Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline | La Madre Mountains Wilderness, Nevada
Overview | Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline | La Madre Mountains Wilderness, Nevada
Slide Guide coming soon.
Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline forms a border to the Northwestern edge of metropolitan Las Vegas. It stretches from just West of the upper end of Lone Mountain Road to the edge of Kyle Canyon Road. In terms of its wilderness location, this massive ridgeline with its 6080ft summit is located at the very Northeastern edge of the La Madre Mountains Wilderness. Yes, it’s massive! The trail circling the base of the ridgeline is about 30 miles in length!
In terms of its basic configuration, the Eastern side of the ridgeline is vertical with cliffs towering over 1,500ft in height. The Western side of the ridgeline is a gradual slope that can be summited at a walk. There are some cracks and gullies on the Western slopes lined with vertical limestone cliffs. The Northern and Southern ends of the ridgeline offer some gradual ascent points. The highest points exceeding 6,000ft are on the Southern end of the ridgeline.
No Official Name for the Ridgeline
I consulted a number of maps and found no official name for this incredible ridgeline feature. It seems to have been overlooked! The 6,080ft summit is listed on some maps as “Peak 6080”, but that doesn’t really name the long ridgeline which, itself holds a summit elevation above 5,000ft for a distance of nearly 3 miles. This means the long summit ridgeline ranges from 2,500 to 3,500ft higher than the 2,500ft metropolitan area below. Harris Springs Canyon borders the Northwestern end of the ridgeline, thus the name I’m giving for the sake of reference: Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline.
Setting for Daily Conditioning Workouts
Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline fulfills many of the requirements of an excellent setting for daily conditioning workout setting:
- Convenient: The trailhead parking area on Kyle Canyon Road is located only 10 minutes from the edge of the Las Vegas metropolitan area.
- Meets the Following Physical Conditioning Requirements:
- Strength Building: Gradual slopes with a 2,000ft elevation gain.
- Endurance: 30-mile baseline trail. In addition, the trailhead parking area offers access to a vast network of trails and roads that run throughout the La Madre Mountains Wilderness.
- Agility: Navigating the limestone surface on the slopes.
- Flexibility and Coordination: Though you can easily get to the summit at a walk (all under a class 3 rock scrambling level, no hands needed), there are cliffs, ledges and other rocky features excellent for bouldering and rock climbing.
- Inspiring Setting: There are non-stop expansive views in this terrain that has the feel of a remote wilderness, hundreds of miles from civilization.
Spectacular Views from Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline
Here of just a few of the surrounding views that will astonish:
- Mt. Charleston Wilderness: Mummy Mountain, Charleston Peak, Fletcher Peak, Griffith Peak
- Entire La Madre Wilderness Ridgeline
- Summerlin Ridge
- Cheyenne Mountain
- Lone Mountain
- High Points South of Las Vegas
- Frenchman Mountain
- Sunrise Mountain
- Muddy Mountains Wilderness
- Gass Peak
- Fossil Ridge
- Sheep Range
Best Time of Year to Visit Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline
Stick to Fall through Spring months. Mid-day Summer temperatures can exceed 110 degrees. However, a brief visit during Summer morning or evening hours could work.
Trailhead Directions | Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline | La Madre Mountains Wilderness, Nevada
Take Hwy 95 North from Las Vegas. Exit left onto Kyle Canyon Road toward Mt. Charleston (around the end of the Northern metro area). In about 3 miles, shortly beyond the edge of the housing and horse ranch area, watch for a small trailhead parking area on the left (South) side of Kyle Canyon Road. This is your access to the Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline and its network of trails.
Narrative Guide | Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline | La Madre Mountains Wilderness, Nevada
There are many class 1 and 2 walking adventure routes up the Western slopes and along the summit ridgeline. You could create quite a few large loop adventures for variety and spice it up with rock climbing in the approach gullies. For this adventure I made a fairly straight-line course from the trailhead to the ridgeline summit.
Getting Your Bearings
From the trailhead parking area you can see the highest summit points on the Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline. They’re on the upper right (South) edge. In addition, you can see much of the intervening route all the way to the summit point. It’s a fairly straight line. This means that from the summit, you will be able to see most of your return route all the way back to the trailhead. There’s one big exception to route visibility: At sunrise, as the sun it just topping the ridgeline, it can partially blind you from making out the details of the terrain features (see the video). Still, I was able to navigate the approach slopes all the way to the summit for the first time though the rising sun was directly in my line of vision.
