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 November schedule includes hikes in the Red Rock Canyon area
(including Cottonwood Valley) and Lake Mead area. 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 near 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.
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 the
Rancho exit 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 casino entrance
signalized intersection 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
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 POINT #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, and 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.
Exposure
Class 1- Terrain that does not require use of hands or other equipment but can be
negotiated using only foot power.
Class 2- Terrain that is uneven or irregular that may require use of hands for
stabilization.
Class 3- Generally steep terrain that definitely requires use of hands over
stretches to accomplish the task.
Class 4- In addition to use of hands, some level of equipment is necessary to accomplish the task. This may
include
webbing or short
sections of rope for minor climbs or belay systems for more difficult climbs.
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 8 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 1,600 feet of elevation gain involving less than 25% of off-trail hiking
such as boulder scrambling or bushwhacking.
Strenuous- Longer distances
with elevation gain capped around 3,000 feet or shorter distances that encompass significant off-trail sections
not requiring additional safety equipment.
Very Strenuous or Extreme- Efforts that require serious conditioning on the part of participants
due to great length or elevation gain or climbing that requires mountaineering skills.
Sunday, November
1st, Calico Loop- Departing from Red Spring parking area, this moderately strenuous hike ascends Five-Stop Hill, drops
into Gateway Canyon for about 10 minutes and
then up to Sandstone Quarry. From there the route follows the trails
that parallel the fault canyon past Calico II and Calico I completing the loop back to Red Spring. There will be
some scrambling with elevation gain of around 1500 feet over a distance of 7.5
miles. Those carpooling should leave Red Rock Casino by 6:45 AM. Meet
the Coordinator at Red Spring for a 7:00 AM departure. Coordinator- David Hardy
Monday, November 2nd, White Owl Canyon- This will be a joint hike with Sun City
Anthem. It should be about a 5 mile loop beginning at the now-closed Las Vegas
Marina on Lake Mead and following the lake shore for a mile or two. It then
winds thru White Owl Canyon before exiting onto the River Mountains bike trail.
The last segment drops into Hippie Canyon which involves some moderate
scrambling. I would classify the hike as moderately strenuous. It will be done
at a moderate pace with infrequent stops. We will meet at the Fiesta Henderson
at 9:45 AM. Coordinator- Keith
Lane
Tuesday, November 3rd, White Rock Springs Plus- Departing from Willow Springs, a counter-clockwise 7-mile loop with an
ascent of the steep, White Rock Springs Peak from the northwest ridge. A
southern traverse to its sister peak, then descend and complete the loop. With
an elevation gain of 2,000 feet this hike has a strenuous rating. Depart from
Red Rock Casino at 7:30 AM. Coordinator- Michael O’Connor
Tuesday, November 3rd, Urban Walk, Lone Mountain Trail, Part 1- Five mile round
trip. Meet behind the O'Reilly Auto parts store located at 7510 W. Washington
Ave. for a 4:00 PM departure.
Coordinator- Lettie Gutierrez
Wednesday, November 4th, Guardian Angel Pass- This
moderately-strenuous 4 mile counterclockwise loop hike begins at the Red Spring
parking lot and gains about 1,000 feet in elevation with most of the climb
being a somewhat strenuous scramble up to the saddle. We will descend past the
angel carving to the bottom and take a break on the sandstone nearby before
taking a trail that passes below Calico II and Calico I turnouts to make the
loop back to the parking lot. Pace will
be moderate. The group will assemble at the Red Rock Casino Parking lot for an 8:00
AM departure. Coordinator- Dennis
Rohne
Thursday, November 5th, Tank Discovery Scramble- A moderately
strenuous scramble up, down and around the northern Calico Hills of 4.5 miles.
There will be three separate ascents of around 400 elevation feet each. We will
check out the status of many tinajas during the trek with a moderate pace.
There are two sections of 3rd class exposure that can be avoided if desired.
