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OE-305

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Not everyone comes to Las Vegas for the gambling, conventions, or to hook up with a cheap hooker (okay, I had to throw that one in). The city is a an important hub for vacationers wishing to see Death Valley, Zion, Arches, Bryce and Grand Canyon National Parks, as well as some excellent ski resorts in southern Utah. There is so much natural beauty in the desert surrounding this city, which in my opinion makes living out here a little more bearable.

Here are some photos from the numerous hikes I've taken around Vegas.

View looking west towards the city and the Spring Mtns behind: look at all that snow in the Mtns!

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Panoramic of the Vegas Valley (taken 6/19/05)

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We had a pretty wet winter and spring, which led to a pretty spectacular display of flowers and plants from Feb-April.

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Looking east toward Lake Mead and Arizona

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If you've been staying away from southern Nevada because you think there is nothing to do besides gambling, think again! Come out and enjoy this part of the American Southwest.

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  • 4 weeks later...

...on to the west side of the Valley (Mt. Charleston, Spring Mountains, elev. 11,918')

Because of record-breaking snow & rainfall this winter, numerous avalanches (one of them deadly) are still visible (as of July 14)

One avalanche just outside the town of Mt. Charleston (it was a LOT bigger in May) about 1/3 mile long.

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this road was blocked for quite some time and yes, those houses almost ate it big time!

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a second, and much larger avalanche (about 1.5 miles long). look at those splintered trees.

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random pics along the way up (bushwacking up the mountain of course)

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looking east from mt. griffith over Red Rocks (not really visible from here) and the Vegas Valley beyond

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mt. charleston is in the back

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wildlife...

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looking southwest over Pahrump, NV

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alpine tundra in southern nevada!

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top of mt. charleston

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on the way back down we decided to take the real trail... it was under about 4 feet of snow most places in the shade... that's why they weren't opened until after the 4th of July weekend.

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misc. panoramas

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come on out and make your own adventure!

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beautiful scenary. How long does it take to get out into it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Driving from the airport it is about 40 miles away. From the Strip take I-15 north, get on US-95 north at downtown. A few miles outside of the city look for state road 157 (Kyle Canyon Road) on the left side. This leads to the town of Mt. Charleston and the trailhead (7,700'). From the trailhead, in the campground parking lot, it is 4,000 foot climb for the first 4 miles followed by 4 miles of ridge-line trail. Roundtrip it's about 16 miles and pretty strenous too.

Kyle Canyon Road starts out around 3000' elev and quickly climbs up from the barren desert floor through Joshua tree forests, cedar, and finally into a mature Ponderosa forest around 7000'. In the wintertime, snow levels hover between 7000 and 8000' so a lot of families drive up there to go sledding with the kids.

Up around 10500' are the Bristlecone pine trees. These are the oldest living things on earth! Some of then in California are 3500 years old and still living.

... errr, i realize that this thread has nothing to do with anything that can be conceived as "urban"... my apologies to UP :D

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This is downtown...if you are lookin for a different feel and experience some of the GRIT of Vegas then take in the Fremont street experience on the weekends. Just a walk downtown you will have a good time and see things that all of those commercials don't tell you about.

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Shot with NIKON D50 at 2007-07-30

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Shot with NIKON D50 at 2007-04-14

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Shot with NIKON D50 at 2007-08-23

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Shot with NIKON D50 at 2007-08-23

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Shot with NIKON D50 at 2007-08-23

Honestly I prefer downtown than the stip. If you want to be apart of the "it crowd" and pay outrageous prices just to have a good time then go ahead. But downtown the tables are cheaper the drinks are cheaper and the nightlife is more down to earth. However the area is in danger or losing its character. With condos like Allure, Streamline and Spa set to open or being finished the city is determined to clean up the district just to appease the people who paid 600K+ for a condo. Las Vegas struggles with character as is and now we are looking at the last place where the old vegas still exist. My recommendation is to purchase a tallboy of your favorite brew(or get a plastic cup of your favorite spirit) and walk Freemont street you gotta hit up every bar on the way. Go in to at least one of the casinos then end your bar crawl at the Peppermill for some good ole hangover food.

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