Bighorn Butte Bypass - 12/19/20

Amidst the Arroyos

Following Game Trails

View from Dry Fall Canyon

Fallen Rocks Landmark

About 5 years ago, Chuck H. led us on a very nice hike up to Bighorn Butte located south of Lakeshore Road at Long View Trailhead. For that hike, we trudged up a wide wash to the base of the butte, climbed up, then worked our way around to another wide wash that had wonderful dry fall scrambling opportunities for our descent back to the trailhead. Today, Rita and I hiked a variation of this hike that climbed up on the ridge between those two washes following a game trail. We junctioned with the previous descent wash and climbed up through some of the dry falls to take a break on the high point. Our return went down the original descent wash through a series of fantastic dry falls as the wash narrowed through the hills. 

View Back toward Trailhead from start of Game Trail Climb

Since we never got very close to Bighorn Butte, yet we were in the area of the original hike, we decided to name this route Bighorn Butte Bypass.

Game Trail Saddle

We parked at the Long View Trailhead on Lakeshore Road where there is a nice view of the Las Vegas Bay of Lake Mead NRA ... and a restroom.

Tricky Game Trail Section to right of White Peak

A Pointy Peak in White Arroyos

The hike began by crossing the road and on down to cross the bike path. A nice cement "gutter" leads down to the wide wash below. From there, a vague trail leads over to the wash, itself, and from there we continued in the same trajectory to the other side. Soon, we were passing an embankment rockfall with large white boulders. At about 1/2 mile from the trailhead, we junctioned with an old abandoned road turning to the right. I assume the road had been built to help put up the electric lines that were not far to the south. At the top of the hill, the road turns to the right. We turned to the left and began climbing the ridge. It wasn't long before we were following somewhat of a trail ... game trail. We began seeing sheep beds among the rocks. It was a wonderful place to hang out and look over the Lake Mead kingdom! You could see far and wide. (Fifth photo)

Climbing through an Arroyo

We continued climbing the ridge until almost at the first peak, the vague sheep trail veered to the right. We followed it on the right slope. The rocks were loose but the slope wasn't too steep.

View Back

The trail stayed right at the next two small saddles then we were faced with either climbing the next peak or following the game trail that led around to the left side of a craggy peak. The challenge was that it was a very steep and slippery slope with the trail "hanging" off the side. Yep, that's what we chose!

If we hadn't found it, no one would!

Junction - Challenging Dry Falls below Pointed Peak

Carefully and slowly, we made it around the peak with the descent wash to our immediate left far below. After passing another peak on the right, the game trail began easily dropping down to the white valley of arroyos and washes below. We were surprised to see that the game trail continued even there. In front of us, there was a dark colored peak rising above the white terrain. Our target was at a 10 or 11 o'clock direction from this. First we headed up to the base of the peak to surround ourselves with the beautiful white arroyos. Following the sheep, we went into, out of, through and along the arroyos with photo perfect views in almost every direction. When we turned to go down one small wash, we spied a long string. Surprised, I pulled on the string to collect it. It was stuck on something. Rita climbed up the neighboring hill and found the problem. It was a "Harmless Weather Instrument!" And, "please return in the postage paid envelope!"

Bottom of Challenging Dry Fall Canyon

Since we use NOAA quite a bit for our hiking experiences, I thought the least I could do is return their property! We attached it to the back of my pack and went on our way. It weighed almost nothing.

Easier Dry Fall Canyon marked by Large Dark Boulder (View Back)

One last hill and we were easily heading down to the descent wash. There, we turned up to the right. So, ... ever since that hike 5 years ago, I have been very curious about the dry fall canyon we didn't take. It was labelled too difficult.

Easier Dry Fall Canyon

Break Spot Photo - Small Canyon Behind

We hiked up the main wash to the end where there were a couple of cairns. Around the corner, we quickly saw the attraction of the "too difficult" dry fall canyon. Rita tried the immediate dry fall and I think she would have made it up but I decided it was above my pay grade. So, we returned down the wash about a quarter mile where there is a large dark colored boulder lying by itself at the bottom of a small canyon. This is the easier route to the top. Up we went. It is a beautiful small canyon with a lot of bedrock dry falls and slides. The canyon is around half a mile. At the top, we connected with a trail and turned to the right. This led us up to a saddle area where we took our break and hike photo. It wasn't too long before we finished our break and started back down through the small dry fall canyon that we had just climbed up.

View down Easier Dry Fall Canyon

Back down in the main wash, we turned left and passed the junction where we had come in from the white arroyos. Next, the wash narrowed quite a bit and we began a series of somewhat serious dry falls.

Tackling the First Serious Dry Fall of Descent

I had forgotten the difficulty of these dry falls from that hike 5 years ago! I know that there was a go-around for the first one (seen above) that we didn't take. The go-around wasn't much better!

Amidst the Serious Dry Fall Section

Pinnacle marking end of Serious Dry Falls

After that first one, there are three others but they were all either easily negotiable or had good go-arounds. At the bottom of the last dry fall, there is a fat pinnacle as seen in the photo to the left. If you go around behind this rock, there is an arch. Through the arch, you can see the narrows of the canyon with all the dry falls. (See photo below.) From there, the wash widens and it appears that there is a wall of mountains at the bottom end of it. The wash will make a turn to the right here. If you look up to the left, you will see that tricky place where the game trail hung off of the slippery slope below a craggy peak. We hiked around the wide curves and a rocky tor landmark came into view on the right side. The rock changes shape as you pass. And, in the middle of winter, it can serve as a sundial!

Arch found behind Pinnacle

 Here, some bicycle tracks that we had noticed in the beginning of the hike, returned. Not sure who would want to ride their bikes up the gravel like that.

Noted: Bighorn, Very Large Ant Hills, and Bighorn Skull

We were, also, seeing many very large ant hills in the middle of the wash. They were very busy! Is this the result of the dryness that we have experienced in the past year?

Wide Wash curves to Right between Hills

Landmark Sundial Rock near Wide Wash

The wash narrowed through one more left turn and opened out again to the final stretch. We followed the bike trails all the way back to the crossover trail. Then, it was up the cement gutter and over the hill to the cars. This was a grand hike that could definitely be done again by the moderately strenuous / strenuous hikers of the club. I wonder if the bighorn sheep would mind us using their trails passing sheep beds and shelters. Hmm. And, do we want to do that tricky spot again? Maybe it will improve with use.

Stats: 6.3 miles; 1200' gain; 5 hours (new hike!)

Narrow Section before End

Last of the Wide Wash

"Walkway Gutter" up to Bike Trail