Calico Hills - 11/21/09

There were thirty-five hikers on the 4.5 mile tour of the Calico Hills today. The hike included parts of the Calico I Trail, the Moenkopi Loop Trail, and the Calico II Trail. We also touched on the Grand Circle Trail and the Red Springs Loop Trail. The hiking that the trails at the base of the Calico Hills provides is colorful and interesting.

It is easy to lose yourself in the sandstone even though you never leave sight of the Red Rock Scenic Loop. We began at the new Red Rock Visitor's Center and soon crossed the loop road to climb to the first parking area which is called Calico I. After hiking down from the parking lot to the sandstone, we began hiking at the base of the sandstone up towards the second parking area called Calico II.


This portion of the hike was the most beautiful as we got an up-close and personal examination of the red and white sandstone hills. Just before we reached Calico II, we climbed down into the wash, found a good rock seat and took our break. We were sitting amidst a part of the Red Springs Loop Trail where there is a maze of canyons, slots and scrambling.

From there, we crossed the wash and headed back the way we came using the trail closer to the loop road. We climbed back up to the Calico I parking area then crossed the loop road and used the Calico I and Moenkopi Trails to return to the Visitor's Center. The route we took may seem a little vague, however, there are many trails in this area that are available to take. The weather could not have been better and there was a small breeze that came and went.

Fossil Ridge - 11/14/09

Today, the Around the Bend Friends Hiking Club broke a record for attendance on one hike. We had 44 people on the hike around Fossil Ridge on a cool beautiful day at the Red Rock Canyon NCA. The hike began at the horse stables' parking lot and headed up the hill to the right. The large group quickly spread out as the climb of around 600 feet took its toll.

About halfway up the hill, we were able to watch 3 of the horses for hire come through the path we were taking. With the cowboy in the lead, two visitors ambled behind with smiles on their faces from ear to ear. Isn't Las Vegas great? There is so much to see besides the face of a slot machine!


We circled around the ridge as we ascended to the right then took a left turn to come down the ridge on the edge of Echo Canyon. This canyon is a beautiful canyon decorated with dark rock which was made by ancient fissures spewing lava onto the surface above. Within the canyon, and the surrounding canyons, there are many fossils laid into this rock made of limestone and covered with previously molten rock, which then bubbled up making spotted patterns on top of the limestone.

At one point, we neared the edge of the canyon and took our turns at yelling across the "big ditch." Our voices came back to us in about 2 seconds. Thus, the renaming of Fossil Canyon to Echo Canyon.


Returning to the horse stable area, we divided into two groups. One group was finished hiking and ready to exit stage left. The other group of 24 people were still game for a climb into Cave Canyon which lies just past Echo Canyon and shares the same mouth. The climb began again for around a half mile.

We, then, climbed up the side of the canyon wall to a small cave opening and several of us ducked inside. Within the cave, the space was quite large and offered several levels of mystery. After taking our break out on the rocks outside the cave, we returned to the cars with 4.75 miles behind us.

Red Cap - 11/12/09

Nineteen hikers climbed Red Cap today. Red Cap is a hike long in scrambling and short in distance. To add to its exciting features, there were 40 mph wind gusts to add to the constant strong winds that had been predicted for the morning hours at Red Rock Canyon NCA. (Begging your pardon for the blurry pictures added to this blog which were taken in windy conditions without a tripod nor a handy image stabilizer.)

The trail begins at the Sandstone Quarry Parking Area on the Scenic Loop. Taking a left soon after beginning on the Calico Tanks Trail, the Red Cap Trail heads quickly up the sandstone mountain with several steep scrambles involved. The views from the side of the mountain are unmatched. All around are colors and shapes of natural beauty framed by wide open space.

The wind became a huge factor as we neared the top. To be safe, we were all reaching for the nearest rock to hug! There were several lightweight women in the group who threatened to take flight a few times! In the distance, we could see the Las Vegas Strip which was about to be enveloped by a huge dust cloud coming in from the south. We sat on the top of Red Cap for a few minutes before climbing down to take our break.


We climbed down to the water tank level which was more protected from the wind. Here, we took our break and chatted for a few minutes. Afterwards, we explored three tanks which were bone dry. Inside one of the dry tanks, someone had built a rather substantial cairn which we can only assume was pointing out the directions of the compass. They built it tall enough so that when the tank fills with water, it will rise above the surface.