Meet at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator- Kay
Blackwell
Thursday, November 5th, Turtlehead Peak via East Ridge- A loop route to
Turtlehead Peak, up its east ridge from Calico basin, down via an east canyon. Should take about
6 hours. Lots of class 3 and 4 climbing. Strenuous. Leader will provide belays if needed. Meet 8:00 AM at Red Rock Casino. Coordinator- Ed Forkos
Friday, November 6th, Red Cap- This moderately strenuous 3 mile hike to the highest point in the Calico
Hills involves a significant amount of scrambling and use of hands with class 3
exposure. We will start from the Sandstone Quarry parking lot. The climb to the
top of the Red Cap’s minor peak will
be from the east side of the sandstone hills, finishing through a narrow seam.
We will explore a popular tinaja before ascending to the peak for our break.
The descent will be along a relative newly explored seam on the northwest side
connecting to the route usually used for the approach to ascend to Red Cap. The
group will take a moderate pace and depart from the Red Rock Casino at 8:00AM.
Coordinator- Tony Fountain
Saturday, November 7th, Windy Peak- -Starting from the gravel pullout near Mountain Spring Summit the route
starts up a gravel service road and connects with a series of faint trails to
get to the point where the limestone of the back ridge transitions onto
the sandstone formation of the peak. Total distance for the out-and-back hike is 5 miles with 1,400 feet of
elevation gain and some exposure. The resulting rating is moderately strenuous. This group will depart from Red Rock Casino at 7:30 AM and
make a brief stop at the gas station on Highways 159 and 160 about 8:00 AM. Coordinator- Lettie Gutierrez
Saturday, November 7th, Fossil Ridge/Bunny Trail- This easy-to-moderate clockwise loop hike begins at the
horse stables parking lot and takes a trail to begin the climb to the ridge
just behind the area where the cowboy dinners are served. Most of the 400 feet
of elevation gain takes place on the trail that take us up to the ridge. We will follow the ridge with views of Echo
Canyon to the turnaround point where we will take a break. The return trip to
the cars will be on the bunny trail.
Total distance will be about 4 miles. The pace will be leisurely to
moderate. The group will assemble at the
Red Rock Casino Parking lot for an 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator- Dennis Rohne
Sunday, November 8th, Cottonwood Pass Loop- This early morning
hike in the general Red Rock area will be a moderate 6-mile loop outing in
South Cottonwood Valley. Elevation gain will be about 1,000 feet. The trek will
start from the gravel parking area south of Highway 160 also used for Badger
Pass. 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. This hike will maintain a
moderate pace with periodic breaks and
the group will stay together. Those wishing to carpool should depart Red Rock
Casino by 7:10 AM. The combined group will meet the coordinator and
leave from the gas station on Highways 159 and 160 at 7:30 AM, and drive
to the gravel lot for a 7:45 AM start of hike. Coordinator- David Hardy
Monday, November 9th, Badger Pass- This moderate
7-mile partial loop hike will begin from the paved Late Night parking area
along Highway 160. It will follow a trail through fairly broad valleys at the southern base
of the Bird Spring Range and eventually reach a trail junction on a ridge
called Badger Pass by mountain bikers before returning to the starting point. Elevation gain is around 1,000 feet. Pace will be moderately steady. Departure from Red Rock Casino will be at 7:45 AM with
a stop at the gas station on Highway 160 around 8:10 AM. Participants can also drive directly to the trailhead
parking lot where the hike will start around 8:20 AM. Coordinator- Chris Dempsey
Tuesday, November 10th,Terrace Canyon (5033′)- One of the more
picturesque treks in the Red Rock area. Lunch with a view, a terraced view. Picture the Amalfi
Coast without all the high-dollar villas. From the Pine Creek trailhead, we’ll venture deep
into the canyon on the south side of Mescalito. It’s a seven-miler
with 1,500′ feet vertical. VW-sized boulders with lots of scrambling. This class 3 route is rated strenuous. Depart from the Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM.
