Every year we have to schedule at least a couple of group hikes in the Spring Mountains to escape the summer heat of Southern Nevada. This year was no different as a group of us committed to the 17 mile hike to the 11,918 foot summit of Mount Charleston and back.
Pictured here is our good friend Steve Hamilton and his dog Toby. It's always is a pleasure to have Steve along as he probably spends as much time in the Spring Mountains as anyone and his experience is always welcome. To date he must have at least 100 ascents of Mummy Mountain, the second highest peak in the Spring Mountain range at 11,528 feet.
Joining us on this trip was one of Bob's very good friends, Terri Janison. Bob met Terri when he interviewed for his new position at the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development where Terri was the Southern Regional Director. Terri has since taken another position as Senior Director for Health and Community Development at the United Way of Southern Nevada where she focuses on promoting health and healthcare in Southern Nevada. Perhaps she can fit hiking in the Spring Mountains as part of her program? It's pretty healthy...
Joining us again for this year's hike to the summit of Mount Charleston were Paul and Summer Mudd and their good friend Phil Spargo. This is a picture of Paul carrying quite a bit of extra weight to help train for an upcoming trip in the Sierra's.
Phil Spargo
Summer Mudd "skipping" up the trail carrying her Sierra training load.
On past Mount Charleston hikes we've chosen to go up the North Loop trail and descend the South Loop trail. This year we decided to hike in the opposite direction giving folks the option to split off and do a shorter, but still challenging, hike to the summit of Griffith Peak, the third highest peak in the Spring Mountain range at 10,800 feet (see map).
Joining us in this picture where the trail to Griffith Peak leaves the South Loop trail are Frank and Erin Nason. Not pictured are Jim and Mari Germain.
No bad days in the mountains.
Phil Spargo, with Summer and Paul Mudd.
Some of the many fossils to be found on the south ridge.
The view of the summit of Mount Charleston as seen from the south ridge.
Along the South Loop trail lies the wreckage of a Douglas DC-4 military transport plane. The crash occurred on November 17th, 1955 as part of the highly secretive U-2 spy plane project underway at the fabled Area 51 military base. The accident claimed 14 lives. To learn more about the incredible story this wreckage represents, pick up the book Silent Heroes of the Cold War and/or visit the Silent Heroes Web site at: http://coldwarmonument.org/.
Part of the engine cowling of the wrecked DC-4.
Even at an altitude of 11,000 feet and in the middle of wreckage, mountain flowers still grow.
Steve Hamilton checking out the wreckage.
For more pictures of the plane and wreckage taken at the time of the accident, check out this page on the Silent Heroes Web site: http://coldwarmonument.org/the-accident/accident-photos/.
Terri Janison on the summit of Mount Charleston (11,918 feet). We only spent about five minutes on the summit because it start to rain and hail. There was also risk of lightning so we thought it best to make a quick retreat to safer territory. Besides, it wouldn't look good if the wife of Kevin Janison, the local NBC affiliate weather man, was part of a group involved in a weather related accident while hiking in the Spring Mountains.
After leaving the summit and stashing my camera to protect it from the weather, this ended up being my last picture of the day. All said, it was a great outing with great friends in a beautiful setting most don't associate with the Mojave Desert.