I had seen Tan Ridge on another site & wanted to go check it out. I had no plans to climb Lava Butte, but it was right there, so... I went up in the middle of Tan Ridge right off the Lava Butte Road & first headed out to Peak 1872 which overlooks Lake Las Vegas. I turned around, came all the way back across the ridge & headed up the south ridge of Lava Butte. I had been up there several times, but had always taken the north ridge. This side was a bit steeper & looser, but still not too bad. The north ridge is definitely easier. I made the foolish decision to drop off the west side. It sucked...don't do it...unless you just love extremely steep loose talus & scree! ;-) There was a pretty hawk who kept flying over me & screeching all day. She must've had a nest in the cliffs on Tan Ridge.