Hamblin Mountain - 12/10/17

Muddy Mountain and North Bowl of Fire from Hamblin Mountain

Lake Mead (Boulder Canyon) Narrows from Hamblin Mountain

Razorback Ridge from Hamblin Mountain

Sixteen Hikers starting from Wash at MM 18 TH

Jacob Hamblin (April 2, 1819 – August 31, 1886) was a Western pioneer, Mormon  missionary, and diplomat to various Native American tribes of the Southwest and Great Basin. He aided European-American settlement of large areas of southern Utah and northern Arizona, where he was seen as an honest broker between Mormon settlers and the Natives. He is sometimes referred to as the "Buckskin Apostle," or the "Apostle to the Lamanites." ~ Wikipedia

Right Turn at Cottonwood Spring

The geology of Hamblin Mountain and the surrounding large area is quite complex. The information that this writer has gleaned from Geologic Tours in the Las Vegas Area is paraphrased in this entry.*

Terrain from Hamblin Mountain Trail

Frenchman Mountain (the major mover and shaker), Lava Butte, Black Mesa, Hamblin Mountain and Cleopatra Wash all originated in the Muddy Mountain range. It is theorized that the Muddy Mountains and the Spring Mountains were once part of a single geologic block until movement 17 million years ago pulled them apart.

Climbing a Hill on Hamblin Mountain Trail

Saddle with Mt. Potosi and Las Vegas View

Although Fortification Hill (which includes granites located across Lake Mead) is part of the Black Mountains, it is covered with the same sort of volcanic rock, basaltic andesite that was erupted from fissures and cinder cones between 10 and 8 million years ago. These rocks are less easily eroded than the colorful rocks around them. Hamblin Mountain was previously half of a stratovolcano. The Hamblin Bay fault moved it to its present position about 12 miles to the southwest from the other half, the Cleopatra lobe. The colorful rock along this section of Northshore Road are made of volcanic ash (white), limestone (yellow), and basalt (black). As an aside, Lava Butte is adorned with dacite volcanic rock and is not a volcano. It is a volcanic "plug" that forced itself up and sideways through the surrounding Horse Spring Formation of the Muddy Mountains.

Following the Washed Out Trail

So, there you have it! An uneducated very short interpretation of this complex geologic area that answers one or two of the many questions we have heard on our hikes.

The Scramble

Sixteen hikers began the Hamblin Mountain hike from the mile marker 18 turnout on Northshore Road in the Lake Mead NRA. We crossed the road and started up the trail that would drop us into the wide wash to the right.

Climbing the Wash Narrows

"Uh, Excuse ME!"

We call this wash the Pinto Valley wash as it eventually leads into Pinto Valley via the old Arrowhead Highway. This road was used as a thoroughfare for pioneers traveling between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. Those travelers had incredible views of the colorful landscapes that were briefly geologically described above. Today, it was immediately clear that the wash had had a tremendous amount of water flow over the winter. The flash flood would have been very interesting for us hikers to have seen! The evidence of a wash out was clear throughout the hike.

Starting final Climb

Half of the group continued up to the dry fall at Cottonwood Spring and turned to the right. The other half took the right fork earlier. We both met at the same place then we divided again.

Climbing among Views

Four hikers chose to climb up through the wash and the remaining twelve explored the parallel trail that has become well trod over the past few years. It is accessed by a switchback marked by a large cairn not far from the Cottonwood junction.

Xiang (newbie) and Hamblin Mountain

The Balancing Ridge

Both groups joined together on the saddle that separates the first and second halves of the climb. Here, you can get a glimpse of Mt. Potosi and the suburbs of Las Vegas. Next, we began trying to find the trail among the washed out wash. It is good that we basically knew where we were going because the trail has temporarily been obliterated. We passed the left hill junction where we would be turning on the return partial loop then headed up the gravel and around the corner. The one ascent scramble came in the narrows of the wash then we began our final ascent to the ridge.

Cheryl (newbie) and Hamblin Mountain (Hamblin Bay below)

Up to our right, we spotted a small group of pregnant bighorns. Yep, pretty sure they were all pregnant! Come January or February, it's going to be a madhouse!

