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Scree
Newsletter of the Peak Climbing Section, Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter
December, 1995 Vol. 28, No. 12
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EScree Publisher's Note: The hardcopy Scree is now being created in
MicroSoft Word V6, which should be the same format for PC and MAC
versions. The entire document is over 200kB, but I would be willing
to email a test version to anyone who has the ability to "uudecode"
binary files (I can send you a DOS version of uudecode, and I know
it is available on the Internet for MacOS). If there is a Word/HTML
converter available, we can put the entire Scree, pictures and all,
in our Web page. Contact eckert@netcom.com if you are interested.
- Ed.
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NEXT MEETING
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PROGRAM: Party!
DATE: Tuesday 12 Dec 1995
TIME: 7:30 pm
LOCATION: The famous Cafe Iris at Silicon Graphics
To get to Silicon Graphics, take the Shoreline Blvd exit
from US-101 in Mountain View. From either the
northbound or southbound directions, make a right exit,
then turn left at the top of the ramp, heading north
through the industrial park.
1.3 miles from the top of the ramp, there'll be the
unmistakable Shoreline Amphitheater on your left - a
giant two poled white tent Another landmark at the same
corner is the charming red abstract sculpture on your
right.
Turn right at that corner, onto Stierlin Court. You're on
the SGI campus. Park anywhere that isn't a fire lane, a
handicapped space, or a loading dock. Building 5 (with
Cafe Iris) is the fourth building on the right.
Bring your "best" potluck dish. If you need a suggestion
for what to bring, follow this guide based on the initial
letter of your last name:
- A-F: snacks, appetizers, salads (28%)
- G-L: drinks (25%)
- M-R: main course (24%)
- S-Z: desserts (23%)
NOTE: Names have been re-arranged from last year to
avoid picking on the same people!
^
|
to the Bay
| | ------ ------ ------ ----- ^
| S | | | | | | | | | |
^ ^ | h | | 12 | | 11 | | 10 | | 9 | North
/ v \ | o | | | | | | | | | |
/ \| r | ------ ------ ------ ----- ^
Amph. | e |
| l | -----
--------- i ---------------------------------------------------| | |
Amphith. n Stierlin Court | | 8 |
Pkwy e | | |
--------- ---------------------------------------------------| | |
| B |(S) -----
| l | |
| v | ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
| d | | | | | | | |(C)| | | | |
| | | 1 | | 2 |-| 3 | (G) | 5 |-| 6 | | 7 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
| |
| | (S) = Charming Red Abstract Sculpture
to US-101 (G) = Gazebo
| (C) = Cafe Iris
v
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PCS Holiday Party
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We looked for graphics of a pine tree, a menorah, the
Matterhorn, a creche, etc.... But in the end we decided to
use these pretty pictures instead so as not to offend
anyone! If you care about the name of the party, make
sure to bring it up at the meeting.
This Winter Climbing Celebration (sometimes called
"The Christmas Party", by people who don't know about
the Chanukah Celebration, the Solstice Fling, or the
Kwaanza Bash) will be a rousing evening of food and
drink, songs and games (nerds are welcome also,
according to one of the organizers). There will be a
potluck dinner, followed by a slide show of everybody's
favorite trips. Bring ten of your most exciting,
embarrassing, or "hideous exposure" slides to show at the
party!
There's updated information and even a gif map to the
Cafe Iris in
http://reality.sgi.com/csp/pcs/xmas.html
Aaron and Anouchka, our co-sponsors at SGI, managed to
get access to this facility at no charge.!
Thanks, SGI !
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1996 PCS Roster Needs Updating
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Paul Vlasveld will have the current PCS mailing list at the
December meeting. Plan to attend, and to check your
name/address/phone/email information. The 1996 roster
will be published in the January or February Scree, and
will contain email addresses for those who wish to release
them. You must contact Paul if you wish to have your
email info listed (just being signed up for the SC-PCS
Email broadcast is not enough because your name is not
always associated with your email address).
We need to help the new PCS treasurer (Jim Ramaker)
start the official membership list at the meeting also, now
that those who have a free EScree subscription (as
opposed to the hardcopy Scree) can still be listed as PCS
members with the right to vote.
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Multi-Media Trip Reports
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Those who read trip reports on the PCS web page should
be overjoyed to see the arrival of multimedia reports.
Kelly's story of his trek up Mount Ritter in August 1995,
http://reality.sgi.com/csp/pcs/Reports/1995.8.html#ritter
includes a bit of highlighted text referring to a photo.
