No Name Saddle v Bonanza TH Shortcut - 7/29/24

Lee Peak behind small peak at No Name Saddle

No Name Trail

Grandfather Tree on No Name Trail

Sun rises on South Sister

Seven club members started their hike on a nicely cool morning at the Lower Bristlecone Trailhead. There was a lot of talking about recent vacation trips. As we circled around the gate that blocks the gravel road heading up into Scout Canyon, we noted that there was an interesting fallen tree. It seemed to have twisted on its way down. We hiked the road for around a mile and came to the apex of a road switchback. We turned right up a smaller dirt road that we know as Pine Cone Canyon Trail. There is evidence of campers up this way and an antennae structure. Just across from the antennae apparatus, we turned left into the woods. Soon, we came across the trail that we call the Shortcut. 

Starting up Pine Cone Canyon Trail

Interesting stuff in lower part of Pine Cone Canyon Trail

Doug climbs the Shortcut Trail

Junction of Bonanza Trailhead and Bristlecone Trail

It seems that many hikers have been using this trail since the Lower Bristlecone Trail is closed 2 miles up from the trailhead. The Shortcut will take you all the way up to the Bonanza Trail junction without hikers having to set a single toe on the Bristlecone Trails. We turned right onto the Bonanza Trail and began climbing the switchbacks. There are four long switchbacks that take hikers up to the junction with the No Name Trail. There is a sign proclaiming this junction to be a boundary of the Mt. Charleston Wilderness in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The Bonanza Trail continues up a long slope of steps but we turned to the left onto the No Name Trail.

Charleston Peak above Stump

Climbing the Bonanza Switchbacks

Junction of Bonanza Trail and No Name Trail

Bonanza Trail continues up the Hill

The No Name Trail began as the Bonanza Trail. The Bonanza was rerouted down to the Bristlecone and the trail that remained was not to be used for the main hordes of recreational hikers due to its route through beautiful old bristlecone trees. It came to be known as the No Name Trail and many hikers use it as a more challenging climb. We enjoyed the trees and the scenery as we hiked along a fairly level trail that some of us had not been on since last August's hurricane. What a mess that made in the Spring Mountains!

No Name Trail with view of Charleston Peak

Heading down to the No Name Saddle

Lee Peak beyond the small peak at the Saddle

Seven hikers at the No Name Saddle

At the No Name Saddle, we sat for our break. It was cool and fresh. Just a great place to be. Our return trip followed the same route in reverse. When we got back down to Pine Cone Canyon, we noticed a huge fallen tree that had huge mushrooms growing on it. Very interesting. It was nice to see some friends that we don't see often.

Stats: 6.2 miles; 1350' gain; 3.5 hours

South Sister as seen from the Bonanza Switchbacks

Halfway down the Shortcut Trail

Fallen tree with Mushrooms in Pine Cone Canyon

Lower Bristlecone Overlook v Old Mill Trail Loop - 7/25/24

Lee Peak from Lower Bristlecone Overlook

Old Mill Trail / Lower Bristlecone Trail Junction

Another shortie. With half of the trails in the Spring Mountains closed and needing to keep our outings short due to the heat, we often end up with trying to find new combinations of old hikes in the low elevations of the upper canyons. Today, we started at the Pay Phone Trailhead and headed up the Old Mill Road to the Old Mill Trail to junction with Lower Bristlecone. Since none of us have hiked up past Pine Cone Canyon on Lower Bristlecone this year, we circled around the switchback curve in the road and hiked up to the Lower Bristlecone Overlook. In fact, Mike and I had not ever gone out the little trail to the left at the top of the long climb. Ralyn took Mike all the way out to the overlook then we all started the descent. To change things up, we continued down Lower Bristlecone past the Old Mill junction and found the manhole cover junction to turn left. After dropping down the steep hill on an old road, we hiked through the Old Mill Picnic Area in two different directions. Returning to the cars, the three of us plus two dogs felt decent about our excursion as we racked up almost 5 miles. Woohoo!

