Nuclear Loop - 5/23/26

View down from Rocky Peak to Deer Creek Road

Dry waterfall from Ledge

From Champion Ridge up into Lee Canyon

No information signs at the Desert View Overlook

Five of the Around the Bend Friends gathered at the Desert View Overlook on Deer Creek Road for a hike called the Nuclear Loop. So called because this overlook is where many Las Vegans stood to watch an atomic nuclear bomb go off in the desert below. This was in the 1950's. The nuclear bomb testing at the Nevada Test Site continued on into the 1990's. Information on the importance of this overlook were printed on signs at the overlook but the signs have since become faded from the sun beyond recognition and have been removed. We can only assume that the signs will be replaced in the future. The signs also talked about some of the Native American history in this area. Some history about the nuclear bomb testing is copied below from the internet AI.

Discussing computer stuff while dropping into initial Wash

Starting down initial Wash

"No nuclear bombs were ever set off inside the city of Las Vegas, but 928 nuclear tests were conducted roughly 65 miles northwest of the city at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) between 1951 and 1992. Because the detonations occurred so close to the city, the massive mushroom clouds and bright flashes from the 100 atmospheric (above-ground) tests were highly visible from the Las Vegas Strip, making the city the epicenter of "atomic tourism" during the 1950s."

Initial wash Accouterments

The initial wash is sometimes clean of obstacles and sometimes not.

Looking down the huge Dryfall

"Major Nuclear Tests and Operations at the NTS

The U.S. government organized its 928 detonations into multi-blast test series. The most notable operations conducted at the site include:

Operation Ranger (1951): The very first test series at the NTS. It kicked off with Shot Able on January 27, 1951, a 1-kiloton bomb dropped from a B-50 bomber over Frenchman Flat.

Operation Tumbler-Snapper (1952): Included Shot Charlie (nicknamed "Big Shot"), a 31-kiloton detonation that became the first nuclear test openly broadcast on live nationwide television, officially sparking America's fascination with the atomic age.

Operation Upshot-Knothole (1953): Featured Shot Grable (popularly known as "Atomic Annie"), which was the first and only time a live nuclear artillery shell was fired from a 280mm cannon.

Operation Teapot (1955): Famous for testing nuclear blast effects on a simulated town nicknamed "Nuketown". The military built mock houses, utility stations, and populated them with mannequins to evaluate civil defense survivability.

Operation Plumbbob (1957): The largest and longest atmospheric test series in the continental U.S., consisting of 24 nuclear detonations (such as Shot Boltzmann and Shot Priscilla). It utilized over 1,000 pigs to test the biological effects of radiation.

Operation Storax - Shot Sedan (1962): A 104-kiloton excavation test under the peaceful-use Operation Plowshare program. It moved 12 million tons of earth, leaving behind the massive Sedan Crater, which is 1,280 feet wide and still visible today.

Operation Sunbeam - Little Feller I (1962): The final near-ground atmospheric nuclear test conducted by the United States, utilizing a portable Davy Crockett launch system. Transition Underground

Following the signing of the Limited Test Ban Treaty in 1963, all subsequent Nevada testing moved beneath the desert floor to mitigate radioactive fallout. The U.S. conducted 828 underground tests at the NTS. The final nuclear test explosion, code-named "Divider," took place on September 23, 1992, before the U.S. implemented a full testing moratorium."

Ralyn dropping down below Dryfall

Large dryfall in Background

There is a huge amount of information on the nuclear testing in Nevada, but, for now, let's return to our hike ... shall we? 

More entanglements in Wash

Baton Rouge greets us in the Delta

Mummy's Nose from Champion Ridge

We walked all the way down the cement sidewalk of the overlook until we got to the bottom. There is a trail that takes off just before the sign posts at the end to the right. It circles around to the left and continues down the ridge a little. Next, use trails will take you down to the wash on the left side of the ridge. (I probably do this descent different every time!) Once down at the bottom, we began descending the wash. Where the wash is blocked with obstacles, there is a very old trail that lies mostly on the right side that will help you through. On the way, you will pass a deer head skeleton, parts of an old small plane crash and a huge dryfall. Be careful here! Go around the dryfall by climbing along the cliff to the left and dropping down at the first palatable point. We returned to the wash and continued down still using the old trail on the right sometimes. Reaching the initial wash end point at 0.44 miles from the bottom of the dryfall in a tree-filled delta area, be on the left side of the wide wash. This will bring you to the embankment that rises up on the left. When you see this, begin looking for the survey marker that was once painted red. It's about 20' up from the wash.

Climbing atop Champion Ridge Rimrocks

View back along the Rimrocks

We gathered there for a short break admiring the survey marker! It needs a new paint job. Our break was planned because the next part of the hike continued straight up the hill. It's steep. Perhaps there used to be a trail but it is obliterated. Maybe someday, I'll improve it.

A favorite tree on Champion Ridge

A large somewhat permanent Campsite

Ralyn hikes along the old Deer Creek Road

We headed up the hill with a little bit of grunting on my part. At the top, we arrived right at the end rimrocks of Champion Ridge and climbed up on top of them. Nice view. Turning to our left, we continued climbing the rocks along the top of the ridge (with the use of a little scrambling) until the rimrocks circled around to the right side when we began hiking along a use trail in the brush. The rimrocks on the right side of the ridge were a fun place to walk along and admire the views. The ridge rose until we finally reached the old somewhat permanent campsite. We stopped here for our break at a large I-bar sticking out of the ground. This was a place where logs were lifted up from the Champion Road area below during a logging stint. After our break, we hiked down to the nearby Deer Creek Road, crossed it and hiked up the barely visible road on the other side. A final switchback to the left and we were making the long gradual climb up the old Deer Creek Road passing "the stairway to nowhere," and the old rusted Plymouth. At the high point corner of the road, we took a short side trail up to the top of Rocky Peak. The views up here are wonderful!

Old Deer Creek Road Accouterments

Leaving the old road to climb Rocky Peak

On the way up to the peak trail, we passed 3 Jeeps leaving the campsite. There was no one at the site when we came down and we continued down the road to the left. At the new Deer Creek Road, we crossed it to the Orange Trail Trailhead and took the left fork down to the wash below.

An overlook on top of Rocky Peak

Mummy's Nose oversees Rocky Peak

The Desert View Overlook Trailhead from the
old Deer Creek Road

At about 1/2 mile down from the trailhead, we had just dipped past a small wash and looked up to our left to find a clearish way up the steep hill. This hill is challenging as it is at the end of the hike and ... steep. The top of the hill will bring you to the cement trail of the Desert View Overlook. As usual, we passed a few tourist types who were on their way down. It is always a funny feeling seeing them after the hard workout you just went through! Fun day with the AtBF.

Stats: 5 miles; 1200' gain; 4.25 hours

Junctioning with the new Deer Creek Road and the Orange Trail Trailhead

Upper Orange Trail (wash side)

Theresa says "Hi!"