by Ron Jones
He is survived by a daughter, Vicki, Sons Bruce and Bryan and a grandson, Joseph Patrick Kauffman.
Dale was born June 6, 1933 in San Jose, California, moved to Blythe at an early age and had a life-long love and interest in the desert. He was passionately interested in the outcome of the California Desert Bill now before Congress.
Dale graduated from Stanford University in 1959 with a degree In Industrial Engineering. He often told me how he was classmates with now Senator, Diane Feinstein. He worked for a number of years in Indonesia, loved that country and wanted to spend a part of each year traveling and visiting the countryside and many islands.
He joined the Sierra Club In 1972 and led many hikes and climbs for the Desert Peaks Section and other climbing Sections of the Angeles Chapter. He chaired the DPS in '89- 90, finished the DPS list for the first time in 1986 and the second time with me in November 1991. We had a terrific celebration party at Saline Hot Springs. Dale chaired the HPS in 1980, was celebrated for his use of bolt cutters for getting through fences and gates and I was present when he and Steve Smith finished the HPS list in 1983. Dale also finished the SPS list in September 1993 on Lone Pine Peak and thereby became the 17th Triple List Finisher of the climbing Sections.
Dale had many varied interests. We would see each other at track meets both indoors and out and he was a fan of track statistics. Leora and I also looked forward to seeing Dale and Marilou at concerts of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Symphony. Dale was a member of Mensa. He was also a 15 year member of the Hash House Harriers with the nickname, "Van Diver". Dale competed in harrier runs in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and as recently as Christmas of 1993 in Bali. He loved travel and had visited 85 countries throughout the world.
In addition to his local climbing in California and the southwest, Dale had organized and led many expeditions and trips including climbs of the three big Mexican Volcanos culminating in Mt Orizaba at 18,700'; had climbed widely in Europe such peaks as Mt Blanc, 15,771', the Matterhorn and Elbrus, 18,482'; his attempt on 8,000 meter Broad Peak in the Karakorum ended with bad weather and avalanches; he climbed on the slopes of Mt Everest in the Himalayas; he conquered Mt Kinabalu, 13,335' - the high point of Indonesia, Mt Kosciusko, the high point of Australia and in 1994 had begun plans for his third attempt on Mt McKinley. Dale hoped that he could continue as an active climber for another 15 years, until he was 75 years old.
Dale will be remembered for his caring about his friends; his exuberance for life, for campfire parties, for hot springs and his enthusiasm for climbing. "ON ON"
