Okay, I’ll admit it’s not new, but the route to Fletcher Peak has been improved. Fletcher Peak, located in Mt. Charleston, NV, is just 35 miles NW of Las Vegas. It offers some of the best views of any peak in Mt. Charleston. The new route through Hummingbird Hollow Canyon avoids most of the loose scree and there’s an easy-to-follow path once  at the saddle. It’s a moderate hike that actually passes a year round spring, something not too common on most of the hikes in Mt. Charleston.

On Sunday, August 22nd, 18 hikers made their way to the summit of Fletcher Peak. We had a nice day compared to the last time we tried this hike. That was Memorial Day Weekend 2009. It rained, hailed, snowed, lightening, and the wind was howling. It was by far the worst weather I had ever encountered on a hike. It reinforces the point to always bring extra clothing, a rain jacket and gloves if hiking in higher elevations.

Although not the easiest route to follow, the paths are much easier to find and follow now. Numerous cairns have been placed in the drainage to help hikers stay on the route. At the saddle there are some great photos opps of weathered bristlecone pines. The hike from the saddle to the summit is about as good as it gets. Don’t pass on this hike just because Fletcher Peak in not a major summit.

Stats:

www.hikinglasvegas.com provides the best, most accurate, and most updated step by step hiking descriptions of hikes around southern Nevada. For more info click here.

Note: Someone moved the ammo box containing the sign-in book to the sister peak, which does not have the views of the real peak. If you do this hike, please bring the ammo box back to the real peak.

Mt. Charleston is only 35 miles west of Las Vegas, NV. No permits are needed for day hikes and you only need to fill out a self issued permit for backpacking. The trails are not too crowded compare many other hiking areas and the routes see virtually no hikers. Cockscomb Traverse is a mountaineering route. Forget nicely groomed and easy to follow trails!

The hike starts by following Trail Canyon Trail for two miles where it meets up with the North Loop Trail, which can be hiked all the way to Charleston Peak (11,918 feet), the highest summit in Southern Nevada.

From the junction the hike follows a hiker’s path along Cockscomb Ridge. Some of the best views in Mt. Charleston are along the ridge. After a quarter mile are so the hike turns into a mountaineering route and traverses below the summit ridge along the east side. The rock is loose and the route is hard to follow without a good hike description. There’s one nearly vertical class 3 climb before the route reaches Cockscomb Peak (9,692 feet).

From the Cockscomb Peak the route traverses the ridge south traveling to two additional peaks. The first of these two peaks is where the old route use to descend. It was believe the only way to continue the traverse was by doing a rappel. We found an easy class 3 descent. It winds and twist, but makes it down to a saddle landmarked by a twisted bristlecone pine.

The route continues along the east side before climbing back up to a saddle that sits just below the third and final summit. It’s a short traverse along the west side of the ridge to the summit. The three peaks in one day along a magnificent ridge… not bad! The route descends past a pinnacle that is clearly visible from Trail Canyon Trail.. The pinnacle stands above a 200 foot wall making it appear impossible to scramble to without ropes. Just beyond the pinnacle stands a cool arch.

The descent is vastly better than the old descent (shorter and not as loose). And the best part: Once you intersect Trail Canyon Trail, it’s a seven minute walk back to the trailhead!!!

We were there and we came back with five of the best hikes in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Ramsey Cascade has been voted the best waterfall in the Smokies. It’s eight miles with 2,375 feet elevation gain. We also did Rainbow Falls, another hike to a waterfall. It’s a 5.6 mile hike with an elevation gain of 1,685 feet. Next we hiked to Clingmans Dome, the highest point in Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains. It stands at 6,643 feet and on a clear day you can see into seven states! It’s actually a very easy hike, only one mile up and back. The hike ends at an observation tower. Without the tower there would be no view due to all the trees.

I have hike to well over 300 peaks, but never have I hiked to a summit with a lodge at the top until now! Mt. LeConte has a restaurant and a lodge at the summit. It was very cool. It’s the highest lodge east of the Mississippi. It’s a 12 mile hike (up and back) with 2,750 feet of elevation gain. We saw a ranger near the lodge. He was in-shape, friendly and informative, just the opposite of Red Rock Rangers.

Our final hike was Chimney Tops and it actually has a class 3 scramble at the end, a rarity for hikes in the Smokies. This summit also had some nice fews. At four miles, up and back, this is not a long hike, but it has some very steep sections.

It’s nice to hike in a completely different area. I got a new perspective of the type of hiking people back east do. It’s very different than out here in the west. All the trails were very well signed and we did not see much trash. Of course all these hikes are available for members to download now.
For information about becoming a member click here.

Mummy Mountain (11,542 feet) is the second highest summit in southern Nevada. Although there are five different routes to the summit of Mummy, none of them are easy. The Mummy Springs route is a hikeI found back in 1996. The hike starts at the official North Loop trailhead and follows the North Loop trail to Raintree, a 3000 year old Bristlecone pine. It’s the oldest living thing in the region.

