But
this year, on May 4, Ralph Merten, assisted by Frank Ewing, aranged perfect
weather and led 15 Desert Peakers on a successful ascent of Glass Mtn. Camping
Saturday night on Hot Creek (after most of the group had climbed San Joaquin
Mtn. with the SPS), they drove to north of Benton Crossing Sunday morning and
started climbing at 8:00, and were on the summit by 12:00. About two-thirds of
the climb was on hard-packed snow, Glass Mtn. has a twin summit, but previous
groups have applied the mountaineer's infallible rule and climbed the farther
of the two. This time a sceptic climbed both and determined by altimeter
measurements, and by noting which peak had the Geological Survey benchmark,
that the nearest peak was the highest! On the way down, the famous scree
slope was found covered with snow and provided a never to be forgotten
continuous glissade losing nearly a thousand feet of elevation. The glissade
alone was said to be worth the entire trip.
A new membership list is
enclosed. Mistakes, omissions, and obsolescence are inevitable, so please
notify the Secretary of needed corrections.
New topographic maps of many
desert peak areas have become available in the last few years, and as a result
some of our qualifying peaks have changed elevation from that given in the
latest Qualifying Peaks List. Research by Harry Melts reveals that:
Telescope Peak has gained 4 ft. to become
11,049;
Sentinel Peak has gained 156 ft. to become
9,636;
Pyramid Peak has lost 22 ft. to become
6,703;
Waucoba Mtn. has lost 5 feet to become
11,123. |
