Hidden Peak, Mountain Spring Peak, Black Velvet Peak in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV

Hike Hidden Peak, Mountain Spring Peak, Black Velvet Peak Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV

Class 3 8.9 miles 3800 gain 6-8 hrs Loop Feb 16, 2017
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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This is a particularly fun and somewhat obscure route within Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area with the added benefit of being outside the annoying 13-mile scenic drive. The route includes scrambling and route-finding, a natural arch, and a cool ridgeline along the sandstone and limestone divide that makes up the Keystone Thrust. It summits Hidden Peak, Peak 6516, Mountain Spring Peak, and Black Velvet Peak.

Reahing the Black Velvet Canyon Trailhead is passable by Croxxover vehicles, but sedans will have lots of trouble. Shawn and I set out from the parking area along a rocky road that narrowed into a trail leading to the mouth of Black Velvet Canyon, a popular canyon for rock climbing. We entered the drainage and subsequent rock-hopping wonderland. Almost immediately at the canyon's mouth we encountered a Class 3 obstacle on the left side of a dryfall before the Class 2 boulder-hopping began in earnest within Black Velvet Canyon. Black Velvet Canyon quickly gets more narrow and has some more interesting obstacles the whole way up. There was a bunch of water on our visit, and it added to the colorful walls.

Our first destination would be Hidden Peak. Look for a poorly-laid cairn on the right (a map would be much better) that marks the gully that takes you up to the west side of Hidden Peak. A few very easy Class 3 moves lead to easier terrain, and then there's otherwise only Class 2 quad-killing hiking up to the summit by using the ample slabs and overall pleasant scrambling. Much of the ascent followed a drainage leading north below Hidden Peak, then the route wrapped around to the peak's west ridge before continuing to the summit.

From the summit of Hidden Peak, we headed along the sandstone ridge, passing over the Keystone Thrust (where the sandstone abruptly turns to limestone), and followed the limestone ridge generally southwest until we got to Peak 6516, only interesting because of a natural arch with a gorgeous sandstone backdrop. We took a bunch of shameless photos of each other here before continuing along the limestone ridge to Mountain Spring Peak, never exceeding Class 2. Mountain Spring Peak was also not particularly memorable, but the terrain became interesting again as we headed south from the limestone and back over the Keystone Thrust into sandstone on our way to Black Velvet Peak. Fortunately, cairns marked the way to the summit of this peak, keeping the route at Class 2+/3, little to no exposure. There were a bunch of fun moves, including a small talus cave to scramble through.

From Black Velvet Peak, we were determined to find a route back down without having to re-summit the limestone peaks we already did today. We noted the sheer drops on the north side of Black Velvet Peak and contoured generally west/northwest until we got back to the limestone slopes. We side-hilled beneath Mountain Spring Peak, some animal/social trails available. Eventually, we located a colorful canyon that ended up working! Lots of these canyons have big drops randomly throughout that would have shut us down, so we considered outselves lucky to only encounter a few easy down climb moves. We made it back into the main Black Velvet Canyon drainage and headed out the way we came.

I should note that I included photos up to Hidden Peak from another trip, where I documented the route a bit better, so you'll see my friend Matty scattered about in the photos below, filling in the gaps from my original trip report.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Hidden Peak
6280 ft
160 rise
2
Peak 6516
6516 ft
n/a rise
3
Mountain Spring Peak
6641 ft
601 rise
4
Black Velvet Peak
6234 ft
218 rise

