Page 21 - 2003 DT 12 Issues

Tues. 18, “Basic Rappelling” - Harness ○ little adventure? Join Melissa on a strenuous ○ enjoying the rich experiences that lie just
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up, hook up and drop off the side of Sandstone ○ trek off the beaten path to a destination un- ○ ahead. No special hiking gear is required
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Quarry Boulders. No previous experience re- ○ known; Stren., 7+ mi. (+) ○ for this easy walk, but remember, you are
quired. Climbing Ranger Jed will teach and ○ ○ Sun. 9, “Ten to the Top # 9 - Heading into ○ ○ in the desert and each person should carry
guide you through. Clinic limited to 15. (#) ○ the home stretch! We’re smarter, stronger, and ○ a bottle of water. OK, grab your trail
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Fri. 21, “Hike Leader’s Field Trip” - Take ○ ready to roll into the final challenge! Stren., ○ guide and head out into the wash. This is
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an adventurous 4X4 trek to Dead Man’s Can- ○ ○ 11 mi. (*) ○ “hiking by the numbers” and you’ll be
yon, hike to the Hidden Forest cabin near Wire ○ ○ Sun. 16, “Ten to the Top #10” - Success!! ○ ○ looking for guidepost #1. Even though
Grass Spring in the National Wildlife Refuge, ○ The final hike to an awesome view as we dis- ○
○ ○ this trail is rated “G” and is suitable for
Sheep Mt. Range. Learn about the bighorn, ○ cuss the effects of living in a bowl; Stren., ○
○ all ages, there is still plenty of good stuff
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spend time under the ponderosa and white firs. ○ 5 mi. (*) ○
○ for grown-ups, too. See if you can iden-
Shared rides a must; Mod- Stren., 6-8 mi. (*) ○ Sat. 22, “ Howdy Neighbor” - Travel with
○ ○ tify some of the plants and wildlife that
Sat. 22 & 29, “Star Program: Saturn and ○ Melissa to our neighbor in the south for a friendly ○
Jupiter” ( 7 p.m.) - Join us for a slide show at ○ ○ visit; Mod.-Stren., 6 mi. (*) ○ ○ are illustrated in the trail guide, and be
○ sure to read the helpful interpretive signs
the campground. If the sky is clear with no wind, ○ Sun. 23, “Up the Chute” - Starting in Ash
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○ posted along the way.
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telescopes will be set up to view Saturn and ○ Meadows, we will boulder hop 500 ft. to the
○ ○ You’ll want to follow the “Lost Creek
Jupiter. We’ll point out the constellations and, ○ Calico overlook, then wind through washes to ○
weather permitting, enjoy a campfire. No sign- ○ Calico Basin; Stren., 4 mi. (+) ○ ○ Route” near guidepost #5 that winds
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up, park at the first lot, walk about 400 ft. to the ○ ○ Sun. 23, “Windy Peak Exploration” - Join ○ ○ through a picturesque little grotto com-
amphitheater. (#; +) ○ Vera and search for the best route to the top of ○ plete with a wooden park bench shaded
Mon. 24, “Petroglyphs Galore” - If you ○ ○ Windy Peak on the south end of the Red Rock ○ ○ by a huge ponderosa pine tree. The path
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enjoy Indian rock art or have never seen it, this ○ Escarpment; Mod.-Stren., 6 mi. (+) ○ ○
is the hike for you! We’ll also explore some hid- ○ Sun. 23, “It’s Our Fault” - Travel along ○
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den springs; Easy, 4 mi. (*) ○ the fault line with Melissa and talk about every- ○
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Thurs. 27, “Walk on the Wildflower Side” ○ thing above and below the sandstone cliffs. Very ○ ○
- Venture out and look for some wildflowers and ○ Stren., 15 mi. (*) ○ ○
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other signs of spring; Easy-Mod., 3 mi. (*) ○ ○
Fri. 28, “Willow Caves” (Ages 12+) - ○ ○ ○ ○
Small caves and sandstone outcrops greet us
at the end of this rock scrambling trail; Mod.- BOOT TRACKS
Stren., 3 mi. (*) ○ ○ by Tom Pfaendler ○ ○
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Sun. 30, “Fossil Stroll” - Join Ed Rothfuss ○ ○ ○ Lost Creek in February
on a leisure stroll, finding (not collecting) fossil ○ ○ hances are pretty good that your ○ ○ continues through a rock “tunnel” that
sponges, snails, and lamp shells, and other sea ○ ○ takes you into a box canyon with a sea-
life that lived in the area over 200 million years ○ ○ first hike in Red Rock Canyon ○ ○
ago; Mod., 3 mi. (+) ○ ○ Cwas at Lost Creek. Well, this ○ ○ sonal waterfall. If you’re careful, you can
○ month we’re going to “kick it up a notch” ○ hike around behind the waterfall and then
Mon. 31, “Spring Forward” - Hike to the
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○ and explore a trio of trails in this beauti- ○ back down to the rock tunnel. Once
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La Madre Spring and enjoy this beautiful inter-
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mountain trail; Mod., 3.5 mi. (*) ○ ful area. Your first stop however, should ○ ○ you’re back on the main trail you’ll find
be at the Visitor Center to pick up your
○ ○ yourself at guidepost #6 and entering the
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ADULT PROGRAMS ○ free copy of the Children’s Discovery ○ new boardwalk. This structure was
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Sun. 2, “Ten to the Top #8” - Diversity! ○ Trail guide. Then, load up Aunt Edna and ○ recently built to protect the fragile ripar-
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Windward or leeward side, what a difference it ○ the kids in the mini-van and drive about ○ ian area around Lost Creek, which
makes! Mod., 6 mi. (*) ○ seven miles around the loop until you find ○ incidentally is home to two very rare
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Sun. 2, “A Bird’s-eye View of Spring. ○ the Willow Springs turnoff and the Lost ○ freshwater snails that are only found here
Mtn. Ranch” - We’ll travel to Strawberry ○ ○ Creek parking lot. ○ ○ in the Spring Mountain range! This new
Springs, 20 mi. south of Pahrump on Rte. 160, ○ ○ The half-mile Children’s Discovery ○ ○ boardwalk actually blocks access to the
and find our way to a ridge atop the Red Rock ○ Trail that loops through this canyon is ○ area described by guidepost #7, so please
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escarpment and explore; 4 X 4 sharing; Mod., ○ very diverse and accessible. You’ll also ○
4 mi.(+) ○ ○ find that this is an incredibly popular area, ○ ○
Sat. 8 & 29, “Mystery March” - Up for a but don’t let the crowds deter you from Boot Tracks, continued on page 7