(Connor Fiel Recreation Area is My friends and I come up here all the time.

It's a great way to get out of the hustle of Las Veg You can hike, bike, camp, picnic, ski, snowboard, and so much more.

Over 1 million people will visit the area But when Tropical Storm Hilary rolled in, it wreaked havoc.

Today I'm meeting up with ta ke a look at the area and see how the Spring Mountains are doing.

### -I'm Connor Fields, your new host for my favorite show, Outdoor Nevada.

### -On your way into the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, the first thing that you'll come up to is the visitor center.

The visitor center is the gateway into the recreation area.

It's full of a ton o has interactive displays and detailed maps outlining all of the different places you can go.

It's a must-stop before you venture into the recreation area.

The folks from the US Fores know exactly what trails, roads, and campgrounds are open or closed at the momen You should definitely check it out on your way in.

The Visitor Gateway is also where I'll be meeting up with Ray Johnson with the US Forest S Ray is going to take me on a tour of the area.

We're going to see the damage, check out the progress of the and do some hiking.

Good morning, Ray.

My name is -Hey, Connor.

Ray Johnson.

Thanks for coming out.

-Absolutely.

It Can you tell me a bit -W ell, we're at the Spring Mountain Visi Gateway, our visitor center up here at Mount Charleston.

It has some grea visitor center.

We have the It represents an airplane accident on Charleston Peak in 1955.

In addition, we have a monument to the Southern Paiute, the Nuwuvi tribe, and there's seven tribes that make up their That's represented here as well.

And then we have all the great things i -I live in Vegas.

I've been coming I'm pretty familiar with t but I know the storm affected the area a little bit.

Can you tell me a -Right.

The tropical cr eated a lot of problems up here.

A lot of wind and rain affected things quite a bit.

There's a map out front we can go look at, and I'll show you where those were.

-Sounds great.

Does this map show all the trails in the -Yeah.

This map is in front of the visitor c It shows all of our hiking trails, picnic areas, and campgrounds here at Mount Charleston, especially in Kyle, Deer Creek, and Lee Canyons.

Mary Jane Falls was our most popular trail, and that was the one that was damaged the most.

-Yeah, I've done that trip before.

I'd love to go check out -Okay.

We'll go look at that and the restoration efforts that have bee -Sounds great.

-This footage is from the day of the storm.

The amount of water and the force at which it moved down the mountains then through the recreation area is terrifying.

The aftermath shows just how powerful it all was, with Mary Jane Falls taking the biggest hit.

I've been on this trail more times than I can count.

It's the trail most people know and love.

Well, it's gone.

The road leading up to it, the pa the trail, it's all gone.

This damage is crazy.

I mean, look at this bench.

-Yeah.

This really illustrates Th is is the parking lot and then the entrance onto Mary Jane Falls trail.

You can see what the water has done.

-Oh, it's difficult to even walk on it.

It's so torn up.

-Yeah.

And so many people use this trail.

It's one of the most popular in Nevada.

What they are used to is no longer here.

-So what is the process going to be like to rebuild it?

-Well, if we look at t we can use some heavy equipment and a grader.

-Because you can get it up to it?

Yes.

But up here, we're not going to have a lot of access with any kind of equipment, so it's going to be really difficult.

-Is this where the trail has always been?

-Yeah, this was the existing trail going up to Mary Jane Falls.

You can see it's now th ree, maybe five feet in some places.

And it's not just here; there's drainage over here and another one 30 yards over there and another one 40 yards over there.

So this was trying to accommod water that was coming down this.

-I mean, this is massive!

This is five feet right he -And remember, it only happened in a few hours.

That's how strong it was.

And I know that this looks really bad, but it gets worse as we go up the trail.

-Worse than this?

-Worse than this.

-As we walk up farther and farther, at the parking lot, it's a little bit.

Then it's a foot.

Then it's three feet.

This is insane.

This is 10 feet deep in -Right.

So that really sho here at Mount Charleston.

And it's not just here on We have a couple other trails that were impacted very heavily, too, ov er in Lee Canyon at Bristlecone trail.

-As you guys are working through your rehabilitation of these trails, do you see something like this and deci reroute and go around?

I imagine fixing this, es heavy machinery, is a huge task.

-Right.

So there's a lot of things that are going to have to go into the decisions: Is this going to happen again, as far as the amount of water coming right through this drainage?

