Pacific Ocean, and the mainland of Mexico! All spread out in a spectacular panorama. John led a group of 15 over to the South summit, where Bill Clifton was intercepted for the first time while Gene commended the rest down to camp plus another 1-1/2 hour hike down the canyon to a lower camp. About dark the entire party was once again unified!
Sun morn we all jumped off at 6 o'clock on the double for the long stumble down the canyon. One follow hooked on statistics, counted the group crossing the ever loving stream 208 times! This is, indeed, a measure of its difficulty. We arrived back at our cars about 2 PM Sunday. From here it was 42 miles of dirt road back to the main pavement of the Mexicali-San Felipe highway.
I think the grand success of this event was primarily due to these factors: 1. Bill Clifton' s rope-placing. 2. Pilot Abe Siemens taking Gene Gail for reconnaissance photos of area some time back. 3. Scouting of the route within recent years by the leaders. 4. The considerable physical conditioning of the party members, that made them suited to carry packs up this tremendous canyon for two days, and then top it off by the 4,000 ft climb to the summit in just about 4-1/2 hours.
Let no one underestimate the difficulty of this climb. It should be led by the Section at least every other year, and those who wish to climb it in private parties should seriously consider the greater safety and more reliable route finding by waiting to join a scheduled event to this Emblem of all Emblem peaks.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--
Co-Leader John Robinson has prepared a map of the area and is probably one of the most accurate ones known. There are no topo sheets here. He adds: " I have received a communication from the Departmento de Geografia Secretaria de Agricultura y Ganaderia, Mexico, DF to the effect that CERRO de la ENCANTADA(hill of the enchanted lady) is the proper name for this peak, highest in Baja California. El PICACHO del DIABLO seems to be a Sierra Club colloquialism, even though climbers agree that the latter is the more fitting name for the thing, La PROVIDENCIA, the original Spanish name for the peak, is now seldom used."
Ed note-An. exceptional event by two competent leaders, both devout DPSers.

NON-SKED EVENTS
NAVAJO MTN- last May      -Steve Smith
This 10,416' mass can be seen for a considerable distance across the Navajo Indian Reservation. An excellent dirt road leaves Hiway 64 and goes north about 42 miles. About 2 miles from the Dunn Trading Post a road has been built which goes all, the way to the summit. We were able to go about 1 mile on this jeep road in our conventional car and then walked the remaining 4 miles to the summit. The mountain is heavily forested but one can occasionally get good views of the surrounding area. On top are two radio antennae, and it is necessary to climb one of the towers to see out. What a view! Monument Valley, San Juan River and Lake Powell, the Colorado River, plus a great expanse of colorful sediments which cover this Arizona-Utah section are there to greet one's sight.

PORTER PEAK-9,101' between Sentinel and Manly in the Panamint Range- Russ
In October Bob Bear, Louise Werner, & I drove up the Pleasant Hubbard Canyon road just east of Ballarat to Clair's Camp. There is a locked gate at the old Radcliffe mine but Mr Kelly, the caretaker opened It for we when we told him what we wanted. We made camp a few miles above the mine.
Next morning we drove up to a side road loading to Mormon Gulch and drove as far as we dared. The road ends at a huge wood pile, used back in early days as fuel for the great steam engine for the stamp mill at the Radcliffe. Parts of the machine are still there.
It was only about 3-1/2 miles to the summit. A great view of Butte Valley to the east can be had from the summit. Portions of a road leading to the old
 
Page Index Prev Page 4 Next Issue Index