Blue Diamond Canyon #5 Loop - 3/21/21

Upper Canyon #5

Canyon #5 from Bypass Bike Trail

View down from 3rd Class Dry Fall Climb

Hiking up wash to Canyon Narrows

On a Sunday morning, a Tireless Trio parked at Wheeler Camp Springs Trailhead and crossed SR 159 to begin our hike. We stepped over the mangled barbed wire fence and followed the trail down into the wash. This wash is the beginning of Blue Diamond Canyon #5, the furthest west of five deep and narrow canyons cut into the hills just north of Blue Diamond, Nevada. We followed the bike trail on the right side of the wash until the trail crossed the wash and headed up the hill. Here, we changed to following the wash until we entered a deep canyon. When the canyon appeared, so did the scrambling opportunities. This is a beautiful canyon carved out by water. Within this canyon, there are many fossils found in the rock surfaces.

Approaching Canyon Narrows

These fossils are from the Precambrian Era. They are from small sea critters like scallops and sponges.

Scrambling Begins

At a particularly narrow point in the canyon not far from the canyon entrance, we came to the one most difficult part of the hike.

3rd Class Crack Climb

Canyon Bottom

It is a dry fall approximately 10 feet high. There is a crack of sorts on the right side of the pourover and this is where hikers must find their way up. It wasn't easy, but we all got up the crack. Right foot inside the crack, left foot on a very small protrusion to the left. Hands in small handholds. And, hopefully a spotter! At the top, we took a moment to gather our sticks and move on. Between there and the junction with the bike trail, there are a few more interesting layouts in the canyon bottom. At the trail junction, we stopped to remove clothing layers since we were then comfortable with the temperature. The junction is the first fork of several within the main canyon. We veered to the right and passed another canyon that headed off to the right with a narrow entrance.

Another Pourover Climb

One of the things that catch the hiker's eye inside the deep walls is that there are many cacti growing on the sides and shelves.

Tenacious Trio at Castle Corner

Most likely, this is because the canyon catches the southern sun in many places along its winding path.

Sunlight arrives in Canyon

Square Cave Corner

We passed another narrow canyon that turned to the right but kept going straight. The next large fork, though, you must take a right turn lest you soon cross out of the Red Rock Canyon NCA boundary and into mining property. The canyon becomes even more interesting after this turn to the right. First, you come to a bend where the walls are even taller. At the top of the wall in front of you as you approach, there is a formation reminiscent of castle towers. We took a group photo here then moved on to a bend with sun coming into the shadows. The next bend has a square cave up on the right wall. It is a shallow indentation but you can't see that until you are right up to it. We passed many very large mojave yuccas that were very healthy.

Ralyn checks out the Square Cave

Finally, after a bend where the best route is still to be found, (I guess any route will do), the building of the mining road above has sent dirt and rocks over the side.

Four Corners of Boundary Signs

The canyon begins leveling off and you come to the "Four Corners of Red Rock Canyon NCA!"

End of Canyon at Mine Tailings

View back to Escarpment

This is where the boundary comes to a point then spreads out to another small diamond shape. (See the maps below.) There are four boundary signs and a survey marker (1995) to try to clarify who owns what. After the signs, the canyon begins to become a rutted mess until it reaches the mining property's very high wall of dirt. We found a seat in the sun and took our break. A few photos later, we began our descent which retraced our steps back to the bike trail junction. Somewhere along the way, I picked up my first tick of the season. Hmm. At the junction, we connected with the bypass bike trail that led up along a shelf on the right side of the canyon. 

Descent Scrambling

We took note of the 3rd class climb from a bird's eye view being very very careful of our footing. It is a little loose up there.

Fossil, Milkvetch and Cactus Garden inside Canyon #5

Out of the canyon, the bike trail continues next to the canyon wash. It is a very good trail and has two little bridges, assumably built by the bikers.

Stair Stepping Descent

Pyramid Rock

To our right, we could see the Goatroper Trail climbing up to the ridge and there was a large group of bikers "yahooing" down the narrow path. Finally, the trail dropped into the wash where we reconnected at the same place we had left the trail earlier in the morning. This was a great hike for a busy Sunday at Red Rock. We enjoyed it very much.

Note: They fixed the ~6" road drop from the asphalt to the Wheeler Camp Springs parking lot! Yea!!

Stats: 6 miles; 770' gain; 3.5 hours

In and Out of Sunshine

The Bypass Bike Trail

Bikers' Bridges

Gray Cap Loop - 3/18/21

View from Gray Cap Peak

Turtlehead Peak from Gray Fox Descent

Lower Gray Fox Canyon

Hiking toward 5 Stop Hill

The Fun Four were ready for another big hike, this time to Gray Cap Peak in the Red Rock Canyon NCA. We gathered at the Kraft Mountain Trailhead parking lot on a cool morning and started toward 5 Stop Hill. At an easy pace of around 2.5 mph, we reached the hill and climbed up. At the top, we took a rest looking at the beautiful scenery. It was an overcast morning and the colors were other-worldly. For Las Vegans, anything other than bright sun is gorgeous! Okay, almost anything! We seemed to be the first ones on the Kraft Saddle this morning but when others began arriving, we stopped talking and continued down the Rattlesnake Trail. At the junction with the Gateway Canyon wash, someone has built a large arrow to direct traffic.

