Escaping the Strip
I attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for three days this past week. What an experience. 120,000 people (mostly men) descend upon Vegas to see the latest gadgets, accessories, appliances, and much more. After a couple of days of trying to navigate the crowds, getting nearly blinded by all the screens and lights, and being completely over stimulated, I had to get my nature on.
I rented a car and head up into the hills west of the Strip to Red Rock National Conservation Area (aka Red Rocks). I got up late, around 7:40am (though this can be considered early for Las Vegas standards). I decided to climb up to the top of Turtlehead Peak, having read the trail offered panoramic views of the whole area.
The trail turned out to be more technical than I had planned on, requiring some rock climbing at times (I’d say about a 5.6, so nothing hard). At the top there was an inch or two of snow remaining from a recent storm, making the final half mile ascent rather slippery at times. I resorted to scampering over rocks instead of trying to gain a foothold on the slippery trail.
The weather was incredible – about 30 in the shade, 40 in the sun – and no wind at all. After snapping 360 degree photos and signing the guest list at the top, I headed down. Besides the snow, much of the trail is slippery with loose rocks and shale. None the less, it was a blast to run down. I leapt over shrubs, jumped off rocks, and slid down steep declines on the run back to the bottom.
I highly recommend visiting Red Rocks if you’re in the Vegas area. The rock formations and red colors (hence the name) are absolutely stunning, and there are numerous trails of all varieties and difficulty.
It was just the antidote I needed to all of glitz of the Strip and convention.
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