Gray Cap Loop - 3/18/21

View from Gray Cap Peak

Turtlehead Peak from Gray Fox Descent

Lower Gray Fox Canyon

Hiking toward 5 Stop Hill

The Fun Four were ready for another big hike, this time to Gray Cap Peak in the Red Rock Canyon NCA. We gathered at the Kraft Mountain Trailhead parking lot on a cool morning and started toward 5 Stop Hill. At an easy pace of around 2.5 mph, we reached the hill and climbed up. At the top, we took a rest looking at the beautiful scenery. It was an overcast morning and the colors were other-worldly. For Las Vegans, anything other than bright sun is gorgeous! Okay, almost anything! We seemed to be the first ones on the Kraft Saddle this morning but when others began arriving, we stopped talking and continued down the Rattlesnake Trail. At the junction with the Gateway Canyon wash, someone has built a large arrow to direct traffic.

Kraft Saddle

Up the Sliding Board

Happy Faces in Upper Gateway Canyon

Jerry climbs a Dry Fall

We turned left and started our short slog up the gravel through the new scramble and up the sliding board. Passing the junction with the Rattlesnake Trail canyon, we started into the wonderful scrambling limestone world of Upper Gateway Canyon. All of us knew these scrambles well and we weaved our way up the big steps and dry falls easily. I took a large number of photos throughout the hike! We were having loads of fun! It was also fun watching Jerry, Cheryl and Mike do the harder scrambles. There are approximately six 3rd class scrambles up dry falls. Otherwise, the scrambles are of the stair-stepping variety. One of my favorite sections is The Terraces. Today, there were little pools of water there from a recent rain.

Cheryl climbs a Dry Fall

The Terraces

Top of Upper Gateway Canyon and The Wall (The Tree on Top)

View back down Gateway from Wall Climb

The Wall came into view at the top of the Gateway Canyon and we sat for a small break. From the gray limestone, the terrain turns into red sandstone then into yellow sandstone. At the top of the wall, there is a lone tree that we all headed for. Finally at the top, we saw that the Deep Tank was dry with a little bit of wet-looking sand at the bottom. However, as we crossed the fin above the tank, we saw that the tank there had about a foot of water in it. Carefully, we crossed to the other side and began our climb up to the wall in front of us. A right turn at the wall led us along the sandstone and around the corner. Views of the surrounding landscape were deep in color with clouds still hanging around. Our route dipped down to the beginning of the final climb.

Resting above Deep Tank

Dry Deep Tank (Fin Crossing to Left)

Tank on Crossing

Kraft Mountain from climb to Gray Cap

It had been a while since I last followed someone who knew the route good. So, I was anxious to take an experienced look at where that darn picnic table was. Mike showed us the way. After a short breather at the picnic table, we continued up and to a two o'clock direction. Passing a few familiar scrambles, we were on course for the trail that parallels the ridge above. We found the trail and followed it completing the yellow sandstone portion. The trail, then, headed into the gray limestone and we began our final peak ascent. On the top, we signed into the log book and took some photos. It was an absolutely beautiful day! (Except there was a lot of haze over the city.) We took note that there was some leftover snow on top of the Sandstone Bluffs.

Gray Cap Peak above Yellow Sandstone

Mike starts final Climb up Sandstone

Resting at the Picnic Table

Colorful Landscape from Gray Cap Ascent

We looked at each other and made the decision to descend through Gray Fox Canyon. This is a steep scramble down the side of Gray Cap through the yellow and red sandstone that was first explored and routed by Mike O'Connor and Steve Anderson back in February 2012. In fact, the maiden club hike of Gray Fox Canyon was when we saw a gray fox watching us from up the canyon as we were ascending. (Thus, the name.) Our pace down the somewhat treacherous route would be slow and methodical offering help to each other when needed. This route has morphed a little over the years but it is still generally the same and has been cairned throughout. This is good since some of the scrambles are questionable at first glance.

Fun Four on Gray Cap Peak

Turtlehead, La Madre Peak and Brownstone Canyon from Gray Cap Peak

Jerry and Cheryl on Gray Cap Peak

Red Cap and Bridgepoint Peak

We started down on a trail that leads diagonally on the southeast side of the peak. Cairns immediately started appearing. Soon, a switchback must be taken or you will start on a very difficult traverse over to Goatbed Peak. Following the cairns, we dropped through the maze of down climbs. The drops in the yellow sandstone section were not terrible but care must be taken on the steep sandstone. There is a lot of zigzagging around and it was very slow going. All good with us! Finally, we reached the division that runs between the yellow and the red stone. Into the red, I remembered this section to be the most challenging. Jerry led us around the boulders and down the cairned path. We started hitting the "fun" stuff and we braced for the challenges.

Beginning Colorful Gray Fox Descent

Jerry and Cheryl lead down through the Cairns

Near the bottom of the Yellow Section

Starting down through the Red Section

Between the four of us, there was plenty of helping going on. Mostly, giving directions but also a couple of reaching hands. Dare I say it? I'm not as young as I used to be! 😲We were still having fun as we made our way down very slowly. The most challenging section was in our rearview mirror when we got to the small drop into Gray Fox Canyon. We dropped in at about the same place as the gray fox had waited years ago. The cairns continued and even though there wasn't much of a trail on the ground, we could see where people had hiked and scrambled. The route descended down the canyon above the wash for a bit. Then, instead of continuing down the canyon to a difficult area, we turned to our left and climbed up the hill to make a bypass. There were cairns here, too. This route is a little messy but easier.

Fun Section from the Top

Fun Section from the Bottom

Entering Gray Fox Canyon

Mike descends Gray Fox Canyon

This route dropped us into the same flat area as the other route does. Then, we made our way to Gateway Canyon wash. A left turn led us to a connecting trail on the right up to the Rattlesnake Trail that we had used a few hours before. Up and over Kraft Saddle passing several other hiker/climbers and we were home free! Wow! What a fun great day! 

Stats: 5.3 miles; 2200' gain; 5.25 hours

Back in Gateway Canyon

Descent on 5 Stop Hill

Still Smiling