Pleasant Point

17-Oct-98 (List Finish)

By: Patty Kline

This gloriously beautiful List too me 10 years and 2 months to complete. In August 1988 I got my first 2 peaks, Boundary and Montgomery. It was a DPS trip I assisted Frank Dobos on.

For this list half the fun was getting there. The crux peak for me was Big Picacho. After I aborted on Memorial Day 1993, the opportunity didn't arise until 2 years later on Memorial Day 1995 when Steve Nardi took me up the peak.

There were 3 other spectacular peaks which took me more than one try. South Guardian Angel, Moapa and Baboquivari. I aborted South Guardian Angel 2 times. The first time I was camped just below the Subway before I turned back, and the second time was a day hike where I turned back just above the Slime Traverse. Ted Brasket took me up South Guardian Angel on May 31, 1998 as a day hike. He also took me up Baboquivari and Moapa.

Elaborate plans were laid for the "Mother" of all list completion parties. I say any excuse for a party, especially a big one. It happened on Saturday, October 17th, at the restored/hotel of the Cerro Gordo silver mining ghost town.

First came the hike to the peak from Cerro Gordo. I was accompanied by 115 people including my daughter Julie Mills. Probably, it was a peak bagging record number for an official Sierra Club hike. We got under way about 8:45 am with Erik Siering leading and Randy Bernard and Annie Kramer sweeping. Rich Gnagy and Mirna and Greg Roach. were the other three leaders. The three mile ascent of 1500 feet was half on dirt road and half on a ridge to the peak after leaving the dirt road. Views were very impressive of Whitney and the Sierra Crest on one side and Saline Valley on the other side.

We spotted a lone hiker ahead of us who probably thought he was witnessing a migration from a foreign country. We invited him to the party and he willingly accepted.

On top at 11:45 AM, Linda McDermott dipped my List Completion Pin in champagne and pinned it on my hat, saying, "There is no one I wanted to see finish the list more than Patty."

I gave her a pair of lavender angel wings to tie on her back for recommending Cerro Gordo as the site of the party. I gave Ted Brasket a brass plaque from me thanking him for making my dream of list completion come true. Rich Gnagy and Erik Siering each got a new set of World War II pitons and ice screws.

The serious party started about 3:30 PM on the veranda of the hotel. Dinner for 113 was served starting at 4:30 pm. A catered dinner was a first for a Desert Peaks List Finish, or for any other list finish as far as I know. After a salad, lasagna, garlic bread and dessert, the BYOB party went on until about midnight. During dinner we had live entertainment by a country singer. Sherry Harsh did the best reading of the "Crearnation of Sam McGee" that I have ever heard. Our gracious hosts were Jody Stewart and Mike Patterson, who own the town. Many thanks to Jody for a job well done on the catering.

Sunday mornin Linda McDermott Ellen Senior and Ron Grau put on a pancake breakfast for everyone. Many people then went on to climb New York Butte while I joined about 25 people in 3.5 hour lecture and tour of Cerro Gordo ( given by knowledgeable Mike Patterson.

Thus ended abeautiful weekend Is there life after the list'? Well my main pass time now is rock climbing, but will never stop going to the desert to visit some of the peaks I have already climbed and do some exploratories.