2019 - Trip Report - Lake Mead and Valley of Fire
Lake Mead and the Valley of Fire
by Jerry Dupree
We had a terrific trip attended by leaders Jerry and Dolly Dupree, Bill and Julie Smith, Joan Berger, Michael and Katie Berger Leonard, Rebecca, and Hannah Friedman, Chris Parker, and Bob Jacoby
The trip was part of the annual Desert Explorers Rondy and we departed from Boulder City at 9:00 a.m. All went smoothly except my new Cobra CB radio was giving us problems. The route was planned and described by Mignon Slentz and was easy to follow. The last time Dolly and I visited and took this tour was 2012 there was a lot less water in the lake. It was encouraging to see so much water. The marinas were active and there were plenty of boats on the lake.
We drove along Lakeshore Blvd. paralleling the lake. We had perfect weather and clear skies and with very little traffic. There were several places to stop with shaded picnic areas and restroom facilities. We stopped at a marina that had a gas station and a very nice shaded picnic area. It’s fun to see what kinds of things people bring to picnics. Dolly and I had military MREs. She had chicken with rice and I had spaghetti and meatballs. Just think of those lucky soldiers who get to eat these every day. Yum.
We pulled over to see the views of the mountains and the lake and enjoy a very light breeze. We turned to the road leading to the Valley of Fire, so named because of the colors of the mountains. It was a vivid red/orange sandstone from sand dunes which is the same reason Mars is called “The Red Planet.” There are different types and shapes of the formations because of the effects of erosion, but a uniform coloration. There is a scarcity of plant life due to the low annual rainfall of less than four inches.
We stopped at the visitors center to look at exhibits of what types of animals live in the valley and its history. It’s a very interesting place and we feel privileged to enjoy it. There are many hiking trails and interesting side trips. There were a lot of visitors to the valley that and parking lots were bustling.
At the end of the valley we headed toward I-15 and Las Vegas, then back to Boulder City for our rendezvous and guest speaker. ~ Jerry