Coordinator- Michael O’Connor
Tuesday, November 10, Ejection Seat Ridge-
This 4 or 5-mile hike starts at
Mile Marker 15.5 on Northshore Road in
the Lake Mead area. The hike is generally moderate but includes a
short steep climb to get on the ridgeline and some loose rock areas descending
the ridgeline. The hike goes by an
ejection seat from an old plane crash and then goes by aircraft crash remains
hidden in a descending wash. It also
goes through a colorful area of red sandstone on the return wash. 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
Tuesday, November 10th, Easy Tuesday Calico Tanks- We will meet at the Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM, then carpool to Sandstone Quarry. The hike will be
accomplished at an easy-moderate pace. Total distance of about 3 miles with 700
feet of elevation gain. The hike will have some moderate rock scrambling along the
route. Coordinator- Roger Hembree
Wednesday, November 11th, Krafft Mountain Loop- One of our club's favorite hikes is this 6-mile loop
starting from Red Spring Picnic Area at Calico Basin that climbs Five Stop Hill
and descends into the lower portion of Gateway Canyon. Scenery abounds with multiple colors and designs in the
sandstone on both sides of the canyon. While this hike is generally rated moderate, there are a few areas of
boulder scrambling that will pose some challenge. Meet at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00 AM departure or be at Red Spring ready for the hike by 8:10
AM. Coordinator- Barbara Ulmer
Wednesday, November 11th, Lone Mountain Trail, Part 2- Five miles round
trip. Meet at Doc Romero Park behind the
Rainbow Library where W. Sauer Drive intersects N. Ronemus Drive. Departure at 4:00
PM. Coordinator- Lettie Gutierrez
Thursday, November
12th, Quartzite Mountain- This hike is in the Desert
National Wildlife Refuge and the trail-head is accessed near the road to Gass
Peak Trailhead. This is a strenuous hike
of 12 miles and 2,000 feet of elevation gain, it should take about 6 hours to
complete. Quartzite Mountain is the
highest peak in the Las Vegas Range and the summit provides great views of the
surrounding area. The hike starts up an
old washed out road and continues cross country to the summit block of
quartzite stone. The hike is mostly
class 1 walking with a small amount of class 3 scrambling with exposure at the
summit block. We will need 4WD high
clearance vehicles. Meet at Santa Fe
Station at 7:30 AM. Coordinator- Jerry Thomas
Thursday, November 12th, Rocky Gorge Loop- This will be a repeat of an exploratory hike done in early October except
we will follow the complete loop instead of taking a short cut on the return as we did
on the previous hike. Total distance should be about 8 miles with about 1,200 feet of gain and a
moderate rating. A steady pace will be maintained with occasional water breaks and a snack
break overlooking Blue Tree Campground. Participants should meet at Santa Fe Station for a 7:45 AM departure Coordinator- Chris Dempsey.
Friday, November 13th, Ice Box Canyon Plus- This moderately strenuous out-and-back hike with an
elevation gain of 500 feet will be around 4 miles and include lots of scrambling
as the intended route goes well beyond the normal stopping point below the
seasonal waterfall. The group assembled at Red Rock Casino should depart around 7:55 AM to
meet the coordinator at the Ice Box trailhead, where the hike will begin at 8:30
AM. Coordinator- David Hardy
Saturday, November 14th, Siena Ridge- This is an easy to moderate hike of about 5 miles with a gain in elevation
of 800 feet. We will start from the Mesa Park parking lot and proceed at an easy to
moderate pace adjusting to the needs of the group. The hike will head north up
a dirt road along a water control drainage, past a retention basin, then climb
a short but steep hill to the Siena Ridge overlooking Summerlin South. Working
our way along the ridge heading south, we reach a point overlooking Bishop
Gorman HS. The group will then drop down a bit to a trail heading back north
and returning along the original dirt road. Total distance is approximately 5
miles with an elevation gain of about 800 feet. Departure is from the Mesa Park
parking lot off of South Mesa Park Drive. From the west side, take the 215
South to the Town Center Exit. Turn right on Town Center Drive. Take the second
right onto South Town Center Drive.to the park. From the east side take the 215
West to Russell Road. Go west on Russell Road and turn right onto South Mesa
Park Drive. The group will depart from the Mesa Park parking lot at 8:00 AM.
