Up the Creek - 7/19/22

Upper Fletcher Canyon Creek and Mummy Mountain

Water and Columbines in Upper Fletcher Canyon Creek

Root Frame

On Trail Canyon Saddle

Four Fearsome Hikers climbed up Trail Canyon to experience one of the most beautiful half miles of scrambling that the Spring Mountains NRA has to offer. What's the catch? Well, you have to climb Trail Canyon first! We arrived at the Trail Canyon Saddle around 8:15am. We had passed a family with a Weimaraner and a Bulldog. They were all having a great outing on the trail! A stronger hiker passed us saying that the rain from the day before had destroyed the South Loop Trail so he had come back down to climb Trail Canyon. I'm sure the trail maintenance workers will get right on that! After a rest at the saddle, we ventured down the North Loop for less than a tenth of a mile and found a small trail junction to the right. (Look for small rocks!)

Starting down to the Big Boulder Landmark

Small Trail and Landscape to Big Boulder

Big Boulder Landmark

Four Fearsome Hikers at the Big Boulder Landmark

Water flowing in the Creek

The aforementioned rain had obliterated a lot of this trail near the North Loop but we enjoyed the softer dirt that was leftover on the steep hillside. The trail returned a little lower down and we chose one of the ridges falling off to the right to continue our descent down to the Big Boulder Landmark. Following the path of least resistance, we found an old trail that I have used before and found the huge boulder rising before us. It is unmistakably a large boulder lying in the middle of a pine glade above Fletcher Creek, aka the Upper Fletcher Canyon Wash. When you come upon the Big Boulder Landmark, you have arrived at the top of Fletcher Canyon per se. Drop to the creek bed and turn to the right by ducking under a fallen tree to find the trail that leads all the way down through the rabbit hole and out to the Fletcher Canyon Trailhead. This is also a beautiful hike! However, for this hike, we dropped to the creek where some water was flowing and turned to the left. By staying in the creek bed, we climbed up through some shallow water and columbines being careful of the probable slipperiness. Several photos were taken here, including the second photo of this entry. The water went underground and we continued to scramble up the rocks.

Pinnacles above Fletcher Creek

Mark, Charlie and Ralyn climb Fletcher Creek

Harris Peak view down the Creek

Taking a Break in the Creek

Dragon

It is a good scramble with views of the creek bed and Mummy Mountain above. It was there to enjoy! Although there are side trails occasionally, we mostly stayed in the dry creek where we also took our snack break. By the time we junctioned with the North Loop, we had had a good amount of climbing rocks. A left turn on the North Loop brought us back to Trail Canyon Saddle where we met up with a few other hikers of the AtBF club. Next, we descended Trail Canyon easily before any threat of rain or heat came upon us. Very enjoyable morning!

Stats: 5.2 miles; 2025' gain; 3.5 hours

Mummy's Knee above Fletcher Creek

Junction with North Loop Trail

Trail Canyon Descent

Raintree v Chateau Ridge - 7/16/22

"Okay. Nobody back up!"

Chateau and Mummy's Nose from Cougar Ridge Trail

Raintree

Starting up old Road

There is a ridge that connects the Deer Creek Picnic Area parking lot to Cougar Ridge Trail high above. For lack of a better idea ... must have been a slow day ... I named it Horse Ridge because of all the old evidence of wild horses using that ridge. Today, we renamed it Chateau Ridge in honor of the beautiful chateau that you can see on top of the peak above the ridge as you climb. Five hikers used that ridge to climb to Raintree, today. Leaving the cars at the picnic area lot on Deer Creek Road, we climbed up the embankment across the road and turned right onto remnants of Old Deer Creek Road. At the top of the first hill, we turned to our left and started our ascent onto Chateau Ridge. It's steep; a wake-up call to hearts and lungs in the early morning.

Climbing Chateau Ridge

Seen on Chateau Ridge

Mid-Point on Chateau Ridge

Chateau as seen from Chateau Ridge

The ridge reaches a small rock outcrop where we took our photo, and continues along a gentle saddle section. Next, the steepness returns until you reach the dirt road at the top. We turned left and walked up to the Mummy's Nose Overlook. Our walk continued down the road as we hiked by a few old cabins. When the road forked to the right, we headed up to the old sawmill remains for a short pause. Following that, we headed up the Deer Creek Trail and onward to the Deer Creek Ridge. The combination of Chateau Ridge and Deer Creek Ridge made a challenging ascent. We labored heavily up the ridge taking note of the empty poorwill nest on the ground next to the trail. In three weeks' time, the baby birds had hatched and fledged leaving no trace.

Starting down Cougar Ridge Trail

Connecting to the Sawmill area from Cougar Ridge Trail

Small break at the old Sawmill

Raintree Saddle seen from Deer Creek Ridge

As I climbed the familiar ridge, I looked longingly up at the saddle across the canyon where Raintree resided and our ascent would end. The others went on ahead as I slowed my pace. But, we all made it and took a well needed and well deserved rest at the junction of the Mummy's Toe Trail. Ready to go again, we turned to the left and hiked over to the base of Mummy Springs. The trail continued gently up for around a third of a mile to Raintree where we took our big break. On this Saturday, there were already four or five other hikers making an early appearance at the tree. A small chance of rain was in the forecast so the early start was wise. After the break, we started back down the Mummy Springs Trail we had just come up.

