Sloan Canyon.... (camping, live, restaurants)

Matt Angry · 10-01-2007, 05:17 PM

Has anyone been out there latley. I read that there was a lot of changes coming in the future??? I was last out there in April of 06. Waiting for the cooler weather before I head back out.

Here is a link for anyone interested:

Sloan Canyon NCA

jfkIII · 10-01-2007, 06:59 PM

Anything touting petroglyphs out there, as a prime reason to visit, has to be a waste of time. Visited Valley of Fire NP two years ago. Climbed this big metal staircase that went up between two canyons. I got up there and found broken Budweiser beer bottles and grafitti spawled across the rocks, with some petroglyphs (untouched) and luckily out of the reach of the vandals. An odd juxatposition...newer drawings and older drawings.

guinnessjim · 10-01-2007, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfkIII

Anything touting petroglyphs out there, as a prime reason to visit, has to be a waste of time. Visited Valley of Fire NP two years ago. Climbed this big metal staircase that went up between two canyons. I got up there and found broken Budweiser beer bottles and grafitti spawled across the rocks, with some petroglyphs (untouched) and luckily out of the reach of the vandals. An odd juxatposition...newer drawings and older drawings.

you just more negative by the day.

why the broad generalization? maybe the petroglyphs would be a waste of your time....but as someone who grew up in the SW, i would like to see an area w/ that many petroglyphs (300+ panels w/ ~1700 designs...that is a lot by any standard). and if there happen to be disrespectful a-holes who deface the glyphs/site, at the very least there is still a large collection of primitive man's history. (**i would be pissed to find graffiti and trash, tho

**)

don't knock a place you haven't been to...you are starting to sound like some of the other negative posters instead of someone trying to offer helpful advice.

Matt Angry · 10-01-2007, 07:33 PM

There's no trash out there, or at least there wasn't when I was there. I think that since its not a quick & easy spot to get to the only people going are the people wanting to see something thats quite spectacular. I had never even heard of the place until early last year, and was really impressed.

I thinks its one of Nevada's hidden little secrets, and anyone who enjoys petroglyph's & Nevada history should really take the time to see.

jfkIII · 10-01-2007, 07:36 PM

Sorry, jim...maybe I stated that incorrectly. Believe me, I have as much interest and respect for petroglyphs as the next nature/history buff. What I meant, is that if it anywhere within driving distance of LV, chances are that they have been most likely defiled by vandals, as I was disguted to find at Valley of Fire NP. Have you been out there, yet? It really is beautiful (minus the grafitti/beer bottle part!)

guinnessjim · 10-01-2007, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfkIII

Sorry, jim...maybe I stated that incorrectly. Believe me, I have as much interest and respect for petroglyphs as the next nature/history buff. What I meant, is that if it anywhere within driving distance of LV, chances are that they have been most likely defiled by vandals, as I was disguted to find at Valley of Fire NP. Have you been out there, yet? It really is beautiful.

no, i've been so busy w/ work i have only had time to do the relatively local things (couple restaurants, some bars, dog parks). the field season will be wrapping up in this month, so i should have more free time soon (to be read i will be able to do outdoor stuff other than field work).

and yeah, i knew what you meant about the disappointment of finding trash and graffiti at VoF

...remember i lived in LA. lotsa trashed monuments (natural and man made) there. you really needed to know the secret spots or be willing to drive or hike a good distance to get away from the urban influence. i just needed to point out that not all places near LV have felt the presence of dip$h1t$...when i was interviewing out here i was taken on several local hikes that were essentially pristine, except for trails and footprints.

jfkIII · 10-02-2007, 01:51 AM

Be sure to go toward the evening hours when the sunlight hits the red mountains just right...they look like they're on fire...hence the name.

guinnessjim · 10-02-2007, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfkIII

Be sure to go toward the evening hours when the sunlight hits the red mountains just right...they look like they're on fire...hence the name.

it is definitely on my list

Buzz123 · 10-02-2007, 08:16 PM

The rock he is referring to that has been trashed is Atlatl Rock. It is the one everybody knows and is easy to get to. I've been going out there for over 40 years and they have always had problems with vandals at that site. Anytime you have something like that near a community, even Podunk, New York, you'll have teenage vandals messing it up. But the Valley of Fire covers many square miles and much of it is still pristine, as most people like that are too lazy and uninformed to go into the back country, and the tourists don't know about it. There are thousands of petroglyphs all over the Valley of Fire as well as interesting rock formations, critters, and even petrified wood where no tree has ever grown in modern history. It probably would be better for Valley of Fire to be a National Moneymint instead of a state park as I believe the Feds could protect it better.

The site at Sloan has been a well kept secret for...well, ever...until just recently when they decided to announce what was out there. They are slowly making it accessible in order to prevent vandalism. However, as much as I hate graffiti, those petroglyphs might just be teenage graffiti too. Nobody really knows, and that's one theory. If you know where to look you might even come across a pictograph. If I remember correctly, pictographs are newer than petroglyphs. I know where there is one at Red Rock Canyon. It's a hand print. It gives me chills to think about the young Indian kid that dipped his or her hand in some kind of red paint about 800 years ago and made a print of his/her hand on the side of the cliff, and to see it is still there after all these centuries. Probably wasn't Sherwin-Williams.

jfkIII · 10-03-2007, 04:48 AM

Thank you Buzz...you are correct...it was Atlatl Rock. My brother was actually married in the park, under a natural arch formation. It was a beautiful and unique ceremony and it was on the way back that my wife and I stopped at Atlatl Rock.

Just curious, where is Podunk? Is that close to NYC? Yes, it is too bad that teens ruin these historical sites for kicks. My friends and I always hung out at the beach on Friday and Saturday nights (Robert Moses SP), drinking in the dunes with a small campfire going in a small bbq. We were always conscious to take out what we bought in. Then again we always did a lot of natural camping, so that was etched in our minds. I guess most teens think they'll live forever, and don't understand the importance of preserving the sites, nor respecting the ancient cultures.