T-intersection; trail turns left (view SE) |
Hiker staying left onto an old road (view SE) |
Continuing up towards the base of Gun Range Ridge (view SE) |
T-intersection; trail stays straight (view SE) |
At the intersection, this trail runs back to Charleston Blvd (view N) |
The old road bends to traverse the hillside (view SE) |
Traversing the hillside (view SE) |
The road climbs again (view SE) |
Above the old road, there is a sign on the hillside (view E) |
Sign on the hillside: Danger: Shooting Range - Do Not Enter (view E) |
The ridge is the backstop for the gun range (view E) |
The old road runs onto a ridgeline (view S) |
Hiker at fork in the trail (stay right; view SW) |
Side trail stays south towards Las Vegas (view S) |
Huge cairn with Campground Knoll in the background (view S; 2009) |
Huge cairn has been destroyed (view S; 2020) |
Trail follows the ridgeline westward (view W) |
Traversing rolling country (view S) |
Some elevation to lose from this knoll (view S) |
Another T-intersection; trail continues straight (view S) |
Side trail connects to trail towards Las Vegas (view SE) |
Trail forks again; route stays left up the hillside (view S) |
Climbing towards the next ridgeline (view SE) |
Hiker passing a nice cactus garden (view S) |
The grade eases and hints of view over Las Vegas (view SE) |
Nearing the end of the old road (view S) |
End of the old road; a trail continues over and down (view S) |
Departing the trail, a hiker climbs the hillside (view SW) |
Lots of rock and yucca on the hillside (view SW) |
Lots of rock and cactus on the hillside (view SW) |
Approaching a false summit (view W) |
Big views out over the Las Vegas Valley (view SE) |
The route continues towards the summit ridge (view W) |
Climbing onto the summit ridge (view W) |
On the summit ridge, the true summit is in view (view S) |
Traversing open ridgeline (view S) |
Climbing towards the summit (view S) |
Climbing towards the summit (view S) |
Hiker gaining the summit plateau (view S) |
Hiker traversing the summit plateau (view S) |
Hiker on the summit (view S) |
The summit is rather flat, but is marked with a small cairn (view SE) |
Summit cairn (view E) |
Summit cairn (view NW towards Calico Basin) |
Summit cairn (view NW towards Calico Basin) |
Fossils in the summit rocks |
Fossils in the summit rocks |
Fossil on the summit rocks: dinosaur left something here? |
From the summit, the route runs northwest towards cliffs |
Summit cliffs (view N) |
Summit cliffs (view S) |
Route traverses gentle terrain above the cliffs (view N) |
Nice views with Mojave Yucca (view NW) |
Another cactus garden (view N) |
Route traverses gentle terrain above the cliffs (view N) |
Eventually, a gentle descent bypasses the cliffs (view N) |
Route curves down and left of a rocky knob (view NW) |
Route curves down and left of a rocky knob (view NW) |
Crossing below the rocky knob (view W) |
Route returns to an old mining road (view NW) |
Trail forks; main trail stays straight (view NW) |
Old road runs out onto desert flats (view NW) |
Passing the last of the Joshua Trees (view NW) |
Old road runs across desert flats (view NW) |
Main trail crosses a minor trail (view NW) |
Single-track trail crosses main trail and continues (view NW) |
Approaching the end of the old road (view NW) |
Hiker stepping under fence into the campground (view NW) |
The trail follows the campground road back to the trailhead (view NW) |
Hiker following campground road back to the trailhead (view NW) |
Hiker passing the campground sign (view N) |
Hiker arriving back at the trailhead (view N) |