Los Angeles, California
May 1, 1950
Dear D.P.S. member:

The days are lengthening and that old sun gets hotter as we go up our Desert peaks. It will soon be time to turn to the Sierras for our climbing. In Executive meeting in reply to the question -- why is your group turning to the Sierras to schedule trips when you are a Desert Peak group?, your chairman replied, "No other section has been working up weekend hiking trips to these mountains. And since the summer months make Desert peak climbing impractical, and since the Desert Peak Section seems to be the long endurance climbers, it is a natural for us to turn to the cooler Sierra." That may answer the question for some of you who are wondering the same thing. As Bob Cosgrovo, chairman of the Rock Climbing Section pointed out, most of the climbers who were on the trip to that 14,000 ft. Split Mountain belong to the Desert Peak Section. Despite the fact that we often try to point out to newcomers that you do not have to be a power-house to come along on desert peaks, we have a high percentage of well-conditioned hikers who are able to - or have had to learn to - go long distances with heavy pack. It is true that many of our members did their early conditioning by finishing the hundred peaks game.

Parker Severson, leading a rather novice lot up to Volcano Peak back of Little Lakes, perhaps helped condition some of the new-comers to the DPS. Besides such old-timers (on DPS trips, not years) as Walter and Bernice Heninger, Chester Versteeg, Alda Van Pappebendam, Willard Dean, Margie and Bill Henderson, Fritz Sloman, and Parker, there were some relatively new faces on the top, such as "Sparky" Wilson with four of his "boys", Jim Gardener, Dick Lindner, Tom Peterson, and Thayer Crandall; John Del Monte and his son, Jim, and two unidentified climbers.
The group met in Red Rock Canyon which was the Friday night camp spot. Saturday morning they drove to various near-by places of interest where "Sparky" could tell them about the geological aspects of the countryside. At 10:00 A.M. the group, some 35 strong, wandered over a pasture behind Little Lake to study a rock-mound covered thickly with Indian petrogyphics. A large and fully bloomed purple "Beaver Tail" cactus sent some of the photographers scurrying up the rock for a closer picture. Hitting the hot and sandy trail toward Volcano Mt. the group eventually reached the rough and deep...red lava flow which had oozed over the divide toward which we were headed. Because of the heat and the distance, a portion of the group did not go beyond this divide. Perhaps they looked up the steep side of the volcano and decided the soft cinders weren't too navigable - which they weren't! But 17 were on top that day. A strong wind, though warm, was welcome. Needless to say, the soda fountain at Little Lake did a rushing business when that gang returned.
The next day was spent in Last Chance Canyon in the El Paso Mountains where the remaining 25 persons found some fire opals. The Old Dutch Cleanser Mine and the Petrified Forest were visited.

In last month's letter you were listed the schedule of trips which Bob Bear and his Mountain committee had worked up for this next schedule. But here is a hike for the hike for the month of May, which you can't miss - and still be able to have anything to talk about to others at Friday night dinners!
  May 27, 28, 29, 30 Arizona's Mt. Wilson, and Fortification Hill, and Mt.
Charleston
in Nevada. Ever think you would be doing three
states in one desert peak trip?! Niles Worner has been dreaming up this trip for some time now, so we'll have a chance to see "what all the talking was about". Niles will be Trail Guide, since this was an old stomping ground of his in years gone past when he was working as engineer on the dam site. Niles climbed Mt. Wilson in 1933, and Fortification in the fall of 1932. Lloyd Balsam as leader, will also see that you get up Charleston Peak first. Niles, by the way, has been up this peak 7 times. Those of you from several years back remember the big stag which stood like a statue for several moments and watched us as we came up over the ridge of that mountain. And remember the odd turbulent effect of the wind on the summit which picked up paper and lifted, it straight up in the air higher and higher above our heads until it dissapeared.
I doubt if the aspens will be that same gorgeous color of fall when we return, but may be a beautiful new-leaf green instead. And the creeks may not be dry as before.
One thing which will always set this trip aside from the other DPS sponsored trips, however, is the lake for swimming and the boat for cruising. Here's the word:
  Saturday night, May 27 Camp at Kyle Canyon on the slopes of Charleston.
  Sunday morning, May 28 Climb Charleston Peak and return to cars. (And then as Niles says "Drive right on through Las Vegas")
  Sunday night, May 28 Camp on the shores of Lake Mead. We are to have a camp site set aside for us by the Park Service.
  Monday morning, May 29 Drive 10 miles to Mt. Wilson. Climb this desert peak and. be back to Lake Mead in time for a swim.
  Tuesday morning, May 30 At 7:00 A.M., board a boat which will take us for or a cruise on the lake, stopping to let us out to climb Fortification hill, and picking us up to continue the cruise until noon. Drive home.
Sincerely yours,

Margie Henderson (temporarily elevated
from typesetter during UCLA exams)
 
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