Newsletter of the Peak Climbing Section, Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter

DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 8 Matterhorn Peak TIME: 7:30 p.m. LOCATION: the difficult way The Pacific Mountaineer T WAS an ingenuous plan- seemed impressed, and wished us 200 Hamilton Ave. instead of climbing Matterhom luck. Palo Alto Peak from nearby Twin Lakes, We arrived at the lake about 3 PROGRAM: “A Visit to the I we’d approach it from Green Lake p.m.-tired from the hike in, thunder- Pamirs,” by Nina Poletika. The instead, and climb Virginia Peak storms threatening, the girls from Pamirs occupy that intrigue- (12,001) and Whorl Mountain Mammoth camped below, and the filled part of the world where (12,029) along the way. east face of Virginia waiting above, Marco Polo once passed and And so six of us gathered on a looking almost vertical and very where Afghanistan and China sparkling Friday morning in mid- loose. butt up against what used to be August-leader John Ingvoldstad and And so we did what any red- the USSR. Formed where the his wife Kate, Mike Hayden, Larry blooded PCSer would do-flopped on the grass for a few minutes, then Karakoram and Tien Shan Sasscer, Bob Suzuki, and me. After puttering with our gear, we hit the stuffed raingear, water, and snacks ranges converge, the Pamirs trail about 9:30 am., stopping for into our daypacks, and headed up the boast 7,000-meter peaks, lunch at sparkling Green Lake. scree toward the face above. Larry including two due for name The sky began clouding up as we said he’d descended the face on a changes: Peak Communism and crossed into previous trip, though he was a bit Peak Lenin. at Virginia Pass, and from there we vague about his exact route. left the trails behind until Sunday, and We climbed to the bottom of a headed cross-country toward the large, dark triangular formation in the unnamed lake just southeast of center of the face, and looked up some obscure, steep gullies heading to And then it happened-the the left. But John recommended we moment that occurs on just about bear to the right, and that proved to be every PCS trip. Staggering through the way to go. the brush in an obscure alpine valley, (con't on page 5) we came upon two attractive young ladies, who mentioned that they were camped nearby with 11 women from Correction Mammoth, and would it be possible The number printed in last for us to drop by their camp this month’s SCREE for Steve Eckert was evening and share their campfire? wrong. The correct number is (415) Well of course, we said, but first 508-0500. This is number to call to we had to go cheat death on the steep sign up so you can log on to file or dark blade of Virginia Peak, towering read SCRE articles on Steve’s Apollo above where we all stood. They work station. DISCOVERY PEAK Include phone numbers, time and 3,841 ft., class 1 place od departure, mailing address, Leader: Cecil Magiocco Leader: Dinesh Desai etc. (408) 946- 1238 (4 15) 969-2695 Rocky Ridge, Las Trampas You won’t find this peak on the Nov. 9-10 Regional Wilderness, in the East Bay USGS maps, but it is the highest PYRAMID PEAK Hills, is the setting for this condition- point in Alameda County. With 18 9,983 ft, class 2 ing hike.We’l l take a varied route miles and a 4,000-foot gain, this trip RALSTON PEAK across remote canyons and ridges. should help keep you in shape. Meet 9,235 ft., class 2 Eighteen miles; 4,300 feet of at 7 am. near the restrooms in Del Leader: KelIy Maas elevation gain. ValIe Regional Park, south of (408) 279-2054, h Livemore. (408) 944-2078, w Dec. 26-Jan. 1 Let’s visit the high country one CHRISTMAS DESERT PEAK Oct. 19-20 more time before the ski season BAGGING YOSEMITE VALLEY CAR CAMP begins. These peaks are in the Leader: Bill Hauser Leader: Gary Pinson Desolation Wilderness, southwest of (408) 2434566 (408) 997-0298 9:30 to 11 p.m. Lake Tahoe. We’ll do one climb each Meet at the Carlos Toto’s Theatre, Art and other cultural day, with a camp in Desolation Mexican restaurant on Main Street in activities, as well as four-star restau- Valley. This backpacking trip is not Barstow at 7 a.m. on Dec. 26 to climb rants and showers, await the more too strenuous, but is mostly off trail. East Ord Mountain (6,181 ft., refined outdoorsperson. Hikes T.B.D. Enjoy great views (I hope) and elevation gain: 2,000 feet). We will (possibilities include South Rim invigorating fall air. Be prepared for caravan and do Old Woman (2,200 Traverse, El Capitan or Liberty Cap.) any weather. Heavy snow might feet gain), Spectre (4,400 ft.), Granite Limited space! Send check for $6 per cancel, but light snow will not. Co- (4,331 ft.) and Rosa Peak (5,038 ft., person (campsite and all-day limo leader -wanted. 4,000-ft. gain). service) to G. Pinson, 6601 Tam

