Desert Boy Goes Sledding

We've had a couple good storms lately bringing some much needed moisture to our desert area. So we packed up the sled and headed up into the mountains to a sledding hill to enjoy the wintery fun. There were about 20 people in all sledding (or spectating). I thought we should get started right away and hauled Desert Boy and a sled up a hill, where we were joined by a cute redhead. We were all ready to have fun...

...and then we met reality--snow in the faces! Neither Kara nor Desert Boy were happy about it. But not to worry, the fun didn't end there. 

The sledding hill was relatively big--that blob part way down one of the sled runs is two people on a sled. Now why is it that sleds are magically attracted to trees? Notice how many of the sled trails lead down to the one lone tree at the bottom?

Yep, Desert Boy found out about it the hard way.

And then again. He had the hardest time keeping his mittens on, and his little paws got cold and he hollered. Desert Boy doesn't exactly have a quiet voice, so everyone knew he wasn't happy. I decided to take him on another run to try to cheer him up.

But whaddya know, we ended up in that same tree. Desert Boy was not amused, so it was time to find a better sledding place for him. That better sledding place turned out to be the road. No snow up in his face, and a gentle ride where he didn't feel like he was at the mercy of gravitational pulls.

The bright side for us was an easy walk uphill.

And then a fun ride downhill. Desert Boy is actually smiling in this photo!

He got to ride with Daddy, too. 

And then Desert Boy got a ride with his little friend. She was having some issues with snow and gravitational pulls, too, and preferred the road to the big sledding hill.

Finally Desert Boy decided he was done and bailed. Maybe next year he'll embrace the fun of sledding. And maybe by then all my bumps and bruises will have healed--that sledding hill sure looks like fun but contains a lot of hidden obstacles!

Desert Destination: Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge

Every Monday we visit a desert destination.

Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, about 90 miles north of Las Vegas on Highway 93, was established in 1963 to provide habitat for migratory birds, especially waterfowl. The 5,300-acre protected area contains lakes, marshes, and meadows, all of which are rare habitats in Nevada. It is part of the Pacific flyway, an important migratory route.

Pahranagat has two lakes, Upper and Lower, along with two marshes, North and Middle. The mix of vegetation and water depths provide food and shelter for more than 230 species of wildlife. The water component of Pahranagat is essential for most wildlife species, and comes from sources further up the valley, such as Ash Springs.

When we went by in early February, Lower Pahrangat Lake was covered with birds--thousands of them. 

This is the shallower of the two lakes, so it is often covered with dabbling ducks--those ducks that tip over with their tail feathers high in the sky as they reach down to eat aquatic vegetation and insects that are slightly below the surface. Easily identified dabbling ducks are mallards and green-winged teals.

It looked like the most common birds were American coots--small black birds with stubby white beaks. They were bobbing along on the waves in the windy afternoon.

A highway parallels the lakes and marshes of Pahranagat NWR. You can see that it's winter by the leafless cottonwoods. A couple old roads run between the highway and the lakes, allowing you to enjoy the view at a slower pace.

One of the first things to see at the turnoff to Upper Pahrangat Lake is this bird blind, built by a Youth Conservation Crew in 2008. There are a couple benches inside, where you can hide out and let the birds forget you and get closer.

Besides wildlife watching, hunting and fishing are popular activities at the national wildlife refuge.

Further down the road is the Visitor Information Center, a tiny building. An information kiosk is next to it to provide an orientation to the 32,000 visitors who get off the highway to visit the refuge. The full-time staff of Pahranagat NWR consists of two employees, so needless to say, they are always looking for good volunteers and interns.

There's a nice picnic area with a shelter over it near the visitor information center. 

One of the attractions of Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge is free camping. About a dozen campsites are located right next to the lake. They are simple, with just a picnic table and grill, so you have to bring all your amenities (including drinking water). The view is spectacular, especially considering the price!

If you don't want to camp, there's a three-mile long trail around Upper Pahranagat Lake. There's also a wheelchair accessible fishing pier at the south end. Winter is obviously not a good time to try fishing from the pier.

However, winter is an excellent time to visit the refuge, especially if you like birds. Thousands of water birds use the lakes as wintering areas, including hundreds of tundra swans. The upper lake is deeper and is used by many diving ducks like canvasbacks and lesser scaups. The diving ducks have their legs further back on their bodies and are heavier than dabbling ducks, so when they take off from the water, they have to run on it first to get up enough speed.

