ANGELES CHAPTER - SIERRA CLUB
Dear Desert Peakers:
First, a reminder that your two bits (.25) to cover the cost of mailing the DPS NEWSLETTER is now due. Please send your dues to Marion Dean, 537 W. "F" Street, Ontario, Calif., or if you wish, give it to me at the Friday dinner meeting.
DPS activities are getting off to a lively start and we can look forward to many fine outings in the season ahead. Walt Heninger reports that he has two chartered buses all sold out for the trip to the Providence Mountains and Mitchell Caverns scheduled for April 23 - 24. The moral of this is, get your reservation in early for DPS bus trips!
Manly Peak
A party of 12 hikers under the leadership of George Wallerstein and Walter Mitchell, reached the cold snow-covered summit of Manly Peak (7190 ft.) in the southern Panamints on the week-end of January 22 - 23. This was the first DPS trip to this peak. The climb was made via a route up Coyote canyon on the western slope. The party camped at 3500 ft. in the canyon. Sunday morning the group picked their way up a steep trailless ridge for some 3000 feet. The last portion of the climb involved a good deal of wading through deep snow. Some rope work was necessary on the summit pinnacle. George is of the opinion that this peak merits a place on the official list of qualifying peaks.
PELLISIER FLATS
The Pellisier Flats proposal was again discussed at a meeting held at the home of Willard and Marion Dean in Ontario, on Sunday, January 30th. In spite of a rainy evening, 11 desert enthusiasts were present. Ed Peterson brought his collection of plant specimens collected on a trip to the Pellisier Flats area last July. They were found at about 12,000 feet elevation. Dr. Philip A Munz of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden at Claremont was present and identified some of the specimens. He took the collection with him to Claremont, where he will check it more closely for unusual specimens.
We all felt that the Pellisier Flats area should be set aside and protected as a Wild Area. Here is a fine example of a high wind-swept plateau with its unique arctic-alpine life zone still in its natural unspoiled state. Indian artifacts have also been discovered here. We also discussed the problem of how to define the boundary of the area. Arnold Schulznan brought his enlarged photographs of the area. A layout on matboard will be prepared, using a map of the area and Schulman's pictures. This together with other data will be presented to the Conservation Committee for further study. Bill Henderson was appointed chairman of this project.
SHEEPHOLE MOUNTAINS
The trip to the Sheephole Mountains attracted 25 people on the week-end of February 12 - 13. This included a delegation of 6 from San Diego. Trip leaders were Bob Bear and Willard Dean. Camp was made on the brink of a deep wash near the Sheephole mines, about 25 miles beyond 29 Palms. The next morning I found fresh sheep tracks near camp. We were off for the mountain by 7:30 and reached the summit