DESERT PEAKS SECTION - NEWSLETTER NO. 54 ANGELES CHAPTER - SIERRA CLUB
				May 14, 1958
Dear Desert Peaker, The long sought bus trip to Wheeler Peak is finally on! Thanks to arrangements made by Bob Bear, we will board our chartered Greyhound at Tournament Park in Pasadena the evening of July 3, and arrive the next morning at Lehman Caves, Nevada. You could enjoy the three day weekend just loafing at nearby Lehman Cr. Campground, along an aspen-bordered stream. But most of us will knapsack into the high country, of which Weldon Heald has said: "It is an exhilarating sky island of dark spruce forests and sunny aspen groves, green meadows spread with wildflowers, jewel-like lakes, and cascading streams." From a camp near Stella Lake, Wheeler Peak (13,061) will be climbed via a dim trail. Last year the displays of polemonium were fabulous, and any year the view is. Alternately, parties could visit the Matthes Glacier or climb other peaks in the area. On Sunday, back to Los Angeles, with only the bus driver fighting the traffic. Bus trips always sell out early, so send your money to Emily Bear, 1980 Rangeview Dr., Glendale 1. Fare is $20 (not bad for over 1,000 miles). Vice Chairman Ralph Merten has planned two more fine trips for the summer schedule - New York Butte on June 21-22, and Sheep Mtn. in the White Mtn. Range on Sept. 20-21. On March 8-9 the Hunts led 143 persons to the summit of Rabbit Peak - a 6,700 ft. gain in elevation from the starting point near the Salton Sea. Most of the group backpacked part way on Saturday, finding water in rain-pools near their camp to supplement their backpacked supply. Tom Hunt, with a group of five, started at 4:00 a.m. Sunday and made the complete trip in one day. Unusual atmospheric clarity made the views outstanding. While overcast skies rained on Los Angeles, the DPS enjoyed perfect, cloudless weather on the March 29-30 trip to the Providence Mtns. Camping at Mitchell's Caverns Saturday night, leader Trudie Hunt, assisted by Peter Hunt, guided 45 persons to the highpoint of the range via a class 2 route through the intricate maze of pinnacles, cliffs and canyons that makes the Providence Range so spectacular. A 7:00 a.m. start got most of the group to the summit by 11:00 a.m., and everyone down by midafternoon. Meanwhile, Bob Bear and companion climbed Fountain Peak via a trail originally constructed to place some weather instruments on the summit. Fountain is the next major peak south of the high point. To the north of the high point lies Mitchell peak. On Saturday Vern Jones and Bud Bingham ascended it, finding plenty of class 3 and 4 pitches. Last year's scheduled climb of Glass Mtn. got as far as the end of the road (with considerable difficulty due to mud), and then had to be cancelled when heavy snowfall threatened to maroon the group.

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