{Click on an image to enlarge, then use the back button to return to this page}
This page last updated on 03/29/2018
 |
| (Fig. 01) |
 |
| (Fig. 05) |
 |
| (Fig. 06) |
10/30/2012 Trip Notes: Though there are several dirt paths leading to the wash from the city's north edge toward the Las Vegas Range and its bajada, we entered the area from the power-line road off of Route 95N, just past the Kyle Canyon turnoff (refer to map in Fig. 05). The top picture, (Fig. 01) is the view we had across the bajadas that come down from the Sheep Mountains and the Las Vegas Mountain Range in the distance. The tallest mountain in the picture in (Fig. 06) is Gass Peak. As we headed out towards the wash, we passed a series of arroyo bluffs (Figs. 03 & 07). Many of these arroyo walls are freshly exposed, revealing intricate layers of sediments. Thick gravel beds represent input from alluvial fans. As we hiked further out, these arroyo walls began to slump into much gentler slopes that hide any possible details of the sediments and fossils. Along the way we crossed several areas that provided evidence of flowing/standing water no more than a two to three weeks ago. After about a mile out, we came upon the corner of a wooden fence line that stretched at least a 1/2 mile in opposite directions. Though we were unable to find the location of the 60’s paleontological dig or any fossil remains, we did come across the hollow shell and burrow (Figs. 08 & 09) of a long deceased desert tortoise that we estimated to be approximately 50 years old. Click here for more …
Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii.
 |
| (Fig. 07) |
 |
| (Fig. 08) |
 |
(Fig. 09)
|
