Route Updates: Terrace Canyon Peak and Other Routes

Terrace Canyon Peak

The original route is a tough class 4 route that is hard to follow. We have always descended through a magnificent bowl into Pine Creek. This descent route can be used as an ascent route. Here's the quick description: From Pine Creek TH (Red Rock Canyon) follow the trail into the South Fork. When the canyon divides, hike into the south fork. Continue pass the turnoff for Terrace - Gunsight Notch Canyons. Continue another 20 minutes or so where a large tree has fallen across the wash (See the photo). Just before the tree turn south (left) and follow a drainage up into the bowl. Near the top of the bowl head west on a path and then up the low angle wall. Once up, the summit is in sight off about 100 yards to the east.

East Peak

East Peak

On the exposed ledge there was a scrub oak bush that forced hikers to either duck under or drop down on an even more expose ledge. This is no longer the case. Hikers can now stay on the less exposed ledge and hike by the scrub oak tree without ducking under it.
Stats:

Distance: 3 miles — round trip
Elevation gain: 1,500 feet
Elevation of peak: 5,280 feet
Time: 3 hours – up and back
Difficulty: 3
Danger level: 4
Class: 3

Juniper Peak

Juniper Peak

Once in the canyon the route ascends boulders and then follows a small drainage. The old route would leave the drainage and head up a hill via a very loose path. The new route continues up the drainage. It was hard to determine where to leave the drainage and follow a path that heads NW (right) to the top of the hill. This is no longer the case. It's now very obvious where to leave the drainage and follow the path.

Juniper Peak is consider by many hikers to be one of the best moderate hikes in Red Rock Canyon.
Stats:

Distance: 6 miles — round trip
Elevation gain: 2,131 feet
Elevation peak: 6,109 feet
Time: 4 to 6 hours - Up and back
Difficulty: 3
Danger level: 3
Class: 3

Juniper Peak Hike

Yesterday (3-20), five of us hiked to Juniper Peak in Red Rock Canyon. This is one of the best moderate routes in Red Rock. We parked at Oak Creek Canyon parking lot. There's more parking there and it is easier to follow the trail into Juniper Canyon than starting from Pine Creek.

Someone has been working on the trail leading into the canyon. It's very easy to follow now. Thanks! Once in the canyon there's easy bouldering that soon gives way to easy scrambling. Most of the route is class 1 and 2 climbing.

As we neared the summit we ran into another group of hikers, some were members of Meetup.com. It was a perfect day weather wise.
Slide show of the hike.

Notes: There's a rope at the dry fall leading to Rainbow Wall. It had been taken down last week.
The route to Juniper Peak is well cairned. There's an ammo box at the summit and lots of room left in the book.

Juniper Peak

Today, March 10, is a special day for me and will always be the most important day of the year. I hiked by myself to Juniper Peak. It was the first named peak I found a route to many years ago. I remember using binoculars to scope out the route. It went pretty much as planned.

I decided to climb the face as outlined in the photo to the left. I had done it once before with Luba. It's a long climb on class 4 rock with no easy way to protect the route. I needed to test myself and get my climbing confidence back. I have not climbed well since the Sierra this past summer.

As I started to climb I kept saying to myself, "the foothold I am on is the best there is no better foothold." This is much more than positive thinking. It is not easy to get to this place. I am certainly not writing about climbing now. I do not think many will understand what I am writing about, but hopefully it will make you think.

Weekend Recap

On Saturday, 15 hikers made it to the summit of Juniper Peak in Red Rock Canyon, just 20 miles west of Las Vegas, NV. We ran into a bit of snow, but nothing that made the hike dangerous. The weather was near perfect.
The route is in good shape with lots of cairns to guide hikers. Juniper Peak is one of the more popular summits in Red Rock Canyon. Many of the north facing routes still have snow. Please use caution.

On Sunday, Doyle, Peter and I hiked to Calico Tank by traversing Calico Hills. This is a great winter route with plenty of scrambling. Calico Tank still has a fair amount of water in it. See photo above.