Rabbit Peak

Dec 76/77

By: Fran Smith

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This is a sneaky way to make one write-up cover two climbs. Both climbs of Rabbit Peak were near carbon copies. Weather was perfect, no lost people, both were amiable groups and appeared happy having conquered the peak, and tail-enders got back after dark. The '76 frolic had seventeen starters and fourteen signed the register; while '77 frolic had twenty-four starters and twenty finishers. Persistent Wayne Vasey, my good helper on both climbs, has been on eight of the nine frolics. He is the heir apparent when I pass up the scene (may that day he long delayed). Fran's Frolic may become Wayne's Wanders. Bill Dickter has figured that on the steepest part of the climb we gain 2000 feet for .6 miles of horizontal distance. On the '76 climb, speedy Bill Banks added Villager Peak on his route down from Rabbit, and still reached the cars an hour ahead of the group. No wonder he is now running marathons in search of a real challenge. Several experienced peakbaggers on the '77 climb were Jack Grams, Jim Erb, Theresa Rutherford, Elliott Snyder, and Ron Webster. Perhaps there were others not as well known by me. If so, sorry but come again next December, and make the list.

There was a disappointing ending to the '77 frolic. In driving from the parking area at night, someone missed the turnoff onto a street, and ended up stuck in sand a quarter mile down on a levee. Unfortunateiy, five other cars followed and got stuck. Fortunately, there were plenty of pushers. Drawing on their remaining energy, the pushers eventually had all cars homeward bound. Any new victims ready for frolic number ten on December 2, 1978?


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