NOTIFICATION OF ACTION IN
RED ROCK CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA

The Bureau of Land Management will be starting to renovate the Late Night parking lot in the southern half of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, 4.7 miles west from the junction of State Route 159 and State Route 160 beginning January 7, 2008. The project is anticipated to be completed within four months.

The Late Night parking lot is a popular area to access multiple trails for mountain bike, hiking and equestrian use. As part of the renovation, the road leading north to Black Velvet Canyon will be temporarily affected and may be closed intermittently or entirely due to the proximity of the construction site. I have a map showing the alternate routes to access hiking and rock climbing in Black Velvet Canyon and an alternate parking area to access Cottonwood Valley trails. I have posted a jpeg of the map in my photo section. It is pretty small. If you would like me to send you a PDF version of the map feel free to email me and I will send you one.

The parking lot renovation is being funded by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act. The renovation will add a new bathroom for the area, hitching posts for horses, about 70 parking spots for cars and six pull-though spots designed for vehicles with horse trailers.

ADVISORY:
This notice is for disclosure purposes only. Specific comments are not being sought through this notice.

As always, your questions are welcome concerning project. Should you have any questions regarding this action please contact the Las Vegas Field Office at 702-515-5138 or jed_botsford@blm.gov

I plan to climb that area over MLK. Please send me the alternate directions at steve.curtis@us.af.mil

Many thanks. Steve

I plan to climb that area over MLK. Please send me a map on alternate directions. Thanks Steve

I have recently heard a rumor going around the climbing community that people are have been told that the BLM is putting up a gate at the entrance to the Black Velvet Road to make it a day use area only.

This post is to stop that rumor. Yes the contractor who is renovating the Late Night parking lot is erecting a temporary gate to stop people from driving into the worksite and getting run over by heavy machinery and also help with vandalism when they are not there. The Black Velvet area is not planned to become a day use area like the Scenic Drive.

During construction there are two alternate ways to access Black Velvet. Feel free to email me and I will send you a PDF or JPEG version of the map of the Alternate access routes into BV. If you would like to ask me questions about the renovation or the alternate access routes feel free to call me (702) 515-5138.

Once the renovation of the Late Night parking lot is completed (6 months) the gate will be taken down and the road to Black Velvet will be open for use 24 hours a day.

If you hear this rumor, please help me out by letting that person know it is untrue and pass on the correct info. Feel free to pass on my contact info to anybody that would like to talk with me about the project.

Basically, drive in via the Windy Canyon access:



You'll probably want high clearance. I've bottomed out every rental car I've ever had on that road. Also, coming back out can be confusing, especially the last few turns before you get to the highway.

Edit (March): Actually, I find the road is in reasonably good shape from Rt. 160 as far as Windy Canyon, and the BLM has provided signs at the crucial turning points. We didn't bottom out the rental this time!

damn, that's going to be a nasty detour for most folks- luckily, BV isnt the best place to climb until April, so if we're lucky, it'll only be a nuisance for a month or so.....

for folks unfamiliar with the area, the 2x4 route is the only viable route if you dont have 4wd- the other route is not passable even with high clearance- this basically increases the distance to BV canyon by a couple of miles at least, and slower going as well, as the roads out there are in iffy condition at best. plan accordingly for those early Epi starts!

I was just in BVC...I used the road at the back of the overnight lot...The dirt road is kind of muddy and there was standing water in some places. You definitely want a high clearance vehicle unless you plan on walking quite a way. There was quite a bit of erosion across low parts of the road. I didn't leave the area til around 6 PM and had no issues with gates or construction. I guess I caught it on a intermittently open day!!!

Feb 2nd. the normal access to Black Velvet was closed. We tried the alternate via the Windy Canyon Road (First turn off west of the construction area), but the ruts at the first gully were deep enough to cause the Jeep Cherokee to bottom out. Pretty soft in areas due to recent moisture

"the 2x4 route is the only viable route if you dont have 4wd- the other route is not passable even with high clearance"

By 2x4 route, do you mean the normal (currently closed) route and by other route do you mean the detour? (sounds like it's the Windy Canyon Road)
Thanks for the clarification.

Max you are correct the alternative access to BV by 2X4 is the Windy Canyon road.

The grading for the parking lot renovation is 97% complete. Hopefully late next week the curbing will be put in. Things are rolling along. The contractor is right on schedule if not ahead.
I will keep every body posted on a potential date when the road will be open again.

Great, they can put in a curb, but I can't put in a bolt.

John,

I believe this forum is a place where people can bitch,express their opinions and or frustrations. If you do post you just have to be ready for other people to reply to your bitch, expressed opinion or frustration. There is always another point of view.

In this thread, I have tried to keep the climbing community up to date about what is happening with the new parking lot and access to Black Velvet. I would appreciate that if you would like to bitch about the bolting situation start a new thread, that way to two issues are kept separate.

In fact, if you look back, I think I did express a view point in response to your posts. "If you do post you just have to be ready for other people to reply to your bitch, expressed opinion or frustration. There is always another point of view." Isn't that what you just said? I realize that you posted a fact, I responded to it. It is called a forum for a reason.

Boring.

I would like to state publicly that I do not support John being bored.

However, Jed, I continue to admire the poise that you display in dealing with the masses of dung that is generally being tossed your way.

I respect what you have to say and the way you say it. Thanks for being a positive element in the Machine. When I cruise the site, most comments I read, especially my own, display a shocking lack of maturity and judgement. It's nice to see some measured contrast to the peanut gallery.

Cheers.

What is the current status on the road? Thanks

bump for more info.

So if I'm in a rental car, in the morning darkness, the new way in would be a bad call eh?

Any chance the standard way is supposed to be available by March 20th?

Andy

i hear tales of some posted signage directing people along the right path being put in at some point in the semi-near future.

in the dark, though, if you've never been in that way, it could be a challenge- i'd say just try to scope it out the day before if possible.

probably no chance the area will be open by march 20th, though- c'mon, this is a government project we're talking about!

I've done the alternate route in my 1993 front-wheel drive Subaru Legacy for years and only got stuck once in the creek bed. A little fancy work with the jack - no problem. You just need to drive a little... aggressively.

I would not advise doing the approach in the early morning dark unless you have driven the route prior.

As for access on March 20. Vegastradguy is right it is a government contract. There will be no access through May at least.