northward to the main east-west ridge. After pursuing this ridge northward all other ridges to the right and left of you drop away. The summit is inevitable with a couple of 200 ft. drops in between breaking the monotony. Unlike my previous ascent with the Section in which it rained and blew in every direction but up, the day was sunny and warm, and the Desert was a magnificent green carpet. Steve Smith and I then proceeded to approach Monument Peak after driving over on Calif. Hwy. 62, 23 miles east of Vidal Jct. At this point turn left (North) onto a road opposite Swanbeck's Grocery/Union 76 gas pumps. This is seven miles east of Earp, Calif. This peak looks vertical on all sides like a butte-like fortress. The area is spectacular in its lush vegetation and colorful, intriguing rock formations. It is well worth the long drive. It can be climbed 4th or 5th class as was done by the MacLeod/Shumacher party a couple of weeks before. However, a 2nd class route was rediscovered by me from the northwest. Andy Smatko and George Barnes (Loma Prieta), I heard later, had spoken of this, route. In spite of the fact that this route significantly tames the peak to 1-1/2 hours for a slow group, I believe this peak offers one of the finest views and beautiful areas in the DPS repertoire. I even spotted a Saguaro cactus which is supposed to be found only on the Arizona side of the Colorado River. This peak should be added to the list. Later that morning we approached Turtle. The two most important things to remember with Turtle is that eight miles in you unexpectedly must make a 90° right turn onto a poor connecting road which takes you toward Mopah Pk. Secondly, once you start toward Turtle from the roadhead you should stay in the wash paralleling the mountain almost to a point directly opposite the apparent summit which doesn't appear until you've paralleled the range seemingly to the end almost opposite Castle Rock and Mopah. Then you ascend the ridge intersecting the north-south Turtle summit ridge. Stay low on your parallel route or you'll regret it. Even though this was my third ascent, I still forgot this.
THIMBLE PK, MT PALMER, WAHGUYHE PK				Bill Banks
Thimble is climbed directly from the high point of the Titus Canyon road. An easy broad ridge takes off to the west and then turns south and finally west again to the summit. Although the last vertical ridge directly below the summit looks awesome it is quite easy. But for the sceptics there's a tamer looking route around the summit massif to your right (north) and around the backside. Roy Magnuson and Gordon MacLeod thought the peak deserving of list status, even if I didn't. Mt. Palmer is another thing, however. It is one of those unexpected goodies I keep saying is all around us but little known or climbed. I think it rates with Kingston in difficulty but is superior to most DPS peaks in command views. It, like Mitchell in the Providences and Bear Creek Spire in the Sierras outshadows the list peaks in the immediate area. It would be one of the finest additions to the list. Wahguyhe is a nice two hour round trip hike and when done on your way back from Grapevine, it almost makes Grapevine worthwhile. The heavy snowfall this year persists and requires that you approach any of these climbs from about one-half mile below the Phinney Mine in Phinney Canyon. Two weeks earlier this snow aborted the scheduled Mt. Palmer climb, even though two Loma Prieta Tigers did get Wahguyhe along with Grapevine.

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