With three of our small social distancing group out of town, we welcomed a new addition. Mike, Ralyn and I parked at the Fletcher Canyon Trailhead early Thursday morning in a very quiet Kyle Canyon. When we passed the Visitor's Center which is closed right now due to the virus, we noted a herd of fire and rescue vehicles parked outside. The Mahogany Fire now has around 400 personnel working on its containment. This includes helicopters with water buckets as well. Later, on my way out, I watched as a helicopter came back to the visitor center area to fill its bucket. Upon leaving right after, the helicopter swung wide around the Harris Peak ridge and the long cable and bucket may have missed the ridge by about 20 or 30 feet! Firemen everywhere ladies!!! ... Just kidding. (Good luck on getting their attention right now!) They are doing a great job at containing this fire that burned out of control in 50 mph winds on Sunday. Thank you to the fire crews!
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| Very Young Foal - Trying to get Up! |
So, we left the Fletcher Canyon Trailhead to hike up the Acastus Trail. Along the way, we passed the rangers' quarters where the Kyle Canyon wild horse pair were munching on the lawn. Next to them, laying on the grass, was their foal. Adorable! He/She appeared to still be having a difficult time getting up onto its feet. My photo above shows just how far he/she was able to raise up!
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| See the Sign! |
We passed the Rainbow community's entrance then found a small trail that leads up to Kyle Canyon Road. Here, we crossed the road to the Stanley B Canyon Trailhead. ... Marked by a sign that reminds visitors that wood and charcoal fires are prohibited.
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| Climbing up Stanley B Canyon |
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| Washing Stick Tips |
Just yesterday, the fire investigators of the Mahogany Fire deciphered that the fire was begun by a campfire located outside any official campground or picnic area. As hikers, we often come upon fire rings that are off the beaten path. Might I reiterate to those who think that they are immune to causing a wildfire: If it says you are prohibited from using wood or charcoal to start a fire, it doesn't matter where in the mountains you have set up shop. Dry wood and brush burns everywhere! (Even where rangers can't see you!) ... The investigation continues.
I digress.
So, we climbed up the Stanley B Canyon wash and turned right onto the old mining road. Soon, after passing several newly trod trails, we turned left onto our shortcut trail that cuts off the big circle out that the mining road makes.
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| Starting Steep Climb up to Middle Ridge |
At the canyon fork, we took a left to go view the pipe spring. Venturing up this canyon a little further, we saw a trail leading straight up the steep hillside to the right. This hillside rises between the two canyons that form the fork. For our purposes today, we'll call it the Middle Ridge.
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| View down Canyon from Point of Middle Ridge |
Not being able to resist the challenge of finding new stuff, we started the climb. The trail petered out but the route continued sometimes with cairns. We passed a makeshift campsite on the lower point of the ridge ... see what I mean ... and continued following cairns up the ridge. It was a steep and tiring climb but, finally, it leveled off with a display of rock outcroppings.
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| Steep Climb to Rock Outcrops on Middle Ridge |
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| Top of Middle Ridge (Cockscomb Peak in Background) |
After this, the ridge dipped and changed into a pine forest. This is where we were able to traverse down into the canyon on the other side of Middle Ridge. We dropped down right at the meadow created by a convergence of two ravines. Recognizing our location, we continued up the left fork and came to the landmark rock outcropping. This told us to take the right fork up to the Stanley B Saddle. A break was well deserved! We sat for several minutes with the view seen in the first photo of this entry.
After our break, we made our way down the wash in front of us. The trail is very vague at this point but suffice it to say, it leads down diagonally to the left, then you start down the wash below running into a couple of steep sections before you can find another vague and hard-to-find trail leading over the ridge to the left.
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| Rock Outcrops on Middle Ridge |
Upon reaching the next wash, we followed it down to a high dry fall as seen in the second photo of this entry. We retraced our steps about 30 feet, climbed the next ridge and found another vague trail that leads over this ridge and down to Fletcher Canyon proper. Some steep stuff here. Just make sure you don't go too far to the right. Cliffs ahead!!
