the main top ridge of Rabbit. There is a vicious looking canyon which must be kept on your right (north) side. From the earlier mentioned crag, it is routine to follow the ridge to the summit, although there are some places where good decisions (guesses) can reward the climber with easier going. The return was almost the same.

This being the fourth year of a December one day climb of Rabbit, it is becoming routine to the leader. A fifth time next fall seems ridiculous now, but maybe time will deaden the memory. It is a day of real effort, but rewarded with a feeling of success. Good weather prevailed, if a strong, cold wind did not upset you. Wind early in the day made visibility limited, but later on this was corrected as the wind eased up. The assistance of Horace Ory was appreciated.


OUTLAW TRIPS

SUPERSTITIONS, etc. Paul Lipsohn

In what was probably the most public private trip of all time, the third annual Jefe Azul New Year's trip began to assemble at Apache Junction on December 30. Cars seemed to pull in from everywhere and we finally headed for Hieroglyphic Canyon with 36 men, women and children. Fortunately, only 26 were climbers and we were soon on the trail to Hieroglyphic Spring. We had a lengthy stop at the spring, mainly to photograph the numerous petroglyphs, then continued to the peak, using a distinctive balancing rock as a guide post. We encountered one short pitch of minimal third class and soon had the entire group on top. From the summit our target for the next day, Weaver's Needle, looked rather imposing below us and was the main topic for discussion. Following a prolonged lunch break we split the party, with 11 heading northwest along the ridge to peak 4869, and the remainder making a leisurely descent to Hieroglyphic Spring. After leaving a register on 4869 we returned direct to the spring, catching the rest of the group there. Thanks to some previous scouting up Peralta Canyon by some of the climbers, we stopped short of the campground in a far better spot. Wood was plentiful and we soon had a cheery fire going. We had a spirited discussion regarding the benefits of an early start, with the proponents of a predawn start winning 3 falls to 1. By 6:00 am we were on our way to the roadhead and started up the Dutchman's trail by flashlight. We followed this good trail through Bluff Saddle and approached the saddle between the two peaks of Weaver's Needle from the east. The crux of the climb begins at the base of this notch, with about a 75 foot 4th class climb, followed by several 3rd class pitches to the summit. Following a nice lead by Dick May, we soon had 21 climbers enjoying lunch and the view from the summit. Our descent took longer than anticipated and we straggled back to the cars in three's and four's arriving in the late afternoon (score one for the early risers)!

At this point the party began to scatter, with seven or eight remaining to climb Miners Needle the following day, several returning to Los Angeles, two leaving for Mt. Humphreys and the bulk of the group about 16 - leaving for Baboquivari Camp.

The southbound group rendezvoused at the Kitt Peak road west of Tucson, then caravanned through Sells and Topowa, arriving at Baboquivari Camp at 11:40 pm, New Year's eve. Since we had decided to celebrate the New Year by sleeping till 6:30, the evening toasts were offered haif-heartedly while shaking out the sleeping bags.

As we wound up the trail and entered the pinyons high on the trail next morning, I commented idly at the beauty of the day and the almost total absence of snow on the ground. We were thus totally unprepared for the ice wall that greeted us at the last turn. The entire wall was covered with a thin sheet of ice, not quite
 
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