After a leisurely breakfast Monday morning, we coaxed the cars back down the Trail Canyon dirt road. The assessed damage was a dented oil pan on Rod McDevitt's Fiat and a large hole in the muffler on Forrest Hopsen's Ford Escort. After hitting the highway we looped around to the north over Montgomery Pass and regrouped at the Benton gas station/cafe. From here we caravaned to the road end for climbing Glass Mm -- accurately described in the "Road and Peak Guide". Negotiating the last 1/4 mile of the road, Ron Zappen's VW van dug itself into the soft pumice/ash and required help from all of us. From the road end it took less than an hour and twenty minutes to summit Glass Mtn. where we had the pleasure to witness more spectacular views of the Sierra and Crowley Lake. On the way down specimens of the abundant obsidian were picked up study and/or decoration. After getting down to the cars everyone took off for an early start home.
The weather, the mountains, and the company were excellent -- a promising start of a new desert season! The other participants were: Fred Bright, Tanya Mamedalin, and Dave Welbourn.
| Manly Peak 17 September 1989 Barbara Reber, Campy We drove in Barbara's Toyota truck to Goler Wash, then into Butte Valley to Greater View Spring. After passing by Russell Camp, a well-maintained but now unoccupied cabin, we hiked up the canyon to the southeast From the saddle, a trail follows the ridge to the summit of Manly Peak (7196'). The climb took 2 1/2 hours. The drive to Death Valley was via the Butte Valley Road (Warm Spring Canyon), which is in poor condition due to washout. We made slow 4 WD progress in its lower half; operation of the talc mine ceased some years ago and the road is no longer maintained. No sign of the original graded roadbed is present near its intersection with the Death Valley West Side Road, which is also posted dosed to travel. --Campy |
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