Born free to follow your heart - 9/26/24

Morning fall color from high on Stepladder Loop

View from near Stepladder Peak

Onyx is still lost. We are not giving up. We are leaving dog food and water out every day but are only feeding the bushy tailed foxes. Now that we have laid a good amount of scent in the area, please feel free to go out to the Telephone Canyon area looking for her if you have a mind to. We have been told that a chihuahua was lost up there for 30 days one time and was found alive. The Mt. Charleston PD said that everyone on the mountain is looking for Onyx at this point. The word is out and still no sighting. Hmm. It is beautiful up there right now with the leaves changing. It might be a little warm for a few days in the afternoon but the mornings are wonderful. Keep good thoughts.

Fall color below Griffith Peak in Kyle Canyon (Deer Creek Road bottom left)

 

This is the area she may come back to in the Spring Mountains NRA, Nevada.

Onyx is still Lost - 9/20/24

 

Onyx

Telephone Canyon Road view toward Kyle Canyon Road Today

My dog, Onyx, has been missing from Tin Can Alley in the Spring Mountains NRA since Sunday (15th), 2024. We have had many wonderful people out looking for her this week but to no avail. The club members as well as the dog finder people of Mt. Charleston have worked tirelessly around the trails out of Stepladder Trailhead on Kyle Canyon Road. This has been greatly greatly appreciated by me and my husband. My husband has been sleeping in his car on Telephone Canyon Road all week. Rita and I have been hiking back and forth from the Trailhead to the runaway point. And, many others, have been hiking up and down Telephone Canyon on the network of bike trails there. 

What happened? Rita and I were hiking down Tin Can Alley on a quiet morning when three bikers came quietly fast up behind us and did not slow down (nor announce themselves). At the same time, a jeep revved on Telephone Canyon Road as it passed by. My 10 month old puppy, who is already anxious about everything, got spooked and started running down the trail with all of her strength from her 45 pound body. I was flying! and finally flew down to the ground. This knocked me out for a second or two and my hand relaxed on the leash just long enough for her to take off running like a bat out of hell. Two of the three bikers went around me and kept going. Rita saw Onyx running the trail with the bikers behind her. I can imagine she was terrified.

Where Onyx went from there is the painful question. Throughout the week, several of our search and rescuers heard a single bark which they pursued with earnest. The bark was never repeated and it left the rescuers questioning themselves about whether or not a bark was what they heard. 

Onyx is a very spirited dog as I have heard poodle mixes are. But, she is naturally scared and anxious as a rule. If you have a siting of my dog, do not chase her and please call my husband at 702-609-5875. If you have the time, just sit quietly and wait for her to come to you. Maybe she will and maybe she won't. Anything you say or do will probably impress her fight or flight state. We will continue to visit the area and wait for her to come to us. She has to make that decision in a calm state.

Telephone Canyon Road view up canyon toward Ground Zero

Onyx on Alert

Mummy's Nose - 9/3/24

View from climb to Nose of the rest of Mummy Mountain

Small peak area view of Lee Canyon Road

Summit Celebrations

Tough outing today. Enjoyed the hike and the company. With all our meandering, I came up with 4.9 miles, 3100’ vertical and 6 1/4 long hours on those ‘unkind’ trails.   ~MOC

Great hike. Enjoyed every 375 minutes of it. Thanks Mike.   ~ Ralph

On the Ridge Trail

Climbing the Wash

Between 3rd Class area and Summit

Rita: all were duly impressed with your eponymous ridge. (Rita's Descent) 

May it go down in history that Rita fell down this descent several years ago breaking her arm. She completed the hike with the help of her friends and still hikes today! Tough girl!

Stats: 4.9 miles; 3100' gain; 6.25 hours

Rita's Descent

Finishing Rita's Descent

Mama Burro (waiting for her time) welcoming the group on their Descent