Anniversary Narrows

This is a slot between two mountains in the Lake Mead area near the Annivesary Mines, hence the name. The unfortunate thing is that you used to be able to drive right up to the mouth of the slot or go to Anniversary Peak but due to the mine owner, the area on that side is closed off and enforced.

This is a back route that requires a high-clearance vehicle. It's well worth the effort.

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Distance: 8 miles
Difficulty:

Tier 3 (moderate)

Route Map: GPX
Trailhead: West End Road, Lake Mead at mile marker 13

Anniversary Narrows

Turn north onto West End Wash Road 41A. It's just past mile marker 13 heading north on North Shore Road.
Shortly after you get into the wash the road will continue up the wash or turn right. Turn right.
You will come to another split where the right will take you to Anniversary mines. Take the left route.
The rest of the route is just a matter of following the wash. There are several routes but they all end at the same place.
Once you get to the end of the road, park. This is where the hiking starts.
Look east and you will see a hill and ridge line. You want to go toward the left side of the hill.
As you get to the ridge line on the left side of the hill, follow the small wash down through some really big outcroppings of basalt that are covered with barrel cactus. As you pass through the gap, bear left.
This is where it gets a bit tricky. You are basically crossing an alluvial fan so there are several ridge lines that can be quite high. Including the last one before you get into the wash that takes you to the narrows. Follow downstream to start as you head left.
Once you get to the end, go into the inviting narrow slot. There's some cool features here.
As you go up the slot you will begin to notice a large peak in front and to the left. Go past that and once past it you will see a small wash from the left that goes up to a saddle.
This is really soft dirt here but once you are up to the saddle you should see somewhat of a trail in front of you that goes to your right. Follow that trail until you get to another ridge. You really won't notice it but there is a cairn there. Turn left and then go down the drainage until you hit another wash. Follow that down until you hit a main wash and continue down stream.
You will come to a couple dry falls that are easy to climb up or down. Eventually you will get to a dray fall that you can go down the first part but the next party is not possible without ropes.
At this impassible dry fall go to the left along the ridge. Follow that around to another ridge line and decend that to the left to a wash that leads to a small dry fall.
Go down the fall and to the left. Stay in this wash until you get to the main wash that leads to the narrows.
Once in the main wash to the narrows you have about a mile or so to go.
Once you get to the other side of the narrows turn around and repeat the prior steps in reverse.