Turtlehead Jr

Today Jeff, Richard and I set out to conquer Turtlehead Jr. This peak in the calico hills has been described as a good test for the more lengthy hikes to prominent peaks in Red Rock Canyon. The route we took followed some pretty steep cracks with a fair amount of danger if you fell. I am proud to say we handled it without much trouble. Jeff and I inherited a fear of heights from our mother, so it is a challenge to get over your fear and be sure of yourself. At one point, the only thing between you and death is your footing on a ledge that is half as wide as your foot and some pretty small handholds. But in the end, if you are careful, there is really nothing to worry about. At the top, there is a nice tank set in red rock; many of the other tanks I have seen are in the lighter colored sandstone. We descended a different route that followed the ridge to the other tanks and went down a familiar and less dangerous slope.