Windy Peak Loop v Upper & Lower Cairn Trails (sans icy peak) - 3/15/25

View of Mt. Potosi from Upper Cairn Trail

Iced desert bush and Black Velvet Peak

Icy Windy Peak

Hikers heading toward the
 beginning of Upper Cairn Trail

Did you ever gaze up at the escarpment in Red Rock Canyon NCA when it was snow dusted, calm after a few days of gales and snow blowing over the mountains? And, did you ever wonder what it would look like if you drove up there and wandered around? Well, that's what eleven club hikers did on Saturday. Although many of us tend to avoid the snow like the plague here in Las Vegas, we don't argue that it is a source of much beauty. We started out from the Mountain Springs Pass Trailhead and hiked over to the beginning of the Cairn Trails' base using the old abandoned roads behind the small town of Mountain Springs. We crossed the big gulley and followed the trail up to the circle end of one of the roads. The trail continues uphill out of that circle.

Ascending the Upper Cairn Trail

Taking a view Break

Upper Cairn Trail

View toward the Lower Cairn Trail Ridge

The snow on the ground was patchy but the snow still hanging onto the plant leaves created a world of intricate artwork. As we climbed the Upper Cairn Trail, the snow became more and more prevalent. At this level of elevation, we could see snow-dusted mountains and ridges everywhere we looked. The trail beneath our feet was, for the most part, snowless. We followed the dirt path and cairns all the way up to the Mountain Springs Peak Trail above. It took a while to get to the escarpment rim. But that was because we kept stopping to enjoy unbelievable beauty before our eyes.

Ice + Wind makes gorgeous desert Plants

False peak on Upper Cairn Ridge

Near the junction of Upper Cairn Trail and Mountain Springs Peak Trail

Arriving at the trail Junction

The snow and ice had fallen at the same time the wind was at full force. With the two forces of nature working together, the ice on the plants was sticking straight out in one direction from each leaf. Everyone was in awe of nature and its possibilities. After a slow ascent, we junctioned with the rim trail and turned left. We didn't turn right so as to avoid a steep snow-covered incline. Our left turn connected us with the lower trail where we turned right and returned to the route. Here, we could see Black Velvet Peak and Windy Peak in the distance. There seemed to be a lot of ice on the sandstone peaks. They were very shiny! So, we enjoyed the hike over to the cut-over ridge to Windy Peak Trail. 

Familiar outcrop on Mountain Springs Peak Trail

Hiking around to lower fork of Mountain Springs Peak Trail

Black Velvet Peak and Global Peak from Mountain Springs Peak Trail

First view of Windy Peak

Connecting with the Windy Peak Trail, we hiked along the bench with the Windy Peak "ice ball" in our view. Out there where the wind could coarse through the terrain, there was less snow on the ground but more ice on the rocks. Standing at the top of the last drop to the ice ball of Windy Peak, we made the decision not to continue our hike to the peak. Instead, we sat to take a break while observing every little shiny ice river on the rock. It was beautiful. Finally, we turned to start back. The climb back up to the high point of Windy Peak Trail was taxing but we made it and continued down to the top of the Lower Cairn Trail. Here, we took a right and followed a dirt and cairned trail again. As we descended, it was kind of sad to leave the beauty of the higher elevation.

Pondering a climb up the icy Windy Peak

Icy Windy Peak

Return along Windy Peak Trail

Junction with Lower Cairn Trail

At the bottom of the hill, we crossed the gulley at a higher point and hiked down to pass the beginning of the Upper Cairn Trail. This finished our loop. We only had to backtrack along the abandoned roads and back to the cars. This was definitely one of the more beautiful hikes I have enjoyed here in Las Vegas but the weather conditions would be very difficult to repeat. Eleven lucky hikers will never forget this jaunt.

Stats: 4.8 miles; 1475' gain; 3.25 hours

Sue makes her way down by the ridge outcrop on the Lower Cairn Trail

Reaching the gully on the Lower Cairn Trail

Homeward Bound