Click on that text, and you download a splendid gif image
(retouched by Anouchka) of four of Kelly's companions
struggling up the glacier.
Peter's July 1995 trip to Mont Blanc ("Aguille to
Disagree") is another example:
http://reality.sgi.com/csp/pcs/Reports/1995.8.html#argentiere
I'd encourage PCS reporters to provide me with
multimedia material. Photos are the likeliest extension to
prose, but I'll take audio tape, video tape, virtual reality
models, you name it. If it can be sent over the web, I'll
publish it.
The kind of pictures I want are action shots of PCS people
having fun climbing. Or PCS people scared out of their
minds climbing. Or PCS people freezing their butts off
climbing. Good facial expression is everything in a photo.
I don't need scenery shots without people. I don't really
like posed summit photos unless they tell a story.
If you are lucky enough to have a color scanner, you can
email scanned images to . But for
everybody else, just loan me your prints. I'll scan them for
you and return them.
If you can view MPEG video, take a look at Jim Curl's
glorious ascent of Mount Sill on July 3, 1993, in Victor
Anderson's video,
http://reality.sgi.com/csp/pcs/MultiMedia/sill.mpg
- Aaron Schuman
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PCS / STS / DHS / CMC / SPS OnLine!
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Whether or not you are receiving the hardcopy Scree,
consider signing up for the SC-PCS Email broadcast: We
exchange up-to-the-minute road conditions, items of
general interest for which there is not room in the Scree,
and last-minute trip announcements. Anyone can send
messages to the entire list, which now has about 170
subscribers, compared to 200 hardcopy Scree subscribers.
For information, send email to
with the one-line message
info sc-pcs
or subscribe with the one-line message
subscribe sc-pcs
There are several other lists associated with the Loma
Prieta Chapter. I'm working with the Ski Touring Section
to get their newsletter (Track) sent out via email, and the
Day Hiking Section already sends their schedules over
their broadcast list. To find out more, just replace "sc-pcs"
with "sc-sts" or "sc-dhs" in the info/subscribe lines above.
In a similar vein, there is an email broadcast list for the
California Mountaineering Club. This group has
broadcast their climbing schedule also. For information,
send email to with the message
info ca-cmc
or subscribe with the one-line message
subscribe ca-cmc
If you would like an electronic copy of the National,
Chapter, or PCS bylaws, you can get them by sending
Email to with one or more of
these lines in the message:
GET /pub/ec/eckert/broadcast/SierraClubBylaws.txt
GET /pub/ec/eckert/broadcast/LomaPrietaChapterBylaws.txt
GET /pub/ec/eckert/broadcast/PeakClimbingSectionBylaws.txt
For a complete list of the files available, including a list of
Sierra Peaks and Ranger Contact info, the last few issues
of the EScree, and official Sierra Club policies, send this
two-line message to
DIR /pub/ec/eckert/broadcast
DIR /pub/ec/eckert/SierraClubArchives
We just received word that the Sierra Peaks Section (SPS)
and several other sections from the Angeles Chapter
intend to start broadcasting their climbing schedule also,
since we often climb in the same places and many people
are members of both groups.
At this time, I don't plan to include the SPS schedule in
the Scree, since they have so many hikes, but I'll certainly
consider it if there is a demand. On the next page you'll
find an extract of their most recent schedule, in case
you're going to LA for the holidays
- Ed.
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SPS/DPS/HPS December Schedule Summary
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Here's a summary listing of the next month's outings of
the Angeles Chapter's climbing sections (HPS, DPS, SPS).
Members and nonmembers welcome.
If it's welcome, I plan to post a regular monthly list of
Angeles climbing outings [on the sc-pcs email broadcast]
for anyone who's interested and around to join us.
We're getting the climbing sections working together on
common interests, both inside and outside the Chapter.
Our recent ExComm election is a demonstration; half of
the ten-member board are now SPS members/leaders.
Let's get more inter-Chapter outings participation and
dialog going. The SPS (and CMC) has facilitated some of
that, with it's far-flung membership. Your list server is a
great example of what can be done.
DEC 2 - O: Topatopa Bluff (6367')
Strenuous, 14 miles, 4500' gain.
DEC 2-3 - I: Last Chance (8456'), Sandy
(7062'): Two moderate trudges in
Death Valley
DEC 2-3 - I: Sheephole Mtn (2927'), Pinto
Mtn (3983'): Sat easy 9 mi rt, 2400'
gain, Sun 5 mi rt, 2100' gain.
DEC 2-3 - I: Rosa Point (5038'), Villager
(5756'): Tough class 2 cross-country
peaks in Anza Borrego.
