A rendezvous was made in Vidal Junction, and the group of four together with Kermit drove West to the road leading toward Turtle Mountain. The turnoff is just a bit east of the railroad tracks which cross the Parker Dam road at Grommet. 7 miles on this road led to a very nice camp site at the spot where the turnoff to the roadhead was. located. Steaks were cooked on a Habachi and were eaten with other culinary delights. A campfire was started using compressed sawdust logs, a fine way to have a campfire in the desert. Cuno ate his usual noodles cooked over a Bluet, (He says that he is just a poor farm boy from Kansas who hasn't been spoiled by the big city. I think that he's a dumb farmboy from Kansas) The campfire conversation centered upon energy and foreign policy - a rare intellectual discussion for a Saturday night campfire. Cuno did redeem himself by producing a half gallon of Vino California which livened up the campfire. As our throats got wetter, the conversation got better. Sunday morning dawned to another fantastic panorama. The creator had painted yellow the entirety of the Vidal Valley. Rising out of the sea of yellow flowers were the rugged and brilliantly colored slopes of the Mopah and Turtle Ranges. In the center of the landscape was the imposing Castle Rock, surely a throne on which God sits as He gazes over His artistry. At about 6 miles the end of the rather rugged road up Vidal Valley was reached. The first mile of hiking went up a wash coated with purple mat, Dense clusters of Desert Mallow were past. A long rest stop was taken in a garden of yellow wildflowers. The route to the summit was straightforward. The round trip required 5 hours. From Vidal Junction, the drive to 29 Palms is one of the finest for the lover of the desert: The stark beauty of the Mojave, the rugged slopes of the ranges, the desolate valleys, the forbidding dry lakes, the landscape wandering to eternity...
Oct 6	New York Butte	Larry Machleder
Seven persons met at the junction of Rte 395 and Lone Pine Station Rd and were caravaning towards Long John Canyon by 7:00AM. By 7:30AM we had left the cars outside the canyon at 4200' and were hiking up the jeep road. The topo shows one distinct trail continuing past the jeep road southwest of the canyon. Today this is a collection of abandoned mine roads and intermittent trails with claim markers and ducks all about. Finally, losing hope of following an obvious trail that led to the ridge and the jeep roads on top, we dropped back into the canyon at 7000' at 11:00AM in order to head more directly towards the peak. After an explanation of what lay ahead and how we had to proceed in order to make the peak, three decided not to try and were allowed to return together. The remaining four made the summit at 3:00PM and started back at 3:l5. We all made it back to the cars by 8:3OPM, returning the way we had come. Beldermann, a friend of Jon Lutz, on her first desert peak persevered in spite of being unused to desert terrain and having banged her knee against a rock early in the day, Bill Faulkner also made it to the summit. I estimate our total gain at 8000' and there were no running streams or springs on our route. Additionally, it can be warm in the Inyos in Oct. Persons doing this peak via Long John Canyon this time of year are advised to start early and carry lots of water.
		LM

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