Coordinator- Tony Fountain
Saturday, November 14th, Turtlehead Peak- This 5-6 miles hike well be done
at a moderate pace. The route ascends the familiar, steep use trails but will descend a ridge and wash. that parallels the main
gulley. Departure from Red Rock Casino will be at 8:00 AM. Coordinator- Lettie Gutierrez
Saturday, November 14th, The Muffins - This 5 mile hike is a little ambitious for the leisurely hike of the
week but we will take a leisurely pace among many stops. There will be 900 feet
of gain between the Cowboy Stables Trailhead and the large conglomerate muffin
rocks on the top of the North Blue Diamond Hills. Meet at the Red Rock Casino
for an 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator- Kay Blackwell
Sunday, November 15th, Second Ugliest Hike in the Catalog- Participants will have to experience this 11-mile point-to-point hike to
determine if it really is as ugly as advertised. The route will take the group from the western end of Far
Hills Drive through the mountains just west of northern Las Vegas and come out
at Kyle Canyon Road. Rating is strenuous and a somewhat strong pace will be maintained. Anyone wanting to go on this hike must RSVP with the
coordinator so that sufficient return transportation can be set up. Please RSVP by e-mail. The coordinator
will set up all vehicles and let participants know where to meet and at what
time. Coordinator- Chris
Dempsey
Sunday, November 15th, Calico Loop- The route will be over Five-Stop Hill, down into Gateway Canyon, up the gravel wash and Rattlesnake Canyon,
and on to Sandstone Quarry. Trails will be used back to Red Spring Picnic Area
parking lot. Moderately strenuous. Some scrambling with a distance of about 8
miles and 1500 feet of gain. Be at the
Red Spring picnic area parking for a 7:30 AM departure or assemble at Red Rock
Casino and leave there at 7:15 AM to join the others at the
trailhead. - Coordinator- Stephen Newell
Monday, November 16th, Red & Black Mountains- A designated city trail is the primary route for accessing these two peaks
in the River Mountains. It is best described as a double out-and-back from the top of the saddle
between the peaks, with a total distance of 7 miles, about 1,500 feet of gross
elevation gain, and a moderately strenuous rating. The primary group should gather at the Henderson Fiesta
Casino and form carpools for an 8:00 AM departure. The coordinator, along with the sign-in sheet, will not be at that location,
but will be at the trailhead parking area next to St. Jude Children's Home on
Highway 95 starting down the long hill toward Lake Mead on the left side. The hike will begin from that location at 8:30 AM. Coordinator- Linda O’Leary
Monday, November 16th, Calico I / Moenkopi Loop- An alternate hike
for this Monday will be the leisurely option, which is an easy to moderate loop
starting from the Visitor Center in Red Rock Canyon. The route covers a distance of 3 miles and has a minimal
elevation gain of about 200 feet. Departure time from Red Rock Casino will be at 8:00 AM. Coordinator- Ed
Matulis
Tuesday, November 17th, Indecision Peak- A prominent peak, immediately
south of Mount Wilson that separates the First Creek (on its north side) and
Sandstone (on its south side) canyons. The route starts from the First Creek
pull off on Route 159. This out-and-back hike of 6 miles gains 2,750 feet of
elevation and is rated very strenuous. Only seasoned hikers should attempt
this climb which requires the use of fixed ropes along the route. Time
required will be 5 to 6 hours. Depart from Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM. Coordinator- Steve Allen
Tuesday.