The day we visited, there was only one person camping and no one else visiting the refuge. Even though it's right next to a highway, it's a beautiful spot to take a break and feel like you're far from everyone. To find out more, visit the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge website.

Herding Sheep

As I was driving down the highway, I noticed something out of the ordinary--hundreds of white objects moving on the hillside. As I got closer, I saw it was a herd of sheep. This is sheep country out here, and every winter sheepherders bring thousands of sheep. The sheep are good at using the snow for moisture (unlike cattle, which need water). Thus  the sheep can survive in remote places in the desert, far from water as long as there is some snow. 

This big white dog is a sheep dog (sometimes referred to as a livestock guardian dog). The most common types of sheep dog in this area are the Pyrenees or Akbash. They are strong and loyal, and they always stay with the sheep, protecting them from predators like coyotes. They also protect them from strange humans, so it's never a good idea to get out of your car near a big sheep dog--you're liable to get bitten because you're seen as a threat.

Here's the sheepherder on his horse at the back of the herd. With him are several border collies. They are extremely helpful moving the sheep, with their herding instinct kicking in. The border collies stay with the sheepherder, returning to his camp at night. They are loyal to him, doing what he says.

If you look closely at the sheep, you'll notice they aren't all white. A brown sheep is put in for every 25 or 50 sheep (depending on the herd). The brown sheep allow for the sheepherder to quickly count the herd by counting them and then multiplying by 25 or 50.

The sheep are moved every couple of days so they don't overgraze any one area. Often the sheep are ready to move on, making it a bit easier to move them. 

They graze on the way, their thick winter coats protecting them from the elements. They will be sheared in April by sheep shearers that come all the way from New Zealand and Australia. (I will try to have a post about that when they come.)

Being a sheepherder is a lonely, but relatively peaceful life. It definitely involves lots of fresh air and sunshine. Most of the sheepherding is done far from roads, requiring the old-style skills of managing a horse and dogs. I admire the sheepherders--I don't think I could do that job for even one day.

Alien Fresh Jerky

I'm afraid I have no idea what to write about this sign. 

Great Backyard Bird Count

Want to do something a little different this President's Day Weekend? From February 13-16, you can participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. The great thing about this bird count is you can do it anywhere, including just looking out your kitchen window and noting the birds you see for at least 15 minutes on any of the four days. 

The Great Backyard Bird Count has the most participants of any bird count. It's held in February to find out where birds are in winter before spring migration begins in March. If you'd like to learn more, check out the Great Backyard Bird Count website. I'll post what we see in a few days. Happy birding!

Schoolbus Storage

The ranch bought a couple school buses at auction last fall. This one is too old to use as a vehicle, but it makes a great storage space. The tires have been taken off, and a dirt ramp made up to the back door.

Inside, some of the seats have been removed, making room for an assortment of ranching supplies. Do you like the makeshift shelves on top of the seats? It's neat and organized, with plenty of light to find what you need. The schoolbus will have many decades of use in its new occupation.

Hiking with Desert Boy

When we were at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area last week, Desert Boy had the opportunity to do some hiking. He has lots of energy, so it was fun to see what else he did besides the hiking. After all, toddlers aren't exactly known for their attention spans.

One of the things he did repeatedly was to see how the dirt tasted. Before anyone had a chance to stop him, he was down on his hands and knees, mouth pressed to the ground. When we pulled him up, with dirt sticking to his lips, he said, "Yum."

He climbed into little rock alcoves. Fortunately they didn't go back far, so we could eventually get him out.

For some reason he decided to lay down on the trail. I'm not sure why, I think he just thought it might be fun to lay on the dirt. Or maybe he wanted a better look at the sky. His great-uncle sure looks tall from that view!

He looks pretty relaxed hanging out in the dirt, in the middle of the trail. But eventually, like most toddlers, he got bored. So he picked up some dirt in his hand.

And unfortunately opened his hand when it was over his face, allowing the dirt to get into his eyes. He made quite a face.

He blinked rapidly, made more funny faces, and sat up.

Then all was well again, and he was ready for the next adventure.

Desert Destination: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Every Monday we visit a desert destination.
Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area is located just 17 miles west of Las Vegas' downtown. The bright red sandstone rocks can be seen from most of the city, but they make up just a small part of this nearly 200,000-acre area managed by the Bureau of Land Management. 

There aren't a lot of signs showing the way to get to Red Rock, but fortunately there are just two main ways to go, and they make for a nice loop if you want to see some different landscapes. The northern way is to take Charleston Boulevard west, and it eventually turns into Highway 159. The southern way is to take Blue Diamond Road, Highway 160, and then take the cutoff to the north, Highway 159.

