Flower Power / Sidewinder Loop CW - 1/31/26

Cairn on end of Rocky Peninsula

View of Flower Power Trail

Sidewinder Trail

Flower Power Car

There were four Wanderers on the trails behind Blue Diamond today. We decided to change it up a little and do the Sidewinder / Flower Power Loop backwards, or clockwise. We liked the different direction and discovered a few new views. This hike is one of my favorites due to the beautiful views of the Red Rock escarpment and the dolomite type rock in the tertiary ridges.

We found our way through the fencing in the back of the trailhead parking lot and followed the worn paths up to the lower mesa above. Joining the Landmine Loop, a popular bike trail in this area, we headed toward the tertiary ridge in front of us. When we reached the junkyard intersection, we turned to our left and followed the trail up to an old rusted car with a license tag on it that read Flower Power. You can either turn left at the car or go on up a little and turn to join the Flower Power Trail. This trail circles the hill in front of you around to the left. The path is clearly marked with cairns. As you hike along the side of the hill back toward Blue Diamond, your views are of the Blue Diamond Gypsum Mine on the left and the beautiful escarpment behind you.

Nearing the top of Flower Power Trail

Watching the small Airplanes

Kay in front of the Rocky Peninsula Cairn

Kissing Rock beyond sandstone Outcrop

We followed the Flower Power Trail as it gradually climbed up to the top of the ridge. The last part held a few wiggling zigzags. Finally, we headed straight back in the direction from which we had come on top of the ridge. At the end of this ridge, the trail turned left. We went straight to walk out on the Rocky Peninsula for a short break. At the end of this peninsula, someone has built a nice pointy cairn! We stopped for just a moment then returned back to the trail. Here, we turned to the right, crossed the saddle, looked for burros and headed up past the sandstone outcrop. This outcrop was part of the result of the Keystone Thrust movement that happened across Cottonwood Valley below. Isn't geology amazing?

Beautiful trail in front of Red Rock Escarpment

Susan nearing Blue Diamond Cactus Garden

First Yucca bloom of the Season

Chunk Arch

Next, we climbed up to the intersection of the Hurl Backdoor Trail that follows along the long and highest ridge leading to the Blue Diamond Cactus Garden. There, we continued along the trail and around a section I named the Blue Diamond Sidewinder Trail many years ago. They probably call it something else now but, for me, it is the Sidewinder because of the fun trail around the contours. After we joined the Landmine Loop once again, we saw a large group of burros inside the Oliver Ranch fencing near the Mormon Green Springs. There were either one or two babies on the ground! Here, we continued down next to the ranch fencing and back to the cars. It was a lovely day.

Stats: 6.7 miles; 1000' gain; 4.25 hours

Starting out Sidewinder Trail

Sidewinder Trail

Herd of 10 burros with babies near Landmine Loop and Mormon Green Springs

Black Friday Loop - 1/27/26

Bighorn (Lower Right) - One of about Five below Cave closest to TH

Three Wanderers saw a small group of bighorns not far from the Buckskin Cliff Shadows Trailhead on Tuesday. They were likely using the large cave above them for shelter from the cold. Our hike was a shortened version of the large Black Friday Loop indicated by the tracks below. Instead of using the Cheyenne Base Trail, we bisected the loop by going straight up toward Hidden Canyon on Black Friday and making the return down the Hidden Canyon Trail. This loop can be hiked a number of different ways.

Stats: 3.8 miles; 575' gain; 2.5 hours

Peak 3844 v Gene's Trail Variation - 1/22/26

 

Sue, Kay and Amora on Peak 3844 with Susan behind the Camera

Due to my own convalescence, the Wanderers are just putzing around on easy trails with Amora. Today, we hiked a variation of Gene's Trail off of Calico Basin Road. It was cold. It was gloomy. But, it wasn't windy. We were pretty comfortable. Amora led us around the hills to the south and west of Peak 3844 until we arrived at the top of the small peak. We tried to use trails we were not too familiar with. We heard horses and dogs in the distance and marveled at the east end of Kraft Mountain. No one was in much of a hurry ... except Amora. But, she has become a very obedient hiker. "Careful!" is a constant mantra for the 1.5 year old poodle. She's a wonderful dog.

Stats: 3.5 miles; 575' gain; 2.5 hours

Amora on the Trail - 1/19/26

On the trail again. Couldn't wait to get back on the trail again. 🎵

 

Snowshoeing on the North Loop (with Jerry & Cheryl) - 11/23/25

Always ready for a bit of snowshoeing, Jerry and Cheryl drove up to the North Loop Trailhead and hiked up to the meadow. Tons of snow and they got a few photos. Cheryl also wrote a few lines. Thanks guys!

We snowshoed North Loop Sunday (we got to WI yesterday). Lots of snow. Several feet but starting to melt now that the sun is out. Any time we passed under a tree it was “raining” and crunchy icy on the ground. We were almost to the car when a big load of snow dropped on my head and down my back yikes brrrr! It was very pretty. We had planned to do as usual and go to the top of Raintree Peak and then Raintree but past the meadows the trail ran out. We usually don’t snowshoe right after a snowfall and rarely have to make the boot path. We were glad folks had done that up to the meadows but it didn’t seem anyone including us was willing to keep going. Boot path making in snow is tough. The sun was warm and going up I was in just a rasher. 

