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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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Tue Apr 11, 2023 10:07 pm
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This short trip happened over a month ago, and I've forgotten a lot of the details. I wasn't going to write it up, but have nothing better to do on this rainy day. Or maybe I'm just procrastinating on my taxes.
Feb 26: Flight to Vegas
Packed a Flash 18 pack with sleeping bag, pad, and everything I could possibly need for winter desert survival. Took the light rail to the SeaTac airport, got my bag searched as usual (it's just a sack of nuts, ok?), found my seat on a cheap half empty Spirit flight, later moved to a whole row by myself. Despite a prepaid Budget reservation, all they had was a minivan. Figured I might as well take it, since I'd be sleeping in it. (Only bottomed out once or twice the whole time, but had to walk some roads I otherwise wouldn't have.) On the way out of town I stopped by Whole Foods to stock up. Found some vegan milk-like substance that didn't need to be refrigerated. It worked really well for cereal. Nuts, cheese, apples, broccoli, etc. for lunches and dinners. Wasn't going to bother with cooking this time. Also a giant bar of cadmium-enriched dark chocolate. I camped somewhere outside of the Mojave National Preserve. Went down a dirt road and stopped when I was getting dangerously close to getting stuck in sand. (I was keeping a careful eye on the weather--rain would have been a disaster, and there's been plenty of it this season.)
Oh yeah, this was supposed to be a trip to Death Valley, but it was covered in snow, and many of the roads were (still are) washed out, so I went south instead and improvised the whole thing. On top of that there was even more weather coming in that I wanted to avoid as much as possible.
Red Rock Canyon area from plane Nothing ever works right in Vegas
Feb 27: Manchester Peak and Chemehuevi Peak
Manchester, the high point of the Dead Mountains Wilderness, requires first walking a few miles across the desert. Then it's a straightforward walk-up via the west ridge. On the way down, rocks kept rolling out from under my feet. They don't stick in the ground like they do here. It would have been easy to carelessly twist an ankle. 10 mi round trip, 2000' gain.
Cross that, go up that Looking west Looking east Looking north Can you eat these? Probably not Looking back at the peak Skeletal
Chemehuevi, across the water from Lake Havasu City, was slightly more interesting. You reach a saddle and then hook around to the east to gain the summit. Minor scrambling along the way. I screwed up at the base of the peak and started going up the wrong drainage (too busy looking at all the flowers). Corrected it without having to backtrack or lose much elevation. 8 mi round trip, 2000' gain.
Chemehuevi Peak Aim for saddle on the left, then turn right and head up Ocotillo starting to leaf out Some nice solid rock to scramble Not a good handhold Lots of cactus friends Turning east and heading up Summit views Cholla Looking back The van did fine on the powerline road used for access.
Feb 28: Signal Peak, Ten Ewe, Palm Canyon
The previous night I drove out to the Kofa Wilderness. This part of Arizona is boondock city! That seems to be the whole point of the town of Quartzsite - thousands of RVs, presumably with people in them, since they didn't seem to be out and about. Rigs of all sizes lined Palm Canyon Road into the wilderness as well; large cleared areas seemed to be established to accommodate this, and it was easy for me to find a relatively private spot.
Morning at Kofa
Kofa (named after a mine, King of Arizona) is beautiful! It has been on my list for a while and I hope to spend more time there. In the morning I started driving the Kofa Queen Canyon Road, but the van couldn't make it very far. People have done it with mid clearance (a CR-V for example) but high clearance (or a mountain bike) would be best. Walking the road wasn't bad. Scenic, no traffic. The 2.7 miles to the Signal trailhead didn't take long. It really is a trail the whole way, which I didn't realize. Hard to follow in a few spots, but nothing difficult, maybe a dry fall at one point that you can either climb or go around. I encountered just one other person that I recall. Poked the trail into OpenStreetMap when I got home, so it should show up in Gaia and CalTopo soon. That will hopefully keep people from wandering off course too much and creating side trails.
Starting the road walk Skull Rock Peering out from the skull Start of Signal Peak trail Climb this or go around to the right Summit view of the road I drove in on
Next up was Ten Ewe. I descended the Signal trail and headed cross country at 4200'. Route wasn't super obvious, you approach from the NW and just do what works. There's a nice little gully and some class 3. I saw some sheep. That's about all I remember. If you hike Signal, I do highly recommend this little side trip.
Ten Ewe Obvious gully You can't see us we're cacti Rugged stuff to the east! Signal Peak to the west going back down back on the road
There was still some time left in the day, so I drove to the end of the road and hiked up Palm Canyon. The official trail ends pretty soon, but a cairned scramble path extends all the way up the canyon to an open area 1000' above the trailhead. It seems to end in a bunch of cholla patches without any obvious way forward, although I wouldn't be surprised if there were a way up Signal from this side, possibly technical. On the way down, some people asked if I knew how to get to the palms, and I said I didn't even know there were any. Sure enough, there's a sign pointing to them way up in a side canyon. I climbed straight up to them which involved a short 4th class section. On the way down I found a narrow slot to climber's right, on the other side of a narrow fin, that would have been easier. The palms were cool, although some had lost their heads. On the way down, I stuck around for sunset, and was rewarded with some incredible lighting.
