Rick Mc

May 8, 2010April 26, 2010

biking/hiking Red Rock Canyon, Vegas

My favourite attraction in Las Vegas is Red Rock Canyon, perhaps the best hiking and scrambling destination in the world this close to a major city.

It’s super popular with road bikes, too. I was out-of-place on the 13mi (21km) scenic loop drive … on a mountain bike.

There is no off trail biking allowed at Red Rock.

My first stop was the new Visitor’s Center. Impressive.

From there I road on to the Calico Tanks trailhead:

… fairly strenuous, 1.2-mile hike and scramble runs up a canyon and over sandstone slickrock to a large natural depression (a tank or tinaja) near the top of the Calico Hills ridge. The tank sometimes holds water. There are great views of Calico Basin and the Las Vegas valley from a saddle just beyond the tank. …

Bird and Hike

The trail is not well signed nor defined. But at the Visitor Center it was explained to me …

Follow the obvious trail. When that runs out, look for stone steps.

When there is no trail and no steps, scramble up the easiest way you can find. Until the next section of trail. Or steps.

Finally you reach the largest “tank” itself.

Five minutes higher and you just might be able to eye your Casino hotel in the distance.

See the rest of my photos.

The hiking’s fine at Red Rock. But, for me, the best activity is rock scrambling.

May 7, 2010May 6, 2010

hiking the Grand Canyon today

by site editor Rick McCharles

Great news!

One of the toughest Backcountry Permits anywhere, early in the season I was able to grab 1-night at Bright Angel campground by getting on the wait list, 2-days in advance.

I’ll descend the South Kaibab Trail. Trudge up the Bright Angel Trail next day.

This is pretty much the most popular overnight hike in the Park.

I would have preferred one of the rim-to-rim adventures, but the North Rim does not open until May 15th. It’s still winter up there.

May 6, 2010May 5, 2010

deforestation hurts dogs

See what I mean.

Thanks Michelle.

May 5, 2010April 26, 2010

biking to Hoover Dam

trip report by site editor, Rick McCharles

In 1931 a railway was built, 30mi connecting Boulder City with the Hoover Dam used to transport construction materials.

Today hikers and bikers can enjoy a Rails to Trails path along those former tracks.

I certainly did.

There are spectacular views over Lake Mead.

The highlight is a series of tunnels.

You might read that the trail dead ends after the last rail tunnel, for security reasons. Not so when I was there April 2010. I continued riding all the way to the parking lot for the Hoover Dam tour.

My most vivid memory of the morning is bad signage. The National Parks are so broke and disorganized, that there is no obvious sign where you should turn left towards the Lake Mead National Recreation Area when driving from Boulder City.

More evidence that governments cannot do anything efficiently.

The Hoover Dam is 30mi (48km) southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada.

May 4, 2010April 26, 2010

Hole-in-the-Wall Loop, Mojave

Bird and Hike has a succinct webpage:

This easy, 1.5-mile loop trail starts at the Visitor Center, wanders east and south down a sandy wash, heads west around the south side of the Hole-in-the-Wall hills, climbs up through the Hole-in-the-Wall cleft on the Rings Trail, and then follows the road for 0.2 miles back …

Hole-in-the-Wall Loop Trail (4,252 ft)

Almost every tourists stops at Hole-in-the-Wall. But not all are willing to try the assisted scramble.

I’d call it a perfect little day hike for a confident walker. The scenery is desert classic.

Add on the “Nature Trail” to the campground. Desert vegetation is signed, … all the bushes looking somewhat similar. With unlikely names like: Paper Bag Bush, Hedgehog Cactus, Horsebrush, etc.

Tent caterpillars were everywhere when I was there.

… Mojave National Preserve, at 1.6 million acres, is the third largest National Park Service managed area in the Lower 48; only Death Valley and Yellowstone are larger. …

It’s so close to Vegas, I’m surprised more tourists don’t visit. There’s no Park entrance fee. And “wild camping” is allowed almost everywhere.

