Bridge Mountain
Encyclopedia
Bridge Mountain is one of the mountain
s surrounding Red Rock Canyon in the Spring Mountains
in Clark County
of southern Nevada
.
Bridge Mountain is named for the natural feature of a bridge-like natural arch
of sandstone near the summit. Bridge Mountain is highest peak in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
. The ascent is a popular hike.
The hike climbs over the crest of the shale
formed, north-south oriented Spring Mountain Range, and rewards the hiker with panoramic views of the Redrock Escarpment below. A marked trail along the crest descends to the sandstone escarpment. Here steep free climbing down a chimney—possible without technical gear—takes the hiker to a narrow neck of rock that separates the drainages of Pine Creek to the south and Icebox Canyon to the north. The hike is marked by cairns that show the route to proceed up toward the base of a cliff, angling left just above the northern drop-off. The hike gently ascends the slickrock here, in a crack in the rock. (This crack provides easy climbing) After about 150 foot, the route comes to a point where there is a broad, flat ledge on the left, then continues about several feet to the left where a wider gully climbs to the top of the cliff. This leads up to the natural bridge for which the mountain is named. The bridge itself is the remains of a tinaja, or water tank, that eroded and left a remnant of the side, now a bridge.
In order to get to the top, one must climb over a fallen tree, bringing the person within reach of several pools, access to the bridge, and near the Hidden Forest (see below). heading south for several hundred feet, one then much climb along a steep, difficult ridge to get near the top, where it's easy from there. At the top, a small box, like one used to store money, contains two Composition notebooks' worth of people who have made it and signed in. The view of Las Vegas is stunning from there.
In a cleft in the sandstone of Bridge Mountain's summit, there is a small hidden forest of Ponderosa pine
. Expansive views of the Las Vegas Valley
can be seen from the Eastern end of the hidden forest.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
s surrounding Red Rock Canyon in the Spring Mountains
Spring Mountains
The Spring Mountains are a mountain range of southern Nevada in the United States, running generally northwest-southeast along the west side of Las Vegas and down to the border with California...
in Clark County
Clark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
of southern Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.
Bridge Mountain is named for the natural feature of a bridge-like natural arch
Natural arch
A natural arch or natural bridge is a natural geological formation where a rock arch forms, with an opening underneath. Most natural arches form as a narrow ridge, walled by cliffs, become narrower from erosion, with a softer rock stratum under the cliff-forming stratum gradually eroding out until...
of sandstone near the summit. Bridge Mountain is highest peak in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada is an area managed by the Bureau of Land Management as part of its National Landscape Conservation System, and protected as a National Conservation Area. It is located about west of Las Vegas, and easily seen from the Las Vegas Strip...
. The ascent is a popular hike.
Hiking Route
The Bridge Mountain hike begins at the Redrock Pass summit, accessible by 4W drive only. Hikers can park at the north Willow Springs campground and walk 5 miles (8 km) to the summit. Alternatively, hikers can turn south from Highway 160 and drive 7.5 miles (12 km) SW on the Lovell Canyon Road and park where the pavement ends. The hike from here to the summit is about 3.3 miles (5.3 km) and has less elevation gain.The hike climbs over the crest of the shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
formed, north-south oriented Spring Mountain Range, and rewards the hiker with panoramic views of the Redrock Escarpment below. A marked trail along the crest descends to the sandstone escarpment. Here steep free climbing down a chimney—possible without technical gear—takes the hiker to a narrow neck of rock that separates the drainages of Pine Creek to the south and Icebox Canyon to the north. The hike is marked by cairns that show the route to proceed up toward the base of a cliff, angling left just above the northern drop-off. The hike gently ascends the slickrock here, in a crack in the rock. (This crack provides easy climbing) After about 150 foot, the route comes to a point where there is a broad, flat ledge on the left, then continues about several feet to the left where a wider gully climbs to the top of the cliff. This leads up to the natural bridge for which the mountain is named. The bridge itself is the remains of a tinaja, or water tank, that eroded and left a remnant of the side, now a bridge.
In order to get to the top, one must climb over a fallen tree, bringing the person within reach of several pools, access to the bridge, and near the Hidden Forest (see below). heading south for several hundred feet, one then much climb along a steep, difficult ridge to get near the top, where it's easy from there. At the top, a small box, like one used to store money, contains two Composition notebooks' worth of people who have made it and signed in. The view of Las Vegas is stunning from there.
In a cleft in the sandstone of Bridge Mountain's summit, there is a small hidden forest of Ponderosa pine
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...
. Expansive views of the Las Vegas Valley
Las Vegas Valley (landform)
Las Vegas Valley is in the main, the valley of Las Vegas north section, and drained by the Las Vegas Wash. The valley in the northwest section, is a northwest-by-southeast trending area, and trending parallel to Las Vegas Wash, lays at the northeast of the Spring Mountains massif.U.S...
can be seen from the Eastern end of the hidden forest.