In the tradition of Desert Trails Getaways, our 7th Getaway was fantasic!  Great hiking, superb scenery, mellow weather, and good food made for an unforgettable experience.  Thirty-one members particpated, with all levels of hikes.  There was more scrambling than expected, so many of us were pretty tired by day three.  Day one saw the strenuous level hikers off to find Juniper Peak.  With one thing or another, the peak was never found, but a good time and great views were there in abundance.   Moderate level hikers headed to Calico Loop.  The hike was more strenuous than described, but well worth the struggle, with colorfull hills and interesting rock formations. 
 
Day two was Turtlehead Peak for the stronger hikers, and a medley of other hikes for the rest of us.  We located two waterfalls, both with small ponds, at the end of our trails, but couldnt find our route to the upper waterfall.  That was okay as we all had to head back to prepare for dinner.
 
A small but hungry group of ten gathered for dinner and pizza at East Side Pizza.  In the course of events there, an entire Barbecued Chicken pizza ended up on the floor.  The perpetrator desires to remain anonymous, and we all respect his wishes because, as we all know, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas".  The pizza was replaced free by the restaurant and we all left, stuffed to the gills.
 
The final day, an even smaller group of 6 drove out to the final hike near Lake Mead, the Anniversary Narrows.  Since we had 4 wheel drive, we were able to drive in a bit closer and cut two miles off the hike.  We headed up the wash to views of white cliffs, mining tunnels and the Narrows.  To our pleased surprise, the Narrows was actually a slot canyon, about 1/2 mile long, with marblized rocks closing in overhead, and a small but fun amount of scrambling.  This hike is a "must do" for anyone heading to the Lake Mead area.   Sadly, the Getaway had to come to an end, but all of us are already looking forward to another great trip in 2009.  Contact any board member or hike leader if you have suggestions for our "Getaway 2009"
 
See you on the trail!