Kraft Saddle

Up the Sliding Board

Happy Faces in Upper Gateway Canyon

Jerry climbs a Dry Fall

We turned left and started our short slog up the gravel through the new scramble and up the sliding board. Passing the junction with the Rattlesnake Trail canyon, we started into the wonderful scrambling limestone world of Upper Gateway Canyon. All of us knew these scrambles well and we weaved our way up the big steps and dry falls easily. I took a large number of photos throughout the hike! We were having loads of fun! It was also fun watching Jerry, Cheryl and Mike do the harder scrambles. There are approximately six 3rd class scrambles up dry falls. Otherwise, the scrambles are of the stair-stepping variety. One of my favorite sections is The Terraces. Today, there were little pools of water there from a recent rain.

Cheryl climbs a Dry Fall

The Terraces

Top of Upper Gateway Canyon and The Wall (The Tree on Top)

View back down Gateway from Wall Climb

The Wall came into view at the top of the Gateway Canyon and we sat for a small break. From the gray limestone, the terrain turns into red sandstone then into yellow sandstone. At the top of the wall, there is a lone tree that we all headed for. Finally at the top, we saw that the Deep Tank was dry with a little bit of wet-looking sand at the bottom. However, as we crossed the fin above the tank, we saw that the tank there had about a foot of water in it. Carefully, we crossed to the other side and began our climb up to the wall in front of us. A right turn at the wall led us along the sandstone and around the corner. Views of the surrounding landscape were deep in color with clouds still hanging around. Our route dipped down to the beginning of the final climb.

Resting above Deep Tank

Dry Deep Tank (Fin Crossing to Left)

Tank on Crossing

Kraft Mountain from climb to Gray Cap

It had been a while since I last followed someone who knew the route good. So, I was anxious to take an experienced look at where that darn picnic table was. Mike showed us the way. After a short breather at the picnic table, we continued up and to a two o'clock direction. Passing a few familiar scrambles, we were on course for the trail that parallels the ridge above. We found the trail and followed it completing the yellow sandstone portion. The trail, then, headed into the gray limestone and we began our final peak ascent. On the top, we signed into the log book and took some photos. It was an absolutely beautiful day! (Except there was a lot of haze over the city.) We took note that there was some leftover snow on top of the Sandstone Bluffs.

Gray Cap Peak above Yellow Sandstone

Mike starts final Climb up Sandstone

Resting at the Picnic Table

Colorful Landscape from Gray Cap Ascent

We looked at each other and made the decision to descend through Gray Fox Canyon. This is a steep scramble down the side of Gray Cap through the yellow and red sandstone that was first explored and routed by Mike O'Connor and Steve Anderson back in February 2012. In fact, the maiden club hike of Gray Fox Canyon was when we saw a gray fox watching us from up the canyon as we were ascending. (Thus, the name.) Our pace down the somewhat treacherous route would be slow and methodical offering help to each other when needed. This route has morphed a little over the years but it is still generally the same and has been cairned throughout. This is good since some of the scrambles are questionable at first glance.

Fun Four on Gray Cap Peak

Turtlehead, La Madre Peak and Brownstone Canyon from Gray Cap Peak

Jerry and Cheryl on Gray Cap Peak

Red Cap and Bridgepoint Peak

We started down on a trail that leads diagonally on the southeast side of the peak. Cairns immediately started appearing. Soon, a switchback must be taken or you will start on a very difficult traverse over to Goatbed Peak. Following the cairns, we dropped through the maze of down climbs. The drops in the yellow sandstone section were not terrible but care must be taken on the steep sandstone. There is a lot of zigzagging around and it was very slow going. All good with us! Finally, we reached the division that runs between the yellow and the red stone. Into the red, I remembered this section to be the most challenging. Jerry led us around the boulders and down the cairned path. We started hitting the "fun" stuff and we braced for the challenges.

Beginning Colorful Gray Fox Descent

Jerry and Cheryl lead down through the Cairns

Near the bottom of the Yellow Section

Starting down through the Red Section

Between the four of us, there was plenty of helping going on. Mostly, giving directions but also a couple of reaching hands. Dare I say it? I'm not as young as I used to be! 😲We were still having fun as we made our way down very slowly. The most challenging section was in our rearview mirror when we got to the small drop into Gray Fox Canyon. We dropped in at about the same place as the gray fox had waited years ago. The cairns continued and even though there wasn't much of a trail on the ground, we could see where people had hiked and scrambled. The route descended down the canyon above the wash for a bit. Then, instead of continuing down the canyon to a difficult area, we turned to our left and climbed up the hill to make a bypass. There were cairns here, too. This route is a little messy but easier.

Fun Section from the Top

Fun Section from the Bottom

Entering Gray Fox Canyon

Mike descends Gray Fox Canyon

This route dropped us into the same flat area as the other route does. Then, we made our way to Gateway Canyon wash. A left turn led us to a connecting trail on the right up to the Rattlesnake Trail that we had used a few hours before. Up and over Kraft Saddle passing several other hiker/climbers and we were home free! Wow! What a fun great day! 

Stats: 5.3 miles; 2200' gain; 5.25 hours

Back in Gateway Canyon

Descent on 5 Stop Hill

Still Smiling