VoF hike involving a climb up onto the mesa opposite the
parking lot then going down a drainage in the red sandstone that gets narrower
and narrower until the vertical 6 ft drop. Long
shirt and pants are recommended to avoid sandpapering the elbows and legs. Turning
left after the drop slot takes us to the beautiful pinnacles area for the snack
break followed by a wandering exit along washes on the northern side of the
mesa. Leave Rampart garage top at 7:30 AM, Lucky club at 7:50 AM,
and trailhead at 8:45 AM. Coordinator- Brian Dodd
Wednesday, February 11th, Peak 3488 Ridges Loop- This
3 mile hike in the Red Rock area begins along Calico Basin Road shortly before
the housing area and follows a series of interconnected horse trails that
criss-cross the desert. The route turns towards Kraft Mountain and then veers
first east and then south to reach the summit of a small peak named for its top
elevation. Rating is moderate and there is 400 feet of elevation gain. Ladies
and gentlemen are asked to participate in red shirts in honor of Valentine’s
Day. There will also be a luncheon at the Red Rock Casino at approximately 11:30
AM-12:00 PM, if you carrot attend. Assembled group will be departing
from Red Rock Casino at 8:30 AM. Coordinator. Marg Biesiada
Thursday, February 12th, Terrace Canyon-
Perhaps the most spectacular hike in all of Red Rock is this very strenuous
6-mile out-and-back hike that gains close to
1,600 feet of elevation. Other than the
opening part of the hike across the desert along
the Pine Creek Trail, the rest of the hike consists of nearly five
miles of boulder scrambling in the canyons of the south fork of Pine Creek to
reach the dramatic terraces at the top end. The
boulders that must be climbed over are sometimes in the 15 foot range and
participants should definitely be in shape. The
group will depart at 8:00 AM from the assembly point at Red Rock Casino.
Coordinator- Michael O’Connor
Friday, February 13th, Canyon #4A Loop- We
begin from Blue Diamond about a half mile to mouth of the canyon which has
considerable scrambling. once we exit this deep canyon
we will continue down the ridge line separating Canyon #4 and Canyon #3 back to
the cars. This is rated moderately strenuous, about 1000 ft.
elevation gain and about 5 miles. Those carpooling from Red Rock Casino should
leave there at 8:15 AM. Meet at the gravel
parking area on the right side of the entrance road to Blue Diamond where you
will meet the coordinator for an 8:45 AM start to the hike. Coordinator- David Hardy
Friday, February 13th, Echo Canyon & Fossil
Ridge- This
moderate loop hike with 900 feet of elevation gain starts from the same
Cowboy Stables parking lot and explores a canyon behind the horse stables and a
ridge a bit to the west. The route up through Echo Canyon has a fair amount of
trail but there will be some scrambling involved, especially over a few minor
dry waterfalls. The return is on the ridge immediately above that canyon. Distance is between 4 and 5
miles depending on which trail is used for the final descent. The group will meet at Red Rock Casino
and leave at 12:30 PM. Coordinator- Nancy Moore.
Saturday, February 14th, Cholla Forest via Seven Falls- This is a moderately strenuous 7 to 8 mile loop with an
elevation gain of 1600 feet on the south flank of the River Mountains. The group
will hike up a series of dry waterfalls “7 Falls Canyon”, spend the break time next to a sensational Teddy Bear
Cholla forest and return to the starting
point via a colorful wash to the original wash.
The hike involves climbing numerous dry waterfalls and scrambling. Any participants from the west side can meet
at the Red Rock Casino parking lot for a carpool departure at 7:20 AM
and join the main group at the Henderson Fiesta departing there at 8:00 AM.
That combined group will meet the coordinators and other participants at the
Railroad Tunnel parking area just past the Alan Bible Visitor Center near the
Boulder City entrance to Lake Mead about 8:15 AM. Coordinators -Joan and Chuck Hawkins
Sunday, February 15th, Calico Tank Scramble- The
hike will involve quite a bit of scrambling. The
first part of the hike will be from the east side of the Calico Hills along a
route toward Red Cap. Climbing Red Cap is not included. After exploring some of the tanks, the group
will descend along Mass Production Wall. We then proceed up the main Calico
Tank Trail. but just before reaching the end the group will climb through a
crack and reach Calico II Overlook Peak on the west side of the sandstone
hills. The group will then begin descending along a ridge above the main Calico
Tank Trail. Along this return, we will negotiate up a 12 ft high rock
formation, “Tony’s
Wall”, with a variety of hand and foot holds. Total distance is
about 4 miles with a strenuous rating. Meet
at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00 AM departure .Coordinator- Tony Fountain
Sunday, February 15th, Twelve Rock Lizards- The total
distance is about 3 miles with an easy to moderate rating. The group will head up the
McCullough Trail to Trail 603. There will be some loose footing, as we
ascend a side hill; not difficult, but you need to pay attention. The group
will then climb a 5 foot notch to the top of the mesa and you will see 11 Rock
Lizards on top. There is also one on the main trail making it a total of 12. Very interesting
view and photo op!!! Members coming from the west side can carpool from the Red
Rock Casino, leaving there at 8:20 AM for the Henderson Fiesta, where the main group will gather
and depart at 9:00
AM. We will proceed south/east on the 515/95/93 to Horizon (1st exit), turning right at the light. Turn left on Horizon
Ridge and follow for about ¾ of a mile. Turn at the 76 Gas Station and follow road to
the parking lot. Coordinator- Richard Hansen.