November 17th, South Bowl of Fire- This moderate to moderately strenuous hike of
about 5 miles starts at Mile Marker 18 on Northshore Road in the Lake Mead
area. It includes some steep areas and a
few areas where hands are used. The hike
heads for the southernmost colorful sandstone at the base of the Muddy
Mountains and goes by many interesting redstone formations. 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
Wednesday, November 18th, Lone Mountain- Lone Mountain is open for hiking
again. This will be a moderate hike with a moderate pace. Located on the northwest
side of Las Vegas, the peak is most accessible from the Lone Mountain Regional
Park at the west end of Craig Road where there is a direct approach to a
recreational gravel road that goes around the north end of the mountain and
ends near the present County Road 215. The group will ascend on the trail up
the northwest side. The trail is mostly dirt with embedded rock. There are good
views of the city from the peak. On the descent, we will retrace our steps then
circle around the south end of the mountain before returning to the starting
point. The distance is about 4 miles with a gain in elevation of 700 feet. Those who choose may descend from the peak on the southern
side with some class 3 scrambling and results in a slightly shorter hike. The group will meet at the Lone Mountain Regional Park
southern parking lot and depart at 8:00 AM. Coordinator- Tony Fountain
Wednesday, November 18th, Urban Walk, Angel Park Trail / Bruce Trent Park
Loop-
Five miles. Meet at Angel Park located at the corner of South
Durango and Venetian Strada. Park on Venetian Stradafor. The group will depart at 4:00 PM. Coordinator- Lettie Gutierrez
Thursday, November 19th, Juniper Peak (6109′) - The hard way. Let’s make it an adventure and do a counterclockwise loop. A two mile scramble up Pine Creek Canyon to
the hidden turnoff. The hike begins here as we tackle the granite slab to the
pinnacle. It’s a bona fide class 3 ascent
with a couple short class 4 sections. Descend via the standard route through
Juniper Canyon and the cholla cactus garden. Six miles with 2400 feet elevation
gain. Very strenuous. Depart from the Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM.
Coordinator- Michael O’Connor
Thursday, November 19th, Juniper
Canyon – While the advanced hikers are doing their very strenuous circular
route up to Juniper Peak, a good scramble can be done up to the sandstone slab opposite
Rainbow Wall in Juniper Canyon where we will meet the other group for the
descent. Great views. Moderately strenuous with large boulder scrambling. It
will be 4.5 miles with 1700 feet of elevation gain. Depart from Red Rock Casino
at 8:00 AM. Coordinator – Kay Blackwell
Friday, November 20th, Bird Spring Range Loop- A moderately
strenuous hike of 6 miles with around 1,500 feet of elevation gain will start
from the dirt parking area we also use for Badger Pass. It starts on a trail
and crosses Badger Pass, continues uphill beyond that and eventually runs out
for a cross-country route along a ridge to a higher ridge with views of Las
Vegas. From there the group will head south along the ridge and connect with
the Deadhorse Trail passing through Red Valley back to the vehicles. Early
assembly will be at Red Rock Casino on the west side, with the group leaving at
7:00 AM. Final assembly point will be the gas station at the
intersection of Highways 159 and 160 with a departure time of 7:30 A.M.
where you meet the coordinator. Coordinator- David Hardy
Saturday, November
21st, White Rock Springs Peak- The hike will start at the White Rock Springs trailhead. Total distance is 3 miles with 1,300 feet of
elevation gain. The route is all class 2 scrambling and will be done at a
moderate pace. The group will depart from Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM.
