Where: Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
When: November 2005
Partners: Solo
It wasn't long after starting from the car that I found myself in the vegetated wash that eventually leads to the ramp up Windy's easy south side. And then I was startled by a strange, striped, black and white tail between two boulders in the wash! What the...! I had no idea.
So I crept up on the tail, then noticed a body - dead. A small animal, a cat, of some sort. A ringtail cat, as I later learned they were called. Beautiful little animals with slender cat bodies and long, striped tails.
Snapping a picture, I continued on toward the peak. The ramp was easily gained and my travel up the slabs was fast. Wrapping around the backside, I gained the final mass leading to the summit and soon found myself atop the highest point...where I enjoyed an exchange amongst summit register entries as to whether this peak was truly Windy Peak or Black Velvet Peak. Hmmmm.
Eventually heading down, I simply retraced my steps, once again passing my departed little friend in the wash bottom and finished my journey back at my car waiting for me on the dirt road.
Finding a Ringtail Cat on Windy Peak
