Angel Pass / Gateway Canyon Loop - 11/4/19

Peak 3844 from Angel Pass

Calico Hills from the Grand Circle Loop

Gateway Canyon Calico

Hiking to Base of Angel Pass

 This hike is one of many very colorful hikes in the Red Rock Canyon NCA. It travels through the Calico Hills, rounds the northern end of the Hills going down to Gateway Canyon and, for a finale, it descends down Gateway and circles around the end of Kraft Mountain. (The originally scheduled hike halved the loop and descended through Dragon Canyon. This route is also very colorful.) Eleven hikers arrived at the Kraft Mountain Trailhead parking lot and followed Lettie over to the base of Angel Pass. It was a beautiful morning and already getting warm. Finally, Las Vegas is being blessed with its famous incredible fall weather.

Rita starts the Scramble

 There are several "paths" up to the pass. As Lettie put it, "Take the path that is your cup of tea!" Most of the hikers were not as familiar with the scramble and chose to follow her.

Climbing to Angel Pass

 The group spread out. The challenging scramble was met head on by many hikers. Others went a little slower. We also had a newbie in the group so he stayed close by someone who knew what they were doing!

John grabs the Shade half way Up

The Group starts down from Pass

 When the entire group was gathered on the pass, we started down the other side toward the Grand Circle Loop and the Scenic Loop Drive. This canyon is narrowed by brush and larger sized boulders. But, there are still a few choices that the hiker must make when choosing routes. The pace was quick but manageable and we had to keep up to make sure that we could follow the best route - not to get stuck at a dead end. Fun! No matter which routes a hiker takes, we always seem to end up passing by the Angel Carving! And, yes, there it was! Next came a trail through a grove of holly oak bushes. Finally, we dropped down to a flat sandy area and gathered there waiting for the last hikers to appear. To the left, a small wash that usually held pools of water was dry and sandy due to the lack of monsoons this past season. Pooled water has disappeared on all of our hikes this year. Moving on, we continued dropping down through the canyon and came to the Grand Circle Loop trail where we turned to the right. We were not too far above the Calico II turnout. This trail runs all along the Calico Hills and continues by making an 11 mile loop that starts at the Visitor Center.

Angel Carving

 Between Calico II and Sandstone Quarry, we followed the trail with some of the best views that the Grand Circle Loop offers. Someone in the lead of the group had a fast pace going and we followed.

Continuing Scramble to Grand Circle Loop

 Colors on the sandstone walls were brightened by the morning sun. The park was just beginning to come alive with hikers and rock climbers.

Grand Circle Loop between Calico II & Sandstone Quarry

Slab Climb

 Our next stop was Sandstone Quarry and the restrooms. (Maybe that's why the pace had quickened!) Anyway, we waited there where the parking lot was 2/3 full already. Continuing, we followed the Calico Tanks Trail around and past the Turtlehead Peak junction. Just after rounding a large hardened sand dune on the right, we turned left onto the Rattlesnake Trail. This trail does some minor scrambling through a cream colored area to reach the northern side of the Calico Hills. After the red calico narrow wash, we turned to the left and reached the small slot canyon that had pools of water in it all of last year. Dry! Let's do it! Three of us enjoyed the scramble.

The Calico Hills rise like giants! (Hikers to the Left)

 Emerging from the other end of the small slot, we met up with the remaining part of the group who had gone around. Then we all gathered for our break. Views of the escarpment rising across the park were gorgeous from our setting of cream colored sandstone.

Turtlehead Peak reigns over the Sandstone Quarry Trailhead

 After the break, we continued up the sandstone and crossed over to the left to reach the Rattlesnake Trail in the limestone that borders the base of Red Cap. The high point of our hike today, is here, just before we begin our drop toward the top of Ash Canyon.

Hiking the Calico Tanks Trail

Turning onto Rattlesnake Trail

 We dropped down toward the Ash Canyon Overlook and three of us separated from the group. Opting for a longer and more gentle descent, we continued down Rattlesnake Trail toward Gateway Canyon. No doubt, the main group of eight hikers would return to the trailhead sooner than we would since it is a more direct route and they probably had a lot of fun doing it. But, the three of us looked forward to the long walk among Gateway colors. This would be my first-of-the-year endeavor down the canyon that changes every year. I had heard that the gravel was high so I anticipated easier scrambles.

Small Slot dry Again

 Although there is a side trail through the small connecting canyon, we stayed in the wash as many hikers do. There are some fun scrambles here.

Heading toward a Break in the Shade

 Reaching the Gateway junction and turning right, we continued down the next three dry falls. The last of the three dry falls is new this year. A tremendous amount of gravel washed down from this area and was deposited in the remaining part of the lower canyon.

Red Rock Escarpment from Rattlesnake Trail

Rattlesnake Trail below Red Cap

 But, just after that third dry fall, a lot of the gravel had leveled off. For the length of a football field, we were trudging down through deep gravel in the widened wash. We reached the Candy Cane Drop on the right and things got interesting. With the added gravel and the morning sun, the colors of the calico canyon came to life. We followed the worn path over the deep gravel through several obstacles made easy. Then, at the first large obstacle drop, which btw has not changed, we met up with a group of younger folks coming up the other way. Behind us, another group with a dog named Milo bottlenecked. Suddenly, there were about twenty hikers trying to get through the same obstacle! For Las Vegas, this is not a problem!

Rattlesnake Trail before Gateway Canyon

 After everyone got going the way they wanted, we continued down canyon where more of the gravel had come to rest. Beautiful colors!

Some Scrambling on Rattlesnake Trail

 When we reached the second of the two large drop obstacles, we laughed! What used to be a six foot drop is now about three feet! (See the second to last photo.)

Starting down Gateway into the Colors

A Good day for Photos!

 Soon, we were connecting with the Kraft Mountain Loop trail that veers off to the right. This trail takes hikers around the southeast end of Kraft Mountain and back to the cars. We passed a few rock climbers on our way around and said "hi." Next, we passed the petroglyphs. From there, the trail is well marked around the recently bought property that we are not supposed to hike through. When we returned to the trailhead, Lettie's group had come and gone. The three of us were happy to have gotten another mile of hiking in for the day. Really enjoyable day!

6.25 miles; ~1200 feet elevation gain; 4 hours; average moving speed 1.6 mph

The Portal

Marina walks on 6 Feet of Gravel

Rounding the Southeast End of Kraft Mountain