Ice Box Canyon in April

by Alan Socolik

Title

Ice Box Canyon in April

Artist

Alan Socolik

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

This photo was taken in April, in Ice Box Canyon, in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The beautiful, flowering tree loaded with pink blossoms is only seen here during the spring. At other times, the landscape is stark and cold. The beautiful, clear blue sky was perfect and adds color to this scene. The gray rocks depicted in this photo shade the canyon, giving it its name.
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As the name implies, Ice Box Canyon is a good hike for a hot day. The trail takes you through a cool, shady box canyon with seasonal waterfalls in the heart of Red Rock National Conservation Area. The narrow canyon rarely sees sunlight, and the cool water and air pouring down from the mountains keep it significantly cooler than the open desert. But you will have to cross the open desert for a mile to get there, so it's a good idea to leave early to beat the heat.
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This trail is 2.5 miles long and is rated "difficult". Ice Box Canyon is essentially two separate hiking experiences (not counting rock climbing). The trail leads from the parking lot down into Red Rock Wash.
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The path winds through a grove of beautiful desert willow and lots of nicely water-rounded boulders. At the end of the willow garden you'll find some wide stone steps that will lead you out of the wash for the remainder of the trek toward the canyon. The grade on this trail averages an easy 2 to 5%, and there's plenty of desert life along the way to keep things interesting. Be sure to check out the narrowing canyon with the big pine trees below and Bridge Mountain looming above. Rock climbers call the large black wall on the left "The Necromancer"; you'll call it beautiful. However, this is only a prelude to what lies ahead in part two of the Ice Box Canyon trail!
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Just short of a mile, the path dips sharply toward the bottom of the canyon. This would be a terrific place to turn back and keep your hike rated PG (for pretty & good), although you might be missing out, because the really good stuff lies just ahead. If you do go down into the canyon, it's a good idea to drop some mental breadcrumbs so that you can find your way back up later. That river of boulders ahead of you is now the trail. Rock scrambling' and I mean first class bouldering is about to begin. Just pick your path and go, remembering that there are usually several solutions to every puzzle that you may encounter. You will soon find yourself in a deep canyon with towering black walls on both sides. The main problem with rock scrambling is that you're always looking at your feet, so pause frequently to take in the beauty above and around you. It/s really astonishing.
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Along the way you'll meet some giant butterscotch-scented Ponderosa Pine trees. Be sure to stop and hug them, as they are the ancient guardians of this canyon (and they like hugs). When you get to the end of this rocky path you'll be rewarded by a spectacular echoing canyon replete with seasonal waterfall. Just above you and out of sight are two natural tanks that are usually full of water. Please use extreme caution if you climb up to these tanks, as the slick rock is treacherous. You may also discover how this area got its name; it can actually get quite cold back here, which makes Ice Box one of my favorite summer hikes.
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Ice Box Canyon is part of the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness Area, designated by Congress in 2002 to protect its natural beauty for generations to come.
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most of the text above is attributable to Friends of Red Rock Canyon and Trails.com.
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FEATURED PHOTO, USA Artist News, December 2, 2012
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FEATURED PHOTO, Fine Art America South West Art and Artists Group, December 12, 2012
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FEATURED PHOTO, FAA Collectors Treasures Group, December 28, 2012

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October 28th, 2012

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