Deer Creek Ridge Trail

Mummy Springs from Trail

Approaching Raintree

Taking our Break at Raintree

Nearing the spring area, we saw the Campsite Ridge that dropped down to the right. We turned and hiked through the square of logs. Thankfully, the fire ring that we had disassembled last year had not reappeared. Our strategy for this year's descent was different. Instead of finding our way down to the wash on the right side of the ridge, we headed straight (as straight as we could) down the end of the steepish ridge. Craggy outcrops lit our way. The soil was moist from recent rain and the footing was pretty good. Down, down, down. Finally, at the bottom of the ridge, we imagined a vague trail along the left side of the canyon wash. This trail became clearer as we made our way down through the logs and debris. 

Raintree Roots

Starting down Campsite Ridge

Passing Rock Outcrops on Descent

Steep descent off Campsite Ridge

At last, we came out at the big boulder that marks the climb up to Deer Creek Ridge. We joined the trail that we had been on only two hours before and hiked down to the junction with Cougar Ridge Trail. The dirt road had just been graded and it was easy to descend the normally rocky road to the picnic area paved road. As we walked down through the picnic tables, there were families already enjoying the day. A few sprinkles anointed our hats but we escaped the downpour that was to come only minutes later. A great workout with friends!

Stats: 5 miles; 1850' gain; 3.75 hours

Following a somewhat worn Trail through the Wash Debris

Deer Creek Trail junction with Cougar Ridge Trail

Descending a newly graded Cougar Ridge Trail

Bat Trail Loop - 7/7/22

View from No Name Saddle

Pine Cone Canyon

Gulley Descent to Campground

Lower Bristlecone Trail (aka Scout Canyon Road)

After a relaxing recovery period (remember Charleston Peak?), seven hikers gathered at the Lower Bristlecone Trailhead for a fun get-together on the trails. We hiked up the trail (aka Scout Canyon Road) for approximately one mile to where the road makes a switchback to the left. At the apex of the switchback, we turned to the right onto an old road that leads up to a weather station. Passing the weather station turnoff, we continued up the canyon toward the Bonanza Trail ridge (aka the Spring Mountains Divide). This canyon takes no prisoners! It is referred to as Pine Cone Canyon because the floor of the drainage is usually covered with pine cones. The drainage is narrow and steep requiring hikers to climb 900' in only 0.6 miles.

Climbing Pine Cone Canyon

Lucky Seven at Top of Pine Cone Canyon

Bonanza Trail

Back of Lee and Charleston Peaks from Bonanza Trail

Glad that the hard work was over, we took a break at the top for group photos. A left turn onto Bonanza Trail took us up another 75 elevation feet to the hike's high point then dropped us down steps through yellow wildflowers glowing in the morning sun to the Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest / Mt. Charleston Wilderness sign at the junction of the No Name Trail. Veering to the right, we enjoyed the No Name Trail as it led through the old bristlecone forest just below a ridge. The back side of Charleston, Lee and Rocketship Peaks rose in view as the top of Clark Canyon fell down to our right. Reaching the No Name Saddle, we met up with another small group of hikers that were old friends.

Through the Bristlecones on No Name Trail

Charleston Peak from No Name Trail

Taking our break on No Name Saddle

Descending steep No Name Trail

We took our snack break here while we talked then headed down the hill. We came out on the Upper Bristlecone Trail about one mile up from the trailhead. After a quick photo, we veered to the left and started up the Bristlecone Trail. It was a steady climb of about 0.8 miles until we stopped for a shade break at the switchback corner overlook. A little more uphill and the trail started descending as we rounded the bowl in which the McWilliams Campground sits 800 elevation feet below. I had an itch to explore an old route down to the campground and everyone in the group concurred. So, down we went into a gulley on the right not far from where the Upper Bristlecone Trail turned into Scouts Canyon Road.

No Name Trail

Group at No Name / Bristlecone Junction

Upper Bristlecone Trail

Shade Break at the Corner

We started down a somewhat gentle ridge then dropped over to the left into a wide gulley that was pretty much brush free. The gulley led us down as we began noticing evidence of wild horses. Soon enough, we found ourselves on a trail. Not long after that, we ran into an old narrow road. Looking to the right, we saw that there is a very worn trail continuing up the bowl. Perhaps we could have dropped to the right from that initial gentle ridge to catch the trail. (?) Anyway, we turned to the left to continue our descent on the old road and crossed an old dilapidated log bridge over a small wash. The road eventually led into a concrete pathway. This is a nature trail for the campers that expounds on the many bats that live in these mountains.

Limestone on Bristlecone Trail

Starting down the Gulley

A trail appears in the Gulley.

Then, an old road appears after the trail.

Someone said we should call the new route the Bat Trail! So .... From the Bat Trail, we descended through the beautiful McWilliams Campground on its paved road to the bottom where we skipped over to the left to get to the Lower Bristlecone Trailhead and the cars. Fun day with great friends and a new route!

Stats: 6.3 miles; 1700' gain; 3.75 hours

Next, a nature trail focusing on bats appears.

Bat Sculpture

McWilliams Campground Road