The summer passed, the vacations enjoyed, the new season is open for good DPSing. May this be one of our greatest climbing adventure years!
Retired DPS editor John Robinson has given pointers and this issue of the Newsletter is being created in both a little hotel room in Palo Alto and a back room of a G1endale dental office.
Your chairman has been on a job of temporary duration for several months at the Stanford city and has taken part in several of the local Sierra Club activities, being with both the Bay Chapter and the Loma Prieta Chapter in San Jose.
These obviously, have no Deserts Peaks Sections. Conversations tend to amaze the local inhabitants and they wish that they could have this sort of activity. We a luckey bunch in the Southland.
I have noticed several new ideas followed up here that could be used to advantage in our own group.
All their hikes are graded as to the exertion expected. Grades 1-5 cover all situations, grade 1 being the easiest. There is also a grade X, meaning a specialty hike as for ice axe practice or rappelling.
All leaders carry small red arrows. Should a route lead off an established trail, the arrow is dropped and the tail and asst. leader retrieves it. This can prevent a lot of lost motion in waiting for the stragglers.
Many of their events use established Greyhound bus routes, with short hikes into the hills. Our southern topo doesn't lend itself very well to this sort of plan, especially in Desert Peak regions.
One of their surprises is their Gourmet hikes. On these everyone must bring ssomething very extra for a specified meal. Then these are pooled together, generally spread on a huge tablec1oth. It is a sight to see what there is to eat; smoked sardines, pate de fois gras, truffles, etc. This is well worth a try in our Section.
Central commissaries are common on overnight knapsacks I went on one elegant one to Lundy Canyon, near Mono Lake. Twenty-four participants picked up 24 parcels and carried them to the camp. It is truly a big job for the leader but very well received. The leader had prepared a big worksheet that each one to sign for duty. The leader's duty read, "general supervision of camp" and this was carried out by sitting on a big rock in camp. He deserved this position.
I was very embarrassed since I failed to produce the second can of Reddi-Whip for the Saturday nite strawberry shortcake 'til Sun., morn. I told no one but the leader. It turned out OK since he is an old friend of mine.
So much for the activities here.
We are searching for a new DPS editor. One will be appointed by the next issue. Should anyone care to act as reporters for special events of our section, I wish they would contact me.