DEC 2-3 - I: Rabbit Peak (6640'),
Villager (5756') Very strenuous
approximately 21 mi, 7400' gain
backpack all cross-country.
DEC 9 - O: San Gabriel (6161'), Mt
Disappointment (5994'), Mt Deception
(5796'): 6 mi rt, 1300' gain.
DEC 9 - O: Round (5272'), Luna (5967'),
Rattlesnake (6131'): Moderately easy,
8 miles, 2200' gain.
DEC 9-10 - I: Stepladder Mtn (2927'),
Chemehuevi Peak (3694'): Moderately
paced climb in San Bernardino.
DEC 13 - SPS Annual Banquet Celebrating
40 Year of Sierra Club Climbing.
DEC 16 - O: Monrovia Peak (5409'):
Strenuous 12 mi rt, 5000' gain hike
from Monrovia Canyon Park.
DEC 16-17 - M: Kofa (4877'), Castle Dome
(3788'): Join aging leader for class
3+ scramble in distant Arizona.
DEC 16-17 - I: Beauty Pk (5548'), Iron
Springs Mtn (5755'), Combs Pk (6193')
Two bush heaps.
DEC 30 - O: Josephine Peak (5558'):
Prepare for the New Year with this
moderate hike to local peak; 6mi
rt,1800'.
- Erik Siering (very much condensed for Scree)
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Winds In The Night
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Siamak Navid, Bill Kirkpatrick, and I (Jim Ramaker)
drove over to the Palisades to tackle Mt. Winchell
(13,768) on a three-day weekend in mid-September. We
spent the first night at Deadman Summit on Highway 395
-- if you're heading over to the Bishop area, Deadman
Summit is far warmer and more comfortable than Camp
9, and it's only about 1000 feet lower, so you still get
some acclimatization.
On Friday morning we drove to Glacier Lodge on the Big
Pine Creek road for breakfast, then shouldered our packs
about 9:30 and hiked up past First, Second, and Third
Lakes. About 2:30 we arrived at Sam Mack Meadow, a
100-yard long patch of bright green grass amid the rocks
at 11,000 feet, with one of those wide, shallow alpine
creeks running down the middle of it. We set up camp in
the rocky grove of trees to the right and took naps in the
afternoon sun.
A wind came up in the late afternoon, and things cooled
off quickly as the sun dipped below the massive 14,000
foot ridge of Thunderbolt Peak to the southwest. After
supper the wind really started blowing, so we climbed in
our bags around 7 to keep warm. We thought we'd lie
awake for hours waiting to get tired, but actually it was a
wonderful experience lying there toasty warm while the
wind roared across the ridges and through the trees, the
sky slowly darkened, and the stars and the Milky Way
appeared.
Saturday morning we were up at 6 and rolling just after 7.
A steep snow gully at the west end of the meadow offered
a direct route to the alpine basin above, but it was rock
hard at this hour so we turned right and climbed up ledges
toward rockbound Sam Mack Lake. At the far end of the
lake we got caught up on a hump with cliffs dropping off
to left, right, and center, but Siamak found a way to climb
down so we could go forward instead of retracing our
steps. For the next two hours we walked gently upward
across snowfields and moraines, arriving at the base of the
peak around 10.
We spotted the two gullies mentioned in Secor, separated
by a steep buttress with two pinnacles on top of it. Just
right of the two pinnacles, high up in the right hand gully,
is a prominent area of white rock. We climbed up the
right hand gully to the top edge of the area of white rock
(which is about 50 feet from the top of the gully), then
traversed left and crossed the buttress into the left hand
gully, which is much easier than the right hand gully at
this point. From there, a couple hundred feet of easy class
3 took us to the summit.
Siamak and I topped out at 11:30, and then Siamak
generously climbed down several hundred feet to check on
Bill, who'd been climbing at his own pace. After awhile
all three of us were on top, enjoying the views of
Thunderbolt, North Pal, and their glaciers, and Dusy
Basin and the Mt. Goddard area to the west. Last night's
wind had died down, so we spent over an hour on top,
taking hero photos, eating lunch, and reading the register.
Descent down the gully and the moraines, past a
snowbound, iceberg-filled lake, and down the steep snow
gully to the meadow took about 2 « hours, so we had
plenty of time for another great afternoon nap before
cooking supper. Around 6 the wind came up again, so we
retreated to our bags again around 7 to get warm, thus
ensuring a PCS record for hours of sleep on a weekend
climbing trip.
