La Madre

I would consider La Madre a "must-climb" peak in Las Vegas.  Not necessarily because the routes are especially interesting, but because it's prominent from a lot of Las Vegas, it has a cool scar on it visible from far away, and it provides very unique views.

There are routes that approach from Red Rock, but it was summer and we didn't want to spend so long at a lower elevation.  We had actually attempted the Northern approach a couple years ago, but we were discouraged by the fact that our chosen route took us through some private mining property.
This time, I did a lot more planning and found some routes that didn't require the trip through private mining property.  They would, however, require some involved rugged 4x4 driving.  For the umpteenth time, I wondered if our Xterra was up for it, and for the umpteenth time, it turned out the answer was a resounding yes.  Besides just being a very rugged road, we had to cross two dry creek beds, and both required pretty decent descents down to them, and then ascents back up.  The Xterra didn't even blink (I did).




Maybe a drawback of reading so many trip reports from such seasoned hikers (Bob Burd, Harlan Stockman, Branch Whitney, Andy Zdon) is that they can sometimes gloss over terrain that Karen and I may still find challenging.  That was the case on this trip, as the round trip mileage is only 5.4 miles.  We were prepared to follow a trail-less ridge up to the top.  Steep doesn't bother us, but what we didn't expect was the ridge being a tedious maze of rugged limestone formations and bushwhacking.  Progress was arduous and hard-fought.  As we approached the scar, it became especially important to ensure we didn't cliff out by venturing too far left.



The top was a great reward, however.  The views are truly unique and even though it was a traditionally hazy Las Vegas day, even Karen admitted that the views were striking.





The descent was full of the same bushwhacking and scrambling, but we did discover that we didn't have to stray so far from the scar as we did on the way up.  We also toyed several times with bailing on the ridge and taking a drainage down that led to a dry creek bed that would eventually take us to our car.  Ultimately, we decided we had no patience for potential route-finding snafus, so we stuck to the ridge, but looking at the topo, I still think our drainage descent has potential.

I'm mildly intrigued by the Red Rock approach routes, especially the one that passes through the dramatic notch that separates El Padre and La Madre.  However, I won't be in a huge hurry to repeat this particular Northern approach.

Bonanza - P & K + A & J-dog

Today we bagged another new peak.  We have wanted to hike Bonanza for several years now and just never got the timing right.  The peak has some north facing slopes so we wanted to make sure most of the snow was melted, which is was today.  The low snow year is going to mean more of Mt. Charleston is accessible earlier than some years.

Driving through the little town (?) or settlement (?) of Cold Creek Canyon was very intriguing.  None of us had any idea this place existed.  It was a huge step up from our last town on the way to a hike, which was Good Springs.  Lots of very nice houses and log cabins.  Intriguing!  We didn't see any power lines, but did notice most houses had solar panels.  More research is to be done on this little town.  The Cold Creek Canyon area is also so intriguing because of the number of wild horses that we saw.  They were plentiful on the side of the road and some even had new foals trotting along next to them.  Dishearteningly we saw why the "wild" horses were located so close to civilization.  As were were driving out, we witnessed people feeding the horses and taking their photos and petting them.  All the wild horses were clustered in the main drag of the town.  They were very calm and did not see alarmed by the traffic or noisy vehicles on the dirt road.

The dirt road to the hike is doable in a passenger vehicle, but it would be a very slow journey.  We made quick work of it in our Xterra and found the parking lot for the Bonanza trail very easily.  The hike was 10 miles and fairly challenging with just under 3,000 ft of elevation gain.  We were partially shaded throughout even with a late start.  The temperature was just perfect in the 60's-70's and the wind kept us very cool.  The wind at the saddle until the peak was very blustery and made the sweat on our bodies down right chilly.  The top of the hike had a great flat area to eat lunch that was fairly protected from the fierce gale blowing on the high point.  Unfortunately all three of us could not locate a summit log.  We searched and searched and came up empty handed.  We may need to put this on the short list to put a log book up there this summer, but I think I will do some searching to see if anyone can point out where it may be located on the web.

