CANYON POINT, add to the list?
Any peak that Ron & Steve would propose for the list would have to be a good one, so Tom Scott & I climbed it 2-17-90. The 7.5 topos are Harris Hill & Cottonwood Canyon. The 15' topo is Marble Canyon. The approach road up Cottonwood Canyon is shown on the latest (11-89) ACSC "Guide to Death Valley". Since Canyon is a named benchmark (placed 1949), and there are no other names except "Cottonwood Mountains" (All the mountains on both 7.5 topos), we have to call it "Canyon Point". Directions follow:
DRIVE: Turn NW off Cal 190 at sign "campground" at SW edge of Stovepipe Wells. Fork left at sign "airstrip" at .1 mi. (All mileages are from Cal 190). Fork right at .5 mi, sign: "Cottonwood-Marble Canyons". Leave pavement. At .6 mi., pass sign "Deep sand 17 mi. ahead" (Not true!). At 8.5 mi. drop into broad wash & turn sharply left up the wash. At 9.45 mi. a good campsite is on left. (We camped there Fri night.) At 10.0 mi., turn sharply left up Cottonwood Canyon. Continuing straight would go up Marble Canyon. At 10.7 stay left at fork. At about 19.1 mi (ACSC map says 19.4), road ends at a large turnaround and firetub. Plenty of parking for a dozen vehicles. Two passenger cars were there when we returned from the peak, so skillfully driven cars could go to the end, 2-90. Driving time: 1 hr 45 mm each way. (we took 1:35 out, & probably close to 2 hrs going in.
HIKE: Up the drainage WNW almost to the saddle W of 4594T, west to summit. Class 1 except for the first 50 ft from parking. The last 1700' are a sand slog! 3100' gain, 5 mi. r.t., 3.5 hrs. (We took 2:20 up, 1:05 down).
COMMENTS: The walls of Cottonwood Canyon ARE gorgeous, and the view from the top is excellent. The campsite at the roadhead would be a nice spot for a Saturday night campfire, with running water & some cottonwood & mesquite trees. A weekend in which one backpacked up to Cottonwood Spring (4 mi, 800'), then hiked Panamint Butte (13 mi r.t., 3000' more) on day 1, then slogged up Canyon Point (6 mi r.t., 2300') and out (4 mi, 800' loss) could be a pleasant experience. Unlike nearby, forested, almost-drive-up Hunter Mountain, the slopes of Canyon Point are arid & badly overgrazed by local burros. The area IS beutifully remote!
I do recommend visiting Cottonwood Canyon. Marian Kelley & Neal Johns are leading a trip to Death Valley Canyons, April 7-8: "Visit Mosaic, Marble, Cottonwood, Grotto, & Johnson Cyns. Time permitting, we'll hike up Cottonwood Cyn along stream to spring and old -cabins (6 miles round trip) 2 large: sase to Marian Kelley" (Star Route Box 830, Lytlé Creek, 92358. Tel.714-887-1549). This is a BRE Sierra Club trip.
SUMMARY: 3.5 hrs of dirt road driving for a 3.5 hr slog up a burro dung-dappled sand hill seems a bit much. I'd like to embrace the addition of this peak - we could use a few more good peaks! Doing Canyon Point via Cottonwood Springs might be a very pleasant hike, but, sadly, hiking it directly from the roadhead would rank 97th in quality on the DPS list! I still might vote for it, but, at best, it would join Pescadores, Pinto, Jacumba from the west, East Ord, Sandy Point, & Porter as one of our lower quality peaks. Still, it's an interesting area, and the Panamint Butte/Canyon weekend mentioned above could be a fine one! No recommendation; go climb it & decide for yourself! -Dale Van D.
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MOUNTAIN RECORDS CHAIR:
Now that we're mailing trip packets to leaders for each trip, the job of Vice-chair, Outings becomes very time-consuming. The SPS has the appointed, non-voting position of Mountain Records Chair. The DPS needs to spread the work load & have a similar position! -Dale Van D.