Don McLean ties in, and with the confidence of the belay, climbs rapidly. He is followed by Shirley who is coached by her husband, and as she nears the top, is coached by me. Doris comes next. I had felt little tugs on the rope from the two women, indicating use of belay for balance, which is fine. Dick came up efficiently and quickly. With this a cheer went up, as we felt we had mastered the most difficult situation. However, there was a series of 8,10, and 10' pitches that took agility and studied use of handholds and foot holds. Finally a 40' crevise was pioneered by Doris. This offered good holds all the way to the rounded summit. We had a feeling of restrained elation standing on the peak, the restraint due to possible difficulties on the down climbing. Unhappily, there was no register on the peak. The down climbing proceeded smoothly, credit going to Dick, in observing that each person makes his moves correctly. The rappel off the last 50' cliff was beautiful, the elation ending too soon as one's feet touch bottom. The following day the five of us climbed Superstition Mtn., technically easy. Dick and Shirley then proceeded homeward, while Don, Doris and I drove several hundred miles to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to climb Ajo and Kino. This ended four beautiful days of climbing challenging Arizona peaks.
PICO MATOMI, AT LAST			JOHN ROBINSON
For years I have roamed the high country of Baja California's Sierra de San Pedro Martir, climbing the various high points of the range for a panoramic survey of the terrain. Always, far to the south, almost mystical in the bluish haze, loomed the cone-shaped silhouette of Matomi Peak, dominating the southern terminal of Baja's grandest mountain range. Had anyone climbed it? How difficult was the climb? What was the best approach to the Peak? These questions mulled in my mind as I contemplated the conquest of the last major peak in the San Pedro Martir still virgin to me. I received some information from the Hunts -Tom and Trudie. They had attempted to approach Matomi Canyon from the gulf but had reached nowhere near the peak. Then in the October 1970 DPS Newsletter came the electrifying news that Louise Werner had successfully scaled the mountain from the west in an all-day marathon. I had to get it now. Edward "Bud" Bernhard of Coronado, California-"Mr.Baja California" to many because of his encyclopedic knowledge of northern Baja back country suggested an eastern approach via Canyon Matomi, Bud had led several San Diego Chapter groups in that way. Pinning Bud down, I extracted a promise that he would guide our group to the "promised land" and get us close enough to the peak to attempt it. The opportunity came over the New Year's holiday, 1975. Charley Owens and I led an Orange County Group 4-wheel drive-backpack trip to Matomi Canyon with Bud as guide. Along were a number of old-time Desert Peakers such as Bob Greenawalt, Bill Clifton and Tom Amneus. We assembled in San Felipe and, after filling up on Mexican gas at 90¢ per gallon, drove westward across the San Felipe Desert. The pyramidal, forked crown of El Picacho del Diablo loomed higher and higher as we approached the eastern rampart of the Sierra de San Pedro Martir. Before reaching the spiny lower spurs of the peak, we veered south and followed the sandy wheel ruts that parallel the Eastern foot of the San Pedro Martir. We weaved our way south, passing the imposing portals of Canyons El Cajon and Cardinal. A few days before, a storm had visited the country and left its marks on the land. The desert was moist and fragrant with the pungent perfume of damp chaparral. Winter's frosty mantle glistened on the loftier ridges of the San Pedro Martir. Our tracks crossed the broad wash of Canon Agua Caliente. Jeep tracks lead three miles up this

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