Stats: 4.7 miles; 700' gain; 2.25 hours

Sitting at the Lower Bristlecone Overlook

Macks Canyon Road /Sawmill Trails Loop - 7/22/24

Dogs hiking with their humans on the Sawmill Trail Approach

Hiking an incline on Macks Canyon Road

Morning's Mummy sunrise and Moonset

Ralyn and I started at the Sawmill Trailhead to head over to Macks Canyon Road the usual bushwhack way. The Macks Canyon Road has a sign preventing any hiking past the three mile point. The Sisters Spur Road junction is at the two mile point so we hiked the road out to that large wash, road, campsite junction on the left side of Macks Canyon Road. It is a road high point. We both had our dogs so we stopped here for some water. On the way back, we checked out a new bushwhack that led us over to the Sawmill Trail just above a trail junction. Knowing the shorter route, we turned here and made our way back down to the cars. It was still cool and dry when we reached the trailhead. Good dog hike!

Stats: 4 miles; 700' gain; 2.25 hours

Campsites at Sisters Spur Road Junction

Back on Sawmill Trails

Hike-a-Bike / Pixie Loop - 7/11/24

View from a road Crossing

Hike-a-Bike Trail

Pixie Trail

New sign below Robbers Roost TH

A group of five club hikers parked at the Robbers Roost Trailhead for a cool <4 mile loop on the bike trails in the North Loop / Telephone Canyon area. It was early Thursday morning so we did not expect to be in the path of any zooming bikers. We started down the little trail behind the informational sign and reached the perpendicular trail junction with a new sign as seen to the left. Our left turn put us on the Hike-a-Bike Trail. It has been a couple of years since I did this route and the trail has changed in appearance since then. After coming to another new sign, we followed the directions to stay on the Hike-a-Bike Trail. There are a few trails coming down from the left. One of these is the bottom of the Pixie Trail.

Hiking the Hike-a-Bike Trail

Circling around to the right, we hiked below the Deer Creek Road and climbed up to another trail junction. This junction is not signed, however, we know that the trail to the right is the Trough Trail and the trail to the left climbs up to the Camp Loop. Continuing straight along the Hike-a-Bike, we finally came to the signed Showgirl junction. Here, if you turn to the right, you will continue along the Original Showgirl Trail that eventually leads all the way down to the curvy section of Kyle Canyon Road, or the Lower Showgirl Trailhead. We continued our straight trajectory where we were now hiking the Upper Showgirl Trail. We passed two other trail junctions to the left (very vague) which were each end of the Camp Loop. Around to the left, we came to a spur trail leading up to the road (left); a connector trail for our route.

Hummingbird Gulch across Telephone Canyon

Nearing the end of Hike-a-Bike Trail

New sign at Showgirl Junction

Uphill after road Crossing

At the top of the hill, we crossed the Deer Creek Road and climbed up the embankment trail to an abandoned road that continued up to the Gypsy Trail. A right turn on the Gypsy Trail continued our climb up and around to the left paralleling the Deer Creek Road. Somewhere near the high point of the hike, we stopped for a short break. Afterwards, we soon came to the Pixie Trail junction. A left turn put us on that trail and we finally began our short journey down. The Pixie Trail zigzags down the steep terrain with views of the surrounding escarpments. There is one large wash that we crossed two or three times. It was very much gully-ized from last year's "gully washers," but the trail is well maintained through them for the bikers.

Pixie Trail View

At the bottom of the hill, we junctioned again with the Gypsy Trail as the Pixie Trail continued its downward run. A right turn onto the Gypsy Trail put us on the Old Deer Creek Road where we passed the gully mess, the Jumpline Trail and and hiked through the Mountain Laurel "tunnel." One last left turn down to one more road crossing, and we were back at the Robbers Roost Trailhead. Fun cool morning with even a little cloud cover. (The new signs are great! ... but, they aren't at every junction. Be aware!)

Stats: 3.8 miles; 600' gain; 2 hours

Gully crossing on Pixie Trail

Nearing Pixie / Gypsy Junction

Old Deer Creek Road