If so, maybe we shouldn't So they may have to look at other routes, but all that stuff is yet to be decided.

But we're certainly concerned and working towards getting Mary Jane Falls open again.

-In the meantime, have you guys been working on repairing any of the other trails, or is this the first one -We have got to work on some of the other trails.

We've done some work up on the South Loop trail.

It's not quite open yet.

But Fletcher Trail, wa s also impacted.

But we've been able to get in there a functioning where it's safe, easy to follow, and people are really enjoying that trail.

-I've never done that one.

It's gonna be new to m -All right.

Let's head over there now.

### -So this is it?

This is the trai -This is Fletcher Trail, one of our most popular Not on the harder side.

A lot of people really enjoy It's right here by 157, and we did a lot of work up here.

I look forward to showing it to you.

-I can't wait.

Let's check it -As you come over this hill, you can really see the wash where the r the damage.

-Yeah, it's really That's where all the wate but this is really the kind of transition from the original trail to what we have now.

The old trail used to go right along this rock and around the corner, but we've had to put in these stairs and some guideline steps to hel people follow the new path that goes up the drai -How long did that take you?

-The recreation staff and a few of our fire guys put in probably about two weeks to do the whole trail.

So it was a pretty extensive amount of work, but they did a great job.

-Yeah, it looks awesome.

Even though this is my first time on the Fletcher Canyon Trail, you can see ju work needed to be done and how much still needs to be done.

Between the recreation te US Forest Service, and the fire they have put in so much work and have done an Their effort and hard work literally put this popular trail back on the map for people to continue to enjoy.

I can tell the Forest Service put these rocks in here as a boarder.

-Yeah.

We have these along Fletch guideline to help people stay on the trail th we've picked instead of just walking up the drainag The footing is a lot better, and it's a lot safer.

This is an example Same reason, help people move along the trail a safe manner.

-It's good you did that because you kept the trail pretty easy.

It's not been to -Yeah.

A lot of people like this trail for th -This here looks like it was something that you guys did.

-Yeah.

This is an example of some of the work we've done here on Fletcher Trail.

The way that the water was coming dow drainage, it was going to take out our whole hiking trail.

So we've put in so Mainly it was our recreation staff Some of the fire guys helped as we And it took two days to build this l but hopefully it's going to help the water not take our hiking trail.

-It's awesome that this is ope guys did the work to get this ready.

We've seen a lot of people o -Yeah.

-Lots goin -Yeah, we've done There's a little bit more farther up.

And I tell you what, th trail that we'll go look at here in a little bit called the Catch Pen Trail.

-All right.

I'd love to see it ### -This is the Catch Pen Trail.

It has two places where you can enter, one here at Milepost 7 on the Deer Creek and then at 6.5, down on the Lee Canyon highway.

-How long is the trail?

-This trail is about 6.7 miles long.

-Is it a loop?

-It is a loop, a mountain bikers, and an equestrian trail as well.

-Is this a popular trail?

-Well, this is actually le ast used trails, least well known But it's a really terrific trail, as yo and we hope a lot more people start to use it.

-That's a bit steep here.

What is this trail considered?

-This trail is rated more difficult due to some extended spots on the trail that are a little steep, both going up and going down.

-It makes complete sense.

I can tell why.

I can also feel the elevation.

How high are we up here?

-Right here where we're at is about 8,400 - 8,500 feet.

So a lot of people are out of breath right now, including us.

[laughter] -As we made our way, the beauty of this trail really started to rev The trees and the overview were incredible.

It was a pleasant surprise.

Some of these trees are so interesting and gnarled looking.

What are they?

-Some of these our juniper trees that are up at the far their range as far as altitude goes.

And so those are the gnarled ones that you're seeing.

-And what makes them look like that?

-They just get weathered over the dec These trees, some of them are hundre And so the wind and the snow and the soils that they're in all affect how they look, but they certainly do have that gnarled look.

-It definitely adds a different flavor to this trail.

What else makes this trail special?

-Well, this is a great loop trail t It starts in High Desert, and then people go through the pinyon and juniper ecosystems up into the Ponderosa, and then they peak out right at about 8,500 feet where the bristlecone trees start, and then they can go back down as they go back to where the -So it really provides a lot of different variety.

-Absolutely.

It's one of th does that, where people can go through all those ecosystems on one hike.

