line was paralleled. The highest peak in the area is Powell(2353') and near here the road heads to the SW while the power line diverges to the SE. About 4-1/2 miles south of 66 we began our walk, the group going due west in search of Tumarion Pk(2093'). Several of the experienced members of the group advised my route was too far to the north. I demurred and two others followed me directly up a ridge traverse while the main group followed the disaffected experts along a wash below. In 40 minutes our group of three was atop of what we thought was Tumarion. As we looked over to the NW at Powell we were somewhat shocked to see two lonely silhouettes just reaching the summit of Powell. An hour later Frede Jensen joined us. He and Pat Donegan had climbed Powell together and Frede had traversed a ridge to Tumarion. After waiting for 1-1/2 hrs, the main group had not yet arrived, so we followed the ridge past a horizontal mine shaft to Powell. Here we waited an hour, and after not being able to take it any longer we descended cross-country fashion to the cars. One mile short of the cars we saw the main group coming back down the same wash they had gone up several hours previous.
Thus began a lively dispute on who had climbed the true Tumarion and both factions left, convinced of their righteous success. I could have cared less, since I climbed two peaks that day in a truly exploratory adventure. I had been no more lost than we (Gordon & I) had been the previous spring. What I am saying is that we were really lost then, but don't anyone tell Gordon I said so.

Know Your Desert PeaksRABBIT PEAK from West Side
Mar 12-13- Ken McNutt
Sat morn found 24 Desert Peakers collected at the entrance to the Borrego Airport debating the merit of climbing Rabbit from the Clark Lake side. The optimists won, therefore off we caravaned across the dry lake to the road end, about a mile from Clark Dry Well. As the clock reached 8AM we began the back pack due north toward the first large ridge on the north side of the huge alluvial fan that flows SW from Rabbit Peak. With the rising sun beaming down on our rugged column we soon realized that we were in for high temperatures. Before we reached the first plateau of the low ridge several of the group were in considerable discomfort. Progress became so slow that we made a very early camp in the shade of the last large boulders of the low ridge. We were about 7 miles from the planned campsite but it was most obvious that half the Group were not up to attempting the summit climb on the following day.
Therefore, after a caucus and general agreement, it was decided that the leader Tom MacNicholas would take those who felt up to the summit attempt, and that Ken McNutt would bring the remainder out to civilization.
At 4 AM the summit party of 10 climbers threshed their way thru cholla and yucca, toward the Emblem Peak, At 9AM the remains started a slow back pack out to the cars. After many stops and Gallons of water passed, the slow group reached the cars. Not long thereafter, with no stops and no water, the victorious summit group arrived and we all went into Borrego Springs for complete hydration with cold drinks.
 
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