| MANLY PEAK,
March 10-11: Where but on a desert peak can one enjoy a balmy evening
around a campfire and the climb a mountain the next morning by kicking steps in
the snow? Eleven guys and two gals knapsacked for 1-1/2 hours past Manly Falls up Redlands Canyon, where they slept on the roughest rocky ground in California. The wind died down in favor of perfect weather. A start of 7:00 am made possible a leisurely climb. On the way up the steep loose scree was frozen and mostly covered with hard snow. Steps in the snow afforded easy climbing, and all 13 persons made the 4,400 feet to the summit by noon. A rope was set so each one made the last 20 feet to the top of the summit block. Telescope Peak to the north was whiter than I've ever seen it and I recommend that ice axes be carried on the April 28-29 traverse. Then the perfect weather cooperated by softening the scree for a real fun trip down. |
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| - Ralph Merton | ||||||
NELSON AND COSO PEKAS, March 24-25: Few things in this world can surpass the high desert in beauty after heavy snows have hit the loftier summits. The 18 Desert Peakers and guests who turned out to thoroughly enjoy this warm weather view-inspiring weekend trip will readily testify to this. Nine of the group arrived a Lee Flats early enough Saturday afternoon to enjoy a leisurely stroll up nearby Nelson Mountain, An hour and a half got all nine to the top to witness superb views of the surprisingly rugged east face of the Inyos, the snow-plastured Panamints, and below us, the vast alkali wastes of little visited Saline Valley. The fortunate nine were leader Walt Wheelock, assistant John Robinson, Charles Gail, Tom Ross, Dorothy Cutler, Paul Nelson, John Mason, R.S. Rice, and Earl May. The group grew to 14 for the pleasant campfire get-together amid the numerous Joshua Trees of Lee Flat that evening. Several worn out tires insured warmth for everyone. Two more cars joined the group Saturday morning for the more lengthy ascent of Coso Mountain. Driving over rough desert road to Centenial Flats, the party set out afoot across the desert floor to the entrance of a steep canyon that enters the Cosos from the east. Not far up-canyon snow was met, and the group hiked in this snow all the way to the summit. 15 made the top to enjoy wonderful panoramas of the snow-swamped Sierra crest to the north-west, the snow-sprinkled Inyos to the north, and the snow-dusted Argus Range to the east. Looming beyond the Aruses stood lofty Telescope peak glimmering a brilliant white under the warm sun. Joining the climbers for lunch on the summit were literally thousands of lady bugs. What they were doing up there none of us knew. The 15 on Coso's summit were Harry and Siina Melts, Bud and Bep Bingham, Charles Gail, Andy Smatko, Lothar Kolbig, Paul Nelson, John Mason, Tom Ross, R.S. Rice, Earl May, Ed Ostrenga, Dorothy Cutler, and John Robinson. Charles Gail earned his sixth desert peak to qualify for membership on the trip, while Andy Smatko climbed his 53rd of our 54 qualifying summits. |
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| - John Robinson | ||||||
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