Mount Charleston

Mount Charleston Wilderness https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/nevada https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Charleston_Wilderness The Mount Charleston Wilderness Area not only provides relief from the desert environment, but relief from the hot summer heat. The wilderness contains the highest elevations in the Spring Mountains, with the summit of Charleston Peak at 11,918 feet. The area extends completely across the crest of the Spring Mountains and contains 18,000 acres of bristlecone pine, the most extensive stand of these ancient trees to be found in the intermountain region. These trees are valued for their esthetic and scientific purposes and are among the oldest living, non-clonal organisms in the world. About 40 miles of trails cross this area, traversing significant elevation from trailheads to ridge lines. Springs are limited, and there are few running creeks. Trailheads: Griffith Peak, Mt. Charleston South and North loop trails, Mary Jane, Trail Canyon, Cathedral Park, Bristlecone Loop, and Bonanza.

Bureau of Land Management Photo Credit: Sendi Kalcic Southern Nevada District Office 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, NV 89103 http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.1.html Size: 56,018 acres Elevation Range: 4,440 - 11,916 feet Designation: Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002, Nevada Wilderness Protection Act of 1989 BLM Mt. Charleston Wilderness Area Description Just 45 minutes from Las Vegas, the Mt. Charleston Wilderness feels like it is worlds away from the city with invigorating mountain air, ice-cold springs and evergreen forest amid the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area. This cool-weather oasis boasts a combined total of 56,018 acres and is jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Mt. Charleston is known as a sky island because of its high elevation and isolation from the drastically different desert lowlands. This wilderness extends along the crest of the mostly north-south Spring Mountains with towering cliffs, deep narrow canyons, steep hillsides and barren wind-swept summits. The landscape, ranging from 4,440 to 11,916 feet in elevation, showcases a variety of lifezones, plants and animals. The Spring Mountains are also home to several endemic plants and animals. Over 18,000 acres of bristlecone pine trees, the most extensive stand of these trees in the Intermountain West, cover the lower ridges. These ancient trees bring an added touch of beauty and awe, with at least one tree known to be nearly 3,000 years old. This stunning wilderness area provides much-needed respite from the summer desert heat for both humans and wildlife alike, hosting the only herd of Rocky Mountain elk in Clark County. As you leave the valley floor and travel up in elevation, to you will see creosote bush, Joshua trees, pinyon pines, Utah juniper, sagebrush, ponderosa pine, manzanita, shrub live oak, white fir, limber pine, quaking aspen, bristlecone pine, and at the highest elevations only low shrubs, grasses, and forbs. Photo Credit: Sendi Kalcic With a watchful eye you may be able to spot white-tailed antelope squirrels, black-tailed jackrabbits, kit foxes, burros, elk, Palmer’s chipmunks, mule deer, mountain lions, golden mantle ground squirrels, rock wrens, red-tailed hawks, Stellar’s jays, mountain chickadees, juncos, broad-tailed hummingbirds, and white-throated nuthatches. Directions The summit of Mt. Charleston sits near the center of the wilderness area, with six lobes extending away from the peak along the high-elevation mountain ranges. Between these lobes, several roads allow access to various parts of the wilderness. Paved roads lead into Kyle and Lee canyons. Access is also provided by several dirt roads, including the Harris Canyon Road, the road above Cold Creek, and several roads on the west side of the mountains. The Mt. Charleston Wilderness provides a unique and beautiful backdrop for both summer and winter recreation. Explore the high country with a hiking, horseback riding, or camping trip. Nearly 40 miles of trails cover the wilderness, with significant elevation changes offering spectacular views and endless challenges. For the more adventurous, Mt. Charleston’s skiing, ice climbing, and rock climbing are sure to please. Backcountry permits are not required. Motorized vehicles, mechanized equipment, and mechanical transport are not permitted in designated wilderness. Maps USGS 7.5 Quadrangle Maps: Willow Peak, Cold Creek, Wheeler Well, Charleston Peak, Angel Peak, Pahrump NE, Griffith Peak, La Madre Spring. Additional Information • Please limit group sizes to 12 members • Maximum length of stay: 14 days • Campfires are not allowed in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness. Please use camp stoves. • Other than incidental browsing, riding and pack stock animals may be fed only packed-in, certified, weed-free feed. • Collection of natural resources, including wildlife (with the exception of hunting with a valid hunting license or tag), plants, rocks, or fossils in wilderness is prohibited without a valid scientific research and collecting permit. • Collecting from or impacting archaeological sites in any way is prohibited. Photo Credit: Sendi Kalcic Southern Nevada District Office Recreation No warranty is made by the Bureau of Land Management as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data for individual use or aggregate use with other data. Original data were compiled from various sources. This information may not meet National Map Accuacy standards. This product was developed through digital means and may be updated without notification. Southern Nevada District Office N BLM Mt. Charleston Wilderness 