From Raintree the hike travels near Mummy Springs, a small seep that is reduced to a trickle by mid-July. From Mummy Springs the route soon follows a very steep path to a fantastic overlook of the North Loop trail. The route then does a long traverse of the NE face of Mummy to a gully that leads to the summit.

The summit is both very flat and huge, almost a third of a mile! Another tough and popular hike is Mummy Head to Toe, a hike I found back in 1998. It climbs all three heads of Mummy Mountain, then travels to the Tummy (the highest summit) and finally to the Toe. Mummy Mountain continues to be a popular destination for hardcore hikers.

Stats for the hike:

Distance: 10 miles — up and back
Elevation gain: 3,900 feet
Elevation of Peak: 11,542 feet
Time: 6 – 8 hours – up and back
Difficulty: 5
Danger level: 4
Class: 3

Members of Hiking Las Vegas can download an update for this hike which includes new photos, more waypoints and a gpx file. Without a written description of the route, you will not find your way. None of the routes are marked in southern Nevada and if they could, the BLM and US Forestry would ban all hiking. Your tax dollars hard at work!

Looking for an easy and scenic hike? Echo Cliff Overlook is that hike. The hike travels past a very scenic spring and has a great overlook. It’s hard to beat that combination. The hike starts by following the South Loop Trail for about one mile. It then follows a path to Spring Fork, a year round water source. Make sure to bring your camera. This is a pretty springs.

The hard part of the hike begins now. There are a couple of steep paths, but they are short lived. Once up the terrain flattens and you walk through the woods to an awesome overlook. You can see how the South Loop Trail switchbacks up the slope from the overlook. This is the perfect place to take a break.

This is not the easiest hike to follow. Of course, members of Hiking Las Vegas can download the hike along with photos of key landmarks and waypoints. For more information,
click here.

Stats for the hike:

Distance: 3 miles – up and back
Elevation gain: 1,350 feet
Elevation of Overlook: 9,000 feet
Time: 2 – 3 hours – up and back
Difficulty: 2
Danger level: 2
Class: 2 or 3

Note: It did start to rain and the sky looked threatening today. I believe the Monsoon season is about to start!

Looking for an easy hike with lots of water even in the summer? Well, look no further. Kannara Creek is the answer. The hike follows a road before following Kannara Creek to a magnificent slot. Here’s where you will be walking through water. It’s not deep, but its cold, so I recommend neoprene socks to keep your feet warm. It’s located outside of Zion National Park. Although some call it a canyoneering route, it’s more of a hike with lots of water.

I rate the hike as class 3, but if the ladders are gone it would be a technical route. From past photos I have seen the ladders have been destroyed by flash floods. I’m sure local canyoneers replace the ladders, which looks like a lot of work. Based on that I would check with local canyoneers if doing this hike in the spring to make sure the ladders are in place.

Since Kannara Creek is outside of Zion, no permits are needed. However, they are very strict rules about parking. Make sure you do NOT park at the trailhead and make sure to keep the area clean.

Here are the stats:

Distance: 6 miles – up and back

Elevation gain: ~600 feet

Time: 3 to 4 hours – up and back (depends how much time you play in the water!)

Difficulty: 2

Danger level: 4 (Flash flooding, cold water)

Class: 3 – 5 if the ladders are gone

How easy to follow: 1

It’s about a 2.5 hour drive from Las Vegas. You could do this hike in a day and drive back to Vegas, but it’s close to Zion making it perfect to do it while visiting Zion.

Of course members of HikingLasVegas.com can download the complete hiking description now. Not a member? Check out all the benefits of being a member.

Did you know there’s a place just 35 miles from Las Vegas that’s 25 to 40 degrees cooler? At Mt. Charleston, less than one hour’s drive from the Strip, you can enjoy gorgeous scenery in 70-degree weather, while Vegas bakes in 110-degree heat. Mt. Charleston is home to waterfalls, snow-covered peaks (even now, in June) and, most importantly, lots of hiking trails — which you can enjoy for free!

From the 100 foot waterfall at Big Falls to Charleston Peak (11,918 feet), there’s an adventure for everyone. Below, I’ve selected some of Mt. Charleston’s best day hikes.

Fletcher Canyon: A four mile (up and back) hike that travels through a slot canyon with 100-foot-high walls. There’s currently lots of water in the canyon making for great photo opportunities and cool temperatures.

Big Falls: The hike ends at a seasonal 100 foot waterfall. Currently the water is crashing on the rock below. You will actually get wet from the mist coming off the waterfall. It’s 3.5 miles (up and back) with mild scrambling to reach the waterfall.

Cathedral Rock: An easy peak that offers great views of Kyle Canyon and Mount Charleston Lodge. This 2.5 mile hike (up and back) gains 900 feet as it winds through thick groves of aspens. There’s a small waterfall off to the left of the trail about halfway up.

