Our last spring outing saw us climbing Clark Mtn and the two nearly as high eastern summits of Clark Mtn, Mohawk Hill and Peak 5256' lying northeast of Kokoweef Peak in the Ivanpahs. Sunday we climbed the high point of the New York Mtns and the spectacular pinnacle 7246' lying to the northeast. This was a fourth class climb, involving two fifth class pitches. It is the highest of a series of four pinnacles in the immediate area and is only about 10-12 feet higher than the one just southeast. Ours was a first ascent and we left a cairn but had no makings for a registers (Editor's note: Larry Fink and I climbed the other three pinnacle last fall and were unable to tell which of the four was highest. Ours was a first ascent of those and we left a register. However, the one Andy climbed is certainly the most difficult.) With the ascent of the Wilson Hills I have now climbed the high points of all the named and unnamed mountain ranges in San Bernardino County. (What's next, Andy?)

NEWS

FOUR CORNERS POWER PLANTS (or Strip Mining and Air Pollution Come to the Southwest) The State of New Mexico and the Sierra Club have filed a suit against the Arizona Public Service Commission, sole operator of the Four Corners Power Plant at Farmington, N.M. This plant produces more fly ash and soot than all sources in Los Angeles and New York combined. This plant is one of two operating in the area and three more are in various stages of development. Earlier Secretary of the Interior Morton said that the power plants now in operation or under construction would be allowed to go ahead. How nice. UTAH PARKS The State of Utah has transferred 640 acres, within Capitol Reef N.M. which was to be quarried for building stone to the U.S. The NPS cancelled the mining lease upon acquisition of the land. The following bills have been passed by the Senate: 1) Addition of 79618 acres to Canyonlands N.M. including the Maze and parts of Lavender, Taylor, and Horseshoe Canyons. 2) Creation of a 1,285,310 acre Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, including additional areas of the Escalante River Basin. 3) Creation of a 241,671 acre Capitol Reef National Park, some 12580 acres smaller than the existing monument. 4) Creation of a 73154 acre Arches National Park, some 10000 acres smaller than the existing monument. SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS The Forest Service has approved the construction of the controversial Elk Mountain Road which will cross the Sangre de Cristo Mountains immediately south of the Pecos Wilderness in northern New Mexico thereby opening up even further the already heavily used Upper Pecos region. HEARINGS SET ON BLM ORGANIC ACT Senate Interior Committee Chairman Henry Jackson announced that public hearings will be held on Sept 21 and 22 on his bill to make major changes in the public land laws, including repeal of the Mining Act of 1872. He proposes to use a substitute mineral leasing system, rather than the present method allowing mine claimants to obtain free title to public land. The bill would also repeal the Homestead, Desert Land Entry, and parts of the Taylor Grazing Act. GUADALUPE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK The NPS is proceeding with a wilderness study of Guadalupe Mountain N.P. so that it will be available this fall when wilderness and master plan hearings will be held for both Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountain National Parks.

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