Leader: Steve Eckert

Private trips are neither insured, A three-day excursion following One way in Ohlone: We’ll walk rponsored nor supervised by the and exploring the chain of Pleistocene 29 miles with 6,800 feet of elevation Sierra Club or the PCS. There are lakes and rivers that once dominated gain and loss as a day hike. Be listed here because them may be of the area This area contains North prepared for a fast pace and few stops interest to PCS climbers. America’s largest deposit of potas- as we bag both Rose and Mission sium and its bet examples of tufa Peaks. Requires one-way car shuttle, Oct. 12-13 formations. so contact MT. ABBOT AREA CLIMBS Steve Eckert in advance if you are Contact Steve Eckert Oct. 18-20 interested. (4 15) 508-0500 UPPER COTTONWOOD CANYON Bill Donner and I are heading to BACKPACK Oct. 25-27 he Mt. Abbot area on Oct 12-13 with A Desert Survivors trip HOLE-IN-THE-WALL CAR CAMP objectives of Dade, Mills or Abbot, Leader: Steve Tabor A Desert Survivors trip lepending on the group. (510) 357-6585 Leader: Karen Rusiniak Call if you are interested. A moderately-paced three-day (510) 778-1879 backpack trip at higher elevations of A highlight of this trip to the East Oct. 12-14 Death Valley National Monument. Mojave Scenic Area wilI be visits to SEARLES VALLEY AND PANAM- We’ll start at 6,800 feet on Hunter at leat six petroglyphs and pictograph NT VALLEY CAR CAMP Mountain and hike down a trail to sites. Hole-in-the-Wall campground is A Desert Survivors trip Cottonwood Springs at 3,63 1 feet, a volcanic area of dramatic rock Leader: Dave McMullin then go back up. Cool temps, water towers and cliffs like Swiss cheese. 5 10) 549-2645 every day. Wildlife is plentiful there. page 2 Doug Robinson night just another fabulous urban legend? Alex Wallop of Missoula. ““It was a An informant in the National Park big war game. We were be- lpinist, adventurer and writer ing hunted.” Doug Robinson will be featured Service says the Department of the A Interior ordered rangers to deal Authorities said they had several guest at an event sponsored by the suspect, although no arrests were Black Mountain Grup to mark the harshly with Winnebago surfers, and to suppress all mention of Winnebago immeditly made. Sierra Club centermial. surfing in internal newsletters and “This is definitely borderline Robinson, an RCS alum who has stuff,” said Sheriff’s detective Jim become the ’s premier publications, lest the practice become Bailey. “It’s borderline attempted mountain guide, will present his ac- widespread” homicide.” claimed climbing video “Moving If Winnebago Surfing becomes Over Stone,” show slides and talk the next fad to sweep the nation, remember: you read it here first. about his experiences in the moun- Bear truth #2 tains. raw your own conclusions: A The event will be held at 7:30 Bear truth #l D family was recently camped at p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7 at the om Stienstra in the Examiner Bucks Lake in Plumas County when a SecondStage of the Mountain View T reports: A talkative bear, the bear made a raid on their food stash. Center for the Performing Arts. second reported in Alberta, Canada, All the chocolate chip cookies were Tickets are $5. To order, call in the past four years, reportedly told eaten, but the Snickerdoodles had (4 15) 903-6000. a young couple to “get the hell out of been spit out. these woods. This place is for bears.” Responded witness/camper Bob Bear truth #3 Excellent sport, dude Harmon: ““I only wish the micro- recent Associated Press story ally Glynn, SCREE’s Yosemite phone would have picked up the bear A from Calgary, Alberta: ““A S bureau chief, forwards the talking. Then everyone would know Canadian doctor used blood-sucking following report from an internal we aren’t making this up.” leeches to help sew back a man’s newsletter. Never ones to oververify a scalp after it had been ripped off by a good story, we offer no guarantees of Subjective danger grizzly bear.” its accuracy. ere’s a hazard they don’t warn Two observations: 1) The cure ‘The wonderfully dangerous you about in Freedom of the sounds only marginally better thanthe sport of Winnebago Surfing was Hills:H murderous yahoos tossing rocks affliction. 