Monday, February 16th, East Leg/Caldera/West Leg (Bootleg Loop)-
This is a moderate to moderately strenuous hike of 7 miles in the Bootleg
Canyon Bike Trails area. There will be two separate climbs over the course of
the hike of around 700 feet each. Trails will be used for most of the hike,
however, there will be a wash ascent in the middle of the hike to keep the
mileage down. This wash is an exploration but on Google Earth, it appears to be
gentle in nature. We will see. Meet the coordinator at the Fiesta in Henderson
for an 8:00 AM departure to the trailhead. West side residents may meet
at the Red Rock Casino and carpool to the Fiesta at 7:20 AM. Coordinator- Kay Blackwell
Tuesday, February 17th, VoF Slots of
Fun/Big Dune- 4.9 miles and 1300 ft gross gain, trailhead:
white dome parking area.This hike has three places which involve lifting
oneself up a narrow slot, but we can always help those lacking in upper body
strength. It also has one descent that might be considered minor
exposure. We go south and west from white domes and end up on about
the highest point of the ridge to the west. After
descending from here there’s
a transition across to the next ridge, a climb and another slot further north,
the other side of which is the huge sand dune that we run down yelling. We
then head east and south via some familiar canyons back to white dome. Don’t be deceived by the short distance. This
can be a tiring hike. Time table includes an early group departure with the
coordinator from Rampart Casino at 7:30 AM and a full group departure,
traffic permitting, from Lucky Club Casino at 7:50 AM. The group should arrive at the trailhead
parking lot around 8:45 AM. Coordinator- Brian Dodd
Tuesday, February 17th, Corn Creek
Visitor Center Trails- If you haven't yet checked out the new visitor center at the
Desert National Wildlife Refuge today's leisurely outing will provide you with
the opportunity. The trails from the center wind through ponds and luxurious
foliage that takes advantage of the water flowing through the upper sections of
the Las Vegas Wash. Distance hiked will probably top out around 2 miles but it
is quite level and carries an easy rating. There is a long gravel road leading from Highway 95 to the
visitor center but it is well graded and should only provide a sheen of dust to
the vehicles. Since this hike
is north of Las Vegas we will be using our gathering point for Mount Charleston
area hikes. That location is
in the southeast parking garage at Santa Fe Station on the 3rd level. Participants can access
this garage from Lone Mountain Road or from the main entrance to the casino off
Rancho. Look
for the group along the south wall on the 3rd level. DO NOT TRY TO FIND THE GROUP IN THE PARKING GARAGE. Departure time will be
at 11:30
AM.
Coordinator- Nancy Moore
Wednesday, February 18th, Calico Tanks- This
is the second of two interpretive hikes offered by Red Rock Canyon Interpretive
Association exclusively for Around the Bend Friends members. Led by Cody Dix of
RRCIA, here is a great chance to find out why the rocks are red and what plants
thrive in the sandstone of the Calico Hills. Total
distance is 3 miles with 600 feet of
elevation gain and a moderate rating. The
group will be limited to fifteen participants and you must register in advance
by calling RRCIA at (702) 515-5367. Those
going should carpool from Red Rock Casino at 8:45
AM and stop at the Visitor Center to collect Cody at 9:00 AM before
heading to Sandstone Quarry.
Thursday, February 19th, Hamblin Mountain- Perhaps
this will be the final scheduling of this dramatic Lake Mead peak until much
later in the year. The standard
route used by the club will be in effect for this hike, meaning the return
segment has a detour through a colorful wash coming out of Pinto Valley. If
you haven't done this hike before the view from the top is really spectacular. Total
of 7 miles with 1,500 feet of elevation gain and a moderately strenuous rating. Departures
will be 7:20 AM from Rampart
Casino, 8:00 AM from
CVS Pharmacy, and 8:20 AM from
Northshore Road Mile Maker 4 pullout. Coordinator- Chris Dempsey.
