Tom Cardina had scouted the route the week before so we had no trouble picking the "right" chute. After about 200' of enjoyable 3rd class climbing on firm rock, we came to an exposed 4th class move where we roped up. Once past this point, it was easy sailing to the summit, some 5 minutes away. Here we enjoyed fine views and helped Jim Erb celebrate his emblem. Because of the wind and rain clouds coming in from the SW, we ate a hurried lunch and descended via the standard route on the north side of the peak. After tripping back to the cars, we headed toward Yuma. Even though it didn't rain, the wind and cold dampened enthusiasm for an outdoor dinner that night; so all but two had a fine Chinese dinner in Yuma. Thus fortified, we headed for the Picacho roadhead. After waiting at the Picacho road turnoff for a half hour, we gave up on one man. He was lost and went to the roadhead point just east of Picacho Peak. An hour later the last car showed up and informed us that they had driven half way to El Centro before turning hack. Again intact, the group turned in at about 10:30. The wind had calmed during the night and the sky was again clear the next morning at our 7:30 departure time. We headed east across the flats to Little Picacho wash and walked up the wash to a point just south of the peak. Heading due north, we shortly came to the spot where Ron Fracisco, Tom Cardina and Al Toering had left the new ladder when they climbed the peak the weekend before. Ron had gone to considerable trouble building this ladder and hauling it down there; it is much more substantial than the old one and he deserves our thanks. We hauled the ladder up to the first moderate 3rd class pitch where most put it to its first test. Shortly past this point is the famous "jump across" where we installed a fixed line that people clipped into. I think that the easiest (and safest) way to negotiate this 3' wide chasm is to climb across it next to the wall so that jumping is not necessary. The next technical section is the "ladder pitch" which is about 10' of high 5th class without the ladder and is the main reason that the peak is designated class 6 on the peak list. From here it is an easy climb up to the summit ridge where a 10' exposed 4th class pitch must be ascended, followed by a 15' rappel to a notch just, below the summit. What took one sentence to write took l.5 hours to accomplish and all were finally on the summit by about noon. The views were magnificent with the highlight being, the sparkling Colorado River winding its way through the desert to the north. Lunch was followed by people struggling up the rappel pitch by either prusiking, clawing or being hauled (or a combination). That obstacle completed, it was relatively simple to get the rest of the way down the peak and back to the cars by 4:00 PM. All that remained was the long drive home to end an enjoyable weekend of climbing, that saw all participants making all three peaks.
TUCKI MTN.		2/24/74	PAUL NELSON
This is the best trip I have ever lead, only 3 hikers and the leader; Shirley and Dick Akawie and Dick Banner, all good strong hikers, no worry about them getting lost or falling behind. We left the cars about 2 miles short of Skidoo. Right off we found an old miners trail to take us down into the first of 3 valleys we had to cross. About half way to the peak we picked up 4 stray jeepers who wanted to climb the peak. Well anyway, because they were desert peakers, we could not say no. Al Campbell had driven in on a miners 4 wheel drive road to the last valley before you start up for Tucki. He had Lu, Jon and Bernie Petitjean with him. The eight of us reached the peak at 12:30 on a fine clear day, just a cool breeze on top which is great for so early in the year. The original 4 were back at the cars at 4:00 PM. No one lame or lost. Although this is a long hike, especially in gain, the going is very easy for a desert peak. I would repeat this climb again.

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