2) The human scalp is invented by rock climbers in a national down on you from above. In Montana apparently tastier than a Snicker- park in the western United States. The recently, a party of five climbers and a doodle. surfer lurks in an overhanging tree, dog nearly died from such an assault. rock or output port of a tunnel, and For three hours, the climbers in Now you know hops a ride on the top of a slow-mov- the Bitteroot Range, near the Idaho : Ama Dablam is a stunningly ing motor home driven by a tourist. border, said they dodged rocks the ‘The successful auto-surfer then Q beautiful peak near Everest that size of car hoods hurled at them from is often mistaken for the world’s waves at passing motorists, jumps up 1,000 feet above. tallest peak. What does its name and down noisily on the roof, or Some of the rocks shattered on hangs upside-down over the wind- mean? impact; others dislodged more rocks, A: In the Sherpa language, Ama shield and makes faces at the driver creating landslides that threatened to Dablam means “mother’s jewel box.” (while anchored securely with sweep the climbers off the wall. The climbing equipment, since the climbers scrambled for cover and panicking driver invariably hits the frantically rigged rappels to try to Today’s quote brakes!) dodge the fussilade. One man hink of everything you could “Ideally, the surfer catches wounded his knee and their dog was T possibly want on a climbing ex- another tree or pre-rigged rope and injured in a fall. pedition, say, of 30 hours. Cut out disappears vertically before the old- They had no doubt the rockfall from this all that you think might be timer (Winnebagoes are usually was manmade-and intentional. fairly easily dispensed with. Take with driven by those in their golden years) “‘They were yellign things like, you 50 percent of the remainder. can dismount to investigate. ‘We’re going to kill you,’ and - Harold Raeburn “Phew! Is anybody actually “How’d your dog like his fall,“’ said quoted in “Climbing Ice.” demented enough to do this, or is it Sierra register committee update HE SIERRA Register the problems of trying to preserve Remember that many of the Committee appreciates all of history. peaks the SRC covers were unnamed T the cash donations and work Ours is a problem of real-world at the time of their original ascents. done by PCS members, but I need to archeology so our checklists, photo- Many peaks are still unnamed, and emphasize a couple of things. graphs and good procedures are these peaks in some cases have only First, it is extremely important to critical. We are accountable to the been ascended 2-3 times in the more be thorough when handling summit NationaI Park Service, the Sierra Club remote cases. registers. The SRC functions as a pre- History and Mountaineering Commit- Imagine making the third ascent server of mountaineering history. tees, and future climbers as well as (ever) of a Sierra peak. It can happen, Register maintenance is a secondary ourselves and you. but it is not likely that peak will be function. The SRC has a checklist, It is not that we keep information one of the highest peaks, nor may it and it is important to follow a set of secret, but that we maintain strict have “a name.” You have to make a procedures so as to neither forget im- control of information and keep the choice: higher, more popular peaks or portant information nor damage the scale down. lesser, more obscure but less fre- existing register container and register Maintenance of popular peak quently ascended peaks. The choice is book. A hearsay report can tell us registers is more a providence of the yours, but you can climb a mix of Angeles Chapter Sierra Peaks both like I do. But that is history. “hearsay” reports, we need more Section. The SRC passes some of this Please, what ever you do do not information. information on to them, and we have remove summit registers without Our procedures include not only a limited overlap of function, but they some authority. checking, tagging, replacing, and only cover the most popular 200-plus If you are interested in helping restoring books, but also placing and peaks. We will give out the SPS list out, please contact me at (415) 961- securing containers (boxes). This as a means to denoting lowest priority 6772. includes bolting down boxes to peaks (mostly). - Eugene Miya prevent theft, recording ascent information, or register contents Assessment is a critical function, Trespassing: It’s the Si and SRC members must consider themselves students of mountaineer- Club vs Raoul Mocho & Co. ing, and specially Sierra Nevada ROM PHILLIP S. Berry, Sierra Club President Berry, we will history. Helpers should read books by F Club president, comes a continue to climb private property Clarence King, Norman Clyde, and warning against trespassing during peaks on a real sneak basis, mainly to others. This will help establish a any trips involving the club or any prevent FBI infiltration and to re-state baseline to understand people, place sub-entity of the club: our right of access to named mountain names, and specific historical ““Without prior written approval summits. The guerilla warfare significance (like ascents, routes, of the Board of Directors of the climbers do not appreciate the events such the passing