Joe (newbie) and Hamblin Mountain

The sheep were too far away to be concerned about us so they didn't move much. We continued our climb up the wash attaining the ridge saddle. The views started their downpour! This climb has the most beautiful scenery in Lake Mead, one might argue.

Pinto Valley from Peak

Front Group Waits on the Descent

At the ridge, we turned right and climbed the steepest sections of the hike. At the last saddle, all but one hiker made the balancing trip out to the end of the ridge. The weather was excellent today with perfect temperatures and just a little breeze at the top of the mountain. We took a nice long snack break and wrote in the log book. Behind us, we could see Pinto Valley. Focally, working our way to the left, we saw the Desert Coloseum, Razorback Ridge, Northshore Peak, North Bowl of Fire, Muddy Mountains, Lava Butte, Las Vegas Valley, West Hamblin Mountain, Lake Mead in the Boulder Canyon Narrows, Gold Butte and Virgin Peak. Finally back to Pinto Valley and Pyramid Peak in the Cleopatra Lobe.

"Oh, man! There they are again!", says the ewe on the left.

The descent back down to the bighorn sighting, (yes, they were still there), is steep and slippery so we went understandably slow. Meeting at the return turnoff junction, we gathered again.

Beginning the Partial Loop

The trails are really good from here on out. We climbed the hill and crossed over to the next deep wash where we had to take a step down as seen in the photo below.

Another Scramble

Colorful Canyon Descent

This wash is fabulously colorful with all those colors mentioned in the information above. Hiking down through here fills the senses. We passed some petrified wood then found the junction with the old Arrowhead Highway at the bottom. A left turn on the highway sent us into a small episode of history.  

The Arrowhead Trail or Arrowhead Highway was the first all-weather road connecting Los Angeles to Salt Lake City by way of Las Vegas . Built primarily during the auto trails period of the 1910s, prior to the establishment of the U.S. numbered highway system , the road was replaced in 1926 by U.S. Route 91 and subsequently Interstate 15. Small portions of the route in California and Las Vegas, Las Vegas Boulevard, are sometimes still referred to by the name, or as Arrow Highway.
~ Wikipedia

Colors of Arrowhead Highway

At this point, almost everyone knew the way back to the cars and the group spread out. The pace picked up on the gentle downhill slope.

Nearing the Arrowhead Highway Junction

So many different conversations! We marched like a herd of wildebeasts .... Okay, how about horses?

More Color

Doug on the Highway

We had fun at the scramble down the Cottonwood Spring dry fall and said a proper "goodbye" to the old downed Cottonwood tree there. And, speaking of horses, as we approached the wash narrows, we met up with three horses with riders attached. Beautiful animals! It was a great hike down by the lake. Warm weather for December. A group of strong hikers with a few newbies to enjoy the newness of the hike all over again.

7 miles; 1450 feet elevation gain; 3.75 hours

Nearing the Top of the Cottonwood Spring Dryfall

Fun on the Dry Fall Scramble

Passing Horses and Riders above Wash Narrows

* Geologic Tours in the Las Vegas Area (Expanded Edition with GPS Coordinates), Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Special Publication 16, University of Nevada, Reno, Mackay School of Earth Sciences, 2008, Bear Printing, Sparks, NV; pages 59-70, 81.

Skull Rock Loop - 12/7/17

Skull Rock rising in front of Bridgepoint Peak

Old Skull Rock Sign

Rainbow Peak from Trailhead

Cold Morning and Brisk Pace

Today's hike was a simple 6 mile moderate hike done at a moderately strenuous pace as we learned about a little used portion of the desert between Pine Creek and Highway 159 in Red Rock Canyon NCA. Fifteen hikers parked at the Scenic Loop exit parking lot (aka the Horse Lot) and started out the connector trail that leads straight to the Oak Creek Trailhead off of the Scenic Loop. There are many trails that lead out from this parking lot so the best description this writer can give is to cross the Scenic Loop at the gate and turn to the right. There is one trail leading adjacent to the Scenic Loop but take the next trail to the left of that.