Start of Palm Canyon trail Someone had a lot of patience Turn around point Chollas are photogenic but you do NOT want to get near them. I've heard a plastic comb is the best way to remove them Thirsty? I missed them on the way up, but there are the palms! 4th class bit The better way, although it's still steep and loose Did I mention these are all just phone shots? End of hike Camp site
Feb 29: Rest day, went by really fast
Mar 1: Lake Havasu City area
Forecast was not good. I found some trails around Lake Havasu City that ended up being surprisingly cool.
Random spot off the highway
First up was Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge. A short trail follows the top of a dike. No one was there. Saw some birds. Started raining right when I was finishing.
Grebe Vulture Goldeneye? End of trail
Next: SARA park. Lots of trails, fun to explore, many scenic surprises. Rain, graupel, wind, and sun breaks.
Giant rock lizard Find anything?
It felt nice to get out of the rain and into a warm vehicle. I drove for a while and camped just a few minutes off the highway on the edge of the Joshua Tree Wilderness.
Mar 2: Sheep Mountain and Petroglyph Canyon
Ivanpah solar collector
Decided on Sheep Mountain, just off I-15, the morning of my return flight. Used Adam Walker's approach from the west, worked great. I'm not sure why anyone would bother with the longer north route. 3.3 mi, 1300'
Sheep Mountain Interesting rock layers at the summit, very regular Summit windsock North
When I got back to Vegas there was still plenty of time before my flight, so I did the Petroglyph Canyon loop. 4 mi, 600'
Another successful desert trip, but already I'm wanting to go back.
runup, Nancyann, Cyclopath, jstern, zimmertr, fffej50, RichP, awilsondc, raising3hikers, John Mac, Gimpilator, jaysway rubywrangler
runup, Nancyann, Cyclopath, jstern, zimmertr, fffej50, RichP, awilsondc, raising3hikers, John Mac, Gimpilator, jaysway rubywrangler
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rubywrangler Member
Joined: 04 Aug 2015 Posts: 509 | TRs | Pics
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Nice artsy cholla photos! I guess I should get a plastic comb
Quote: | People have done it with mid clearance (a CR-V for example) |
For the record, I had my car checked out today and there was no new damage from these recent adventures! Although they did shake loose a previously zip-tied plastic cover on the undercarriage that got torn up on the north rim 2 years ago….
Quote: | already I'm wanting to go back |
If you get back in the next 5 weeks or so, hit me up!
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Gimpilator infinity/21M
Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
Wonderful to see the recent desert reports. That's how it started for me, escaping the winter in the north. Also impressive that you made it to the Signal trailhead in a rental van.
Mistletoe berries are generally considered toxic, but can be eaten when found growing on a few desert variety plants, especially mesquite, ironwood or catclaw. You want to wait for the berries to be translucent. I have not tried them.
However the fruit you photographed on the strawberry pincushion cactus, is always edible, and very tasty when fresh. Beware the spines which are curved at the end, and might grab back at your fingers when you pick the fruit, if you are not careful.
Trekking poles work equally well to remove cholla. They allow you to keep your hands far out of reach from the cholla cluster, which wants a new thing to grab onto. Bring the poles close together on either side of the offending spines and then lift away brusquely.
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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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Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:20 am
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Gimpilator wrote: | Also impressive that you made it to the Signal trailhead in a rental van. |
Oh, I had to walk nearly 3 miles of the road. Will clarify my hasty description. Thanks for all the info - not just above, but in your numerous reports of the area.
rubywrangler wrote: | If you get back in the next 5 weeks or so, hit me up! |
Will do!
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RichP Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 5628 | TRs | Pics Location: here |
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RichP
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Wed Apr 12, 2023 7:52 am
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The desert looks great this time of the year. If you haven't already done it, Spirit Mountain is another nice hike right outside of LV and is part of the newly formed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument. I visited in Feb and enjoyed the hike very much. It is a very special place to native peoples.
https://www.blm.gov/avi-kwa-ame-national-monument
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Eric Hansen Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2015 Posts: 860 | TRs | Pics Location: Wisconsin |
Thanks Neek. Great trip report.
Back in the day (90's) I used to fly into Vegas several times a year for a long weekend of backcountry hiking. Such a broad variety of venues, different elevations, available. Most memorable? 2 night trip on the Bonanza Trail (northern crest of Spring Mts.) over the 4th of July and only seeing one other person, a horse rider, once away from the Lee Canyon TH. Muddy Mts., Hidden Valley, Bowl of Fire, Valley of Fire. Ski camping Zion's high plateau and Navajo Mt., Snake Range and bristlecones.
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