of Walter Club,” he writes, ““no member or unilateral decision-making process of Starr, Jr.) Study is important. Start sub-entity of the Club has authority to Mr. Berry. your reading now! trespass in the name of the Club or to “No one has the right to exclude For these reasons, the SRC has a take action by way of a “test case” other people from climbing a named set of priorities, since there are few of which arguably might be a trespass, peak. Mountain peaks have rights! us right now. Our priorities are even if it is believed in all good faith Let’s climb as many private peaks as established on the basis of informa- that a trespass will not occur by possible.” tion held by the SRC given to us the reasons of actions contemplated.” The views of Mr. Mocho do not the Sierra Club, U.C. Berkeley, the We’re sure that last clause means represent those of the Sierra Club, the Parks and Forests, and the historic something, although we’re having a PCS, SCREE, Pee Wee Herman or figures who did these ascents. Some heck of a time figuring out just what. anvone else. information is not made public to Anyway, the ever diplomatic Raoul prevent vandalism or theft. Mocho, president-for-life of the Trip report glut In a previous article, I noted Sneak Peak Section, weighs in with a We were buried under an parallels to the character Indiana response: avalanche of trip reports this month. lones. Remember that Dr. Jones was a ““Being fed up with the Adolph If yours didn’t make it in this issue, professional archeologist, and in fact Bush, CIA, DEA-like tactics of Sierra rest assured it will make it next time. in one of his films, he lectures about Whorl Mountain, and up the canyon the worsening weather convinced Matterhorn to Matterhorn and Twin Peaks. themtocallitaday. (con’t from page 1 ) The west side of the pass is a They thought there may be an He, Larry, Bob, and I spread out cliff, but Bob found a way down on easier way up from the south, but it’s horizontally on the face, each of us some steep class 3 slabs to the left. still probably class 4, which would searching for the best way up. (Kate On the way back, Bob and Larry make Whorl Yosemite’s hardest peak and Mike had stayed in camp.) found an easier way through the cliff over 12,000 feet. John, Mike, and I Spreading out horizontally also kept several hundred feet to the right got back to camp at 5 p.m., where us safe from the rocks we occasion- (north). So the easiest way over this Rate had spent the afternoon relaxing, ally kicked loose. pass from the east is probably to head after clambering around the Stanton The face was a lot easier than it for the low point, walk several Pass area in the morning. looked from below-basically steep hundred feet right along the ridge, Larry and Bob finally strolled in maze of buttresses and gullies, with then descend to the highest part of the about 7 p.m., and all of us were tired the gullies easy class 3 and loose, and talus field below. but happy after another wild day in the buttresses hard class 3 and fairly Matterhorn was our first objec- the mountains. Sunday morning we solid. tive, so we angled cross-country, hiked out under cloudless skies, then The sky darkened but the thunder dropping 1,200 feet into the grassy, met for lunch at the quaint Bridgeport gods stayed silent, and it dawned on flower-filled paradise below. We Inn before heading home over Sonora us that we were on a great fun climb. followed Spiller Creek upstream and Pass. Almost too soon we topped out on the were soon slogging up the tedious -Jim Ramaker 1700-foot face, just one hour after sandbox known as the southeast face leaving our camp. of Matterhom Peak, wondering what From the top we took in a this mountain has in common with its Inspiration comes spectacular array of peaks under the Swiss namesake. dark clouds-from Tower Peak in the We tried to avoid the worst of the at midnight for north to Ritter in the south, with every sand by keeping to the extreme right, Cathedral Peak peak in Yosemite in between. There next to some granite pinnacles there, was no summit register, so we just and by climbing straight up the class DEAS THAT burst upon you at took summit photos, goofed around, 3 cliff at the top, instead of following midnight after two bottles of and yelled to Kate and Mike down at the standard route at the left end of wine often don’t stand up to the the lake. the cliff. scrutiny of the next morning’s light. On the descent, we circled to the We topped out at noon, talked, But in Yosemite they sometimes take north, down steep talus to an un- ate lunch, read the register and off without waiting for dawn. named rockbound lake at 11,000 feet. enjoyed the spectacular summit, with I can’t remember whose idea it A 30-foot cliff below the lake