Lava Butt, NV (near Lake Mead)

pics by Harlan W. S.
Feb 03, 2009

So I was driving back from Lake Mead one afternoon, and realized, “Hey! I’ve never been up Lava Butt(e)!” So I turned off on a likely-looking road. I was on top 30 minutes after I left the car.

Warning: my route sucked. The best route follows the dark blue dots in the map below… I guess I might have checked that out beforehand… I actually found a very faint herd path for the route up, but it was very loose and steep. My way down was one continuous loose-rock avoidance.

	On way up: S to Henderson.	On top: Lake Las Vegas.
	Frenchman Mt to W.	Mt Wilson AZ and Fortification Hill, E across Lake Mead.
There was somebody up there the same day! I recognize some of the Buffet Boys.
NE to Muddy Mts.	That’s one ugly dude.	Down the loose crap. Note my car as scale for the huge power line towers.
“Lava” Butt(e) seems actually to be a silicic plug, not an extrusive lava flow.		On the way down, I came across these very old granites.