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| From Middle Ridge to Saddle to Mummy's Toe |
Right after dropping into Fletcher Canyon and following the trail down for about 30 feet, you arrive at the Ponderosa Waterfall. This waterfall requires an up and around on the left side. We saw that there are numerous trails made to circumvent this but, really, the circumvention isn't that long if you begin it 5 feet before the waterfall. Any way you do it, this scramble is the most difficult of the hike because of the slippery rock. Oh yeah, then there is Obstacle Rock. I digress again.
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| Mike in the Crow's Nest |
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| Ralyn climbing at the Landmark Rock |
We started down the canyon trail finding various new fallen trees and debris crossing our path. Every year, Fletcher Canyon presents a new canvas. The wild roses are in bloom but so are their thorns which blocked the way throughout the hike. We also saw several species of butterflies enjoying the wet summer conditions of the canyon. Also blooming as we speak are the Mt. Charleston Angelicas. These white lacey flowers are found in abundance on the Stanley B Trail and the lower Fletcher Canyon Trail. They are an offset of angelicas that are found only in the Mt. Charleston area. These flowers can also be viewed along the South Loop Trail and at Little Falls. We saw and heard a lot of birds. And, lizards scampered at our feet. Fletcher Canyon is probably the closest thing to a tropical rain forest that the Las Vegas desert has going. Yep. Not that close.
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| Arriving at the Stanley B Saddle |
We sidled around the small slot that had sun streaming into it from straight above then weaved our way along the flowing stream. Next, we started into the upper Fletcher Canyon narrows.
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| Griffith Peak from Stanley B Saddle |
We enjoyed the high walls surrounding us. Throughout the hike, we stayed at a slow and steady pace stopping when we felt like it. And, here, we stood looking around. Something seemed different. Was that a new tree crossing the canyon above our heads?
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| Crossing over to Fletcher Canyon |
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| More steep Stuff |
Next, the much anticipated Rabbit Hole. So, we had heard through friends that someone has built up the opposite side of Obstacle Rock with trees into a ladder-like structure. We thought, "Okay. We'll check it out." We reached Obstacle Rock and peered over the edge down to the new "ladder." Hmm. At first glance, the ladder doesn't appear negotiable from the top. It appears slippery and confusing. We immediately opted to do the Rabbit Hole dance and ignore the work of the ladder. This proved to be doable but somewhat hampered by the new construction. When sliding under the rock after slipping through the hole, the space is much encumbered with the placement of one of the large logs. But, nevertheless, we got through ... especially since we were all of medium or slight build. The whole process was quite comical and the comments were hilarious!
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| Arriving at Fletcher Canyon above Ponderosa Waterfall |
When we got down far enough to be able to look back up at the constructed ladder, we saw that it might be usable for going up more than for going down. And, going up was always a very difficult endeavor in the past.
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| Now for the Fun and Beautiful Stuff in the Canyon |
Also, when we got down to the bottom of the obstacle, we were somewhat relieved that there were no observers lazing about at the bottom! Yes, it wasn't a pretty maneuver but we had a lot of fun!
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| Down through the Rabbit Hole at Obstacle Rock |
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| Obstacle Rock |
Shockingly, we hiked the remaining two miles of lower Fletcher Canyon only passing 4 couples. We didn't see even one other hiker until we were out of the shaded canyon and into the warm sun. We hiked swiftly not wanting to lollygag in the sun longer than necessary. It had been a hard hike with the change in route using the Middle Ridge but it is always fun to learn new stuff! The maps below do not indicate today's route. These are maps of the usual route used by the AtBF club. Fun day! Resting now!
Stats: ~7 miles; ~2000' gained; 4.75 hours
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| Ralyn sliding down the Chute |
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| A look back at Fletcher Canyon Lower Narrows |
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| Hiking down into Kyle Canyon |
