of Las Vegas, Nevada, jutting from the arid desert floor, could be noted. By contrast the climb area was greener than expected. I would classify Route A as probably much longer than Route B and having the most gain. It does pass near the mine, but the entrance appears sealed and there are no structures. There are numerous roads not shown on the Topo, including one leading in an easterly direction from Potosi (ruins) or nearby we saw it from the ridge. It and/or the ridge that begins east of ruins should be checked as a more direct, possibly even better, approach.

Drive Route B: The Boys Scout camp, named ___, is not 17 miles from I-15; It is on the Potosi road, ___ miles from SR 160. The location is also not clearly indicated on Guide Topo.

Hike Route B: We did not use this route: the directions seemed incomplete. Based on excerpts from "Tie Desert Sage", they probably should read more like the following: From locked gate, follow the power lines to saddle (east of point 2379?) where they end (Vol. 171). (Do you first follow the road inside locked gate to where the power lines cross it (see Topo) or is there a trail along power line easement? The (upper part of?) route is a bit to the right (west) of saddle and is very steep and rocky (Vol 190). (Turn left, east, 3/4 mile. to summit?) The cliffs are not indicated. Is this route like "A". also Class 2?

Topo Map: Magnetic North on the full Topo we used, read l6, not the 14-1/2' hand printed on Guide Topo.

Supplemental Information: The DPS Guide maps and directions are a useful aid for driving to and climbing listed peaks. It would be an informative adjunct if some future edition included the following details for each peak on Guide sheets or separately; name, address and telephone number of managing agency and nearest ranger station; climbing seasons; campgrounds and campsites; photographs; geology; ecosystems and habitats (perhaps the Conservation Committee could be of help with these two); area and local history first ascent; first DPS ascent and origin of peak name; perhaps also places normally visited on a trip. The following example is for the origin of names Potosi, Pahrump, Tecopa and Smith.

Potosi Mtn: Cerro de Potosi, 15,680 ft. in Bolivia, is a conical shaped mountain, honeycombed with thousands of mines, one of the richest ore bodies in the world, and famous. Mining began in 1545 and in three and one half centuries over one billion, four hundred million dollars in ore was produced. The name was given to a Department in Bolivia, and its capital; also Potosi in Chinadega Dept. NW Nicaragua: San Miguel Dept. El Salvador, a mining center of San Luis Potosi. State of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Potosl, Wisconsin; Potosi, Missouri; and Potosi Mine in the Comstock. In 1856 an Indian reported to Brigham Young a mine location on the north side of a mountain in Nevada, later to be named Potosi. (The stone ruin at Potosi may date from that period.) Legend attributes the name to an Indian word "potojchi" meaning "to explode because of rumbling sound inside mountain."

Pahrump: In southern Paiute, this means "spring in the rock."

Tecopa: This is a former mining camp, named after an old Paiute Indian Chief. He prevented a massacre of settlers in the Pahrump area. The name is derived from "tecopet" meaning "wildcat."

Smith Mtn: Named by the Merriam expedition in 1891, for F.M. ("Borax") Smith, (then?) president of the Pacific Coast Borax Company.

The Guide format is already good; however, the above additions would result in a book not only of interest to members, but, a broader readership. Both to draw attention to the Sierra Club and our Desert Peaks Section, may the day come when such a guide appears on the bookshelves of sporting goods and other stores.
 
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