We didn't mess around on the tank level much longer before we headed down to the very large tank that stays dry most of the time. We had to drop down into it then cross the length of it where one solitary yellow flower held strong. From here, we climbed out the other side and headed down the side of the mountain where the winds of Hades hit us square in the face.

We each negotiated the mountain- side carefully. There were a lot of "holding on of hats." Mass Production Wall seemed the best route to take hoping that it would provide some protection from the wind. At the bottom, we were home free on the Calico Tanks Trail.



Collection of Smiles

Ash Canyon Overlook - 11/7/09

Ash Canyon Overlook is a 2.5 mile hike through and around the Calico Hills to reach the top of Ash Canyon where you can sit and take in the view of the canyon and beyond through Calico Basin. The elevation gain of around 250 feet is climbed once or twice depending on how far you go.

We had 38 great hikers attend the excursion today which began on the Calico Tanks Trail at Sandstone Quarry. We turned left at a junctioning wash and continued through the rocks and gravel until we reached two different slot canyons which brought us through the gorgeous sandstone hills to an overview of the Calico Hills and Escarpment beyond. Turtlehead Peak was overlooking our position. That hike was for another day!



We hiked around the sandstone hills with the peak called Red Cap above us and then dropped down to the Ash Canyon saddle below. Many hikers stopped here for a rest. The rest-less hikers went a little further to a second overlook point down the canyon. Wherever you chose to stop, there were views of color and grandeur. (See first picture!) The short hike did not disappoint and we came home happy! ... and maybe a little winded!

Fern Canyon - 11/5/09

The selection of Fern Canyon at this time of year was an excellent choice. The leaves over Pine Creek and throughout the right fork canyon were yellow on the trees. Although there was little water, it added to the views one perceived on the 4.6 mile hike this morning. Seven people headed into the canyon from the Pine Creek Trail as the weather warmed up.

We took the trail to the right of Mescalito, the pointy mountain in the middle of Pine Creek Canyon, and dropped down into the wash. We were met with a small amount of running water and looked up the canyon where we saw a bunch of boulders to climb. It's what we came for and we were ready! ... right after taking a whole bunch of pictures!


We chose our routes with care. Each of us got to join in on the choosing and sometimes there were three routes going on at the same time. At one point, as you see to the left, we met with this humongous boulder which we had to climb up at a steep angle ... one of the easier obstacles. There were more difficult places in which we helped each other up in some way. For instance, one obstacle required very large steps as we reached from one foothold to another. A helping hand seemed to always be there either in front or behind.

At another point, we came to a dead end. Then we turned and saw the trail. As you see to the right, it went straight up a wall that was laden with "steps" that were akin to a set on "Lord of the Rings" or some fantasy movie such as that. We skipped up this obstacle easily.

Throughout the canyon, there were grape vines or, perhaps, muscadine vines. They were very thick and full of yellow leaves. Our fantasy extended sometimes to the time of dinosaurs as we pretended we saw dinosaur footprints going up the walls; or, the legendary saga of Tarzan, came to our minds, as we imagined ourselves swinging through the canyon on the vines. All of this with dignified decorum, of course.


The "Love Tree." Oh, Rhett! ... "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a darn." ... or something like that .... Okay. That's "Lord of the Rings," "Jurrasic Park," "Tarzan," and, now, "Gone With the Wind." Actually, this was just a beautiful desert canyon with several fern plants growing around the wash. The imagination must have been rampant this morning.



We climbed all the way to the top of the right fork of the right fork. (Yes, the right fork of the right fork which is really a short arm of the main wash.) The trail continued but we were satisfied that this was the right place for our break. In one direction, we saw the canyon that we had negotiated about 150 feet below.

In the other direction, we saw the walls rise above us at the end of the right and left forks of the right fork of Pine Creek. (Stay with me.) The view from this point put us right in the middle of the total elevation of the escarpment, out on an outcropping of rock where we could take in the whole scene of this movie we should have called "Fern Canyon in 3D."

After our break, we had a very pleasant hike back down the steep climb at the end of the canyon, back down all the scrambling (sometimes, we would choose each other's routes), and back through the Pine Creek Trail area to the cars. The weather was very warm when got out of the canyon and back into the sun.



Due to several very long bounces of the GPS inside the canyon (which were removed), the distance of 4.6 miles is approximate.