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| Amber Cat |
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| Colorful Sandstone Drainage |
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| Hikers at Doodlebug Arch |
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| Gold Butte NM to Valley of Fire SP |
Before Frenchman Mountain began its southwestward journey to its present day location, geologists believe that the mountain's home was located in a large area around present day Whitney Pocket and toward the south and south east. Perhaps it was an extension of the Virgin Mountain Range. Then, 15 million years ago, the mountain began traveling along the Lake Mead Shear Zone leaving its rock and debris along the path by weathering and shedding. This grandiose movement over the millions of years helped to uncover the Aztec Sandstone that lay beneath in many places along the way by allowing the lower layer to rise with the movements of the earth and erosion to take place easier.
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| Starting down the Gravel Road |
One such place is the area where the mountain was first located. This gave us Amber Cat Canyon, the Falling Man petroglyph area, the Kohta Circus area and the Little Finland area of sandstone.
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| Amber Cat Canyon Overlook |
The name Gold Butte is taken from the ghost mining camp of that name that is located at the base of the peak (Bonelli Peak)
Daniel Bonelli, an early Mormon settler in the Virgin Valley, prospected in this area and in 1872 found a deposit of sheet mica near what is now Bonelli Peak, but little came of the discovery.*
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| Entering Catnap Canyon |
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| Catnap Canyon Scramble |
The town of Gold Butte sprang up around 1905 following the nearby discoveries of small gold-bearing veins. Another small-scale boom developed when more gold, and also copper, was found in 1908. The deposits were small and the town eventually faded away, but gold was still being mined at the Lakeshore Mine as late as 1941, and a few gold placer operations have been active in recent years.*
*Geologic Tours in the Las Vegas Area (Expanded Edition with GPS Coordinates), Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Special Publication 16, University of Nevada, Reno, Mackay School of Earth Sciences, 2008, Bear Printing, Sparks, NV; page 78.
Most recently, President Barack Obama's administration named this area of nearly 300,000 acres, a National Monument in 2015.
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| Swervy White Sandstone Drop |
Ten hikers drove out the "sort of" paved Gold Butte Road to Whitney Pocket. It is a 20 mile drive over numerous potholes.
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| Doodlebug Arch Views |
The road, itself, has an interesting history in that Hugh Hefner originally built and "paved" it to service a ranch he owned east of Whitney Pocket. Since then, no one has stepped up to resurface the road.
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| Gathering after Dry Fall Drop |
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| Connecting with Amber Cat Canyon in Large Wash Junction |
We parked at the large parking lot on the right that has a usually clean restroom located near a kiosk. Our hike would start here without the need of any HCVs. We started hiking down the gravel road (Designated Route) between the huge rock islands on the right and the embankment on the left. We passed the first saddle to our left and continued until we found the two gateway cairns on either side of a small wash that climbs up to the second saddle. Try to stay in the wash even though there are side trails around. This will keep the national monument safe from erosion as we continue to explore. On the saddle, we turned to our left and climbed an old road to the Amber Cat Canyon Overlook. CAUTION: DO NOT GO NEAR THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF! Some of this cliff overhangs and all of the edge is crumbly.
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| Entering Amber Sandstone |
After taking our photos, we returned to the saddle and started down into Catnap Canyon. There are side trails in the canyon as well but it is asked from hikers to stay in the wash as much as possible.
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| The Drainage of Amber Cat Canyon |
There is a lot of nice color in the sandstone drainage that includes a swerving sandstone wash formation. Then, about halfway down, look for a large cairn on the left and use trails on the right.
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| Fun Path through Drainage |
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| Encased Petrified Root |
Not far from the wash, Doodlebug Arch sits perpendicular to the hiker's position. We visited the large arch and sat for a break. Then, we continued down to a negotiable dry fall. Some hikers scrambled down and the others hiked around on an obvious trail. Finally, the wash drained into a large flat wash junction. Without stepping in crytobiotic soil, we hung a left and hiked up the next gravel wash. This is the bottom of Amber Cat Canyon. Reaching a grouping of yellow sandstone, we began hiking through the narrow drainage. Yellow turned to red then we came to a right turn. This is a smaller side wash that heads up the hill. A quick left turn sent us up a drainage that holds fossilized roots in the side of a bank. I'm sorry to say that visitors have been breaking off the roots in the soil then trying to stick them back in. It's not the same, folks!
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| Kangaroo Rat Tracks |
We returned to the main Amber Cat Canyon drainage and turned up to the right. The best drainage formations were yet to come. Here, there are a lot of photo opps!
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| Large Balanced Block and Canyon Island Approach |
Through some fancy formations, we came to the Amber Cat, itself. She's on the right. We took a tour and also found various animal prints in the sand dunes.
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| Colorful Canyon Island |
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| Continuing up Amber Cat Canyon |
The next point of interest is the canyon island that, for some reason, resisted erosion. It is a beautiful backdrop for several photos. After that the wash becomes less sculpted but still colorful. Nearing the saddle at the top of the canyon, a trail led us up to the right as we continued to be aware of the living soil. From the saddle back to the cars, there is a very nice trail to follow. We returned to the cars then decided to pay a visit to the nearby dam that was built by cattlemen to water their stock. We drove out of the parking lot, across Gold Butte Road and onto Arizona Road. Only 1/3 of a mile up the gravel road, we pulled up to the left and parked.
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| Nearing Canyon Exit |
The first structure you see is the water trough where water was piped in from the dam collection. The Friends of Gold Butte have refurbished the trough by taking out the dirt that had collected there and added river rock to the bottom. Very nice!
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| Cresting Amber Cat Saddle |
Next, we entered into the nearby slot through the rock hill. The dam wall is seen ahead and a water facet valve is located in front of it at ground level. You can see the pipe extended out from it heading toward the trough outside.
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| Following Trail back to Cars |
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| Water Trough at Dam |
Most of us climbed the precarious steps to walk across the top of the dam. One hiker climbed down inside the dam basin. It is a very large basin! The dam never ceases to impress visitors! We left Whitney Pocket after a great hike and dam visit to return to Las Vegas where the haze covered the valley. (No worries! Wind is coming!) Good group of hikers, today, on this high moderate hike. Until next time ....
5.5 miles; 750 feet elevation gain; 3 hours; average speed 1.7 mph
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| Entering Whitney Pocket Dam Area |
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| Crossing the Dam |
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| Side Exit to Dam |
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