Friday, February 20th, Bird Spring Ridges- This
moderately strenuous hike of 6 miles with around 1,500 feet of elevation gain
will start from the dirt parking area also used for the short version of Badger
Pass. After crossing Badger Pass the route heads up a series of
ridges to the high point of the small range, then connects with the Dead horse
Trail passing through Red Valley on the way back to the vehicles. Early
assembly will be at Red Rock Casino with the group leaving at 7:30 AM Final
assembly point will be the gas station at the junction of Highways 159 and 160,
where they will meet the coordinator and any other south side participants for
an 8:00 AM departure.
Coordinator- David Hardy
Friday, February 20th, Red Springs Loop- Prepare to boulder
scramble on this moderately strenuous 4 mile hike starting at Red Springs
Picnic Area in Calico Basin. From the parking lot a trail follows the east flank of the Calico Hills to the base of a
notch known as Angel Pass. The fun begins as the ascent is scrambling over and around a variety of obstacles
getting to the saddle. On the descent into Red Rock Canyon the group will pass the
somewhat famous angel carving before finding a ledge near the bottom for a
snack break. The hike stays in a
canyon alongside the Calico Hills until it reaches a trail around the south end
that returns to the original parking lot. Meet at Red Rock Casino for an 12:30 PM departure. Coordinator- Nancy Moore
Saturday, February 21st, Pinto Valley Near Boulder Wash- This generally moderate but long loop (about 9-10 miles),
starting at Mile Marker 25.5 on the Northshore Road in the Lake Mead area will
go to an area of petroglyphs and an old mining claim and will visit Sandstone
Spring on the return. Any participants from
the west side can meet at the top of Rampart Casino parking garage for a
carpool departure at 7:20 AM and join the main group in the parking lot
behind the CVS Pharmacy on Lake Mead Boulevard and Hollywood. That
combined group will leave at 8:00 AM
and join the coordinators and any other
south side participants at the Mile Marker 4 pullout on Northshore Road about 8:15
AM before heading to the starting point of the hike. Coordinators- Joan and
Chuck Hawkins
Saturday, February 21st, Ash Meadows- Starting
from Red Springs Picnic Area the group will follow a series of trails along the
east side of the Calico Hills that will reach the base of Ash Canyon for a
break. Elevation gain is generally minimal but the trail rolls
slightly in spots. Ash Meadows itself has a healthy stand of ash trees fed by a
spring and creek that flow from near the
location of the break. Pace will be
leisurely, distance is a little over 3 miles, and the rating is easy to
moderate. This group will leave at 8:30
AM from Red Rock Casino. Coordinator-
Nancy Moore
Sunday, February 22nd, Bowl of Fire to Anniversary Narrows-
This 15 mile hike will require a very early start as well as a lunch and extra
snacks. We begin at the Mile 20 parking lot
and drop into the north end of the Bowl of Fire. From
there we work our way to the Anniversary drainage and eventually through the
narrows and to our cars at Mile 16. Expect
some minor scrambling, the narrows is usually dry but pools may be possible itf
it has rained recently. This is rated moderately strenuous due to the distance.
Leave Rampart garage top at 5:35 AM, Lucky Club at 5:55 AM. We
will meet the coordinator at the Mile 4 parking lot at 7:00 AM to drive
to Mile 20, leaving a car at Mile 16 along the way. Coordinator- David Hardy
Sunday, February 22nd, Grand Circle Extended- This
strenuous loop hike will start at the Red Rock Visitor Center and will follow
the Grand Circle Trail in a clockwise direction but will add on the portion of
the White Rock Hills Loop Trail on the north side of the two sandstone peaks. This
will increase the total distance of the hike to about 14 miles and gain roughly
1,500 feet of elevation. Assemble at Red
Rock Casino for a 7:30 AM departure or arrive at the Visitor Center
middle lot no later than 7:45 AM. Coordinator- Chris Dempsey
Monday, February 23rd, Pinto Valley and Signature Rock-
This moderate to strenuous hike is about 9 miles in length over generally
moderate terrain with a few steep areas. Starting
from Mile Marker 18 on Northshore Road, it proceeds into Pinto Valley, visits
Signature Rock, and returns through an interesting wash near the Chocolate
Hills. West side participants should meet at
Rampart Casino for a 7:20 AM departure and join the main group at CVS
Pharmacy on Lake Mead Boulevard and Hollywood. That
combined group will leave at 8:00 AM and join the coordinators and any
other south side participants at the Mile Marker 4 pullout along Northshore
Road about 8:15 AM before heading to the starting point of the hike.
Coordinators- Joan & Chuck Hawkins.
