Looking for Hike/Climb recommendations near Las Vegas. I am looking to kill a day in the countryside near vegas. I am not looking for anything super technical, just a nice moderate to difficult day hike. Any thoughts?

When? Do you want scrambling, snow...? We have quite a variety around here. Today we went up South Sister and it was snowshoes, crampons and ice ax trip. With weather this week in the 80s in Vegas, the trip may be much more mellow in 4 days.

I am looking to get out on monday. Don't have the ice axe with me, but scrambling up to class 4, or even low 5th would be ok.

RED ROCKS!!! or go up like your heading towards red rock canyon and just continue straight on the high way go up the mountain pass up to mountain springs super scenic and probably only a 20min drive from downtown vegas. I did some geologic mapping up there last spring and can't stop talking about it since.

Thanks for the info

Redcap, either from the scenic loop or Calico.

Red Rocks is definitely the place to go. Plenty of hiking places to go, long or short.

Also very scenic.

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock ... unior.html

White Rock Hills is fairly challenging and longer, but still doable in a partial day.

Hi. You might like a summit trip to Charleston Peak, c. 12,000 ft. I did it in Oct 2009 and I think it is about an hour north from Mandalay Bay. I did it as an overnight, camping at 10k ft, since I came from sea level. As you ascend the trail you will notice a severe avi chute to the left side. Even in Oct it was obvious. Once you gain the ridge it is great. Be careful and have fun. Far superior to losing at the slots.

wkriesel wrote:Hi. You might like a summit trip to Charleston Peak, c. 12,000 ft. I did it in Oct 2009 and I think it is about an hour north from Mandalay Bay. I did it as an overnight, camping at 10k ft, since I came from sea level. As you ascend the trail you will notice a severe avi chute to the left side. Even in Oct it was obvious. Once you gain the ridge it is great. Be careful and have fun. Far superior to losing at the slots.

Right now Charleston Peak is a serious snow climb. The least-technical route is exhausting and at least requires snowshoes with very good snowshoe crampons.

1000Pks wrote:No one says Moapa Peak? It was very nice when we did it in 1993, about this time of year, actually early April. It has two class 3 sections, with that summit knife edge, and although you only see pretty much the rest of the Mormons, we all have great recollections of doing that so well, given I didn't have any great vehicle, then.

Too bad there's probably no more $1.99 rib eye steak and eggs, that impelled us to do it (calories).

Moapa Peak is great, but it's a minimum of a 2-hour drive from the city, with about 10 miles or so on rough gravel roads (HC/4WD advised). I'm sure I could get there in my Subaru Outback, but then, people say I'm crazy.

When I visited last year, several people recommended the Calico Hills area in Red Rocks. Their advice was spot-on. Lots of scrambling and wandering to do out there, and very colorful.

Valley of Fire is a longer drive (about an hour) but also has lots of opportunities to roam and scramble. I enjoyed White Domes, both the trail and the peaks. Gibraltar Rock looks fun. And there's just a ton of other stuff if you just get out and explore.

If you're up for about two hours of driving, head to the Zabriskie Point/Golden Canyon area of Death Valley. It can be really crowded at the overlook and near the trailhead, but it's not to be missed.

I like the canyons further along the loop road better than Calico Hills - feels more remote and more diverse flora/fauna. Plus you're more likely to see big horn. Oak Creek or Pine Creek comes to mind but there are many options.

There's also a class 3 route up Mt Wilson mentioned here though few details:
http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock ... ilson.html

There is also a class 3 route up Mescalito mentioned by Handren and others (again with few details).

I guess I should say that by Calico, I mean the slightly remoter sections where most rock climbers do not go; there are wild canyons close to the parking, but behind some rugged terrain. Bighorns are abundant, but warier than in Red Rock, since they can't escape to sandstone ledges as quickly.

If you have a GPS, I can send tracks.

Bighorn ewes near Calico, in Gateway Canyon:


There are often bighorns on Kraft Mountain just behind the north Calico parking, but it takes a sharp eye to see them.

1000Pks wrote:Where's cp015, he knows everything?

cp015 is little more than a putz who gets out a lot. That being said, there are literally hundreds of things to be done. Most of those already mentioned, such as Redcap, White Rock, White Domes, Moapa and Mescalito, are high-quality and recommended this time of year.

Bob, lemme know next time you're coming to Valley of Fire. I recently found my way up the Valley of Fire HP (after a failed first attempt a couple years ago). A fun peak with very interesting scrambling and route-finding!