This out and back adventure involves starting at the Charleston Peak South Climb Trailhead, summiting Griffith Peak, taking the South Rim of Kyle Canyon from Griffith Peak to Charleston Peak, then returning down the South Climb Trail back to the South Climb Trailhead. Adding Griffith Peak to the adventure is a relatively short detour (about 1/2 mile each way off the main route) and well worth the effort.
Griffith Peak is lightly forested with Bristlecone Pine trees making it more attractive than the barren Charleston Peak. Views from Griffith Peak Summit are unique including:
There are many additional visible points of interest throughout the Southern Nevada Wilderness and beyond!
In addition, from Griffith Peak you can see your entire route along the South Rim of Kyle Canyon all the way to Charleston Peak. You will soon be standing on Charleston Peak (5 miles away) and looking back on Griffith Peak. In all, this adventure is pretty amazing!
The out and back trip in total is about 19 miles with an elevation gain of about 4,500ft and if you count the ascent and descent along the way between Griffith Peak and Charleston Peak you can add another 1,000ft to total 5,500ft or more.
Stick to the Summer months from July through September. During the Winter and Spring the South Climb Trail disappears in deep snow. There are treacherous icy conditions on and near the high summits, and temperatures can plunge below zero degrees! On the other hand, the Summer months bring welcome and refreshing 70-80 degree temperatures compared to temperatures in the Las Vegas Valley that can reach 120 degrees, keeping you trapped indoors in air conditioned spaces.
Head up Hwy-95 from Las Vegas and take a left at the Kyle Canyon exit (less than 30 miles from the Las Vegas Strip). Travel another 20 miles to the South Loop Trailhead. You’ll pass through Charleston Village, pass a fire station, the road will bend to the left, cross a short bridge and then head up about a half mile where you will take the first right after passing some cabins, then on up to the South Loop Trailhead parking lot (which is also the parking lot for Cathedral Rock). By the way, in this parking lot are the best restrooms of all the Mt. Charleston area trailhead parking lots with actual flush toilets and sinks with running water.
On this day I also scope out – from above – a potential route from Cathedral Rock to the summit of the South Rim of Kyle Canyon. View this adventure from Cathedral Rock. I still have a few dots to connect. Then, there’s the sad trek through the vast burn area from the 2013 Carpenter 1 Fire Burn. This burn turned a majestic Bristlecone Pine forest into a collection of charred hulks that spread as far as the eye can see.
I also add a cool route deviation that takes you along the very cliff edge of the upper South Rim of Kyle Canyon. This stretch delivers an alpine experience with spectacular views the entire way before descending to the site of the 1955 CIA Plane Crash Crash. Memorials to the crew and passengers are located on The Escarpment Trail and at the Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway, both in Kyle Canyon.
Ascending from the wreckage I continue along the very edge of the cliff all the way up to Charleston Peak. The route deviations are not dangerous as long as you keep a few feet from the edge of the cliff at all times, and actually involve less descent and re-ascent than if you had stayed on the main trail all the way. In return, you may feel as though you’re on the edge of the universe with unobstructed mountaintop views the entire way!
