Big Falls

Big falls hike. About 3 miles and 1100 feet gain according to my GPS and altimeter.

Fearless leader in the wash leading to Big Falls

    This is the first view of the falls. They are still far away beyond the snow fields. If there was
    continuous snow cover, the path would be more direct.

    The first snow field we crossed. It was very firm but still had a couple of holes to go around.

    More of the same

    The last stretch has a lot of blown down limbs. Mostly White Fir. The only Fir on Mt Charleston.

    Last snowfield and the falls.

           Going past the falls to get to lunch rock

    A fossilized Coral on lunch rock

                    Mary Jane falls from Big Falls

    Clear mountain water.

    Going back down. The last view of the falls

                  Close up of the Falls

    Blue butterfly, but probably not one of the endangered ones. There are other types of blue 
     butterflys on the mountain besides the famous one.

    Close up of White Fir Needles. Single upswept needles.

    Close up of Limber Pine needles. Cluster of 5 Needles about 2 inches long. Bristle cone has 5
    needles too but shorter.

    Ponderosa pine. Cluster of three Needles, 5-10 inches long.

    Wax Currant

    White Fir Bark.

    Ponderosa pine bark

    Common flower on Mt Charles this time of year. Nuttall's Linanthus

North loop to rain tree

This is the standard route, out and back, from north loop trail head to rain tree and back. Except for the side trip to the high knob at the trail crest.

There were quite a number of flowers out at medium elevations. Snow patches were not melted yet along the crest.

Phlox

Double bladderpod?

Snow patch on the last switchback before the crest.

View of the snow remaining on Mt Griffith. A group from the club did make the summit on this day but reported a lot of snow and dangerous sections.

Bristlecone grove on the knob above the trail crest.

Snow patch just before Rain Tree.

Mummy toe from North loop trail.

High point of the hike.

Another view of Griffith and Charleston ridge.

View towards the desert

Wall flower

Another phlox

Alpine daisy





Paintbrush

Dwarf Lousewort.

Wax Currant

Clarks Nutcracker

Three slots loop with Fire wave

This hike in Valley of Fire starts at Parking lot #2 and goes east, then north to the wave. Then it takes the Wave wash west through one slot, crosses the road for two more slots. After the highest and last slot it turns south and works it way into the area south of White Dome area.

Bush Penstemon was blooming all over. This is like the same plant in Red Rock that blooms pink.

One of the many colorful rock areas.

Purple, yellow and white.

View toward the rock of Gibralta looking north. The wave is on the right.

More colorful rock

More colorful rock

The Wave

Small slot in the wash before crossing the road.

Window in one of the slots.

Blooming barrel cactus.

On the slickrock.

Woolly Blue stars, erigonium?

Bush Penstemon and colorful rock

The route. About 4.5 miles