Coordinator- Steve Anderson
Saturday, November
21st, Rubber
Ducky Yucca- Let's make a visit to
the Joshua tree that mountain bikers have started to replenish with rubber
duckies after someone (BLM?) removed them earlier this year. The loop hike is 6 miles in length with under 1,00 feet of elevation gain
and is assigned a moderate rating. Pace will be accommodating for
all those who can handle the distance. We will be climbing onto a ridge
north of Highway 160 that will provide really nice views of the Cottonwood
Valley area. Departure from Red Rock Casino will be at 8:00 AM, there will be a
short stop at the gas station around 8:25 AM, and we should be ready to start
hiking at the Late Night parking area by 8:40 AM. Coordinator- Chris Dempsey
Saturday, November 21st, Calico Tanks- This 3 mile
beginner scramble out of Sandstone Quarry requires good shoes and a little bit
of climbing ability. Every year, someone in the leisurely group seems to not be
able to make it all the way up 500 elevation feet to the large main tinaja
nestled in the Calico Hills. There are many rock steps and slight exposure for
those who feel unstable on their feet. Meet at the Red Rock Casino for an 8:30
AM departure. Coordinator- Kay Blackwell
Sunday, November 22nd, Twilight Ridge Loop - This is a strictly exploratory moderately strenuous hike
that starts out at the Twilight Trailhead in Kyle Canyon. Expect 9 to 10 miles
and, if we are successful, around 2,200 feet of elevation gain. It is difficult
to decipher the bike trails from the game trails in this area on Google Earth.
Come and wander with me for a learning experience. Meet at the Santa Fe Casino
for an 8:00 AM departure. Coordinator - Kay Blackwell
Sunday, November 22nd, Calico Loop- Stephen enjoys this hike so much that he wanted to repeat
it this Sunday. The route will be
over Five-Stop Hill, down into Gateway Canyon,
up the gravel wash and Rattlesnake Canyon, and on to Sandstone Quarry. The
route will continue along Class 1 trails back to Red Spring picnic area parking lot. Moderately
strenuous. Some scrambling with a distance of about 8 miles with 1500 feet of
elevation gain. Be at Red Spring picnic area parking lot at 7:30 AM or assemble at Red Rock Casino
leaving there at 7:15 AM to join the others at the trailhead. Coordinator- Stephen Newell
Monday, November 23rd, Historic Railroad Tunnels- Anyone interested in something less strenuous than the
normal Tuesday hikes? This one follows a section of the railroad right-of-way used by supply
trains during the construction of Hoover Dam. Participants will have a choice of an easy to moderate 5-mile out-and-back hike
that goes through the five tunnels to a rest area or continue on to visits of
both the new bridge and the dam, which brings the total to 9 miles with a lengthy
moderate rating. The first couple of miles will be leisurely as we hike with
the people only going halfway and then we will pick it up a bit for the
lengthier version. Initial departure from Red Rock Casino will be at 7:45 AM with the
entire group meeting at Henderson Fiesta and an 8:30 AM departure. Coordinator- Chris Dempsey
Tuesday, November 24th, Kraft Mountain Traverse (4714′) - This strenuous east-west traverse will test your mettle
as the east flank ascent is steep and demanding. After an al fresco lunch at the summit and a
stroll along "The Beach," perhaps we can persuade Jerry Thomas
to guide us down the sheer north flank, dropping us literally into Lower
Gateway Canyon. Five to six miles with 1,500 feet of elevation gain. Depart from the Red Spring boardwalk at 8:00
AM. Coordinator- Michael O’Connor
Tuesday, November 24th, Easy Tuesday, Ash Canyon Overlook/Petroglyph Loop- We will meet at the Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM, then carpool to Sandstone Quarry. Starting at Sandstone
Quarry, the route will pass along the north side of Red Cap to get to the
overlook on a sandstone slab above Ash Canyon. This stop will be followed by
taking the trail on the back side of the Calico Hills to the turnoff near the
Turtlehead Trail that leads to the petroglyphs. After a snack at that location,
the group will take a trail back to the starting point. Distance for the
loop is about 4 miles with a moderate rating. Some minor rock scrambling is
involved. Coordinator- Roger Hembree
Wednesday, November 25th, McCullough Trail- This 6 mile hike is generally rated as moderate. Although the terrain is somewhat rolling, there are no long
and steep sections to be negotiated. An early group should assemble at Red Rock Casino for a 7:15 AM
departure to join the coordinator and other south side participants in the parking lot
of Walgreens Drug located at the corner of Eastern and Sunridge Parkway. The entire group will leave there at 8:00 AM for the trailhead. Coordinator - Richard Hansen.
