THE DESERT PEAKS SECTION NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER NUMBER 108 FROM THE PAST

(Ed note: The following is taken from the August, 1947 issue of the Bulletin) The Executive Committee of the Southern California Chapter has authorized the creation of an honorary climbing section (no dues, no officers, no meetings) to be known as the Desert Peaks Section, membership in which is attained by the ascent of the following seven eastern California peaks, two of which, Waucoba Mountain and New York Butte, require the backpacking of a twentyfour hour water supply; all are best climbed during spring and autumn; on four, winter ski climbs can be made, if the snow be taken at "high tide". The peaks are: White Mountain Peak, Waucoba Mountain, Telescope Peak, Maturango Peak, Coso Peak, New York Butte, and Cerro Gordo. It is expected that by autumn at least a dozen members will have qualified for membership in this section, several having already made three or more of the climbs. After a scouting trip on New York Butte by Virgil Sisson and Chester Versteeg (accompanied by Larry Jeffries) the first official outing to attain membership in this section was made to New York Butte on November 15-16, under leadership of Niles Werner. The following members made the climb successfully: Braeme Gigas, Harry Paley, Pat Carinical, Katherine Smith, Freda Walbrecht, Bill Crookston, Carl Durrell, James Tow, Harry Greenhood, Niles Werner. All of the peaks of the Desert Peaks Section present marvelous desert panoramas; White Mountain Peak and New York Butte present as fine views of the High Sierra as can be found. (Ed note: By 1951 the Desert Peaks Section list of peaks had expanded from seven to twentyfive with the addition of the following peaks) Mt Dubois, Mt Montgomery, Boundary Pk, Charleston Pk, Glass Mtn, Mt Monarch (Keynot), Sentinel Pk, Tin Mtn, Dry Mtn, Grapevine Pk, Providence Mtn, Pyramid Pk, Rabbit Pk, Martinez Pk, Avawatz Pk, Kofa Pk, Castle Dome, and Picacho Pk. (Ed note: And over the last twenty years the list has continued to grow and there are now 81 peaks for you lucky people to scramble around on. And there have been a couple of other changes through the years. We now have meetings, and a subscription fee for the NEWSLETTER, but luckily still no officers. Speaking of meetings, if I manage to get this out on time, we will have the first meeting of the year on Wednesday, October 5. More than likely however, that will have been the day before yesterday. As long as I'm dumping on people, I might as well continue by giving a little gas to those leaders of ours (don't worry Les, I won't use any names) who don't bother to send in write-ups of their trips. Also I assume that there are one or two outlaws in the section that know how to read and/or write and could take some time to write about their exciting experiences. Either that, or you get a lot more of me Deadline for the next issue will be November 10. In a more congenial mood we offer congratulations to one new member, Harry Brumer, and to two new emblem holders, Ralph Gabiner, and Ron Barnes.)

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