FOURTH ANNUAL ARGUS PEAK CLIMB
"Desert Deer" Barbecue, Pinto Peak Exploratory, East Egg Hunt,
and Campfire Poetry Contest April 17-18-19/81
Ron Jones/Clark

Forty-three desert sophisticates began arriving at my home in Crow Canyon mid-day Friday to help dig the barbecue pit, line it with heat-holding stones, stack the wood and begin sampling the quality (and quantity) of the various brews at hand. There were 4 persons present who had survived all 4 climbs, 2 who had made it through three, and 9 others who came for a second time to see why they couldn't remember the first time. Howard Yee drove over from Tucson and Ed Treacy came down from the posh and polish of San Francisco to add his touch of urbanity and class.

Saturday morning 35 hikers started directly from the house on the 3000 foot climb of Argus Peak. This was a better year than average for wildflowers with brittle bush, indigo bush and large bush lupine predominating along the way. The summit was reached by all at noon. Snow flurries were encountered during lunch. After lunch a routine descent was made- -routine except that we interrupted the siesta of two rattlers.

Upon our mid-afternoon return thirsts were quenched around an early campfire in the usual DPS fashion while the requisite 10 hours was awaited before the exhumation of the "desert deer" from the barbecue pit. When the moment arrived Chef Ron carved generous servings and seconds from the well done roasts. Old timers agreed that this year's meat was the most tasty of all the previous Argus parties. Thanks also to all who contributed salads, hors d'oeuves etc. and especially to Adrienne for her caldron of barbecue beans.

By the time dinner was over the wine was nearly gone. Steve Langley sang Schiller's "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven' s 9th accompanied by his Yukon Jack. 151 proof rum, apple jack, mead and other items appeared for the poetry contest. Several logs in the campfire later six contestants had read their original poems; still others had recited from Robert Service and other outdoor poets, and we forgot to select a winner from the rhymers, limerickers, versifiers and poets who performed. Everyone is a winner at the Argus Poetry Contest! Entrants were: Lou Brecheen, Marlin Clark, Rick Fowler, Adrienne Knute, Christopher Rinn and Ed Treacy. Following are two poems. Others will appear next month.

Easter Sunday dawned bright and early and many weary, headache-wracked campers awoke to find that desert hares must work for the Easter bunny as colored eggs were found in boots, sleeping bags and on empty beer cans.

After breakfast most of us caravanned beneath cool and cloudy skies to Towne Pass where about 25 bodies hiked south 3 or 4 miles along easy slopes to Pinto Peak (7,510'). We felt that this is not a contender for inclusion on the DPS list. The weather was so cool and blustery upon our return to the cars that a repeat of last year's bathing party at Darwin Falls was postponed to another time. My thanks to Marlin Clark for being my assistant on this climb for the fourth consecutive year.
 
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