Gunsight Notch Peak via Terrace Canyon in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV

Hike Gunsight Notch Peak via Terrace Canyon Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV

Class 3 6.6 miles 2400 gain 4-6 hrs Loop Nov 7, 2015
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Gunsight Notch Peak via Terrace Canyon GPX Track

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Terrace Canyon is a gorgeous canyon located deep in the Pine Creek Canyon complex within Red Rock Canyon, and it has a spur canyon known as Gunsight Canyon. Getting to Gunsight Canyon requires a lot of boulder-hopping and some route-finding. This hike was my first outing in Red Rock Canyon back in 2015, a loop that ascends Pine Creek Canyon, enters Terrace Canyon briefly, then heads up the minor Gunsight Canyon to Gunsight Notch Peak, and finally descends via an extended gully from Gunsight Notch. I've been back here many times, and the majority of the photos below are from 2024 with a visit with friends.

We drove the Red Rock Canyon scenic drive and parked at the Pine Creek Trailhead. After a short hike along the official Pine Creek Trail, many social trails seem to leave the main trail and eventually the main trail is indiscernable. We ended up just dropping into the Pine Creek drainage and started Class 2/3 scrambling up the drainage. There's a bunch of cool moves to get over or around boulders, including a rabbit hole scramble, avoiding small water pools, etc. It's good fun, but the mileage does not go quickly.

Terrace Canyon is just a small drainage that runs into Pine Creek Canyon. To reach the canyon, keep left at all major junctions within Pine Creek. The boulder-hopping slowly subsided as we got higher up Pine Creek, but the brush encroached a bit more. Fortunately, enough people travel through this way that there are cairns marking the easiest way to avoid the brushiest stuff. Terrace Canyon continues south, but we wanted to head up Gunsight Canyon, a separate spur on the left. Once at its head, we started up the canyon's incredibly cool slick sandstone features with step-like terraces. The route involves some Class 2/2+ moves to overcome the terraces, but the slick nature of the drainage may be a bit unnerving for some once a bit higher up and the slope angle begins to become more severe. We were funneled into a narrower section, where a single unexposed Class 2+/3 move within a depression in the center of the drainage led to a tough-looking headwall. It's best to leave the drainage here, keeping left to gain higher ground using the slabs. The route becomes a little more convoluted here, since the slope becomes just a wide ascent with sproadic brush. There are cairns leading up the slope, but my advice is to just locate the path of least resistance through brush and away from the cliffs to gain the ridge above. It's straightforward enough to keep this steep slope ascent Class 2.

We emerged at the notch separating Gunsight Notch Peak and Rainbow Wall, a nice feature that forms a steep Class 3/3+ route to reach this spot from the east via Juniper Canyon. This would serve as our descent route, but first we headed up the Class 2+ short detour to Gunsight Notch Peak and then returned to Gunsight Notch to start the descent. This section included plenty of fun stemming, Class 3 moves, and a fixed line aiding in a tougher spot. Without the fixed line, this could push into Class 4 territory, so you may want to bring a rope in case. Once the gully opened up, we followed a very good social trail down into Juniper Canyon. Note that if you're bushwhacking through the Gunsight Notch gully, you went the wrong way. We exited the drainage, following a social trail, and took one of the many trails leading back to the Pine Creek Trailhead.