blocked vertical cliffs dropping hundreds of was. Sally Glynn, Ron Lingelbach the way, but I found an easy way feet to the north and east. and I were polishing off the second down via a class 3 gully full of huge Besides all of Yosemite National bottle of chardonnay at Sally’s home yellow flowers, while Larry of course Park, we could see north past Sonora in Yosemite Valley, and someone climbed straight down the cliff. Pass, south past Lyell and Ritter, and suggested we climb Cathedral Peak Back in camp we washed up and east far into the Nevada desert Just the next day. cooked supper, and then Larry and don’t back up too far when posing for Before logic and rationality had a John hiked a mile or so cross-country that summit photo. The soft sand chance to rear their nerdy heads, Sally to the beckoning campfire of the came in handy on the descent, was on the phone to a friend at the women from Mammoth. They had a cushioning our legs as we jogged Medical Clinic, rounding up all the great time and returned with a couple quickly down. gear we would need for the summit of names and addresses, having told Larry and Bob split off part way block: a rope, a harness, carabiners, the women that they wanted to send down to traverse the ridge south slings and a couple friends and stop- them a copy of SCREE. (Now there’s toward Whorl, while Mike, John, and pers. an original line.) I retraced our route back across the And what about those angry Saturday was our big day, and we got valley to Stanton Pass. thunderstorms that had been crackling an early start and headed up the When we reached the pass, the through Yosemite’s high country boulders toward Stanton Pass, the thunder gods started booming, and a every afternoon? Well, we told 11,200-foot notch south of Virginia wall of rain and hail swept in as we ourselves we’d just have to get an Peak. We climbed some class 3 slabs frantically pulled on our rain gear. early start-easier said than done just before the pass, and paused at the About this time, Larry and Bob were when you go to bed at 1 a.m. top to look across Spiller Creek nearing the northernmost of Whorl’s It seemed like only minutes Canyon to the granite knifeblade of three peeks, but class 4 climbing and (con't on next page) (con’t from last page) for a few moments, noting lots of Kelly Maas and I drove up to before our alarm clocks were going familiar PCS names, and then looked meet Aaron and Charles Schaefer at off, and I wondered if we would have up to see the flotilla of dark-bottomed the Onion Valley trailhead, west of been better off just staying up thunderheads closer than we’d prefer. Independence. With five miles to go, watching C-SPAN and infomercials Downclimbing the summit block a squirrel darted in front of our car. on late-night TV. was harder than ascending it, but by Kelly, reacting swiftly, ran over it We were all feeling a little fuzzy flipping the rope over the top we with both the front and rear tires. As a headed at dawn as we hopped into could offer an upper belay to every- sickened look came over his face, I Sally’s Isuzu Trooper for the drive to one. This was especially appreciated wondered if this might be some sort . But the excite- by me, since I was last. of omen. ment of our adventure soon took over. It was a quick scramble back to Sure enough, at the trailhead we Sally was particularly stoked; this the north shoulder, and then a were greeted by two weatherbeaten would be her first roped climb. combination plunge-step and glissade figures looking less than excited With nervous glances to the east down the scree into the valley below. about the prospect of trudging 35 for approaching thunderheads, we Just as we hit the first scraggly more miles through the backcountry. walked briskly up the climbers’ trail trees, we heard the initial crackle- Complaining about their tired bodies, along Budd Creek into the magnifi- boom of thunder and felt the first they opted out for a couple of day cent cirque formed by Unicorn Peak, raindrops on our shoulders. We hikes to Mt. Gould and Independence the Cockscomb, Echo Peaks and grinned the grins of people who Peak, leaving Mt. Clarence King for Cathedral Peak. realize they’ve gotten away with just Kelly and me. Adrenaline carried us up the scree and something. The four of us left the trailhead talus slopes to the peak’s north -John Flinn together and ambled up towards shoulder as the first beligerent- Kcarsarge pass on an exceptionally looking clouds appeared on the smooth and gentle trail. While gaining horizon. Eight becomes two 2600 feet, it was a relatively easy Half an hour later, after a bit of on an ascent of walk and the view of the surrounding traversing and scrambling, we were mountains, bathed in mist, was assembled at the airy notch