Overall, very enjoyable hike.  Great company for P and K, as our dear friend Adam and his beloved J-dog came with us.  It was a good early season hike and another new peak to add to our list.  We also now know the route to hike Willow.


GPX file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8glm6pe79v7n2iq/BONANZA%20%282%29.gpx

Mt. Potosi

Living in the southern part of Las Vegas, Potosi is a prominent peak. Every single day on my way to work, I stare at it. It has a distinctive shape from our vantage point, and I actually took a photo of it years ago, before I even knew what it was (www.flickr.com/photos/philadendron/3139433323/). It also hold snow in the winter, and it's quite photogenic. 

It's also notable because Clark Gable's wife, Carol Lombard, died in a plane crash on the mountain. From what I hear, there is still a ton of wreckage up there from the crash.

There are several routes to the top, but at the time, we wanted a straightforward, drama-free trip, so we chose to drive through Jean to the start of the dirt road that leads to the top. 

The beginning of the dirt road is really steep, so steep that on our way back down, we chose to walk backward for a while, as a kind of "downclimb". I think the jury is still out on whether it's as steep as the Frenchman Mountain dirt road.

Obviously, with this being a "road hike", the trip was fairly uneventful, but the top offered some views from a unique vantage point. We were high enough to have unobstructed views of both Red Rock and the Spring Mountains, from the South. There aren't many peaks that afford this. We also met a guy who had approached from the Northwest. He was from Arizona and was visiting relatives, and I could tell by his gear and his athletic build that he probably gets out a lot. Not to mention the fact that he took time out of visiting relatives to climb a trail-less route to a peak.

We were happy to chalk up another peak that had been on our todo list forever. One day, I'd like to attempt a more adventurous route to the top. Specifically, I think there are some options from the North.

Link to the GPX: https://www.dropbox.com/s/f1m19y4hzfsdush/Mt.%20Potosi.gpx

2013-2014 Snow Season Resorts

When a time comes that we are not living life we may write more about each resort, but for now here's a summary of our snowboarding season '13-'14:

December 2013
Brian Head
Eagle Point
Brian Head
Solitude
Snowbasin

January 2014
Snowbird
Powder Mountain
Solitude
Snowbird

February 2014
Brighton
Sundance
Canyons
Brighton
Snowbird (P)

March 2014
Canyons (P)
Eagle Point

April 2014
Mammoth
Mammoth

Eagle Point - Hidden Gem

A photo of Karen from the hike out after doing runs on Donner's Descent. They were beyond worthwhile with deep,fluffy freshies as very few had been willing to do the hike back. We tried to get back for a third, but just missed it as ski patrol drew the closed sign out.

Fracture Ridge

Living in Henderson, most hikers are aware of (and have probably hiked) Black Mountain. How could you pass up a peak minutes away from your house? However, there is a lesser-known peak nearby, just South.

I've seen this peak referenced a few different ways. North McCullough Peak, Little Black Mountain, and Fracture Ridge. We took the official Black Mountain trail, until its junction with the BLM 402 trail. This trail passes closely by Park Peak, so we tagged that peak quickly before starting up the ridge to our main goal. We quickly found a trail, and the rest of the way was a simple and easy climb.

At the top, we noted that connecting North McCullough to Black Mountain would require some pretty decent scrambling. It'd be a fun loop, but remember thinking that there's no guarantee that the route "goes". Guess someday we'll find out...

Mary Jane Falls - Our 1st Snowshoe!

Since snowboarding season still isn't in full swing, Karen and I had an extra couple days to play with this past weekend. Mt. Charleston made a post on Facebook about a group snowshoe, so we signed up. There were only 10 people on the trip, and at the end, when we were supposed to turn around, the guide said we could borrow the equipment for the rest of the day if we wanted. We decided to take advantage and took the snowshoes up to Mary Jane Falls. Phil had never done this popular hike before, so it was nice to see the falls, especially in the winter when so few people go up.

