SIERRA CLUB
Desert Peaks Section Newsletter #9
JANUARY 8, 1951
Dear Member:

This Friday night will complete my year as your chairman, and I can sincerely say it has been a very enjoyable one. This is without doubt due to the splendid people that make up the section. It would be hard to find another group of people with your cooperation and sustained high spirits under the stress and strain of our more "interesting" desert climbs. But this may be due to an inborn or acquired serenity of heart and mind which is well coupled to the peace and beauty of the desert.

In this past year, I have tried to add a few new inovations and to strengthen those desirable precedents. But these are the duties of any chairman. His group's life is dependent on some progress, be it ever so small. The chairmen that preceded me certainly had done their share to keep the section alive and growing.

Our greatest progress has really been a very subtle one. This progress is the realization that climbing Desert Peaks can be as normal a form of mountaineering as climbing in the Sierra or ourlocal mountains. People have a tendency to steer clear of things that are not generally accepted or advertized. Their reluctance wears off gradually, only as these new things become more popular or commonplace. Such has been the slow acceptance of climbing some isolated "unknown" peak far out in the "barren" desert. Our consistent increase in membership (9 this past year) and new desert mountains scouted (23 were scouted this year, as compared to less than a half dozen in any previous year) indicate this growing interest. Outwardly our greatest progress will be realized with the distributiçn of the climbers guide next Friday night.

IN THE MOUNTAINS

Kofa Mtns. Dec. 30 thru Jan. 1. These are spectacular mountains with rugged pinnacles and deeply cut canyons in its 1000' high, sheer walls that form the sides of the mountain. To get there, we drove 17 miles south of Quartzite, then turned left on a gravel road which led 7-1/2 miles to the mouth of Palm Canyon. The climb started at 7:00 A.M. Sunday morning with one group of 10 (consisting of Harry Sutherland, leader, Georgie White, Dorothy Campbell, Marie Smith, Eleanor Smith, Elgin Pierce, Fritz Sloman, Leroy Arnold, and Margie and Bill Henderson) going the rock climbing route, and 13 (consisting of Toni Gamero, leader, Bernice and Walter Heninger, Ruth and Frank Ferro, Niles Werner, Bob Bear, Eleanor Ruth, Muriel Pope, Don Kelly, Willard Dean, Burton Baldwin, and Jim Farlay) going the hiking route.
The rock climbing route led directly up Palm Canyon. It by-passes the narrow canyon with the palms which into one side. At one point it is necessary to veer slightly to the right over a promontory to gain access to the upper canyon. While crossing this promontory, two mountain sheep were seen at only 200 ft. Continue to the end of this upper canyon where it ends in a head wall with two ugly 100' dry waterfalls staring you in the face. On the left (facing up the canyon) and approx. 100' from the canyon end is another dry waterfall, but of not too great steepness. The first fifty foot pitch is 3rd class. Then the trough splits into two. The area between the troughs should be climbed as high as possible, then traverse 12 ft. (4th class) into the right trough. (This is the only place rope is needed) At the top of this trough cut back to the left trough and use it up to a ledge that runs at right angles. Follow the ledge right, up through a narrow notch. This brings one out on a large platform high above a deep canyon which separates the summit on the other side. Descend to the right about 50' then over a 200' high rugged intermediate ridge. Once over this, walk left for 1/4 mile to the summit, the cairn of which is plainly visible. Climbing time was 4 hours.
The hiking route skirts the base of the mountain to the left, entering the first big canyon north of Palm Canyon. Follow up the stream bed until three or four big
 
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