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Hidden Peak
Red Rock Canyon NCA, Nevada
April 23, 2011
Distance: 11.7 km (7.3 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 575 m (1886 ft)
Dinah and I had the good fortune to be invited on a hike by Nish, a friend of a friend. (Nish, a real estate agent, would later sell us a condo). But Nish wasn't leading the hike – that was Gary's job, an organizer with Las Vegas Meetup. Along with Leon, Jesse and Paige, Gary would take us up Hidden Peak using the west approach.
After driving down a rough road that left one SUV scratched from encroaching bushes, we parked at the trailhead in Rainbow Wilderness. The trail follows a curving wash that climbs out onto scrubby slopes before ending on beautiful, expansive sandstone rock. From there we hiked and scrambled to the top of Hidden Peak. But the trip didn't end at the summit. Afterwards, we dropped down to a hidden forest where Gary pointed out some unusual delights including tiered tanks and a “blind arch.” After getting our fill of eye candy below Hidden Peak, we followed the trail back to our cars.
Hidden Peak wasn't a challenging trip, but it offered better scenery than I expected. And of course, it's always nice to meet fun-loving people up for a mountain adventure. This is the second time we've hiked with the Las Vegas Meetup and as before, we thoroughly enjoyed their company in Red Rocks.
Starting up the road
After starting out we have brief views before dropping down and following a wash
45 minutes after starting out, we broke free of the wash and started up semi-open slopes
However, there is still little to see
We stopped on a ridge where we had a viewpoint
Paige poses on a rock with Spring Mountain Ranch in the background (mouse over for a close-up)
At last Hidden Peak appears, along with Monument Peak on the left (mouse over to zoom in)
We're still following the trail
The trail ends on rock
From here to the summit we'll hike on sandstone
We head to the summit
Along the way we stop for a group shot: me, Leon, Jesse, Nish, Dinah, Paige and Gary
The summit appears ahead
Heading to the summit
To reach the summit, we'll skirt the rim of a basin
Hiking along the rim
Looking back across the basin to the other side where we had been
Final climb to the summit
The entire trip was little more than a hike
The group reaches the summit
Looking north from the summit
Posing on the summit
Potosi Mountain and Mountain Springs Peak
We set off for the hidden forest
The forest lies in a depression 150 m below the summit of Hidden Peak
We crossed sweeping sandstone
Coming to hidden forest
Looking back
The hidden forest ahead
We peer down a notch to view tiered tanks (mouse over)
On our way to the blind arch ahead
I clamber under the arch (mouse over for my view)
Hiking back along the wash
Blue Diamond and Mountain Springs (7.3 mi, 6286 ft, 774 ft)