The snow was plentiful at the lower elevations, but did thin out near the end of the Mary Jane Falls trail. Several people decided to carry on the to the falls with us, but only one other couple made it all the way. They seemed newer to the outdoors and really seemed to enjoy themselves. It was nice to talk with them about snowboarding since they wanted to get into it.

We had a lot of fun and definitely want to do it again in the future. A lot of the snow resorts we visit in Utah actually have snowshoeing and cross country skiing, so maybe one day we will check those out.


 

Observation Point - Zion, Utah

In November of 2013, Karen and I were itching to get outdoors but it wasn't quite snow season yet. Camping season was done and hiking was winding down, but we wanted one more adventure. We tried to invite a certain member of the family along in an attempt to show support and be a positive influence in their life, but sadly, they declined.  We can't help but wonder if the outcome of today might be different with one decision altered.

We decided to take a day trip to Zion and knock out another Zion classic, Observation Point. Having already done Angel's Landing a few years ago, Observation Point was overdue.

We left around 4:30 in the morning for the two and a half hour drive, liking the idea of getting on the trail early. It was cool to get ready in the parking lot while the big-wall, sport, and trad climbers got ready at the same time. Zion is a world-class climbing spot and sharing the bus with the climbers was fun.

The trail starts low, climbs through canyons carved deep and dramatically by water, reaches the rim of the park, then runs out to Observation Point. It was fun to try to find the right mix of clothing to keep us warm, but not uncomfortably hot, in the shade of the canyon.

We shared the top with a healthy portion of other hikers, but there was still enough rim to sit and enjoy lunch in front of the some of the best views of any hike, anywhere. Looking down on Angel's Landing, where we'd been a few years earlier, was fun.

There are still plenty of Zion classics to go. The Narrows and the Subway spring immediately to mind, and I can't get Lady Mountain out of my mind, either.

This was the first time we've driven several hours out of town only to hike and drive home the same day and it was a nice getaway from the city.  Karen has requested a repeat already and I foresee this being a very real idea again in fall 2014 to stave off our snow dreams.

Windy Peak

Bridge Mountain Solo

Bridge Mountain is considered the crown jewel peak in Red Rock Canyon.  It's not the highest, nor the furthest hike, but it's got a great balance of incredible vistas, stunning exposure, and fun scrambling.  Not to mention the namesake arch near the top.

The biggest problem with Bridge Mountain is getting to the trailhead.  The most popular route starts behind (to the West of) Bridge Mountain, hikes over the escarpment of limestone and sandstone, and continues to the peak.  However, reaching the trailhead involves 5 miles of incredibly rugged driving on a washed out road.  You can see the conundrum:  risk your vehicle on this crazy road, or add 10 boring miles to the 7 mile round trip hike.

Karen and I have a brief history with this very road.  A couple years ago, we tried to drive it to get to the same trailhead to try a different hike, but had to turn around less than 2 miles in.  We vowed to return when we had more capable transportation.

Fast forward two years, and Karen's car, an Xterra Pro-4x, is our outdoors vehicle.  It has extra skidplates, extra clearance, and extra tough tires.  We both thought this drive would be a cinch in our outdoor tank, so when I asked to take it while she was working, she didn't really protest.

Long story short, Rock Gap Road is a BEAST.  I am not a 4-wheel/rock crawling hobbyist, so I was literally sweating bullets as I navigated this vehicular obstacle course.  I actually had to stop the car, get out, and inspect the route ahead, lest I hastily charge forward and get stuck on an impassable boulder or in an especially deep pothole.  I held my breath as the horizontal angle of my vehicle approached dangerous levels.  I prayed as I rolled over an especially tall limestone protuberance that I wouldn't hear a terrible grinding noise.  I watched my side mirrors like a hawk as I squeezed the car between a razor sharp limestone wall and a 25 foot drop.  After 45 minutes, the road eased and I was at my destination.  Reportedly, the roads gets even tougher past this point.

