Lake Mead NRA and Sloan Canyon NCA summit and vista hikes. Nov 21-25, 2021

[John Morrow]

Continuing southward I did my usual stops sampling a selection of regions of Lake Mead National Recreation Area and at Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area not far outside of Vegas.

Nov 21st was on the Northshore.   I did a couple short and quick scrambles on an uplifted and tilted ridge:  Knife and Slabs Peaks.

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Northshore Lake Mead NRA

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Looking back

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Along the ridge crest

by John Morrow, on Flickr

On Knife Peak

by John Morrow, on Flickr

East Ridge descent

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Knife Peak

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Nov 22nd I drove to the Southshore area of Lake Mead, on the Nevada side.  As long as riff raff doesn't bother one trying to sleep, there is a nice dispersed camp overlooking the Black Canyon Wilderness, which I used as a trailhead.  This road and camp is known as RD 58, Canyon Point.  From there my goal was a rim hike overlooking the Colorado River Gorge to a wilderness highpoint.

Weeping Spring Canyon (side canyon of Black)

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Black Canyon Wilderness

by John Morrow, on Flickr

view SE

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Funnest part may have been a random rock art find:

surprise!

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Nov 23rd I returned to an area I really like for its interesting rock, further south along the Nevada side of the River in a wilderness called Eldorado Wilderness, Eldorado Mountains.

I connected a loop to a well known natural bridge at a spring with a couple interesting peak scrambles.

Trail to Bridge Spring Bridge

by John Morrow, on Flickr

the bridge

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Arch in Eldo Mtns

by John Morrow, on Flickr

summit far away

by John Morrow, on Flickr

CO River valley

by John Morrow, on Flickr

sun has set

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Nelson BM highpoint scramble

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Nov 24th I ventured SW and around to the lesser used Trailhead for the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area known as Hidden Valley.  I started late in the day up a highpoint for a late afternoon view.

East toward N. McCullough Mtns

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Hidden Valley far and below

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Good camping at the Trailhead, without riff raff.  

Nov 25th was extremely windy with a cold front coming in.  I got an early start getting the tent down and moving.  Destination, another highpoint and search for any potential rock art.  There was a nice panel enroute.

bright early morning

by John Morrow, on Flickr

heading back

by John Morrow, on Flickr

Return to the wash

by John Morrow, on Flickr

P1010392

by John Morrow, on Flickr

P1010394

by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N03/]John Morrow, on Flickr

All of these hikes were relatively casual, short distance, and not a ton of vertical.  Eldorado was likely the longest and most involved yet under 10 miles.

maps available if you like.

Photos:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N...0233029876

https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N...0232823124

[MojaveGeek]

Thanks! I've been to that bridge, but I can't remember its name

[GowerGulch42]

Looks like a very cool trip!