Sometime in the wee hours I was jolted awake by a weird
yowling sound close by, and next morning I found some
large prints with claw marks in the mud by the creek, so
it's possible we were visited by a mountain lion. I
carefully scanned the barren valley for him next morning
but of course the phantom had disappeared.
Over breakfast we talked to a couple of technical climbers
camped nearby. They were planning to do the Palisades
traverse from Thunderbolt Peak to Mt. Sill, but they gave
new meaning to the term non-alpine start_at 9 a.m.
when we hiked out they were still puttering around
cooking breakfast.
The hike out was pleasant except for the last hour through
treeless high-desert sagebrush in the hot sun. Thankfully,
we were at the car by noon, and by 1 p.m. we were sitting
in the air-conditioned Sizzler in Bishop, as another
grueling PCS epic drew to a close.
- Jim Ramaker
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The Ladies And I Go For A Stroll
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Twice in October I listed an extreme hike with both the
Day Hiking and Peak Climbing Sections. Twice in
October I was the only male on the trip. Hey, guys, what's
up? Gone soft? It's not all bad to be surrounded by the
opposite sex, but it makes you careful about the jokes you
tell... Anyway, here's just a quick note about each climb:
Clouds Rest and Half Dome on 10/14/95: Dee Booth,
Suzanne Remien, Bonnie Reusch, and Steve Eckert took
advantage of Cecil Magliocco's Yosemite car camp
arrangements as a jumping off point for this day hike. We
gathered at Happy Isles (in Yosemite Valley) just at first
light and stormed up the Mist Trail. Despite the fears of
some, the "mist" was only a memory at this time of year,
the steps were all dry and the climb was not as cold as
anticipated. Two of us stopped for water in Little
Yosemite Valley, and spent the next hour and a half
trying to catch Dee and Bonnie. Dee summitted first,
singing "Rocky's Theme" and dancing on the rocks. (OK,
not really dancing, but showing the obvious advantages of
concerted training.)
We had a nice long lunch and headed over to Half Dome,
where the cable supports had already been taken down for
the season. It was late enough in the day that the crowd
was thinning, and we took advantage of the pile of gloves
at the bottom of the cables. The cables had to be picked up
as you walked up the slope, but this was not really a
problem. Dee got to the cables first, but decided not to go
up again, and Bonnie had a last-minute surge of energy as
perhaps the last person to summit that day. We made our
way back to the cars as it got dark, after about 8000' of
gain and 27 miles, and finished off the day with beer and
chips in the Valley (more smoky than usual due to
"controlled burn" fires).
San Jacinto on 10/28/95: Dee Booth, Bonnie Reusch, and
Steve Eckert joined the Coachella Valley Hiking Club for
their third annual "Cactus to Clouds Challenge" day hike.
Dinesh Desai tipped us off that this climb was becoming a
classic: The "Outlaw Trail" starts in Palm Springs (at the
west end of Ramon Road just off Highway 111) and winds
up through the desert to Long Valley (the upper end of the
aerial tram). This trail is not maintained, but it's not
illegal either. From the tram station, the angle of ascent
tapers off and the trail becomes official.
The Angeles Chapter's Desert Peaks Section, and the San
Diego Peaks Club, also did climbs of the same route on
the same day, for a reported total of 80 people! It was
astonishing to those of us from the Bay Area that a day
hike with over 10,500' of gain could draw such a crowd,
but people in their 60's were slugging it out with best of
us. By starting before dawn, we avoided most of the heat.
The peak was cool (mid-40s) with high cloud cover and
haze in the valley, but we enjoyed it just the same. For
reference, the CVHC has 700 members, and is only 3
years old: That's an outreach program, eh? Anyway, on
the way back down, we stopped at the top of the tram for
an "Alpine Mudslide" - some concoction with Kahlua and
whipped cream and who knows what else. It did knock the
aches off the day.
- Steve Eckert
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WANT AD: Roommate
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M/F Roommate Wanted to share Townhouse: Santa Clara
near 237. $450/mo + 1/2 utilities includes: off street
parking, access to swimming pool, private bath, furnished
living spaces, use of kitchen etc. Non-smoking and non-
TV addicted only please. Phone 408-970-0760, or email
.
- Tim Hult
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Thanks & Goodbye to Kai
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Kai Wiedman has resigned as Chair of the Mountaineering
Committee after serving five long years. If any PCS member is
interested in filling this vacancy, please notify Debbie Benham
at 415/964-0558. The Mountaineering Chair is appointed by the
Section Chair, coordinates the Mountaineering Committee
(comprised of two other people, one of whom is the current Trip
Scheduler), and is one of three people to oversee PCS
Leadership. They review completed leadership applications and
decide eligibility for leading official, Sierra Club PCS trips.