Going down is always colder with less exertion and more shade. 

The craziest thing was on the drive home. When we got to the traffic circle the traffic was nuts. For a good mile+ cars were backed up on Kyle Canyon Rd on their way up the mountain. Car after car after car just sitting on the road in bumper to bumper traffic not moving. In 35 years I’ve never seen this. It was 2:10 pm. I know it was a Sunday but still odd. 

Odd also that past the traffic circle before Deer Creek Rd people had just pulled off letting their kids play in the snow. The problem is that there was hardly any snow and they were just “playing” in some crystallized ice on top of very visible dirt. They should’ve gone further up or to Lee Canyon.

The snow was heavy and somewhat sticky. I think it sleeted on Saturday and then regular snowed that night so there was a wetness to it. It stuck on our snowshoes. At one point it felt like my one snowshoe weighed five pounds. We had to be careful to ensure our poles didn’t get caught in the snow. There were people on the “trail” with no foot gear or even a pole. They were falling down and slipping all over. Hope no one got hurt. There was a young guy on skis and his dog who ran next to him. He had said the snow stuck to his skis even with the skins on. It was a very pretty, fun day. Cheryl & Jerry 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Little Zebra Loop (Valley of Fire State Park) Photo Essay - 11/18/25

Valley of Fire State Park

David crosses the gorgeous Terrain

Sunrise on Valley of Fire

The absolute best time to visit Valley of Fire for photography is when the sky is like it was on this hike!

Morning from P1 trailhead Parking

Mouse's Tank / White Domes Road

Starting down the Little Zebra Slot Wash

Just a couple of light Scrambles

A group of seven club members drove up I-15 to exit 75 and continued out to the Valley of Fire State Park at the dutiful 45 mph. Yes, it's slow but the Moapa police are serious, I understand. Through the park gate, we showed our local ID and paid $10. The new visitor center is scheduled to open in a few days so we continued on to the old VC to use their facilities. After searching for a map on the internet that showed where P1 trailhead is located, we had not found anything. (Fix that, will ya!) I asked the guy at the gate and he showed me his map that showed that P1 is the first trailhead parking after passing Fire Canyon Road. That's simple! So, we parked at P1. The rest of the group gathered there and we started our hike by crossing the paved road.

 

Great group of hikers enjoying the Slot

David leads us down the sandy Wash

Sue scrambles through an Obstacle

Hiking straight across the desert terrain, we tried hard to stay in little sandy washes so that we stayed out of the cryptobiotic soil.

David's photo of Little Zebra Slot

Little Zebra Slot from Above

Hiking above Little Zebra Slot

Orange Wash

Finally, we dropped down into a sandy wash about fifteen feet wide and turned left. The area had just gotten a dose of rain the day before so the sand was easy to hike. Already, we were getting glimpses of the gorgeous scenery ahead. Since the sun was coming up under the clouds, the lighting was optimal. The wash we were in, continued with just a few scrambles as it narrowed down. Finally, not too far into the hike, we came to Little Zebra Slot. Yes, it's little. However, it is beautiful with its orange stripes and curves. I hear that it is more fun when there is less sand inside and you can hike through. (Oh well. We have to go back!) Here, we made a sharp turn back and up onto the rocks to the right.

Our flattish terrain with rock hills in Background

Kay enjoys the Colors

Kay on the yellow Section

We hiked overland back to a connecting wash and curved up to the left. We passed a few pieces of petrified wood and went up and over a small rock ridge.

Yellow Section

Fire Colors

Climbing up to the petrified Wood

Chunks of petrified Wood

Up on the ridge, the views of fire colors were exceptional. We spent a lot of time wandering around making sure we got the best photos we could get ... without tripods. We passed through a yellow rock section. This just added to the festive surroundings. As we peered to the east, we saw Virgin Peak rising into the clouds. Gold Butte is located in that area but between us and Gold Butte, there is Lake Mead! It's not as easy as it looks to get over to that location. After crossing through the yellow section and filling our eyes with color, we continued to the top of a wide wash that flowed to the left and down to the right. It was beautiful and easy, so our exploratory group dove in.

Sunlight coming through the overcast Terrain

The group descends a wide wash with Virgin Peak in the Background

Striations

The descent through this wash was not difficult. We just had to stay out of the middle, at times, because of a few deep tinajas filling the potholes there.

The wide wash ends with a few tinajas.

The wide Wash

The group descending the wide Wash

David shows the depth of the Tinaja

David decided to use the tinaja theatre as today's break place. We found our own seat and rested for a short few minutes. Afterwards, we continued down a little further and junctioned with another wash that rose up to the right in a little steeper fashion. The scramble was easy and we ended up following a game trail through the brush until we found ourselves climbing up a gentle small sandy wash nearing the top. At the top of this small shallow wash, we got our headings and pointed our noses to the trailhead about 3/4 mile away. Again, we hiked overland trying very hard not to step in the ever-present cryptobiotic soil. For most of this trek, we could see the cars far away and just headed straight for them. It was a great day!

Taking a break near the bottom of the wide Wash

Taking a break at the side of the Tinajas

Climbing up in the next Wash

Stats: 3.2 (Valley of Fire) miles; 600' gain; 3 hours

Hiking back to cars through shallow sandy Wash

Hiking Overland

Back at the trailhead with a gorgeous Sky