Hiking Round Up For the Week of November 15th

Lots of people doing a lot of hikes this past week.
On Friday, Ed, Luba and Harlan drove out to Castle Peaks in Nevada (photo to the left) and climbed the summit pinnacle. They placed an anchor for the tricky descent off of the pinnacle on what Ed termed "crappy rock." I was out there about a year ago and found the rock to be typical of Lake Mead rock: crappy!

On Sunday, Richard, Eva, Peter, Doyle, and Doc Z. did yet another route to White Rock Hills Peak. This is a variation of the Diamond Ridge route. They then descended part of Surprise Canyon and traversed back to Willow Springs parking area.

Mike, Adam and others on the same Sunday hiked to Mescaltio via the Northern Route and then descended the shortcut route. They had some interesting climbing to say the least. It's hard for me to tell from photos if they followed the original route.

Also on Sunday, Kathy and I scrambled up Surprise Canyon for an exploratory hike. Since we did not have a lot of time, we did not get too far, but found what looks to be an interesting side canyon that might intersect the canyon with the rope. We placed more cairns at the start of the canyon. I have always had trouble following the route there. The path leading to the canyon is very well cairned and now starts at these two boulders, which are about two thirds of a mile from the trailhead. This is just before the trail makes a sharp bend to the left.

If any readers want me to mention which hikes they have done, email me.

Note: It snowed in Mt. Charleston over the weekend, but I don't know how much. It appears the snow starts around 10,000 feet. If anyone has information, please email me.

Britt's Loop and Rainbow Wall

On Friday Kathy and I hiked one of the best, short scrambling routes in Red Rock Canyon. It's called Britt's Loop and it starts at Calico Hills Overlook II, the second pullout on the Scenic Loop Road. This is one fun hike that can be done in 60 to 90 minutes. It has a bit of everything: bouldering, scaling walls, and a slot so tight you have to take off your daypack to fit through! It's a great class 3 route that is short enough so anyone in decent shape can complete. Members can download this hike now!

Today 14 hikers made it to the top of the 1,200 foot Rainbow Wall via Oak Creek Canyon. This is a great workout type hike without any exposure. It's a strenuous hike with one very steep section, a real calf burner. There was a little water running in the north fork of Oak Creek. At the summit we had a stiff breeze that drove us off the peak in a few minutes. Click to watch a short video of the hike below.

During our descent we saw a couple of big horn sheep. These are the first bighorns I have seen this autumn. Normally I see bighorns every other hike.

White Rock Hills Peak via North Ridge Route

Yesterday (11-11), on Veteran's Day Davis and I found a much better route to White Rock Hills Peak from the north. The photo to the left is an approximation of the route. The boulder the route passes is amazing. Where did it fall from?

The upper part of the route hooks up with the Surprise Canyon route, a great route founded by Eva and Richard. In fact you have the option of descending via Surprise Canyon route.

Near the summit we saw a huge big horn sheep. I have not seen many big horns lately. On the flip side we saw burros as we drove the Scenic Loop. I thoght the BLM rounded them up and moved them. I just published the route. Members can download it now.

Hikers wanted: If you want to do this hike, let me know. I will let you download the hiking directions for free. All I ask is for you to give me your opinion on the route. How you liked it and how easy it was to follow. Email me if interested: BranchWhitney AT hikinglasvegas.com (replace "AT" with the "@" symbol.)

Note: We placed a sign-in book at White Rock Springs Peak.

Hiking Updates

Lot's to write about today. First Joseph place containers and registers on White Rock Pinnacle and Wilson South Summit. Both are great peaks and needed new registers and containers.

Paul reported the rope is gone that use to assist hikers on the descent before the main hot springs at Gold Strike Hot Springs . This is not a big deal. The down climb is very easy. The main pool is completely dry! I have never seen it dry before. There are two pools further down the canyon that still have water in them.

