Wes Shelberg had placed the register on his April climb in 1980. March 1981 saw a helicopter ascent by a USGS topographer followed by an October '81 climb by Gordon MacLeod, Barbara Lilley, Harvey Hickman, Roy and Barbara Magnuson. We were ascents #8-15. On the descent, Randy Buck from Tehachipi twisted his ankle badly when he stepped on a small rock. There was a lot of pain but Randy thought he could continue if he did not carry his pack. So we divided it into 7 parts and he continued on with about 22 easier downhill miles ahead to the end of the hike. After several miles he determined that the pain was too great. I wrapped his ankle and Erik Schumacher offered codeine and Randy pressed on another 9-1/2 miles when spitting rain, strong gusty winds and eminent nightfall stopped us at 2300' just north of point 2709 on the 15' map. The next morning dawned calm and clear. We had about 11 miles to go. We dumped a few quarts of non-essential water, Randy took more codeine and south we went,, past BM 1956' (where there is a posted gate on the Wingate Wash Road leading on to the Base) and south on the road just inside the Naval Reservation to a little pass just west of the old Epsom salts works and its ruined, abandoned monorail. We didn't realize it but several of us strayed about 1/2 mile inside the base and walked past the two roofless stone cabins and one creaking wood frame cabin still standing at this venture from the 1920's. A rather colorful and interesting area. From this point it was about 2-1/2 miles to Steve's car. Here we completed our complicated car shuttle. Desert Rattus Barbara Cohen traveled with Erik and Bob Tomlinson to Baker. Erik & Bob went on to L.A. and Barbara waited on the front steps and inside the Denny's coffee shop. She looked so warn and dirty and disheveled that people took pity on her and offered money on 2 separate occasions so she could get some food and a room in which to get cleaned up. Randy went home to Tehachipi where he notified me that his bad sprain was also a hairline fracture and he walked about 22 miles on it rather than have me arrange a helicopter evacuation! Barbara joined Jim Conley and me for a second dinner at Dennys and then home after a wonderful trip. Thanks to everyone for being so helpful, especially in helping Randy, and cheerful and to Steve for his usual great assist. Steve and I always think there are a lot of great desert peaks and we've proposed a few for the DPS list, some of which make the list, others which do not. We both think that Sugarloaf is better than most which we have proposed and is a whole lot better than many peaks on the list. All of us felt that it should be formally proposed for voting on the 1992 DPS ballot by the membership. We now have led an official scouting trip and there is plenty of time for others to check out Sugarloaf for list status. It is a pretty hard 23-24 mi dayhike with more than 4200 ft of gain or a moderate backpack of a peak in a new area that goes with no other peak on the list. -- RON

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