-I love it.

I'm gonna keep g -Let's go.

-That tree is so cool looking, and now knowing it's hundreds of years old is wild.

We continued on, and it was a great hike.

I will say, though, that it was a bit of a challe Why this isn't a more popular trail already is beyond me.

The one thing that we di was the race against the setting sun, and this was one race that I wasn't go Ray and I kept a brisk pace for the whole six, almost seven miles.

When you do make plans to do this trail, make sure that you give yourself eno enjoy it.

In my opinion, you a full day.

-That was a great trail.

It was definitely a bit of a chall but I love the diversity of all the different plants and trees.

-Yeah.

It's really fun to those different ecosystems.

-Absolutely.

And where can up -to-date information on not only this trail, but all of your recovery efforts for the other ones?

-Right.

Our Spring Mountain Visitor Gatewa our visitor center, has all that information as current as it can be on trails, conditions, and what's open and closed.

-Awesome.

Well, hey, I would Raintree.

Is that so -Yeah.

We'll try it tomorro -Sounds good.

### -All right, Ray.

We're here at the North Lo What can I expect today?

-We're going to go It's 2.8 miles from here at the parking lot.

Along the way, we're going to see some other bristlecone trees, have some great view and it should be a really good day.

-I'm looking forward to it.

Should I expect a di What are we getting into?

-Yeah.

This is one of the And when people are out here, especially o they need to keep in mind that the shortness of day temperature, have good shoes, water, and sunscreen.

-Well, I have all that ready.

I'm aware it's a short day.

I'm ready to get going if you are.

-All right.

Let's go.

### -What's the elevation that we're at about right now?

-Right here, about at 8,600 feet.

-The North Loop Trail is one of the most popular trails in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area.

It starts off super casual.

The trail itself is wide and even.

It didn't seem too difficult, at least not yet.

The day was still early.

It was this turn, as we entered into the wilderness area, that the real hike up started.

Just a note: If you're going to take on this trail, please keep in mind it starts out around 8,500 feet of elevation.

That means the air is a bit thin.

And as you continue up, the air will o thinner as the trail gets steeper.

The great thing about hiking with Ray is that he likes to stop and point things out And believe you me, I appreciate the k and the breaks.

-Connor, if you take notice here, this area is really open and a lot of these young trees are all the same height.

It's because they all started same time.

There was a fire he and you can see it took out a lot of the ponderosa And it opened the canopy, and now all these young trees are growing in.

And we've seen some fire scars on trees that burned, but this is how mother n We have a fire and the new generation comes in.

-How frequently does that happen in this area?

-When we have the monsoon, most of our fires are started So it kind of depends on the year, but it does happen up here a lot.

-Being able to spend this time with a guy like Ray is amazing.

He's a great guy, and he's been with t US Forest Service for over 25 years.

He's a wealth of information, and you can really tell jo b and how much he loves this area.

He's been with the US Forest Service for so long that some of his cowo with him about being around for as long as some of the trees on the mountain and that, more than likely, Ray Just so you know, a lot of these trees have been around for over 100 years.

How many people a year do you g -It depends on the trail.

Of course, Mary thousands-- many, many thousands, the same as Cathedral Rock.

Some of the other trails that are less well a few thousand.

But our popular trails get many, ma -The other thing I noticed as I made my way up the North Loop trail was the higher t elevation, the colder it got.

That little bit of snow on the ground should have given me a clue.

What kind of wildlife do -Well, where we're at right now, there's a lot of springs and a So we have a lot of deer right in front of Mummy Mountain.

But we also have a lot of mount this area because of that reason.

So we don't see them very often, but we know they're here.

We've seen it on so we know that they're right around here.

-As we continue the hike, the environment is changing and so You can look out for miles and miles.

Looking over the ponderosa forests and down into the high desert, it is so beautiful to We could not have picked a better day for this hike.

-Oh, boy!

This is a massive tree!

-Yeah.

This is one of our biggest ponderosas on the North Loop trail.

This tree is probably 400 to 500 years old -It's incredible that we've got some this old right here in our backyard.

-Yeah, we do.

And there's a lot ol We're about to get to the bristlecones.

-Can't wait.

I have to keep reminding myself we're less than an hour from Las Vegas; yet here we are surrounded by these massive trees in the middle of a forest.

It's wild.

