4.6.2021~Lava Butte & Lava Ridge HP. 5.2 miles, 1,500’ gain, 2:50hrs including :20 min summit break. My youngest child Summer returned to school full time today (yay!) so I needed a workout close by so I chose a new (to me) route up to Lava Butte. It was a warm day and an 11am start with a high temp of 85 made for a hot trek in the open desert. I caught a refreshing breeze here and there that made it tolerable. I was on high alert for rattlesnakes but luckily never encountered any. I only saw one cactus blossom the whole way and the skeletal remains of last years wildflowers. The 2020 drought has made for a virtually nonexistent super-bloom in our area. This is a really pretty route with superb views of all the amazing peaks & ridge traverse accomplishments I did in Rainbow Gardens, LLV, Frenchman’s, the AFB & Lake Mead area this past Winter. Glad I could get a good workout in before my 2nd Moderna vaccine shot since my side effects last time were tiredness & fatigue for a few weeks.