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The Maze
Blog: #7 of 7 by Bonnie Kelso
June 23rd, 2008 - 11:06 PM
Yesterday I got to travel through the Maze! A local favorite here at Red Rock Canyon, Nevada, it is a true oasis in the desert. From above on the ridge near Bridge Mountain the Maze is a long deep crack. Being the middle of summer hiking up to drop in point in 108 degree temperatures calls for some extraordinary efforts. It took us a bit of huffing and puffing and about 3 hours of slow ascension from Willow Springs. Even the 2 foot long rattle snake I nearly stepped on at the ridge was too hot to move or rattle!
It was a relief to drop into that crack, a place mostly traveled by animals in search of refreshment. It turns into a sexy slot very early on. Small basins known as potholes dot the pathway down and are filled with clear rainwater and hundreds of tadpoles just waiting to grow large enough to hop their way out into the world. I make a wish for them in passing that they'll either see rain soon have their metamorphosis completed before all the water evaporates.
The upper section has some cool formations to rappel down. One trickles with water flow, like the image I have painted. The water below collects into pools so deep you have to swim your way out. The water is very chilled here and a wetsuit is required. From extreme heat to extreme cold, you have to be prepared for anything in the canyon. Sun leaks in over the towering walls above, and occasionally finds it way to the bottom to warm you up before the next big drop.
Deeper in the canyon there are full-fledged frogs. They've found the party. They peek at us curiously, not knowing any fear of humans. The lower section drops even more dramatically providing us with longer rappels, until we exit through a tunnel of sorts and become visible again to valley dwellers. This drops falls 200 feet and is a running waterfall, covered in mossy growth. From the distance of the scenic loop you would never even see it. A true hidden oasis and a joy to the senses, my trip through the maze was full of amazing sights.