Now I could start the actual adventure.  I made quick work of the approach trail, up and over the limestone ridge behind Bridge.  My first views deep into Pine Creek Canyon were breathtaking.  These views are easily some of the most dramatic I've yet seen in Red Rock.

As I approached the toughest part of the route, I ran through it in my head for the thousandth time.  The Bridge Hike is known for a roughly 100 foot tall crack that you need to climb up in order to proceed.  You then climb out of the crack, step over it, and on to an airy ledge that has precipitous drops a few feet to your left.  The rest of the hike is no picnic, but in performing my pre-hike research, this was one of the areas most people mentioned as the crux of the route.

Over the course of my hiking and snowboarding careers, I've gotten used to the concept of terrain appearing forebodingly steep when viewed straight on.  It's only when you get up close, or view it from an angle, that you get to see the true degree of the steepness.  The Bridge Crack was no exception to this rule.  I kept looking up to it, and saying, "Yup, still looks vertical."


It was only when I got close to it that its true verticality was revealed.  Most people report that hiking in the crack is safer, but makes for tougher climbing.  Hiking the sandstone to the RIGHT of the crack is more exposed, but the climbing is easier.

In practice, I found the first part to be true.  The crack was plenty safe from the pucker-inducing exposure on either side of this rib I was ascending.  I also found that the climbing inside the crack did prove to be tricky, especially for someone as short as I am.  At one point, I did climb out of the crack and ascend the sandstone to the right to bypass a tricky part, but I quickly got back into the crack.  I was uncomfortable with the exposure not to my right, but behind me.  Slipping and falling back would.....not be very good at all.

The crack is over in just a few minutes.  It was fun, and not as scary as some made it out to be.  I stepped over it, on to the airy ledge, and snapped a photo.  The ledge, like the crack, wasn't as bad as it had been reported.

A couple minutes later, I was at the bridge for which Bridge Mountain was named.  It is large and really impressive.  The route takes you under it, into the water hole that created it, and up the other side.


The rest of the route is pretty basic, especially if you're comfortable with friction scrambling on sandstone.

The summit was windy and I found shelter in a hole nearby.  After eating and taking photos, I started back down.  After all, I had determined that by far, the toughest part of the day laid ahead:  the drive back out of Rocky Gap Road.

While descending the infamous crack (slightly spookier than ascending it), I met a couple who had climbed up from Pine Creek Canyon.  We exchanged banter on the various route options for this peak, and I advised them that they were probably 20 minutes away from the peak (maybe a little optimistic, but I have a habit of quoting overly optimistic times to fellow hikers).  What stood out most to me about this conversation was the setting:  I was perched precariously above the toughest part of the crack, and the couple were standing on the exposed sandstone to the right of the crack.  Clearly, none of us were rookies to this type of terrain.



I actually jogged parts of the trail back to the car, because I was feeling great, and I was also very anxious to get Rocky Gap Road over with.

Why no pictures of this terrible drive?  Because it was terrible, and I would prefer to not relive it.  I'm being a touch dramatic, but I am not an offroad enthusiast, and I literally had the fear of God in me that if I damaged Karen's car in ANY WAY, I would probably meet an end far worse than any I may meet in the mountains.

In the end, the Xterra performed most admirably.  It was undoubtedly the reason I escaped the drive unscathed, rather than my superior offroad driving skills.  As I got closer to civilization on the road, I passed many people walking, who were forced to pull over lest they damage their vehicles.  That was a proud moment.



As for the hike itself, it lived up to every bit of its sterling reputation.  It's not a hike for kids or dogs, but now that I've done it, I'd be happy to lead anyone interested in jaw-dropping views and a real sense of achievement.  I only ask that you take your car on Rocky Gap Road, not mine ;)