May 3, 2010April 26, 2010

Teutonia Peak, Mojave

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Only 2 hikes in Mojave National Preserve are recommended by Moon Hiking California:

• Kelso Dunes
• Teutonia Peak

In the morning I did the Dunes. Then drove on to do a climb. A great hiking day in the desert.

The highlight for me were the Joshua Trees, but a different species than those in Joshua Tree National Park.

At 5,755 feet, Teutonia Peak offers great views of Cima and the surroundings. This four mile round-trip trail heads south from Cima Road and crosses the desert through part of the world’s largest Joshua tree forest. A half mile from the summit the ascent becomes more earnest as the maintained single track now tackles the bulk of the 700 feet in elevation between the trailhead and the peak.

Despite the minimal effort, the views from the top are splendid. …

read more – Hike Speak

Actually, to “summit” Teutonia is a class 3 scramble. Most people don’t do it.

No fees. No hassles. You can tent free nearly anywhere. Mojave National Preserve is a great destination for hikers.

see all my photos from this short day hike

May 2, 2010April 29, 2010

sliding down Kelso Dunes, Mojave

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Only 2 hikes in Mojave National Preserve are recommended by Moon Hiking California:

• Kelso Dunes
• Teutonia Peak

As also recommended, I arrived at Kelso Dunes at dawn. (Sunset is very popular, too.)

It was overcast, rain threatening.

Not nearly as impressive as Eureka Valley Sand Dunes, I still enjoyed this short hike.

Basically you climb up the spine of the highest dune, 650ft (200m) …

Plant a Summit Stone, painted by DSD … (The next hiker to the top would collect it. Or, … perhaps it will be covered by sand for ages.)

… and slide / run down as fast as possible.

No fees. No hassles. Mojave National Preserve is a great destination for hikers.

see the rest of my photos from this short day hike

May 1, 2010

Without Baggage – on Half Dome, Yosemite

Half Dome is one of our best hikes in North America.

I loved Hank Leukart’s hilarious trip report. Check the excerpt:

… It’s a surprisingly strenuous cardiovascular workout, battling gravity to reach the top of Yosemite’s most recognizable rock formation. The normally unflappable Laura looks petrified as she slowly inches toward the peak. Finally, the three of us reach the summit, breathing heavily and sweating with adrenaline rushing through our bodies. Laura, finding that she has suddenly become terrified of heights, sits safely in the middle of the Dome’s surface, not wanting to get anywhere near the edges, though they are at least 200 feet in every direction. The three of us eat a lunch of turkey sandwiches as we look out from a height of 8,836 feet above the dramatic expanse of Yosemite Valley, with its complex granite rock formations, pine tree forests, and sprawling meadows. The epic views make us feel dizzy and drunk.

“I want to stay here forever,” I say, looking down into the Valley below.

“I never want to leave,” Justin agrees.

“I want to go down, right now,” Laura pleads. …

read the article – Without Baggage – living yosemite.

after climbing half dome, i can’t bear to leave yosemite.

April 29, 2010April 29, 2010

Adventure Sports Week June 4-13, 2010

by site editor Rick McCharles

Each June in Northern Idaho, Adventure Sports Week offers 10 days of racing, training, clinics, gear demos and more. ASW features triathlons, mountain biking, trail running, adventure racing, open water kayaking and swimming.

2009 was our inaugural year and we’re gearing up for 2010. One of the best new adventure sport races in the U.S.A.

details and registration is available at www.adventuresportsweek.com

What do rollercoasters, a great rappel, fantastic scenery, a first class event and “10-24-1” have in common?

Hosted at beautiful Farragut State Park in Bayview, Idaho (just north of Coeur d Alene), ASW 2010 is promising to be one of the top festivals in the USA this year.

• official event home page

• Team Adventure Sports Week blog