When your hike is over, you can eat lunch or dinner at one of Mt. Charleston’s two hotels: The historic Mount Charleston Lodge, which stands at 7,700 feet and features 23 log cabins and outdoor dining deck with sweeping views; and The Resort on Mount Charleston, a rustic pet-friendly hotel with a restaurant and full-service spa.

Back in Vegas you can stay at the Las Vegas Hilton, which has great room rates.
For more information on the best hotels, check out Oyster.com

It’s June in Las Vegas with the thermometer cracking the dreaded triple digits. Let’s take a hike in Mt. Charleston. A bottle of water, tank top, shorts and sandals will do, right? In the best scenarios that’s under prepared. Take last Saturday, June 12th. Those photos are from member Paul K’s Griffith Peak ascent. Doesn’t look like tank top and shorts weather to me. Now Paul knows what he is doing. Look at how he is dressed and the equipment he has with him.

Hiking and mountain climbing is fun, but you need to be prepared. Sure you can get away with not being prepared many times, but that one time it catches up with you might change your life forever. The odds are low, but the consequences can be severe. Take a few minutes and prepare. Now I am not talking about going overboard and carrying a tent on a little two mile hike on an established trail. As always common sense, something that seems to be in short supply lately, should always be used.

Las Vegas is unique in that there are three very different hiking areas within one hour of the Strip. Hike around Lake Mead in August and you could literally die of heat stroke. Try Charleston Peak in January wearing shorts and a T-shirt and you could die of hypothermia. There’s almost a 10,000 foot difference in elevation from Lake Mead to Charleston Peak. You need to know where to hike and what to bring when hiking in these areas. Where’s the best place for this information? Hiking Las Vegas, of course.
Here are the links to the individual pages for each area:
Mt. Charleston
Red Rock
Lake Mead

As always you can email me questions.
Happy hiking,
Branch Whitney

All photos by Paul K.

The title sounds crazy and probably gets your attention, which is good. I have been following an interesting weather trend for the last 14 years. For 13 out of the last 14 years for a few days in June the temperature drops drastically. Yesterday (6-12-2010), the high in Las Vegas was 79. That’s 20 degrees below the average high for June 12th. Wow! This emphasizes an important point: keep track of the weather forecast. Forget about the season. Normally it’s too hot to hike in Red Rock during June. By keeping track of the weather forecast I knew it would be plenty cool to get in one last hike in Red Rock. I also knew there was a chance of rain so we were prepared. Since it was cool, we wore polypro instead of cotton. You do not want to wear cotton when it’s cold.

I chose the Bridge Mountain official trail. In my opinion the Bridge Mtn Trail is the best official trail in Red Rock Canyon. It’s well marked and very easy to follow. The trail ends well before the summit, but travels just west of an incredible overlook into Pine Creek Canyon. Unfortunately, the trailhead is a five mile drive up the Rocky Gap Road, which requires a decent 4-WD vehicle. You can drive about 2.4 miles in a high clearence vehicle and then walk to the start of the official trail.

We started hiking around 11 am with overcast skies. I am guessing the temps were in the mid fifties. The trailhead starts at almost 6,400 feet, some 4,000 feet higher than Las Vegas. About a half mile up the trail it started to rain hard enough to put on our rain gear. I had an emergency poncho which kept me dry and fairly warm. They are very lightweight an inexpensive. It’s something every hiker should carry in their daypack.

Once we reached the ridgeline the wind picked up enough that we were all glad we had multiple layers on and not cotton. We continued on the trail as the rain diminished to a mist. We soon reached the overlook where you get your first view of Bridge Mountain. I figured with the rain and wind it felt like the temperature was in the low 40’s at the overlook.

There’s several spots to sit and look down over 1,500 feet into Pine Creek Canyon. Although I have scrambled through Pine Creek to the summit of Bridge Mountain the route looks impossible from the overlook. You can see all the way from Bridge Mtn to Mt. Wilson. This is one of the best views in Red Rock. I highly recommend this hike.

Here are the stats:
Difficulty: 2 (out of 5)
Distance: 4.5 miles – round trip (starting from the official trailhead)
Elevation gain: 1,400 feet
Highest point: 6,900 feet
Time: 2 hours (round trip) + time spent at the overlook

Note: This overlook is a little south of the overlook at the top of Piuate Wall and I feel it’s better.
Members can download this hike now. Not a member? Learn more about becoming a member here.

Yesterday we hiked to Big Falls, a 100 foot waterfall just 35 miles from Las Vegas, NV. Water was flowing down the drainage well before the waterfall. In fact the only time I have seen this much water was back in 2005. The waterfall is seasonal. By mid-July it will only be a trickle. We walked on snow the last 300 yards to the waterfall. It was actually easier than scrambling over boulders and walking on loose trails.

If possible try and aviod doing this hike or any easy hike on the weekends – it’s very crowded.
Here are the stats for this hike:
Distance: 3.50 up and back
Elevation gain: 800 feet
Time: 2 hours + time at the waterfall

Have fun and enjoy this great hike while the waterfall is flowing.