Trailhead to Base of the Western Slopes
You’ll find trails to aid your progress to the base of the Western slopes. From the trailhead, begin on the trail that leads toward the summit points you identified. The trail will quickly take you to the edge of a huge canyon wash with high walls. This is Harris Springs Canyon and it runs from up in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness all the way down past the Northern edge of Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline, finally emptying into the Las Vegas Valley. See one of my adventures and videos in upper Harris Springs Canyon and through a slot canyon area.
Fortunately, the trail you are on will angle to the left and eventually take you easily down into the base of the wash. Additional trails will take you over the opposite side of the canyon continuing roughly along a line toward the ridgeline summit. After ascending the opposite side of Harris Springs Canyon you’ll descend into another large wash (with more gradual sides) that originates in the La Madre Mountains, runs along the base of Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline and joins Harris Springs Canyon Wash before emptying into the Las Vegas Valley.
This second canyon wash along the Western base of the ridgeline is actually an incredibly beautiful valley populated by a Joshua Tree and Yucca Plant forest. Looking toward the La Madre Mountains, the wash paints a spectacular scene! Looking down the wash, the Sheep Range and Gass Peak are beautifully framed in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge beyond.
Ascending the Western Slopes: Two False Summits!
Still heading in a fairly straight line toward the ridgeline summit point, I took a route that ran just above the Northern (left) edge of a large narrow crack. Once on the slopes, the summit is no longer visible. Just ascend along the upper left side of the crack. There are at least two major false summits along the way. That first rocky height you see above may look like the summit. It’s only about a third of the way up! When you reach that height, angle a little over to the left to continue upward on an adjacent gradual slope toward the next high point, a smooth ridgeline on the horizon. I thought this was the summit ridge, but it was a second false summit!
Ascent Toward the True Summit
Once on the second false summit, the true ridgeline summit line becomes visible. Along the summit line you’ll see a series of small rounded hills with shallow saddles between. The gentle slope of that second false summit angles around a bit to the right, gently taking you to the true summit line. You’ll arrive one high point North (to the left) of the summit. That high point is marked by a lone pinyon pine tree, the only pine I saw on the ridgeline this day.
As you top that high point the expansive view ahead is astonishing! Almost immediately below (nearly 4000ft below!), spreading out before you is the Las Vegas Valley and metro area. You may feel as if you’re in an airplane, but with a better view, not limited by small windows. To the North are the Sheep Range and Gass Peak. To the East beyond the Las Vegas Valley are the Muddy Mountains, Sunrise Mountain and Frenchman Mountain. To the South and West is the La Madre Mountain Ridgeline angling over to the Mt. Charleston Wilderness behind to the West. Below are Summerlin Ridge, Cheyenne Mountain and Lone Mountain. Quite the surprising view!
Arrival on the True Summit
To your right, that next high point, more rocky, is the true summit with the “summit jar” to sign in. Between you and the true summit is a shallow saddle. Enjoy traversing the saddle and experiencing the expansive surrounding view the entire way. As I mentioned earlier, there are many alternate descent points along the Western slopes of Harris Springs Canyon Ridgeline. Knock yourself out!
Return to the Trailhead
For this initial adventure, constrained by time limitations, I retraced my way back across the saddle to that initial high point, then down toward the trailhead, visible from both high summit points and the saddle between. From there, descend to the second false summit and watch for the long narrow crack you used to guide yourself up the slope. This time you’re keeping to the upper right side of the crack, but you can also see the trailhead below. Just let the crack and the direction of the trailhead guide you all the way back to the base of the ridgeline. From above, while descending, you can see a pathway across the canyon at the base of the ridgeline continuing your route back to the trailhead. This path will lead you to the deep Harris Springs Canyon. Across that canyon you can see the point of your original descent into the canyon from the trailhead. Cross the canyon, ascend the road and return to the trailhead.
Timing of This Adventure
I took a lot of time exploring, so it took me about 4 hours from the trailhead to the summit. The return took under 2 hours. With practice it should be possible to walk the entire route out and back in under 3 hours. You might walk/run the entire out and back route in under 2 hours. What a workout and a wilderness adventure!
