| in bad shape, the schedule was revised to do Slims Peak on Saturday and Argus on Sunday. Nine of us took two vehicles up Pleasant Canyon to about 2600 ft. for the start on Slims Peak. We generally made our way up the E-W ridge just S of Pleasant Canyon passing a copper mine on the way replete with an abandoned shack and a tramway built up from the canyon floor. Slims Peak is more Of a bump on a ridge than a peak. Of course, it was named after Seldom Seen Slim (Charles Ferge more formally, I believe) of Ballarat who died in the latter part Of 1968. The peak's western shouider can be seen from Ballarat and even looks something like a peak. We left a small register and the following salute: | ||||||
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| The gain was
4500 ft. which can be dropped about l000 ft. by driving further up the road
(although steep in one place and wet in others) to the base of the tramway and
taking a trail up and out of the canyon. We took this route down and reached
the cars at dark. Incidentally, the last effects of Seldom Seen Slim are on
display at the museum at Independence. Camp was made Saturday night near the
Ruth Mine and on Sunday four of us had a good climb of Argus for fine
views. |
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| GRAPEVINE - CORKSCREW | November 15-l6 | Pau1 Nelson | ||||
After meeting in Beatty, Nevada and consolidating into more rugged vehicles, naturally one a VW bus, we made the 50 mile drive to Phinney Canyon, much of which is a rough drive, to the starting point for Grapevine Peak. A bit of rain and snow plus 32° temparatures greeted 15 DPS enthusiasts on the summit. This part of Death Val1ey is seldom visited. The beauty of the higher parts of the Grapevine Mountains is well worth the long, rough road and short hike that is required to attain the peak. Sunday's climb of Corkscrew Peak was just the opposite. The roadhead is off the paved Daylight Pass Road and the climb, although short, is much more challenging. We found it to be a good rock scramble and almost 3rd class in a few spots. The weather was most uncommon for the area. It looked more like a Los Angeles hazy day after a heavy fog. Visibility was less than two miles and denied us one of the better views of the southern part of Death Valley. Not being happy with two peaks on one weekend, six tigers decided to climb Eagle Peak. We reached the starting point for this climb at 3:00 p.m. and while your wise leader kept the guiding beacon burning at the cars, these six nuts made the top and returned one hour after dark. |
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