### -We've doing a good amount of climbing.

What elevation are we getting to?

-We're probably 9,300 feet.

We're really starting to be able to see the transition where we're going from a Right where we're at, there's bristlecones all over the place.

So we're moving out of in to the bristlecone forest.

-It's gorgeous.

-And now, as the inclines get longer and the air continues to get thinner, the North Loop trail is letting me k considered difficult.

The wider trail has narrowed, and the switchbacks are a slig the incline, but they're still tough.

Next time I come out to do this trail, I'll be bringing my trekking poles.

This trail is no joke.

The good thing is that with each step forward, we are closer to our goal of checking out the Raintree.

Right now, it's just putting one foot in front of the other.

When you do this trail, please make you bring along an ample amount of water.

The temperature is lower, yes, but you are putting in a lot of work.

Staying hydrated is very important.

Also, don't forget to bring along a snack.

Maybe it's a piece of fruit, an energy bar, a sandwich, just something to keep some fuel in your system.

Another important thing to remembe comfortable and appropriate clothing and footwear.

This is a rough hike with a variety of terrains.

The right footwear can make or break a hike.

It's another good idea to dress in layers.

It's always great to be able to shed a sweatshirt if you're getting hot an back on if you're getting cold.

And finally, always let somebody know you're going and when you'll be returning.

Unfortunately, accidents can and do happen, and cell service is spotty at best.

It's better to be safe, rather than sorry.

We made it, the summit!

It is gorgeous up here.

-Yeah.

This is the Toe and we're here in this beautiful bristlecone forest.

This is really a great perspective that we're seeing today.

-Oh, it's sp How much farther to Raintree.

-We have about another maybe half hour, and it s we get there.

-Is it mor How is it on the way th -It does start to go down the -Relieved to hear that after that climb ### If you've ever driven on the 95 North past the Spring Mountains, you've probably noticed Mummy Mountain.

And from a distance, y called Mummy Mountain.

But when you get up on it and you're to the toe of it, it is truly amazing.

It's hard to believe that this is all less than an hour from Las Ve When you get to the peak, the amount of bristlecone pines is incredible.

They each have their own personality and unique look.

The way the wind and the weather has bent and twisted them is so cool to see.

What's crazy is some of these trees look dead, but they're not.

They are alive, and no they are thriving.

To walk among these trees, some of which are hundreds, even thousands of years old, is breathtaking.

The North Loop trail is the hike that just keeps giving.

It really is mesmerizing to see so many of these ancient trees and walk amongst them.

I could tell we were getting close as we hiked under the canopy of bristlecones.

The anticipation was building.

Wow!

Look at that!

It's amazing.

-This is it.

This is the Raintr -Great reward for that hike.

To stand in front of this massive tree is breathtaking.

It stands proudly, its th e sky and it's thick roots partially exposed as if it's showing everyone the grip that it has to its home.

This bristlecone pine is estimated to be 3,000 years old.

Just let that sink in for a second.

And here we are, standing in its shadow.

Amazing.

That was a fun trail.

It was definitely di different sections, but th rough different ecosystems.

-Right.

We did start down.

There were some pinon We went up through the ponderosa and then into this beautiful bristlecone forest, ending up at this magnificent Raintree.

-It's awesome.

And I think it's understand how they can -R ight, it's really important.

This is such a Pe ople need to pick up a pick up their trash, water bottles and the like, don't cut the switchbacks, those kinds of things so we don't have erosion, and help take care of this special place.

-Absolutely.

And I see here there's We can go in different directio -Right.

This isn't the end of t From here, you can go over here to Mummy Springs, which is three-tenths of a mile.

Or you can continue on the North Loop tra another mile and hit Trail Canyon.

Or if you're really ambitious, seven miles to the summit from here -Love it.

I'll have to I love it up here.

It's beaut Thank you for showing me -My pleasure.

-I learned tha and not only good hands, capable hands.

The Spring Mountain National Recreation Area continues to give us so much to explore and do.

And the North Loop trail was beautiful through all the bristlecone pines and the 3,000-plus year old Raintree at the end.

I hope you get a chance to s I'm Connor Fields, and this is Outdoor Nevada.

Thanks for watching.

If you like what you're seeing, make sure you subscribe.

-This episode is dedicated to Suzanne Shelp.

She helped design most of the trails here at the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area as well as Blue Diamond.

Rest in peace.