below Mt. Clarence King wonderful. Not content with our Cathedral’s outrageous summit. tower. vantage point, we slogged up 1200 ft. TARTED out with a The breeze that blew through the gap of sand, scree and talus to the third upof eight signed up to felt as if it was carrying the charged class summit rocks of Mt. Gould Mt Clarence King ions of approaching trouble. Time to (13,005 ft.), offering some nice over the Aug. 18 weekend, but one by be swift. scrambling and an even better view. one our numbers were reduced. A We had only one harness, so Since it was almost 3 p.m., Kelly couple of sprained ankles, a law Sally took it. Ron and I tied in with and I left Aaron Charles to enjoy school acceptance, and simple fatigue bowlines-on-a-coil and used hip the peak and we started off on the brought the count down to two by the belays. Sometimes it’s handy know- remaining 11 or so miles of trail time the trip was actually underway. ing this old-fashioned stuff. between us and the Sixty Lakes Leader Aaron Schuman was With Sally in a middleman belay Basin. Although we made excellent among the casualties, worn out after a (middleperson belay?), we each in time, Glen Pass took its toll on our long week in the mountains, including turn tiptoed across the easy but legs aud we decided to camp at Rae an ascent of Middle Palisade. The two vertiginous traverse to the steep Lakes and get an early start the next of us who remained enjoyed ideal parallel cracks that form me route up morning. weather and plenty of miles between the block. The climbing wasn’t At 7:30 am., after stashing the the trailhead and the peak-worth particularly difficult, but the awesome beer in a stream, we headed past Fin every inch of the way. exposure was enough to clear the last Dome toward our destination. Four or Anticipating good weather, and of the chardonnay cobwebs out of our five miles later, we stood at the base wanting to reduce my load, I removed minds. of Mt. Clarence King, reading and re- the bulky GoreTex rain pants I had Catheral Peak’s summit is one of reading the route description: ‘The been lugging around the mountains the most airy and spectacular in the saddle just south of the summit...class for so long. Then I noticed how Sierra-about the size of a dining 2-3.” Hmmm, is that a saddle? Or a perfectly a 22 oz. bottle of pale ale fit room table with absolutely sheer notch? It isn’t second class.... into the spot that the rain pants had dropoffs on every side. Sally, continu- As the loose third class turned to occupied. With my boots and clothes ing a tradition she started years ago loose fourth class, I began to whimper stuffed inside, my pack weighed on some nearby summits, shrieked as for a belay. Kelly obliged and we almost 40 pounds. So much for going she peaked. climbed up to the ridge where we had light! We thumbed through the register (con’t on next page) (con't from last page) The McGee Creek trailhead (south of the peak. a great view of the much easier saddle Convict Lake) is on the Mt. Morrison Bill Isherwood was on a roll, just south of where we had chosen to topo, but the bulk of our route was on setting a good pace and route. A knife ascend Fearing increased difficulties the Mt. Abbot map. ridge lead to the darker summit mass, ahead, I began to wonder if I might be The head of the group reached which has a number of class 3 options the next one to drop out of this trip. the campsite at Big McGee Lake on the east side. Just over three hours Fortunately, the ridge offered (10,500 feet) around 11:30 a.m. When from camp, we were rewarded with a solid rock and the climbing was just the tail of the group failed to show up, calm, sunny summit, plain fun. About 150 feet shy of the several went back to find that Mike By the way, Red and White is top, we climbed a very short easy fifth Hayden had passed out (!) briefly, black on top. class pitch, scrambled some more, apparently due to altitude sickness. Betting on the route, we dropped and then roped up again for the (He recovered later, and went on to back down to the saddle northeast summit blocks. A final airy move and bag the peak the next day.) from the peak, then turned east down Kelly was at the top; I followed him After a long wait and lunch, some a scree-filled gully. Staying to the up, albeit a bit clumsily. of us attempted Mt. Crocker (11,800 right of a rocky cleaver, we scrambled There was no register in sight, and feet) via the southwest saddle. down onto a snowfield suitable for a careful search of the area turned up Choosing a promising gully over the standing glissades. We picked up a only a plastic film cannister with a scree to our far right was a mistake: trailnearthesmalllakeat 11,200 couple names scrawled on the Having to choose between hard snow foot, and skirted around the north side backing paper of some Dr. Scholl’s or class 4-5 rock, plus a few rain- of Big McGee Lake back to camp. Moleskin. We added our names, a drops, convinced us to turn around We broke camp and left around piece of paper and a pen, and headed several hundred feet below the ridge. 