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Along the Pine Creek Trail.
Along the Pine Creek Trail.
Entering Pine Creek Canyon.
Entering Pine Creek Canyon.
Rock-hopping within Pine Creek Canyon.
Rock-hopping within Pine Creek Canyon.
Gorgeous flowing water.
Gorgeous flowing water.
Keep left at this major canyon junction.
Keep left at this major canyon junction.
Ascending Pine Creek Canyon.
Ascending Pine Creek Canyon.
Rocky drainage with lots of boulder-hopping.
Rocky drainage with lots of boulder-hopping.
Gorgeous Red Rock Canyon narrows.
Gorgeous Red Rock Canyon narrows.
Another major junction within Pine Creek, keeping left. This junction marks the start of Terrace Canyon.
Another major junction within Pine Creek, keeping left. This junction marks the start of Terrace Canyon.
More progress up the canyon. Stick to the drainage to avoid bushwhacking. Head left up a side-drainage to reach Gunsight Canyon.
More progress up the canyon. Stick to the drainage to avoid bushwhacking. Head left up a side-drainage to reach Gunsight Canyon.
The mouth of Gunsight Canyon.
The mouth of Gunsight Canyon.
Excellent flowing water.
Excellent flowing water.
Ascending Gunsight Canyon.
Ascending Gunsight Canyon.
View back at the mouth.
View back at the mouth.
Really gorgeous features within Gunsight Canyon.
Really gorgeous features within Gunsight Canyon.
Another shot back at progress up the canyon.
Another shot back at progress up the canyon.
Higher up where the "terraces" become more defined.
Higher up where the "terraces" become more defined.
Image 17 from gallery
Image 18 from gallery
Image 19 from gallery
View back down past most of the terraces.
View back down past most of the terraces.
Continuing the ascent up Gunsight Canyon.
Continuing the ascent up Gunsight Canyon.
Entering the narrower section higher up.
Entering the narrower section higher up.
The drainage funneled us into the watercourse.
The drainage funneled us into the watercourse.
A wonderful chasm where the water flows through.
A wonderful chasm where the water flows through.
Class 2/3 move.
Class 2/3 move.
View back down at the crux move within Gunsight Canyon.
View back down at the crux move within Gunsight Canyon.
Past the crux, keep south, leaving the drainage.
Past the crux, keep south, leaving the drainage.
Higher up above Gunsight Canyon, view back down. From here we followed the slabs out of the canyon.
Higher up above Gunsight Canyon, view back down. From here we followed the slabs out of the canyon.
Ascending Class 2 terrain.
Ascending Class 2 terrain.
View back down higher up.
View back down higher up.
Leading up and around this feature. There's a tough chimney move up that crack, but keep left of it for a tamer Class 2 ascent.
Leading up and around this feature. There's a tough chimney move up that crack, but keep left of it for a tamer Class 2 ascent.
View back as we ascend the slope out of Gunsight Canyon.
View back as we ascend the slope out of Gunsight Canyon.
Keep right of the brush here.
Keep right of the brush here.
View back down as we near the top of the slope, Gunsight Canyon seen below on the left.
View back down as we near the top of the slope, Gunsight Canyon seen below on the left.
Gunsight Notch on the right, the peak seen left. Class 2/3 up to the summit.
Gunsight Notch on the right, the peak seen left. Class 2/3 up to the summit.
Gunsight Notch Peak, view back. Rainbow Wall on the left, Gunsight Notch right of center. Evan seen coming up to the summit.
Gunsight Notch Peak, view back. Rainbow Wall on the left, Gunsight Notch right of center. Evan seen coming up to the summit.
Summit of Gunsight Notch Peak, view toward Juniper Peak.
Summit of Gunsight Notch Peak, view toward Juniper Peak.
Down to the notch. Class 3 down the narrows.
Down to the notch. Class 3 down the narrows.
View back up the Class 3 chimney.
View back up the Class 3 chimney.
More descending from Gunsight Notch.
More descending from Gunsight Notch.
A shot up at the descent scramble.
A shot up at the descent scramble.
Image 42 from gallery
Image 43 from gallery
One of two crawl-through spaces.
One of two crawl-through spaces.
The Class 3+ crux. There's always been a rope here on my visits, but it might push into Class 4 terrain without a rope. You may want to bring your own rope in case this sounds too tough.
The Class 3+ crux. There's always been a rope here on my visits, but it might push into Class 4 terrain without a rope. You may want to bring your own rope in case this sounds too tough.
View back up at the Class 3+/4 section, but a rope facilitated the descent.
View back up at the Class 3+/4 section, but a rope facilitated the descent.
Image 47 from gallery
The gully widens quite a bit. If you're bushwhacking, find a better way.
The gully widens quite a bit. If you're bushwhacking, find a better way.
Friends seen coming down right of center. On the left is just a cool water trickle.
Friends seen coming down right of center. On the left is just a cool water trickle.
More boulder obstacles as we descent Juniper Canyon.
More boulder obstacles as we descent Juniper Canyon.
Within Juniper Canyon.
Within Juniper Canyon.
View back up toward Gunsight Notch, center.
View back up toward Gunsight Notch, center.
Shortly before locating a social trail out of Juniper Canyon, a view back toward Gunsight Notch, center.
Shortly before locating a social trail out of Juniper Canyon, a view back toward Gunsight Notch, center.
Some photos from 2015, my first visit to Gunsight Canyon. I'm just keeping these here for my own memories :)
Some photos from 2015, my first visit to Gunsight Canyon. I'm just keeping these here for my own memories :)
2015 photo.
2015 photo.
2015 photo.
2015 photo.
2015 photo.
2015 photo.

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