June 13-14, 1992
Igor and Suzanne Thomas-Mamedalin
Due to the leaders' prior commitments, the group did not meet in Shoshone until 10:30 AM Saturday. After flushing everyone out of the Crow-Bar Saloon we headed northeast through Pahrump, a growing metropolis, to the roadend at Stirling Peak. The directions in the Road and Peak Guide are accurate with the last mile of the dirt road washed out to the point of being impassable to a tank. Lunch was consumed at the roadend. The scramble to the summit and back took less than 3 hours. Along the summit ridge we viewed some petroglyphs. The weather was sunny and clear.
After returning to the cars we caravaned south along 95 to the turnoff to Corn Springs and followed Alamo Road to the Hidden Forest Road turnoff. Following the Hidden Forest Road (for 3.5 miles) we expected to camp at its end in peaceful solitude. Alas, we discovered a large encampment of the equestrian set.. at least two dozen horse trailers and assorted vehicles and their cowboy attired attendants. Retreating back a quarter mile we camped along the road. While we were guzzling libations and chomping down the hors d'oeuvres around a small campfire, a friendly BLM ranger stopped by on his rounds .. after checking in on the equestrian set.
Sunday morning we headed up the canyon toward the peak quietly passing the sleeping horse riders. After reaching the cabin at the end of the canyon we followed the northern ridge to the peak. Good weather prevailed and we were afforded good views while eating lunch on the summit. On the descent we encountered the horse riders eating a catered lunch at the cabin .. burgers, hot dogs, etc. .. salivating we passed by them .. we were not invited to their feast. Maybe we should have invited them to our lunch on the summit?
We reached the vehicles about the same time as the equestrians rode out of the canyon. Packing up we headed for Vegas. On the drive out Tom's Jeep developed an ulcer necessitating a change in Tom's plans to climb Charleston. Some of us stopped for dinner at the Mirage or was it the Excaliber .. its all the same. Many thanks to all trip participants for a fine weekend in the desert! The fine set of participants were: Igor, Suzanne, Tanya and Comet Mamedalin, Sue Wyman, Vic Henney, Jack Archibald, David Campbell, Ron Young, and Tom Sakowych.
Ticks are dark-colored
and can be up to a quarter inch long. They are most plentiful May through July.
A tick rarely ventures more than 18 inches from the ground. It anchors to brush
and grass along animal routes, and waits for you to come within reach. The tick
then
climbs aboard and begins to prospect. It travels upwards on your
clothes or body. A tick normally explores several hours before choosing a drill
site. It attaches itself to you painlessly. Its bead will be anchored just
beneath the skin and its legs will be wiggling. There will probably be a small
blotch of blood. It looks awful, but there is no pain. Stay calm. The tick bas
probably been there for hours, so tale a few minutes to gather the proper first
aid equipment to remove it. First touch the tick with a bandanna-corner soaked
with stove fuel, mosquito dope, or sun tan lotion. This should make it relax
its grip. Then gently remove the tick with tweezers, gasping as far toward the
buried bead as possible. Use a gentle rocking motion with the tweezers. Don't
press or crush. Don't try to "unscrew" the tick by turning in one direction.
The goal is to remove the entire animal. Don't worry about pulling some skin
out in the process. Avoid the tick's bloated abdomen, which can act like a
syringe if squeezed. After removing the tick, disinfect the bite with rubbing
alcohol or povidone iodine. A bulls-eye shaped circular rash with a dear center
may develop whether the tick was completely removed or not. Check the bite for
30 days. If the rash does not dear up, or profound fatigue, stiff neck, and
flu-like symptoms (headache, chills, fever, muscle aches) occur, see your
doctor immediately.
The best prevention against ticks is a good repellent with 35% to 55% DEET. See the insert for a product comparison chart. When on a backpack trip, head the advice of the trip leader regarding the need for repellent. If repellent is required, it should be applied to both skin and clothing. Repellent applied at wrists, waist, and ankles helps discourage ticks. Repellent can also be applied to sleeping bags and tent entries. It is a good practice to check your equipment and skin daily for ticks. Assistance from another member Of the group is required to check where you can't see. Ticks can roam clothing, sleeping bags, and gear several days. So wash all gear immediately when you return home.