PALMETTO PK and MAGRUDER MTN., May 18-19 Polly Connable
Meeting at Lida Summit to climb Palmetto Peak Saturday afternoon were Jean Crenshaw and Helen Kilness from Big Bear, Polly Connable from Ridgecrest, Liz Anderson and her daughter Susie from China Lake, and Walt Wheelock of Glendale. Following up and down ridges, we reached our peak in warm sun shine.
Evening camp was made in a grove of Pinyons near the old road bed. Walt treated the group to iced drinks, and the gals from SUMMIT passed around a new brand of quick-frozen corn for us to sample.
Sunday we climbed through Pinyons
to the west summit of Magruder Mtn. A scenic mile along the ridge led us to the
high point. We looked down into desolate Eureka Valley, and beyond to the
Sierra, whitened by snow. The last names in the register were USGS helicopter
men who'd hopped here from Coaldale.Everyone enjoyed the slow pace of both hikes. Specimens of Rhyolite Braccia were picked up, and wild onions found to be good eating.
GRAND OANYON TRAVERSE ONE OF BEST EVER DPS TRIPS
May 30-31-June 12 Dick Kenyon
An all night trip by chartered Greyhound, put 90 sleepy Sierrans on the Grand Canyon's north rim Thursday afternoon, May 30. Descending 4000 feet in 4-1/2 miles over the Kaibab Trail, camp was made at Roaring Springs. Tom and Trudie Hunt opened a new subdivision "Roaring Springs Heights" (offering hillside bedsites to campers unable to find space below.
On Friday the group knapsacked down Bright Angel Creek to Phantom Ranch, a short distance from the Colorado River. The ranch's swimming pool and cold drinks were especially welcome due to the hot weather. Spectacular Ribbon Falls was the day's scenic highlight.
Some were on the trail by 5 a.m. Saturday, hoping to avoid excessive heat in the climb to Indian Gardens. But ovecast skies kept temperatures comfortable, while thunder caused plastic tubes to be erected for rain that didn't come. A few hiked all the way to the south rim, but most camped at Indian Gardens. A side trip to Plateau Point gave fine views of the Colorado River and both north and south rims.
An early start Sunday brought everyone up the switchback trail the Last four miles to the south rim, arriving on schedule. Our Greyhounds had us back in LA by midnight. We were all grateful to the many hours of work put in by leader Bob Greenawalt in arranging the bus charter that made possible the scheduling of this unique inverted Desert Peak.