CHAIRMAN'S CORNER
Good news from Jack Grams. Jack has liberated Baboquivari Peak in time for the bicentennial (and in time for a select group of climbers to finish the DPS list this bicentennial year). Jack received a letter from the Papago Tribe of Arizona saying that although the area around Baboquivari is closed to non-Papagos, they realize that not all people have bad intentions for being in the area and they will allow certain groups to climb the peak. (The letter to Jack is reproduced in this ,edition of the SAGE.) It has been a long struggle to get this permission so let's respect the Papago's wishes in order that DPS members can continue to climb Babo.
News from Baja California is not good. A notice in one of the section newsletters of the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club stated: "There have been several incidents (in Baja) in which groups have been accosted by bandits masquerading, as Federales. Substantia1 amounts of personal property and money have been lost to these bandits and several individuals have been injured." The San Diego Chapter has indefinitely suspended all outings to Baja.
There are many beautiful areas in Baja and I hope that the DPS can continue to enjoy them. Of course, safety of our members is the first consideration, As this edition of the SAGE goes to press we need more information before we can develop a policy about trips into Baja. Are the attacks happening only along the coast or are they likely to happen in the remote areas where we climb? If you have pertinent information or comments please tell me or one of the other Management Committee members. Meanwhile, we may suspend trips to Baja until the situation is clarified.