On Thursday I went out and tried to improve the White Rock Hills Peak via the North Ridge route. I did find a better descent off of White Rock Springs Peak, but it's very loose in one spot. The traverse over to the ridge is very easy now. From there I followed a more direct route staying on the ridge as much as I could. Once near the peak the route deteriorated. It's loose and without any landmarks. I want to connect the route with the final climbs from the Surprise Canyon route. This would make it a good hike.

On Saturday (11-7), we hiked Pine Creek Peak, one of the best routes in Red Rock Canyon. Stats on this hike are: 7.5 miles, 2,240 feet of elevation gain and about 6.5 hours to complete. The route is in good shape and I placed a new sign-in book at the summit. Slide Show of this hike
Short video clip of the hike below:

Grand Canyon, North Bass Trail Trip Report, 10/28/09 – 11/1/09

On an unseasonably cold Wednesday, October 28th, three hikers, Val, Atsuko, and I set off for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. As we headed towards the canyon and went up in elevation the weather really deteriorated. Snow started to fall pretty steadily. Luckily there was little or no accumulation on the paved roads. We were headed to the Swamp Point trail head which requires about 30 miles of off road travel on forest service fire roads. The snow had stopped falling for the time being but there was still about 1” to 2” of accumulation on the fire roads. With all of the delays and slow going on the roads it was after 4 o’clock by the time we hit the trail.

Our plan was to hike down about a mile from Swamp Point to Muav Saddle and hold up in Teddy’s Cabin. Thank goodness that cabin was there. As we were getting ready to begin the hike the snow started to fall again and it was very cold up on the rim, around 30 degrees. It was a very short hike down to the cabin where we were safe and sheltered. It was a long, cold night and the temperature dropped into the teens. Midnight excursions outside to go to the bathroom were especially nasty. The next morning was still pretty cold but luckily the forecast called for continued clearing and increasingly warm weather for the duration of our trip. And the forecast was correct; the weather was perfect after that.

The North Bass Trail was greatly improved in 2005 by a group of volunteers and I must say they did a great job. I had previously hiked this trail in 2003 and at that time it was little more than a route, very primitive and very hard to follow. That is not the case now; the trail has been cleaned and reworked in a lot of places. Switchbacks have been installed where there were none and it is now very well marked with cairns where necessary. On Thursday morning we headed out from Muav Saddle down into Muav Canyon and White Creek. After about a mile or so and about 1’000’ of descent we were in the White Creek drainage. After a couple of miles you get to a pour off that is bypassed on the right. This is the top of the Redwall limestone that is notorious in the Grand Canyon for being an impassable obstacle because of its sheer cliffs. The bypass leads to a series of drainages that you must ascend and descend. There are campsites on the tops of the rises in between the drainages and we stash water for our dry camp on the way out at one of these.

After the third major drainage the trail heads back over to the top of the redwall and a very cool traverse along the side of a steep canyon before descending. The descent is steep, loose and rocky in sections, but very much improved since 2003. At the bottom of the descent you are back in the drainage of White Creek amid huge boulders. This is one of the prettiest sections of the trail and the most pleasant to hike through. It is short lived though as you soon come to another pour off that is bypassed on the right. The bypass leads up and around to the right and out into the dry desert for about a half mile before returning to the drainage. Hiking through this section is probably the most unpleasant of the entire trip. The drainage is dry for the most part and you are boulder hopping and stepping on and over bowling ball size rocks.

After a couple of miles you get to a fork in the trail. From here you can take a bypass that leads you on a more direct route to Shinumo Creek and around the Tapeats Narrows or continue straight down the drainage through the narrows. Our plan is to take the bypass down to Shinumo creek and our campsite, and on the way back we will take White Creek through the narrows. It is nearing sunset by the time we get to camp at Shinumo Creek. There are numerous campsites here with a well established area for socializing and cooking. The creek is only a few yards away and it is running nice and clear this time of year, a great campsite.

