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Danger On
The Trail
by Monique Rider
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 What a combination: Las Vegas, Mt. Charleston and mountain lions! |
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This eventful mountain hike began on the Griffith
Trail of Mt. Charleston just forty minutes west of Las Vegas. I chose Mt. Charleston because in the summer it tends to be
thirty degrees cooler than in the city.
Being July, the lower temperature was a refreshing change compared
to the hundred and ten degree sweltering heat of Las Vegas.
Since my husband and I had gotten much better at this hiking thing,
I felt we were also ready for the challenging incline and elevation of
this trail. Little did I know
that our training and careful planning would still not prepare us for what
awaited us at the summit. After driving about a half hour and following the
signs to Mt. Charleston, we then followed arrows to Griffith Trail.
In order to arrive at the trailhead to begin the hike, we first had
to drive up to 7,850 feet. The road was narrow and treacherous with loose gravel and
steep cliffs. I had my eyes
closed most of the time. However,
when I peaked between my fingers I noticed just how beautiful the view
was. The road ended at a small dirt parking area.
One look around the deserted lot told us that we were the only ones
hiking that day. It was
already 11:30 a.m. so there was a good chance no one else would be
starting to hike that late. The
summit of this particular climb was at 10,500 feet and boasted a panoramic
view of Las Vegas, Lake Mead, and other mountain ranges. It was a ten-mile round trip hike at elevations higher than
we had ever been. Anxious to
summit and descend by 4:30 we set off at a quick pace. The ecosystem was very unique for Nevada.
The mountainous, sharp cliffs of rock were laced with bushes,
evergreens, and even some trees with leaves!
Trees shaded us for the first hour of the climb.
Then things got tough. We
came upon a series of switchbacks that led us straight up the face of the
mountain. No more meandering
through the evergreens. Now there were gorges, cliffs, and massive overlooks. Due to our late start, we planned to forgo the rest
breaks until we reached the summit. We
figured at that point we would eat, reapply sunscreen, and doctor up our
feet. We only stopped for
pictures. The closer we got
to the summit the more excited we became, knowing the view that awaited
us. After two and a half hours of steady climbing we reached
10,000 feet. We were once
again in a forested area that was rich in vegetation.
Another ten minutes and we would be able to photograph a rare,
spectacular view of Las Vegas. And
boy, did we ever need a break! That’s when we heard the angry growl of a mountain lion. Somewhere between our current position and that gorgeous summit was a cat that was claiming the view all for himself. We had obviously disturbed him and he wasn’t happy. Armed with only a knife and pepper spray, we felt pretty vulnerable. Remember, we were the only ones on a rugged, isolated, treacherous trail. It took about two seconds to decide that we needed to
turn back. They say you can
scare a mountain lion off by simply making a lot of noise.
Needless to say, we were more comfortable just turning back.
Mountain lions are known to track their prey sometimes for hours
before attacking. So although
we were anxious to descend quickly, we stopped often to look, listen, and
observe our surroundings. We
were in desperate need of a break to eat and tend to our feet.
However, it was more important to get out of the tree line and to a
safer location. After descending for about an hour, we emerged from
the forested area and stopped along an open ridge of rocks.
It was at that point we took a much needed fifteen minute break,
staying ever watchful. It’s
the worst feeling to have your boots off, lancing blisters, knowing there
may be a big cat close by licking his chops. We felt a bit safer descending the rocky portion of
the mountain. With fewer
trees it was easier to see in the distance.
About a mile from the trailhead we passed two other hikers who were
just beginning their climb – way too late in the day.
One of the hikers wore a pistol and mentioned that it is a
necessity for rugged, isolated trails in Nevada. As we made our way back to the truck, I felt discouraged that we were only within 500 feet of the summit and had to turn back. However, I was grateful that we were safe and in one piece. We plan to make that climb again with the intent to finish it. I’ll let you know how it goes! Monique Rider is the owner of Trinity
Coaching Services, a business that offers fitness training and personal
development services to clients worldwide. Monique's mission is to use her life
experiences to help others grow. To learn more about Monique, visit her website http://www.personaljoy.com |
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