Saturday, September 6, 2014

Cathedral Rock, Spring Mountains, Nevada

... a pretty impressive limestone rock spire that rises 1000 vertical feet (summit El 8597ft) above 'Kyle Canyon' and the town of 'Mt. Charleston', located in the 'Spring Mountains' of southern Nevada...

... 'Cathedral Rock' as viewed from low on the 'Cathedral Rock Trail', which winds clockwise around the formation for around 920 vertical feet before reaching the summit - a relatively easy "out and back" hike...

... 'buddy Matt' not far from the trailhead...

... equally impressive adjacent 'Echo Rock' located to the southeast (summit El 8794ft) - viewed from low on the trail...

... the trail ascends through 'Mazie Canyon' to the south, a treacherous avalanche chute in the winter - 'Mummy Mountain' off in the distance... the large 'butte-looking' formation along the skyline is what forms the mummy's "foot" when viewed from the low desert and Rt 95...

... 'Cathedral Rock' south face...

... at the time there were only two technical rock climbs that ascended 'Cathedral Rock' as I recall - may be wrong - but didn't appear to be much of a climbing destination for it's size...

... viewing across the avalanche gully...

... viewing south through 'Kyle Canyon' from high on the trail, with the low desert off in the distance...

... the town of 'Mt Charleston' far below...

... nearing the summit - pretty nice hiking...

... the summit and eastern skyline...

... 'Kyle Canyon' from the summit...

... perched on the summit overlook...

... the town of 'Mt Charleston' viewed from the summit...

... this is a 'Palmers Chipmunk' - native to the 'Spring Mountains' and nowhere else in the world...

... sweeping pine, fir and aspen forest...

... return view through the 'avalanche chute' - some pretty decent-sized trees snapped like twigs...

... viewing west along the return...

... return to the trailhead parking and 'Kyle Canyon'...

... not far up the road along Rt 158 is this pretty cool overlook viewing northeast toward the low desert and the old 'Nevada Test Site'...

... where "back in the day" you could hang out and watch 'em test fire atomic bombs - sure it beat any display that 'Zambelli' ever put off... how much fun would it have been to have taken an unsuspecting friend up there to hang out and have a few beers and all of a sudden they detonate one of those "firecrackers"...

... a final shot from the high desert along the return "loop" heading down Rt 156 toward Rt 95 and back to 'Vegas'...

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