2013-4 Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
Hello All,
There were some locations near Las Vegas that we hadn’t visited before so we decided to check them out before leaving the area. One was Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and the other was Valley of Fire State Park. We found both of these locations to be absolutely exquisite. We would guess that the vast majority of people that visit Las Vegas have never set eyes on these locations. Both are within an easy drive from the city. We will concentrate on Red Rock Canyon in this issue of Pictures of the Week.
Red Rock Canyon is only 17 miles from Las Vegas. From Las Vegas Boulevard turn west on Charleston Avenue and it will take you right to the canyon. It offers enticements of a different nature than the city including a 13-mile scenic drive, more than 30 miles of hiking trails, horseback riding, mountain biking, road biking, and many picnic areas. The area is extremely popular for rock climbing enthusiasts from around the world for honing their skills on the many cliffs.
One of the more scenic parts of the canyon is the Keystone Thrust Fault. Here, millions of years ago, two of the Earth’s Plutonic plates collided with such force that part of one plate was shoved up over the other. The cliffs of the plate walls are up to 3,000 feet high, making them a popular hiking and rock climbing destination. The area has a magnificent contrast between grey limestone and red sandstone. The highest point is La Madre Mountain at 8,154 feet.
You can see the Red Rock Canyon area long before reaching it by road. The variegated colors of rock stand out in the bland color of the desert surrounding the canyon.
There were some locations near Las Vegas that we hadn’t visited before so we decided to check them out before leaving the area. One was Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and the other was Valley of Fire State Park. We found both of these locations to be absolutely exquisite. We would guess that the vast majority of people that visit Las Vegas have never set eyes on these locations. Both are within an easy drive from the city. We will concentrate on Red Rock Canyon in this issue of Pictures of the Week.
Red Rock Canyon is only 17 miles from Las Vegas. From Las Vegas Boulevard turn west on Charleston Avenue and it will take you right to the canyon. It offers enticements of a different nature than the city including a 13-mile scenic drive, more than 30 miles of hiking trails, horseback riding, mountain biking, road biking, and many picnic areas. The area is extremely popular for rock climbing enthusiasts from around the world for honing their skills on the many cliffs.
One of the more scenic parts of the canyon is the Keystone Thrust Fault. Here, millions of years ago, two of the Earth’s Plutonic plates collided with such force that part of one plate was shoved up over the other. The cliffs of the plate walls are up to 3,000 feet high, making them a popular hiking and rock climbing destination. The area has a magnificent contrast between grey limestone and red sandstone. The highest point is La Madre Mountain at 8,154 feet.
You can see the Red Rock Canyon area long before reaching it by road. The variegated colors of rock stand out in the bland color of the desert surrounding the canyon.
As you get to the canyon it is
easy to see why outdoor enthusiasts and rock climbers love it--and, of course
photographers. The rock is so diverse that climbers with different levels of
skill can practice in this one area. Or you can hike one of the many trails
through the varied landscape.
To help with perspective and
to demonstrate the enormity of the area, concentrate on the hole in the middle
of the rock in the following photo. Do you see the people in it? Also, along
the ridge in the lower right corner of the photo there are a number of climbers.
Some are up on the rock face above the ridge.
Here we’ve zoomed in on the
hole in the rock.
Here’s an even closer shot. It looks like one
climber has slipped and is swinging on the safety line. To us this small group
of young people had claimed this hole in the rock for their own private
“hangout.” Notice they are each doing their own version of activity or
non-activity.
Doesn’t this look like
fun--not! If you look close you can see that he is hooked onto a safety line.
On the huge bolder in the
following photo there are three climbers on the face of it--one on the lower left,
one in the middle to the right of the crack, and the third on the extreme right
hand side about a third of the way up. They might be easier to see if you first
find their rope handlers standing at the base of the bolder below them. Also,
there are two climbers sitting on top of the bolder.
In these photos you can see
some of the trails that take you from the road down into the base of the canyon.
It is truly an amazing landscape.
While we were at a canyon
viewpoint a scootercar tour group pulled in. Each scootercar holds two people
and the lead scootercar has the tour guides. It looked like it would be a fun
experience. Two tours a day depart from Las Vegas to Red Rock Canyon and
return. A tour takes about five hours. It would be great except in the mid
summer desert temperatures.
Hope you have enjoyed riding
along with us on this little adventure. Our next journey will take us to the
Valley of Fire. Don’t miss out.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns