TAJO CANYON. MEXICO -- GREAT WHITE THRONE       Abe Washday Week-end For variety, imaginative DIPS leaders aspired to a new and interesting trip into an unfamiliar land - Mexico. ,But lo, both leaders, Ron Jones and Doug Mantle had to excuse themselves for compelling personal reasons. So Roy Ward generously took over the leader role and effectively led the trip. Participants were Mary Sue Mead, Chris Libby, Mark Goebel, June Lare, Eric Schumaker, Joan Hack, Dianne Rosentreter, Dennis and Henry Heusinkveld. Tajo Canyon undoubtedly used to be a beautiful canyon. But then the hurricane of last Sept struck. Because the vast areas of southern Calif and northern Mexico are so sparsely populated and property values are so low, the fantastic downpour and the amount of devastation did not really command our attention. However, as we drove across the desert floor approaching the mouth of Tajo Canyon we were surprised to see the many large palm tree trunks and piles of palm fronds scattered across miles of desert. And you certainly must realize the large volume of water required to float a palm tree trunk. Tajo Canyon has been scoured out of its 4500 palm trees (by Randall Henderson count). Of course there are still plenty of palm trees on the banks of the main canyon and in the side canyons. But the erstwhile charm of the main canyon has to have been lost. An amazing feature was the places where gigantic boulders protected palm trees from being torn out by the roots, these large trees were sawed off by the rock cascade just above the level of the protective boulder. The enormous quantity of water that swooshed down the canyon was marked by lodged debris 20 to 30 feet above the bed of the canyon. This same flood washed out the freeway bridge near Ocotillo, Ca, and washed roads to some of our favorite peaks. Roy Ward led the hike ten miles up canyon on a hot day. After 4 miles we had come to spring water running, but later it disappeared making us dread a dry camp. But when we were hot and tired we arrived at a clear tumbling waterfall into a nice swimming hole. Sandy beaches offered good camping sites. Sunday the climb of Great White Throne proceeded. Whether this is the true name I doubt, but since the profile and color resemble the Great White Throne in Zion Nat'l Park, I suspect it has been DPS dubbed. We hiked up the main canyon a mile or two, and then vaulted up a rocky bank into a side canyon the t skirts G.W.T. on the left. This canyon of white granite steepened into 3rd class and involved a longish tunnel under the boulders. We also had to get out of the canyon, and billy-goat the rim of it to get around a 100-ft dry waterfall. Continuing almost up to the skyline saddle, we then attacked the Great White Throne massive. The texture was convoluted with massive boulders, slabs, fissures and chimneys. The very bold climber could make good progress by flying leaps from boulder to boulder and friction walking up steep slabs. This mountain is no place for the cautious timid ones. But the whole party was strong and capable. We worked our way up to the top of the major massive that appeared to be the peak. Roy mastered the summit block and dropped a belay rope. But Roy declared that this was not the high point, as a spire of rocks half mile away broke our horizontal gaze. This spire had rather vertical sides, so likely was 4th class. Two of our party, Chris Libby and Eric Schumaker, enamored of this promontory were making an ardent effort, using ropes to get up an intervening cliff, but the prize was too far off and difficult, so our leader had to summon them to retract and retreat to beat the dusk. There well may have been an easier route in this tortured landscape, but we didn't have time to search one out. For the down climb a route variation was chosen which got us into a chimney that tore up our clothes and chafed the skin. Later Henry jumped into the green fronds of a palm tree, but this didn't offer support, so after much flailing through the fronds, Henry emerged a bit bloodied. A good swim near the camp topped off a very active day.

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