Calico Hills across Red Rock Canyon Floor

We started out at a brisk pace. Our car thermometers had read only 39 degrees. Thankfully, we were sheltered from the wind in this location; probably by the escarpment.

It's gotta be an elk!

We stopped to talk about the deer that love this area and reminded the hikers to keep an eye out for them. Exactly at that moment, one hiker said, "What's that?"

Arnight Trail

Arnight Trail

Far in the distance toward the escarpment, something very large was moving slowly through the desert as it foraged. We watched for a few minutes but it was so far away, we could only guess that it was a burro (because of its size) or a coyote (because of its posture while walking). Out of seven photos that this writer took, only one revealed the creature's head between the many trees and bushes. Yep. Pretty sure it was an elk. This is an unusual siting on this side of the escarpment but not unheard of. Lovely sight!

Mescalito Peak from above Wilson House

So the group took a pause at the Oak Creek Trailhead restroom then headed out Arnight Trail. There were a few hikers that were not familiar with this trail and were surprised at how beautiful it is.

Crossing Pine Creek

We love our desert! We passed the Juniper Creek crossing (dry), then the connector trail to the Fire Ecology Trail that turned to the right.

Wilson House

Rocky Pine Creek Trail

The Knoll Trail turned to the left then the Juniper Canyon Trail turned to the left. We followed the Arnight-Knoll Trail that continued toward the embankment next to Pine Creek Canyon. The trail takes a decided descent on a slope down to Pine Creek where it joins the Pine Creek Loop Trail. We crossed the water and ice of Pine Creek then hiked up to pass the Wilson House on our right. We passed another hiking group as we traveled up the rocky Pine Creek Trail and found the Dale's Trail junction. By this time, the temperatures had warmed a bit and we had taken a few pauses for water and to allow one hiker to retrieve forgotten sunglasses.

Dale's Trail Junction

A left turn onto Dale's Trail put us back into unfamiliar territory for a few hikers. We only hiked a short distance on this beautiful trail but it's entire two miles are worth the effort someday.

Relaxing at Skull Rock

Skull Rock is a large sandstone rock containing a large amount of iron ore. An old low sign on the right marks the spot.

Snack Break at Skull Rock

From Skull Rock back to Pine Creek

Named for its hollowed out indentations that make the rock appear as a skull, a juniper tree has grown up and covered the best effect. The surrounding sandstone boulders provide a great place to sit and relax for a snack and we did. Although cool, it was a beautiful day to be out. Afterwards, we returned to Pine Creek Trail on Dale's Trail the way we came. There, we turned to the left and a short distance later, we turned right onto the Fire Ecology Trail. This is a well-marked trail with signage talking about how fire is used to control the prospects of wildfires. It drops down to cross Pine Creek where a tiny stream of water flowed. We continued out the other side of the small loop and found an old little used trail that climbed the embankment at a gentle slope after leaving the main trail by turning to the left.

Starting return on Dale's Trail

This began an exploratory. We bushwhacked through low desert scrub across the ridge at the top of the embankment searching for a very old two-track road. We found that we could not see it until we were right on top of it!

Taking Pine Creek up to Fire Ecology Trail

In our search for the road, we came across a huge pile of rocks. One of our hikers took a distaste to it and it may not be there next time!

Fire Ecology Trail Signs and Picnic Table

Gentle Trail Climb out of Pine Creek Canyon

We followed the two-track all the way down the ridge until it gently dropped off right at the junction of the Oak Creek TH road / Scenic Loop. Next, we connected with the trail that follows adjacent to the Scenic Loop traveling about 30 feet away from the pavement. Three quarters of a mile on this nice trail put us back at the cars. The return trip of our loop hike was new for the club and we found it to be new and fun. New stuff is always fun! Great group of hikers today!

6 miles; 600 feet elevation gain; 3.25 hours

Rock Pile in Middle of Nowhere

Very Old Two Track Road down Ridge

Trail along Scenic Loop Road