After a long
summer the weather finally returned to its more hospitable winter temperatures
and accordingly on October 24, we climbed a peak in the Bullion Mountains south
of Ludlow. On the way by car to the climbing area, we passed through abandoned
Ragtown and Steadman with their ruins being assimlated by the desert forces of
wind, sun, and vegetation. We then proceeded to the town (?) of Bagdad and
followed a dirt road northeast and then north onto a jeep road which led
through a canyon into the Lava Hills to a point where we took off for the high
point, another first ascent. We finished the day by ascending Black Ridge which
appears to be entirely volcanic and the rocks were beautifully polished and
smoothed. We left a register in the cairn that was on the summit. That evening
we camped in a fine area just south of the Mesquite Hills, from where we
climbed the high point, also a first ascent. From here we dropped into the
Mojave River Sink and climbed Crucero Hill, from where we obtained a fine view
of the Mojave Sink and Soda Dry Lake. Still feeling strong we then climbed a
peak in the Bristol Mountains, named Crucero on the topo. On November 14-15 we climbed Ash Hill and a peak west of it where we left a register in the cairn that was there. We jeeped up into the Clipper Mountains and headed for Castle Dome which is climbed via a short scramble of third class and steep second class to the summit. From afar the spires of this so-called dome appear mighty impressive, being similar to the Superstition Mountains in Arizona. On November 28-29 we climbed two peaks in a range south of the Avawatz Mountains and two peaks near Halloran Springs. On the next day we began with a lavitic plug just off the freeway and Peak 2427' near Crucero. This peak was most interesting due to the wide sandy washes and the sharp rugged ridges, convoluted into weird pinnacles and jagged teeth. The summit vista was truly fine, even fantastic, encompassing a grand sweep from San Gorgonio to Charleston with the the Mojave Sink and Soda Dry Lake below. We were so impressed by the immense expanse of sand and the view in general that we christened the mountain "Sandtastic Peak". Our last two peaks for the day were near Zzyzx Springs. The latest weekend jaunt occured over the weekend of December 12-13 when Bill Schuler, his 4 year old daughter Lisa, my son Andy and his friend Jamie Newton from New Zealand, and Ed Treacy and his pal Carl Bennett climbed Seventeen Mile Point and Peak 3265' in the Old Dad Mountain region. The extremely abrasive lavitic rock of the latter prompted the name Mt Roughy. The east side is sheer while the summit mass is third class via the easiest route and fourth class on others. Various routes were used on this climb and our descent route was via a striking rockbound gully on the east side, ending in a 100' overhanging dry waterf all, which we were able to turn. The next day Ed in his Toyota and I in my Jimmy traversed the Kingston Wash from a point in the Shadow Valley west of Clark Mountain all the way to the paved road from Baker to Shoshone. We had many anxious moments, especially when Ed mired in soft sand, but we managed to get through. On the way we climbed Valjean Peak northeast of the Silurian Hills. With the climbs of the above peaks completed, I am left with only four more ranges in San Bernardino County to climb (exclusive of those in restricted areas). I hope to accomplish these climbs this season. OUTLAW PEAKING IN THE MOJAVE - Bill Banks The first peak we will consider is Black Mountain in the El Paso Mountains behind Garlock ghost town. It is reached by taking the Last Chance Canyon Road north and the east. A sloping red spur leads the way to a fenced spring. On the uneventful climb a small crater is crossed and on top the lava is piled up in a manner similar to that at Cerro Pinacate. The marker on the summit says El Paso Peak. The area is pleasantly different with chloride cliff white, sand beige, and yellows alternating with black and red. It is an easy two hour roundtrip. |
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