1:30 am., with a cheap REI ther- down. (Scree routes to the west would have mometer reading 80 degrees in the Arriving back at camp in the early worked.) shade. Of course it got hotter during evening, the stream-cooled beer was a Aside from some good boulder the three-hour hike back to the cars, delight. Maybe next time I’11 leave calisthenics, all we got out of the producing our third casualty from my tent behind and take a second afternoon was a chance to patch up a either heat or dehydration (the author bottle. good size gash in Mike Meredith’s skipped dinner in Lee Vining, but We had an uneventful hike out the arm (two down, six to go). recovered after Highway 120 took its next day, back over Glen and Kear- The fun part started the next toll). sarge passes, stopping on the drive morning, with a 6:30 a.m. start for our Our group consisted of Chris home only long enough to stuff attempt on Red and White Peak: Too Kramar, Steve Eckert, Mike Hayden, ourselves on the buffet at the Bishop warm for sweaters but with a calm Bill Isherwood, Cecil Magliocco Sizzler. breeze pushing back the bugs. We (leader), Mike Meredith, Charles Mt. Clarence King (12,905 ft., went up the trail to just below Little Shafer and Paul Vlasveld (co-leader). class 5.4) McGee Lake, then angled just to the -- Steve Eckert Topo: Mt. Pinchot left of the 12,300-foot bump north of Trailhead: Onion Valley (camp- ground nearby) Elevation gain: 9,000 ft. Suggested beverage: Earthquake Pale SEE YOUR AD HERE: We will EXPEDITION GEAR WANTED: Ale publish classified ads here free for PCS Used down or synthetic expedition parka - Jim Curl members or those wishing to advertise to and pants; also down or synthetic mittens them. Please let us know when you’ve (sire large or XL). Interested in renting or sold/bought/connected with what you buying for Nov-Dee Nepal trip. Butch It was Red and sought. Unless we hear from you, we will Suits. (415) 964-4227. drop your ad after three months. FOR SALE: Asolo Yukon Sport White and black NURSE NEEDED: Yosemite mountaineering boots. Men’s 11 med. Medical Clinic, located in Yosemite Very little use. Perfect condition. $125. on the summit National Park, is looking for RNs with ER Also, three-season, two-person backpack- ing tent. 5 l/2 pounds. $100. Skip Perry. OPING FOR time to sneak or ICU experience, who would rather spend their free time hiking, big, (415) 946-0766. in a second peak, we left the climbing or skiing instead of stuck in BACKPACK WANTED: Looking to Hcars at 7:30 a.m. on a surpris- freeway or city traffic. Limited housing in buy a used internal frame pack in good ingly warm morning. Despite previ- Yosemite Valley provided. Please call condition. Am interested in something ous grumbling, the heat and persistent Cathy or Robin at (209) 372-4637 or write similar to a North Face Inca Trail that fits mosquitos soon made it seem that a to P.O. Box 547, Yosemite, CA 95389. a 5-foot-6-inch woman. Lenore Cymes. predawn start might have been better. (415) 857-0599. CHAIRPERSON: SCREE is a publication of the Peak Climbing Section of the Aaron Schuman Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter. Subscriptions are $10 per year. 223 Horizon Checks should be sent to the treasurer, Debbie Benham. To Mtn. View, CA 94043 ensure an uninterrrupted subscription, renewal checks must be (415) 9689184 h, before 9 p.m. received no later than the last Tuesday of the expiration month. (415) 335-1901 w For change of address, write or call Paul Vlasveld, 157 Kellogg VICE CHAIR/SCHEDULER: Way, Santa Clara 95051. (408) 241-1144 h / (408) 257-7910 w. Debbie Bulger PCS meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month. 1808 Bay St. See SCREE for meeting location and program information. Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (408) 457-1036 Trip classifications: Class 1: Waking on a trail. TREASURER: Class 2: Walking cross-country, using hands for balance. Debbie Benham Class 3: Requires use of hands for climbing. A rope may be 1984 N. Star Circle used occasionally. San Jose, CA 95131 Class 4: Requires rope belays. (408) 945-8030 h Class 5: Technical rock climbing.

SCREE EDITOR: Deadline for SCREE contributions is two weeks before the next John Flinn meeting. Mail your contributions to the SCREE editor. 133 Promethean Way Mtn. View, CA 94043 (415) 968-2050 h, before 10 p.m. (415) 777-8705

157 Kellogg Way Santa Clara, CA 95051

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