Although the most spectacular part of the Union Pacific's climb out of the south end of the Las Vegas Valley is past, and the track seems to open out into long tangents and sweeping curves, the actual grade remains steep as the line navigates a large horseshoe curve up to the summit at Erie. Here at Sloan, location of a large gypsum plant, we are actually looking downhill. Before reaching the distant hills the track will curve sharply to the left and begin negotiating a series of reverse curves as it drops downhill to Arden. The highway in the distance located along the base of the hills is Interstate 15 to Los Angeles.
