COMING EVENTS
 
Consult Angeles Chapter schedule for full particulars.
 
January 5-6 Pinto Peak John Robinson, Bob Greenawalt
January 19-20 Sheephead, Smith Mts. Walt Wheelock, Trudie Hunt
February 2-3 Whipple Mtn. John Robinson, Harry Melts
February 14 Business Meeting Chapter Headquarters
February 22-24 Tajo Canyon Tom and Trudie Hunt

HIGHLIGHTS OF BUSINESS MEETING, October 18, 1962
(Condensed from Walt Wheelock's minutes)

The treasury shows a balance of $108.87, due largely to subscriptions to the Newsletter, Emblem sales, and the Panamint bus trip.

A Lengthy discussion was held on possible formal standards for qualifying desert peaks. Suggestions included a minimum of two hours climbing time, remote location, difficult routes, flexibility of standards, etc. The final consensus was that no change in the existing policy be made.

A motion was made to remove Pinacate Peak from the qualifying list. Motions were made by Harry Melts and Trudie Hunt to add Old Dad Mtn. and Navajo Mtn, (Arizona) to the List, to be voted upon at the next meeting. A motion was made to amend the By-Laws, substituting "peaks of the DPS list" for the present "qualifying peaks" and related wording, to come before the membership at the next meeting.

The March-June schedule was planned. (See next Newsletter)

A discussion was held on register boxes. It was agreed that 30 ca. ammo boxes be purchased for each scheduled peak without an adequate register.

PINACATE PEAK STILL A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION
(Ed, note: The following two letters were received following publication of the last newsletter, pertaining to the Pinacate discussion.)

"Andy Smatko's argument in the Newsletter has much merit, and I am inclined to go along with his position, except I can't agree with him that Pinacate is just 'a dull mound'. I have not climbed the cinder-cone, but I have been on its lower slopes. While it is not a challenging climb, it does have great interest as the dominant feature of this part of the Sonoran Desert, surrounded as it is by craters, sheep tanks, Indian traits, cinder cones and interesting desert vegetation -- a virtually unspoiled desert except for the inroads of Mexican woodcutters. It is hardly a qualifying peak from a climbing standpoint. This is one we can well visit on our occasional forays into foreign territory."
- Parker Severson

"I wish to add my word to the discussion concerning Pinacate Peak. My word supports the view of Harry Melts, and is opposed to the view of Dr Smatko. Only a person who has not visited Pinacate could possibly speak against it. It is an incomparably wild and beautiful desert area. The very difficulty of getting to the peak adds to its charm. It is true that it is historic -- the home land of the now extinct desert Papago, but what is wrong with a little history? I believe that the way to settle this controversy is for everybody involved to go visit the peak, preferably in the spring, when the area is covered with spring wildflowers."
- James Bonner
 
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