OUT THERE

HIKES

Red Rock Canyon: End the year with a 4.5-mile moderate hike from Pine Creek over to Ice Box. Car pooling is required (515-5367).

Lake Mead National Receation Area: Wednesday, a moderate four-mile hike to Trent Canyon. Travel through a narrow, boulder-strewn canyon with interesting rock formations that loops back along the shoreline and then through an adjacent canyon. Some rock scrambling. On Dec. 30, hike up a wash and follow an old road to the entrance of Boulder Wash to an old mining area from a 1950s claim. See a "rock chair" and other artifacts. This is a moderately strenuous eight-mile hike with some loose rock along a small ridge. Call the Alan Bible Visitor Center at 293-8990 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Around the Bend Friends: This group of people over 50 years old, interested in hiking and related social activities, plans a three- to four-hour moderate hike each Saturday at Red Rock. They meet at the Best Buy parking lot at West Charleston Boulevard and I-215 in Summerlin for an 8:30 a.m. departure (228-0773).

The Las Vegas High Rollers and Strollers: Members of the American Volkssport Association will have an easy group walk Saturday at the North Strip. Meet at the Best Western Mardi Gras Inn, 3500 Paradise Road (731-2020).

Sierra Club: Join the Southern Nevada Group on Jan. 6 for a moderate hike to the Liberty Bell Arch, just across the dam in Arizona. Hike across volcanic rock and onward to a view high above the Colorado River of White/Black Rock Canyon, then across a steep slope to an unnamed canyon. Eight-miles with moderate rock scrambling (280-2424).

BIKES

Bagel Ride: Leave from Aspen Creek Cycling, 1550 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway, Wednesday at 7 a.m. for a 22-mile ride. For more information, visit www.greenvalleycyclists.org or e-mail: ronvolk@yahoo.com.

Las Vegas Valley Bicycle Club: Tuesday at 6:15 a.m. meet at Einstein's Bagels, 9031 W. Sahara Ave., for an easy paced ride to Red Rock (e-mail dgcasey@cox.net or call 379-3737). A 6:15 a.m. moderate to fast 15-20 mile road ride on Wednesday. Meet at the NuVision Cyclery on West Lake Mead Blvd., between Rampart Boulevard and Scholar Lane (228-1333). There will be a 30-plus mile, moderate and hilly ride Wednesday and Thursday at 7 a.m., and a 30 to 50-plus mile long grade ride on Saturday at 7 a.m. Meet behind Starbucks on West Charleston Boulevard and Town Center Drive. Friday, at 6:15 a.m. meet at Einstein's Bagels, 9031 W. Sahara Ave., for an easy-paced ride to Red Rock (e-mail dgcasey@cox.net or call 379-3737). Dec. 2, meet at Einstein Brothers Bagels, 8400 Cheyenne Ave., at 7 a.m. for an easy ride of 25 to 35 miles of flat land (Eric at 873-6256). Bring plenty of water for all rides.

OTHER PROGRAMS

Red Rock Audubon Society: A Christmas Count on Saturday from 6 a.m. to dusk in Henderson. Bring lunch, water and snacks. For a $5 fee, your name will be published in American Birds along with your count results. Call 524-5645 for reservations.

Red Rock Canyon: Take a look at the flora, fauna or geology of Red Rock and the surrounding Mojave Desert on Friday during a presentation at the visitor center, ongoing from 9 to 11 a.m. On Saturday, from 10 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. a program about the plant, animal and scenic highlights and fun things to do at Red Rock will be offered. No sign-ups are required. Also on Saturday there will be a Christmas Bird Count. Twenty people are needed to break into five teams to cover as much of the conservation area as possible (515-5367).

Archaeo-Nevada Society: Invites volunteers to help with Red Rock Conservation projects. Contact Gary Vetter at vettergl@aol.com or visit www.archaeonevada.org.