The following day’s plan calls for a hike to the mouth of Shinumo Creek at the Colorado River. Hiking downstream on Shinumo Creek is quite challenging with numerous creek crossings and some route finding necessary. Needless to say it is quite beautiful, with small waterfalls and cascades and lush riparian growth skirting both banks. As the creek gets closer to the river the canyon narrows and at the river there is a fifteen foot waterfall. This waterfall prevents hikers from reaching the river from this route unless you brought along some basic canyoneering gear to rappel down a rabbit hole chute on the left side of the falls.

After a short break at the falls we turned around and headed back to try and find a shortcut to the river. A short ways back we notice we can scramble to the top of the canyon wall, so up we go and a short time later we’re on the trail towards the river. We made our way to the river where there was a boat party camped. Our plan was to pick up the old Bass Trail further up river and return to our camp that way. From the river it was a long slog up over a saddle and then down into the Shinumo Creek drainage and back to our camp.

The following morning we headed out and as mentioned our plan was to hike upstream to the confluence with White Creek and then up White Creek to Tapeats Narrows. This is also a very picturesque part of the hike with small waterfalls and cascades and nice rock formations. The further upstream we went the more narrow the canyon got until we were finally in Tapeats Narrows. The narrows are about a half mile long with walls about 100’ high and is about 15’ to 20’ wide. White Creek does not have a large flow so hiking is very easy and there are very few obstacles in the narrows. At the beginning of the narrows there is a pour off that prevents any further upstream travel. There is a short scramble out of the narrows and the trail once again drops into the White Creek drainage. At this point we were now just retracing our steps back up the canyon the way we came. We camped that night at the campsite where we stashed water a couple of days earlier. The following day we hiked out to the rim and our ride.

Carl Pantuso
www.mephotoman.com

BW: Thanks Carl. Sounds like a fun trip. Check out Carl's photos at his website: www.mephotoman.com

Walk Up Wall - It Ain't No Walk Up

The route to Walk Up Wall is one of the most intense in Red Rock Canyon. It starts at Oak Creek trailhead and follows a hiker made trail into Juniper Canyon. The route ascends through the impossible looking Gunsight Notch and then the real hike begins!

The photo to the left is the main climb to Walk Up Wall. It's steep, exposed, and scary. Luckily, at the top of the climb there's a huge ponderosa that you can use as an anchor. From there the climbing lets up for a bit.

The route then traverses around a shoulder and ascends another steep crack. Here too, a fall would be fatal. It's then easy class 3 to the top. The views from the top of the wall are spectacular. Here's a panorama.

Notes: Eric donated a Tupperware container for the sign-in book at the summit.
History: Debbie Z. and I found this route back in 2003. I named the wall as a mockery; it certainly is not a walk up.

A Tour of Mt. Wilson

Today (10-30) Davis, Kenny, Adam, Mike and I did a tour of Mt. Wilson, the highest peak in Red Rock Canyon, which is just 20 miles west of Las Vegas, NV. We hiked up First Creek about halfway and then followed the route to the Hidden Bowl.The route through First Creek is in great shape. It's well cairned and clean. And finally it's easy to find the "brush free" wash. In the past hikers have missed the wash and have had to hike through a very brushy wash. The only caveat is while on the trail leading into the canyon don't be lured by cairns off to the south. Those cairns lead to technical climbs.

The Hidden Bowl leading to the summit is steep. You gain over 1,600 feet in less than 0.75 of a mile! It's a thigh burner. Once up and less than 0.25 of a mile from the true summit, there's a great spot to eat lunch and take in the views. From the summit we headed over to the South Summit, which I think, is much better than the real summit.

We descended via the Hidden Bowl and then traversed over to White Rock Pinnacle, one of the airiest peaks in all of Red Rock Canyon. It's 400 feet down on the north side and over 1,000 feet down on the south side. There's no room for a mistake here!

We then descended White Pinnacle Gully and to our surprise it is very well cairned and clean. We got back to the cars around 4 pm. It was a fun day, though we were all tired at the end of the hike.

Notes: South Summit needs a new container for the sign-in book. White Pinnacle Peak needs a sign-in book and a container.