Thursday, November 26th, Cave Canyon / Fossil Ridge- For those of you who don't have obligations in the
kitchen on this Thanksgiving Day, we will begin at the Cowboy Trails Trailhead
and climb up through Cave Canyon, a canyon with a fair amount of scrambling
including one 15 foot dry fall. Our descent will travel from the left fork of
Cave Canyon over to the Fossil Ridge Trail and back to the cars with no lengthy
snack break to detain us from the turkey meal. We will travel at a moderately
strenuous pace over the 6 to 7 miles with an elevation gain of around 1,300
feet. Depart from Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM. Coordinator- Kay Blackwell
Friday, November 27th, Hamblin Mountain- What a great way
to shed a few of those pounds from the previous day's Thanksgiving feast by climbing to
the top of one of the great view peaks close to Lake Mead. This 7-mile mostly out-and-back hike has an elevation gain around 1,500 feet
and carries a moderately strenuous rating. The last hundred feet to the sign-in book at the top are improved over
five years ago to minimize exposure and the scenic reward at the peak certainly makes the little
bit of work worth the effort. West side residents will switch to a meeting spot on the top of the
Rampart Casino parking garage, with a 7:30 AM departure, and the main
assembly point will be at Albertsons Grocery on Lake Mead Boulevard at
Hollywood, with a departure at 8:15 AM. Boulder City area residents can meet the group at the Mile
Marker 4 pullout along Northshore Road, where the group will stop briefly
around 8:30 AM before proceeding to the trailhead. Coordinator- Chris Dempsey.
Saturday, November 28th, Blue Diamond Bike Trails- This moderate 6-mile loop hike climbs the ridge behind the community of
Blue Diamond. With an elevation
gain of under 1,000 feet it carries a moderate rating. The sweeping views from the top of the ridge include all the sandstone
peaks along the escarpment as well as the gypsum mining area and farther to the
southern part of Las Vegas. Pace will be steady but not overly fast. The main group should meet at Red Rock Casino for an 8:00 AM departure. Anyone living on the south side of the city can proceed directly to the
bike shop in Blue Diamond, where the hike will start around 8:20 AM. Coordinator- Chris Dempsey.
Sunday, November
29th, Blue Diamond Canyon #1- This moderately strenuous 5-mile
hike with 1,000 feet of elevation gain will climb through the southernmost
canyon on Blue Diamond Hill and involve a considerable amount of scrambling. After exiting the canyon the group will follow a couple of ridges toward and past the gypsum mine, then follow a slope with some scrambling back to the
starting point. Group departure from Red Rock Casino will be at 8:10 AM and they
should proceed to the gravel parking lot along the entrance road to the
community of Blue Diamond where they will meet the coordinator at 8:30 AM. Coordinator- David Hardy
Sunday, November
29th, Grand
Circle. This will be the 12-mile loop version of the hike starting from the fee
booth parking lot at Red Rock Canyon. It will proceed in a clockwise
direction, starting off with a heading toward Willow Springs and finishing with
a stretch of the Calico Hills Trail coming out of Sandstone Quarry. It is rated strenuous due to the distance that includes rolling terrain in
the last few miles. Pace will be fairly strong and steady. If interested, meet the
coordinator at Red Rock Casino for a 7:45 AM departure, or be at the fee
station parking lot ready to go by 8:00 AM. Coordinator- Chris Dempsey
Monday, November
30th, White Rock loop- The standard 6.4-mile loop around the two
cream-colored peaks at the north end of Red Rock Canyon will be done
counter-clockwise from Willow Springs Picnic Area. With 900 feet of net elevation gain along the nicely maintained trail the
hike garners a moderate rating. The assembled group will depart from Red Rock Casino at 8:00 AM. Coordinator- Ed Matulis
