SummitPost.org

I know it's last minute, but send me a pm if you'd like to join me. Nothing fancy, just a stroll up the standard route. I'm not fast at all, but I'm also not that slow... Looking forward to it if you can join. PS, have a nice day.

Fletch wrote:I know it's last minute, but send me a pm if you'd like to join me. Nothing fancy, just a stroll up the standard route. I'm not fast at all, but I'm also not that slow... Looking forward to it if you can join. PS, have a nice day.

is the trail open now? i had a trip get canceled earlier this year after storms wiped out the trail?

Apparently the town is Mt Charleston and the mountain is Charleston Peak. Balls!

Anyway, south side is closed, but north side is open. 7 or 8 of us made the summit this morning, quite a few more turned around. Weather was perfect. Can't imagine this hike in August.

Fletch wrote:
Anyway, south side is closed, but north side is open. 7 or 8 of us made the summit this morning, quite a few more turned around. Weather was perfect. Can't imagine this hike in August.

excellent. i'm going to try to get up there in the next couple weeks. how does the trail look, any issues with snow? how long did you guys take?

Trail is almost ADA compliant. Its impeccably maintained. Snow is minor. Just a few spots at the top on north facing aspects. I brought spikes, but didn't need them. With summit time, a break or two, and a 20 min nap in the way down, I was car to car in 8hr 45min.

Off to Hayford-peak now. Good luck.

Why is the south route closed?

With another added hour you could have tagged Mummy.

Fire last year has closed south loop for possibly 5 years.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-v ... sed-public

Fletch wrote: Can't imagine this hike in August.

We have record warm weather right now; it's usually quite nice in summer. My warmest trip to Charleston Peak was Aug 16 this year, and it still never got above 80F, even down at the trailhead. But the sun down here can be brutal, especially if there is no wind. I rarely take the trails, except for some descents; and we have some routes that are more shaded than others.

And it varies a lot from year to year.
Charleston in July, 2005

this is from the Trails, Wilderness & Dispersed Recreation Program Manager:
The North Loop Trail is open with access from Trail Canyon or the North Loop Trailhead on SR 158, only to the peak. All of South Loop Trail remains closed. The trail needs to be logged out and drainage installed to handle the flooding that occurred over the last two field seasons. We cannot do any of this work until we finish consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the endangered Mt. Charleston Blue Butterfly. It lives and has habitat in several places and one is the South Loop Trail. If people were to hike the trail now they would create new trails around the debris piles impacting sensitive habitat. We anticipate starting work later this field season, I am hoping August or September.
But you can still get to the peak via North Loop, we also anticipate re-opening Cathedral Rock, Echo and Little Falls Trail sometime in April.

Lat I talked to folks "in the know," the estimate was still 5 years for closure.

5 years for a butterfly. LOL.

I'm planning on heading up the NLT on Wednesday or Thursday--is there any snow at all at this point? From what I can see there doesn't seem to be any snow left on the trail. I will not be taking the Devil's Thumb shortcut, is the traverse completely dry?
Thanks all!

Climbed Charleston via Devil's Thumb on 27 Jun...yes, it was kinda warm but not unbearable. SLT is still closed due to fire damage and endangered butterfly. There are 3 big globs of snow just off the trail below summit; just perfect for an afternoon cool-off.