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neek Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2011 Posts: 2329 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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neek
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Thu Dec 13, 2018 9:51 pm
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This is a report for my short trip to Las Vegas this week. For some reason we're seeing a lot from this area lately. Something to do with the local weather perhaps?
It turns out there's more to do in Las Vegas than donate to the casino industry. You just have to head out of town; pretty much any direction will work. With only 2.5 days to work with, I didn't venture too far from the beaten path, but still found plenty of solitude and great hiking.
Day 1: Mount Wilson (Red Rocks) and nearby peaks
Mount Wilson via the standard First Creek route is a fantastic scramble, and I hear other routes are good too. I didn't try to follow the overly detailed summitpost description, just followed the creek along the paths that looked most-used and then the generous cairnage up the canyon. There is some class 3 bouldering, but nothing scary. There was a slab crossing, however, that would have been bad if wet. At 5800 ft I emerged from the canyon and took a 90 degree turn to NE on easier terrain, still following the well-traveled path. Finally in direct sun, it was t-shirt time, and I was soon at the summit, looking down at Sin City, thinking how foolish I was to be grunting my way up here when I could be down there feeding quarters into slot machines.
Mt Wilson route. 12.5 mi, 4800 ft. 1. Mount Wilson in the morning 2. Mount Wilson through desert foliage 3. Heading up First Creek Canyon 4. A picturesque look back 5. Slabs 6. Holes 7. Not quite sure which direction I'm looking 8. Horns 9. Purple prickly pear 10. Hi 11. Summit shot 29. Summit shot
There was still plenty of daylight left so I headed west to the ridge that runs behind Wilson to see how far I could get along it. It's mostly easy travel, with some scrambling getting up to the first high point. Just try not to step on a cactus.
12. Next destination, First Creek Overlook Peak (according to the register) 13. First Creek Canyon 14. Wilson 16. Next destination 18. Curly stalk 19. Yucca stalk 21. Charleston Peak in the distance 22. Rainbow Mountain
It was eventually time to head back the way I came.
23. Rock with warts 24. Evening color 25. Pool 26. Sunset 27. Last look at Wilson 28. Moon
I got back to the car at 5pm and it was almost completely dark. Didn't see another person the entire day, although heard some rock climbers shouting in the distance a few times.
Day 2: Valley of Fire State Park
I had heard a lot about this park on nwhikers and it seemed interesting. Indeed, what fantastic colors and formations! You'll swear you're in southern Utah. There are many miles of trails, with endless off-trail wandering options. It would be easy to climb up something you couldn't get down though, so be careful on the rougher terrain.
Part 1: Exploration near Mouse's tank
The trail to this little pool is less than a mile, but you can keep going and find yourself in a maze of red sandstone. It would be easy to get lost back here. Great fun, and no people.
Mouse's Tank wanderings. 4 mi, 1300 ft 30. Mouse's Tank 31 32 33. Sheep 34. I found my way to Peak 2270, but it doesn't look easily climbable 35. How about Peak 2405, illuminated here in the distance? 36. Uh, no 37. No easy way up this thing 38. Plant with tiny spines on the leaves 39. Too far to jump 40. Only way out of here is back through the hole 41 42 43 44 45. These sandy layers remind me of a topo map 46 47. Hanging plant
Part 2: Explorations near White Domes
At the end of the White Domes road is a loop trail, and also more wandering opportunity. I scrambled up the dome that towers above the parking lot, wondering how many people below were saying "look at that idiot". Then explored a bit, trying to shake a big group of old people who seemed to be following me.
White Dome wanderings. 3.5 mi, 1000 ft 48. Had to climb White Dome. One short class 3 chimney 49 50 51 52. Going back down
I started down the White Domes trail but there were too many people so I quickly left it and made up my own route. More incredible terrain, with different colors of sandstone and small arches all over.
53 54. Arch, one of many 55. Colors 56 57 58 59 60 61. In the background (left) you can see a conglomerate layer on top of the sandstone. In the foreground I believe is what remains after most of it washes away 62 63. Someone wanted to use up a leftover road sign I guess 64
Part 3. Elephant Arch
There was still a little time left before sunset, so I did a short loop at the eastern edge of the park. Elephant Arch really does resemble an elephant, from pretty much any angle.
Elephant Arch loop. 1.5 mi, 400 ft 65. Cool lighting effect--looks like the eye of some evil beast 66 67 68
I left much unexplored terrain in the Valley of Fire and will definitely return some day.
Day 3: Black Mountain
This 7 mile loop hike is just half an hour SE of the airport and was a good morning option for the day of my return flight.
Black Mountain loop. 6.75 mi, 2100 ft 69 70 71 72 73
I was done with the hike at 9am, which left plenty of time before my flight to hang out at Sunset Park and get attacked by geese.
Everything worked out perfectly on this trip--the weather, the hike selections, the travel logistics. Total cost for plane, car, and lodging was $270, which seems hard to believe. If you travel light and solo, Spirit seems to be the way to go ($80 round trip). The rental car guy tried exceptionally hard to upsell insurance--apparently people who visit Vegas aren't good at math--but I finally prevailed. The airbnb room was a bit odd, but interesting. I might just have to make a tradition out of this.
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Gimpilator infinity/21M
Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
Great way to make use of a few free days.
Valley of Fire can be crowded at times, but still incredibly beautiful. I've scared myself more than once trying to climb up some of those obscure rock piles.
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John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
neek wrote: | 7. Not quite sure which direction I'm looking |
Up
Thanks for the excellent beta on Wilson! Fun few days looks like.
John
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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OutOfOffice Member
Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 91 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
These are cool and all, but some photos of you gambling your life savings and chain smoking cigarettes would be preferable.
In all reality, looks like a great trip. $80 round trip?! Not bad.
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Sculpin Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2015 Posts: 1376 | TRs | Pics
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Sculpin
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Fri Dec 14, 2018 1:03 pm
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Yep, the sekrit's out at NWHikers on the winter trip to Vegas. There is nothing like it because Vegas is almost at sea level and so even warmer than places farther south like Tucson. VoF is a small park - mobbed by locals on the weekends and foreign tourists all year - but there is plenty of room to roam off by yourself and find your own private arch. Just don't set off into the rocks with the idea that you will loop back a different way. Because you probably will not be looping back a different way!
neek wrote: | Everything worked out perfectly on this trip--the weather, the hike selections, the travel logistics. Total cost for plane, car, and lodging was $270, which seems hard to believe. If you travel light and solo, Spirit seems to be the way to go ($80 round trip). |
Good to hear it worked out. The amazing thing is that the cost has gone down over the last 35 years that I have been doing it. No way you could have done it for $270 back in the 1980s.
Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
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Stefan-K Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2009 Posts: 522 | TRs | Pics Location: seattle |
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Stefan-K
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Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:58 am
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man your pics and all are selling this tradition-to-be way more successfully than that upgrade promoting car rental sales dude... but then again with all those rock formations emanating dry desert warmth my resistance is close to zero.
Your next trip should be free courtesy of the Las Vegas dirtbag tourist promotion committee...
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