Mt. Charleston Wilderness Area Rock Climbing Inventory Statistics: Area: Walls Routes Bolts Anchors The Hood 11 108 621 80 The Glass House 1 9 60 7 The Ice House 1 18 112 17 13 135 793 104 TOTAL: 132/135 routes field verified – 97.8% 6 new routes not found in literature. Route information and locations were identified based upon information gathered from Islands in the Sky and Las Vegas Limestone climbing guidebooks. Seven routes, including one fixed line located at The Glass House, were discovered that were not identified in the literature. Bolt and anchor counts were field verified for all routes in Mt. Charleston with the exception of Unknown Project #3 and A Finish at The Hood and Satellite at The Ice House. The Hood Rock Climbing Inventory Statistics: Wall: # of Routes # of Bolts # of Anchors Gorillas in the Mist Wall 7 24 6 Infectious Cave 12 70 6 Infectious Slab 3 7 2 Small Buttress 3 3 3 Walk By Slab 12 70 9 Corrosion Cave 6 31 5 Pine Tree Ledge 9 67 11 South Central 20 116 16 The Soul Cave 10 37 3 Soul Slab 10 59 6 Compton Cave 16 137 11 108 621 80 TOTAL: 106/108 routes field verified – 98% 6 new routes not found in literature. Route information and locations were identified based upon information gathered from Islands in the Sky (pgs. 51-73) and Las Vegas Limestone (pgs. 15-32) climbing guides. Exact bolt and anchor counts were obtained for all routes by field survey with the exception of A Finish on Soul Slab and South Central Project #1. We were unable to view the tops of these routes from the ground and reported only the hardware we were able to see. The Hood Access: The Hood is accessed by starting at the Trail Canyon trailhead (fig. 1) and hiking roughly 500 yards up the trail. A climber’s trail branches off to the left (fig. 2) shortly after a sign proclaiming the area as designated Wilderness. Hike up this path approximately 150 yards until you reach the base of The Hood at the Corrosion Cave. There is a fairly well used access trail running the length of The Hood from Gorillas in the Mist Wall to Compton Cave. Fig. 1 (above): Trail Canyon trailhead – detour around construction area. Fig. 2 (right): Climber trail accessing the hood. Split left from main trail just past Wilderness Area sign. The Hood Gorillas in the Mist Wall: Fig 1. (below): This is the far left wall at the Southwest end of The Hood and at the start of the user created access trail running the length of the area. Routes Bolts Anchors 7 24 6 1 new route not found in literature. 100% field verified. Infectious Cave: Fig. 2 (below): Located to the East of Gorillas in the Mist Wall just past a large pine tree. Routes Bolts Anchors 12 70 6 3 new routes not found in literature. 100% field verified. The Hood Infectious Slab: Fig 1. (right): Just east of Infectious Cave is Infectious Slab. A narrow, low-angle buttress with only three routes. Routes Bolts Anchors 3 7 2 100% field verified Small Buttress: Fig 2. (left): A short buttress behind a pine tree, this crag is west of Walk By Slab and separated from Infectious Slab to the east by a short walk past a slope leading up to several undeveloped, blank faces. Routes Bolts Anchors 3 3 3 1 new route not found in literature 100% field verified The Hood Walk By Slab: Fig. 1 (right): This larger slab is just west of Small Buttress and just around the east corner of Corrosion Cave. Routes Bolts Anchors 12 70 9 100% field verified Corrosion Cave: Fig. 2 (left): This crag is directly at the top of the access trail from Trail Canyon. Head left (west) to reach Gorillas in the Mist Wall, Infectious Cave and Slab, Small Buttress, and Walk By Slab. Hike right (east) to reach Pine Tree Ledge, South Central, The Soul Cave and Slab, and Compton Cave. Routes Bolts Anchors 6 31 5 100% field verified The Hood Pine Tree Ledge: Fig. 1 (below): To reach the climbs at this wall head west from the top of the access trail and scramble up a short slab (15 ft.) to a ledge with a large pine tree on the right end. Routes Bolts Anchors 9 67 11 100% field verified South Central: Fig. 2 (below): Right of Pine Tree Ledge is South Central. A long, vertical face stretching to the east, this is the largest crag at The Hood and spans nearly 75 meters from Pine Tree Ledge to The Soul Cave. Routes Bolts Anchors 20 116 16 1 new route not found in literature 95% field verified The Hood The Soul Cave: Fig. 1 (right): This smaller cave marks the east end of South Central. Routes begin at both sides of the cave and crisscross as they climb up and over to the face above. Routes Bolts Anchors 10 37 3 100% field verified Soul Slab: Fig. 2 (left): A narrow buttress separating The Soul Cave to the west from Compton Cave to the east. Routes Bolts Anchors 10 59 6 90% field verified The Hood Compton Cave: Fig 1: (below): This is the huge cave at the far east end of