An enthusiastic group of 40 Desert Peakers and guests turned out at the below sea-Level roadhead prepared to test the enchantment of "Wild Rabbit". Besides a fair-sized contingent from the Hundred Peaks Section (Rabbit is also a 100 Peak), the party included such seldom-seen DPSers as Virgil Sisson, Parker Severson, and Louise Werner.
The large party followed an old mining trail across the dry desert floor and up onto the rocky alluvial fan that sprawls out from Rabbit's east flank. The skies were clear and warm as the climbers troubled with water-heavy packs up the Long ridge to a dry campsite on a cactus-covered plateau just below Rabbit's giant hogback. On the way up, one girl somehow got off route and ended up about a thousand feet below the ridge. Frank Aide lived up to his name and descended to rescue the maiden in distress.
That evening, a balmy breeze refreshed the tired climbers as they gazed down at the twinkling lights around the Salton Sea far below.
Sunday morning 33 of the group scrambled up the steep southeast ridge of Rabbit, around a rocky highpoint, and across the long summit hogback to the highpoint. For the ascent, the group was divided into fast and slow parties