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The trail starts on an old rocky dirty road before narrowing into a trail.
The trail starts on an old rocky dirty road before narrowing into a trail.
Image 1 from gallery
Image 2 from gallery
The first obstacle, a waterfall (or dryfall, depending when you come). We did a Class 3 scramble to the left of the fall (next photo).
The first obstacle, a waterfall (or dryfall, depending when you come). We did a Class 3 scramble to the left of the fall (next photo).
Ascending the Class 3 moves to get around the waterfall in order to enter the narrows of Black Velvet Canyon.
Ascending the Class 3 moves to get around the waterfall in order to enter the narrows of Black Velvet Canyon.
Looking back, now within Black Velvet Canyon.
Looking back, now within Black Velvet Canyon.
Looking back down the canyon, great morning lighting.
Looking back down the canyon, great morning lighting.
Interesting slabs as we ascend the canyon.
Interesting slabs as we ascend the canyon.
Image 8 from gallery
Lots of water in Black Velvet Canyon.
Lots of water in Black Velvet Canyon.
Image 10 from gallery
Looking up the canyon. Lots of boulders to go.
Looking up the canyon. Lots of boulders to go.
Looking back down Black Velvet Canyon.
Looking back down Black Velvet Canyon.
We located a cairn and started up a gully on the north side of Black Velvet Canyon.
We located a cairn and started up a gully on the north side of Black Velvet Canyon.
Looking down the way we came up.
Looking down the way we came up.
Continuing up the gully toward Hidden Peak.
Continuing up the gully toward Hidden Peak.
Looking back down the gully.
Looking back down the gully.
Hidden Peak ahead. The gully veers left.
Hidden Peak ahead. The gully veers left.
Image 18 from gallery
Looking back down the gully.
Looking back down the gully.
Top of the gully.
Top of the gully.
Looking back down.
Looking back down.
Summit view looking northeast. Calico Hills in the distance (the red rocks).
Summit view looking northeast. Calico Hills in the distance (the red rocks).
The summit of Hidden Peak just ahead.
The summit of Hidden Peak just ahead.
Looking toward Monument Peak from Hidden Peak summit.
Looking toward Monument Peak from Hidden Peak summit.
Heading toward the limestone ridge, colorful sandstone slickrock along the way.
Heading toward the limestone ridge, colorful sandstone slickrock along the way.
Image 26 from gallery
We headed from sandstone into limestone, leading to the peak on the right. We would then follow the ridge across to the far left to Mountain Spring Peak over there.
We headed from sandstone into limestone, leading to the peak on the right. We would then follow the ridge across to the far left to Mountain Spring Peak over there.
The limestone landscape change happens pretty abruptly, as you can see from the ground. In the distance is Black Velvet Peak, our final destination.
The limestone landscape change happens pretty abruptly, as you can see from the ground. In the distance is Black Velvet Peak, our final destination.
Shawn along the ridge.
Shawn along the ridge.
Looking back toward Hidden Peak, where we came from.
Looking back toward Hidden Peak, where we came from.
We were greeted by a beautiful arch, totally unexpected.
We were greeted by a beautiful arch, totally unexpected.
Image 32 from gallery
Image 33 from gallery
Shawn in the arch.
Shawn in the arch.
Spring Mountain Peak on the right, Black Velvet Peak on the left.
Spring Mountain Peak on the right, Black Velvet Peak on the left.
Mt. Charleston on the top left, Calico Hills far away on the top right.
Mt. Charleston on the top left, Calico Hills far away on the top right.
From the summit of Mountain Spring Peak, looking toward Black Velvet Peak.
From the summit of Mountain Spring Peak, looking toward Black Velvet Peak.
After following the ridge down from Mountain Spring Peak, we were met with sandstone slickrock again.
After following the ridge down from Mountain Spring Peak, we were met with sandstone slickrock again.
Image 39 from gallery
Navigating the complex terrain, aided by ample cairns.
Navigating the complex terrain, aided by ample cairns.
View back.
View back.
The summit of Black Velvet Peak.
The summit of Black Velvet Peak.
After leaving Black Velvet Peak, we followed a sort-of trail from the summit along the border of the limestone and sandstone, below the ridgeline we had earlier traversed.
After leaving Black Velvet Peak, we followed a sort-of trail from the summit along the border of the limestone and sandstone, below the ridgeline we had earlier traversed.
Looking back toward Black Velvet Peak.
Looking back toward Black Velvet Peak.
Entering a canyon to descend.
Entering a canyon to descend.
Class 3 down-climbs within the canyon, but it made it down!
Class 3 down-climbs within the canyon, but it made it down!
Continuing down the bright yellow side canyon we had chosen for our descent.
Continuing down the bright yellow side canyon we had chosen for our descent.
We got back to the junction in Black Velvet Canyon where we had left and followed the same route out.
We got back to the junction in Black Velvet Canyon where we had left and followed the same route out.

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