Tuesday, February 24th, Gunsight Notch-
This very strenuous 7 mile out-and-back hike will rival any of the tough
Tuesday hikes for intensity. Starting from the
Pine Creek parking area the group will hike across the desert, enter the south fork
of Pine Creek, and continue up the canyon on the same route that leads to
Terrace Canyon. At the final canyon junction,
the route turns left in Gunsight Notch Canyon and climbs to the peak for a
breathtaking view. Elevation gain is
in the order of 2,100 feet. There is no
exposure but the hike can still be intimidating due to the steepness. If using
trekking poles, be sure to bring rubber tips, as the regular tungsten is
virtually useless and even dangerous on the loose shale. Departure from Red
Rock Casino will be at 8:00 AM. Coordinator- Michael O’Connor
Tuesday, February 24th, Potato Knoll, The
5 mile partial loop hike that climbs to the top of the 500 foot hill at the
base of Wilson Peak is rated moderate. The actual ascent to the top of the hill
is steep, but rather short, and there is a bit of scrambling involved. The
route also includes several crossings of Oak Creek which might have water
flowing by that time of year. The group will assemble at Red Rock Casino and
leave for the destination at 7:30 AM. Coordinator- Chris Dempsey
Wednesday, February 25th, Calico Hills Scramble-
Depart from Red Springs, making our way
along the rocks to the south point where we will start our ascent up to Red
Springs Peak. Initial ascent requires negotiating a steep crack. After reaching
the high point, we will transverse the ridge to the Slab Rift formation. The
descent will be down a drainage that will take us through the Tunnel of Love
and past Heart Rock to the basin below where we will complete the loop back to
Red Springs. This is a moderately strenuous hike of about 3 miles with an
elevation gain of less than 900'. There
will be some exposure and you should be comfortable with scrambling. A 8:00 AM departure from Red Springs. Coordinator - Steve Allen
Thursday, February 26th, VoF Yellow Spire/Colorful Canyons-
5.5 miles and 950 ft gross gain, trailhead: silica dome parking area.This is a
brand new hike developed over the last couple of seasons. Leaving
the silica dome parking area in the NE direction it takes a mile or so to get
to the start of one of the most colorful areas of the VoF. First come the
spires and hoodoos in yellow, white and pink, then we wander through the red
canyons. This hike is a photographer’s delight…and
we’ll take the time to
indulge them. Once in the colorful canyons we head east until a drainage
that gets steeper and narrower, including one dry waterfall we go down at the
end. This takes us into Wedgewood Canyon and a rabbit hole that
requires hands and knees or a belly crawl. This
nice canyon goes up back to the Yellow Spire area and the hike is over…except
for the one mile plus uphill climb in the sand back to the parking lot. Yes,
there’s a price to pay
for the good stuff. Time table includes an early group departure with the
coordinator from Rampart Casino at 7:30 AM and a full group departure,
traffic permitting, from Lucky Club Casino at 7:50 AM. The group should
arrive at the trailhead parking lot around 8:45 AM.
Coordinator- Brian Dodd
Thursday, February 26th, Turtlehead Peak- The
standard out-and-back route will be the
one used to access the top of this dramatic limestone peak
at the northeast corner of Red Rock Canyon. With
1,900 feet of elevation over the trail from Sandstone Quarry to the top this
hike merits a strenuous rating and has a total distance of 5 miles. There
is hardly any shade available along the way, with much of the surroundings
desert terrain, but the view at the peak is worth the effort. The
group will assemble at Red Rock Casino for a 7:30 AM departure.
Coordinator- Tony Fountain
Friday, February 27th, White Rock
Hills Loop- Journey
around the two cream colored peaks at the north end of Red Rock Canyon on this
moderate loop hike starting from Willow Springs Picnic Area. The
basic hike has a total distance of 6.4 miles but there will be an optional
out-and-back adjunct taking the group over to La Madre Springs, which would
bring the total up to almost 8 miles. This
short side trip passes a couple of old foundations before reaching the dam backing
up the pool at the springs. Departure
from Red Rock Casino will occur at 8:00 AM. Coordinator- Sylvie Courtemarsh
Saturday, February 28th Dragon Canyon/Gateway Loop-
This has a moderately strenuous rating because of the steep trail up Dragon
Canyon. We will depart from the dirt lot at the end of Calico Basin and hike up
Dragon/Ash Canyon. At the top, we will turn right and come down Rattlesnake
Canyon to Upper Gateway Wash. We will hike down the wash into Lower Gateway and
then walk around Kraft Mountain and back to the cars. There is some scrambling
in Gateway, It is 5 miles and is 950 feet of elevation. The group will assemble
at 8:00 AM at the dirt parking lot at the end or Sandstone Drive.
Coordinator- Letti Gutierrez
Saturday, February 28th, Fossil Ridge-
This loop version will turn right immediately through the cowboy stables
entrance and turn right again before reaching the brown composite boulders
overlooking Echo Canyon. Near the halfway
point the route turns left and follows a trail above Echo Canyon back down the
north end of Blue Diamond Hill. Total
distance for the moderate loop hike is 3.6 miles with 800 feet of elevation
gain. Meet the group at Red Rock Casino for
an 8:30 AM departure.
Coordinator- Nancy Moore