 
A fee booth is at the entrance of the 13-mile scenic drive. It's possible to visit parts of Red Rock directly from Highway 159 if you really don't want to pay the fee, but it's only $5 per vehicle, and you can also use the America the Beautiful Pass here. 

A good first stop is the visitor center. There is a lot of construction around the visitor center, as they expand the one made in 1982, which was made when 20,000 people visited Red Rock a year, to a new one that can accommodate the 1,000,000 annual visitors.

The visitor center is up above the parking lot, and it could use a few more signs. While waiting ten minutes in the parking lot, three different people asked where the visitor center was. Inside are a variety of exhibits, some good views, and friendly volunteers.

After the visitor center, it's time to head down the Scenic Drive. This is a one-way loop with a maximum speed limit of 35 mph, so you can just take your time and enjoy the scenery. The scenery is eye-popping, beginning with the Calico Hills.

This area is popular with rock climbers--can you see the two climbers and two belayers in the photo above? Red Rock has all different levels of climbing, from beginner to expert routes that take more than a day to complete.

The Calico area has some pullouts to stop and enjoy the view or start a hike. In the foreground of this photo is a burned Joshua tree. Numerous wildland fires have burned in Red Rock Canyon over the past years.

 
Looking in the other direction, the burned area goes as far as the eye can see. The land managers are concerned about non-native vegetation taking over. To combat that, rehabilitation efforts like seeding with native vegetation are ongoing. 

The Red Rock Canyon newspaper lists 19 different hikes. It was hard to choose which ones would be best for us. Because we had Desert Boy along, we decided the Children's Discovery Trail near Lost Creek would be a good place to start. The trail is 0.7 miles long and was listed as easy. 

At first, Desert Boy was bored with how easy the trail was.

Then we got to the wash, which during flash floods can quickly fill with water. The wooden structure and the pipe on the left-hand side are a crest-staff gage. Inside the metal pipe is a piece of wood and some cork. When the flood comes through, the water makes the cork float and it sticks to the wood. A USGS employee checks it after the flood and can estimate the amount of water based on the height of the water, the slope of the wash, and the substrate. USGS records show that this gage was in operation from 1961-1999 and the highest recorded flood was over 7,000 cubic feet per second, in 1969. To put this into perspective, 7,000 cfs is about the average streamflow for the Columbia River, that giant river flowing from between the states of Oregon and Washington into the Pacific Ocean. Seven thousand cfs is more than what usually flows in the Hudson, Chicago, and Rio Grande rivers.

Desert Boy was more interested in picking up rocks, and his great-uncle had fun photographing him.

Then the trail got a little rockier and steeper. Did Desert Boy want to be carried? No way! He likes challenges, and fortunately the knees in his pants were up to it. He walked/crawled/rolled down the entire trail by himself. 

After our hike, we continued along the Scenic Drive, passing more beautiful scenery. Then we reached another trailhead, for Pine Creek Canyon.

The Pine Creek Canyon trail descends from the parking lot across a rather flat area full of a variety of bushes and grasses. In the distance is the triangular-shaped rock formation called Mescalito. From a guidebook I knew that the trail led to the canyons on either side of Mescalito, and it sounded like a fun place to go rockhopping.

Eventually we got to a wilderness boundary sign. There are two wilderness areas in Red Rock Canyon NCA: Rainbow and La Madre, designated in 2002.

Mescalito appeared closer as we walked down the narrow path with the red dirt.

Desert Boy ran out of steam (and so did his mama carrying him in the backpack), so the great-uncles stepped in to help him through the tall bushes...

...and across the rocks down into the streambed.

The streambed was very rocky and had quite a bit of vegetation growing in it, making it difficult to travel. The trail had split in many different directions, and we couldn't figure out which one was the right one. So instead of trampling vegetation, we decided it was time for us to head back to the car, and we turned around.

On the way back, Desert Boy found a nice place to rest. Hiking in February was really comfortable, although we noticed a big change in temperature from sunny to shady areas. During the summer heat, this hike wouldn't be nearly so nice.

This big yucca graced the trail on the last stretch up to the car. It was a pleasant hike, although we had been expecting the trail to lead us somewhere instead of petering out. Nevertheless, it was a welcome breath of fresh air and quiet not far from Vegas.

Red Rocks has lots of territory to explore, and I hope to be back soon to check out some more trails.