Overview

Red Cap (aka "Little Turtlehead Peak" or "Turtlehead Junior") is the highest point in the Calico Hills. The summit is two peaks separated by a chasm. Views from the two are identical, and although the west peak is a few feet higher, the east peak is easier and safer to climb, so there is little value in risking the true summit.

For bragging rights and a 1.25-mile hike, the West Peak Route follows the East Peak Route to near the summit, then diverts to the north side of the mountain and uses short, minimally 5th-class cracks to connect broad slickrock ramps.

Most of Red Cap Mountain is composed of white sandstone, but the summit bears a cap of red sandstone, hence the name: Red Cap.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this is a steep and strenuous hike requiring scrambling over and around boulders and up 3rd-class chutes and slickrock, plus a bit of easy 5th-class climbing in cracks. The route also requires some route-finding skills. Be extra careful when high enough to fall and hurt yourself.

Despite the Class-5 rating, a rope is not necessary on the ascent, but some people might feel more comfortable with a rope for the descent. About 30 feet of webbing probably would be sufficient.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and please try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, even though this is a short hike, be sure to bring what you need of the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located along the Scenic Loop Road in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 45 minutes west of Las Vegas. Drive out to Red Rocks, pay the entrance fee, and drive up the Scenic Loop Road for about 3 miles to the Sandstone Quarry Trailhead. Park here; this is the trailhead.

The Hike

From the trailhead (Table 1, Waypoint 01), the hike follows the Calico Tanks Trail through the historic quarry area (Wpt. 03) to the right at the Turtlehead Peak trail junction (Wpt. 04), and to the left in the main wash when the Calico Tanks Trail turns right into Calico Tanks Canyon (Wpt. 05).

Now following the Red Cap East Peak Route, the route departs the wash (Wpt. 06), climbs the 3rd-class chute (Wpt. 07), and scrambles past a series of relatively large singleleaf pinyon pine trees to reach the crest of the Calico Hills (Wpt. 11).

Turning north, the route zigzags up and past a small pine, then angles to the left onto a broad, sandy ledge area (Wpt. 12). In this sandy area, the West Peak and East Peak routes split.

The East Peak Route turns right to climb a chute back onto the crest, while the West Peak Route continues straight (north). The route runs out on narrowing ledges to a corner, then turns the corner to find more broad ledges.

Descending to the north across these broad ledges and beneath a high cliff, there are two route choices: climb the ramp on the right capped by a crag with three cracks, or continue a little farther north to a gully capped by steep slickrock.

The shorter route starts up the obvious ramp and enters an awkward, off-width crack that can be ascended using chimney techniques (really skinny people might squeeze through) that probably qualify as 4th-class scrambling: easy enough, but fall and get hurt.

Atop the off-width crack, three cracks lead upward. All are minimal 5th-class scrambling: easy enough but with no comforting handholds or footholds, but fall and get really hurt. The left crack might be easiest, the middle looks scary, and the right is another off-width crack that requires chimney techniques and is even more awkward than the lower section.

After picking your poison, the route follows the slickrock summit ridge up and to the south. Just below the top, a large solution pocket is looked over by what appears to be three large boulders piled up to form the summit. The route uses the crack between the right and center "boulders."

The crack requires minimally 5th-class scrambling where the footholds are pretty good but the handholds are a bit skimpy and the rock is slightly overhanging. Fortunately, facing outward, the crack is easier to downclimb than it is to climb up.

An alternative route bypasses the ramp, off-width crack, and choice of three 5th-class cracks, but it is not necessarily better. While descending across the broad ledges beneath the high cliff, continue a little farther north to a gully. Climb down into the gully, then turn right and scramble up the gully to the crest of the range. At the crest, a shrub live oak clogs the gully. Turning back to the south, the route climbs through the shrub and onto the slickrock above, which probably is minimally 5th-class friction climbing. Heading uphill, this alternative rejoins the "regular" route in only a few yards.

A number of routes lead back to the trailhead, but the easiest is to follow your footprints back down the slickrock, taking extra care when downclimbing the more difficult parts.