River Mountains Loop Trail

Wildflowers of Railroad Pass, Nevada…..April 24, 2010

April 24th, 2010 Earth Day  Weekend –  The photo’s posted herein were taken on Saturday April 24th, 2010.  We were doing our “Trail Watch”  work along the trail from Railroad Pass Casino (MM 0.0 east to MM 32.5).  We started early at 6:30 a.m. to beat the heat and to get the best color contrast for photos.  We found the best flowers not far from the trail and best over the first mile over to the Cascata Bridge.  We also parallel the railroad tracks for most of the first two miles also.   With camera in hand, a five gallon bucket for trash, grippers, and a small street broom for sweeping rocks we set out….while picking  up trash along the tracks & trail the sun on the tracks called out to me…..  

Rails to Boulder City early morning 4-24-10

Beaver tail cactus were all along the trail most with just a bloom or two opening the best yet to come.  We also noted up on the mountain side in gullies and drainages lots of yellow brittlebush in full bloom, the entire area yellow from a distance…. the yellow contrasted with the dark brown and black volcanic rocks were awe-inspiring. 

Cresote Bush in bloom with Brittle Bush on hillside 42410

Along with the wildflowers we found the droppings  of nature’s worst insect, “The Litterbug”.  In our opinion the trash came from the freeway and not trail users based on location and droppings found.  The worst item repeatedly found this day was t-paper, unrolled and stuck in bushes, you ever try to pick up t-paper?  This stuff was not used, but allowed to unroll in the wind of a speeding car then let loose…  Here is a photo of the days “litterbug’ harvest… 

Litterbug droppings harvest along trail 42410

 Despite the litterbug sightings we did enjoy all the wildflowers along the way.  The “Stone Hedge” trailhead at Bootleg Canyon proves to be a very  interesting photo backdrop along the trail.  We discovered several small barrel cactus in full bloom on our way back to Railroad Pass…..they were on the uphill side of the trail. I’ll include one here and more in the photo gallery below.  There is much color to be seen out there and you have two weeks before it has peaked (Mothers Day); so get your camera, your hiking boots on and get out there.  Don’t just take my word for it… 

Barrel cactus two blooms RRpass 42410

We finished our day by viewing the Southern Nevada Railways train pulling into Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino at 10:20 a.m. followed by a great breakfast at the hotel coffee shop.  Saturday mornings  in  the April desert don’t get any better….:) 

Photo Gallery of Desert blooms Railroad Pass, Nevada:

 

 

Camera…….Action…..On the trail this spring

March 19, 2010 –  By tomorrow winter is over and spring is here.  Get your camera’s out and hit the trail.  With the wet winter, well over 3″ of rain, our desert trail will look like a trail through green fields.  Well at least for the next month or two. Wild flowers and wild life should be abundant.  And remember, Henderson has a photo contest each fall during National Trails Day for the best trail photos taken in Henderson.  I’ll be out this weekend with my camera and hopefully next week I can post a few green photos here to prove my point.

Wildflowers Spring 2009

You can ride your bike, but I prefer to walk/hike it that way you would miss anything….Tortoise will be out soon and so will snakes so watch out.  I got a great photo last fall of a brown Tarantula on the trail; spring last year several tortoise photos.  Other friends have photos of big horn sheep on trail etc.

RMLT Desert Green Mountains at Railroad Pass 3-20-2010

 

Here is a photo I took in Spring 2010 which I entered into Henderson’s Trail photo contest and won second in this category…

Wildflowers & bike riders Lake Mead April 2011