Interested persons should be an active, experienced leader of the
Section and have shown sound judgment and mountaineering skill.
- Debbie Benham
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Climbing and Training Insurance Is Back!
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This article appeared in the "Group And Chapter Outings
Newsletter". This is a Sierra Club Publication dated
November 1995, Edition III, Sierra Club Outings
Department, 730 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 923-5652
Questions on outings policies and insurance (including
certificates of insurance): Cathy Benton (415) 923-5652 or
Hamilton Leong (415) 923-5574. You can also access these and
other Sierra Club people through the Internet at
- Charlie Knapke
MOUNTAINEERING COVERAGE EXPANDED!
Limited training now allowed!
The Club's insurance coverage has been renewed and expanded
effective November 1st. We are pleased to report that we
negotiated broader coverage for our domestic liability insurance
while keeping the premium the same.
Leaders have done an exemplary job of conducting outings and
events where safety is of primary concern.
We're also please to report that limited training, which was
previously excluded on rock-climbing and mountaineering trips,
will now be allowed. This coverage extends to instruction
courses designed to improve or certify climbing skills for leaders
of such activities, or to instruction courses or training schools for
participants who are Sierra Club members, designed to improve
climbing skills. As in the past, all rock-climbing and
mountaineering activities must be certified in advance by the
Mountaineering Oversight Committee, (Cal French, chair). For
information or an application, contact Cathy Benton (see
resources box, page 4).
Participants on rock-climbing/mountaineering outings will no
longer be assessed a $10 per day fee for Accidental Death and
Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage, nor will the leaders have to
pay for Workers Compensation coverage, though they will still
be covered by the policy.
Leaders will still be required to complete an After Trip Report
within 30 days of the trip end date. By applying for, obtaining
approval for, and running a mountaineering/rock-climbing
outing, leaders agree to fulfill this essential part of the
requirements.
As with any trip, leaders are also required to return an Accident
or Illness Report whenever an injury or accident occurs. Any
serious injury should be reported immediately by telephone and
followed up with a written report.
Our thanks go out for all the Outings Leaders for their efforts in
contributing to an effective risk management program.
The risk management team is planning to update the insurance
manual for distribution in the spring. If you have any questions
or comments that would help make the manual more effective,
please let us know very soon so that we may incorporate your
comments.
- Cathy Benton and Hamilton Leong
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Changes Coming for Permit Reservations
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Peter and I checked at a few ranger stations on Labor Day
weekend to find current quotas for trailheads. We were
told that the backcountry permit system was to be
revamped for the next permit season and to be taken over
by a private service. Quotas also may be changes, we were
told. We were to keep checking back. I can't remember if
this was mentioned at any of the meetings.
Today I called Mike Morse, (619)924-5511, at the
Mammoth Ranger station to check on the status of the
situation. He's the backcountry ranger, I think. He said
that they're still accepting bids from folks to take over the
system, but that it would be in place by March l. When I
asked him if it also affected Yosemite, with the Feb. 1
deadline, he said he thought it only involved the Inyo
National Forest trailheads.
Peter and I had thought the change was to cover the whole
Sierra. So that's the latest info. Morse advised me to call
again in January and to also check the papers as it will be
explained there as well.
If I'm not at the next meeting, arrive late, leave early, etc.,
will someone please report this information? Thanks,
- Cecil Magliocco
Below is an UNVERIFIED post from the
rec.backcountry newsgroup on the Internet. - Ed.
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 1995 16:28:49 GMT
From: brick@ix.netcom.com
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry
Subject: All Mt Whitney Trips Will Require $ Permit -
Even Day Trips
Beginning in 1996, ANY visit to the summit of Mt.
Whitney will require a special permit. If you have hiked
from Yosemite on the John Muir Trail, you will need this
permit to complete the trip from trail junction to the
summit.
There will be a fee charged to get the permit, in addition
to a quota system. The exact details will not be worked out
until January, but the decision has been made.
This was a" management decision," and did not require
public comment, or approval. For further information,
contact the Mt Whitney Ranger Station, after January, at
619-876-6200 The person responsible for this change is:
Patricia Franco White Mountain Ranger District
798 N. Main, Bishop, CA 93514
- Brick Robbins
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Mt. Harrington Trip Report
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Four of us set out on Friday, 9/22/95, for Kings Canyon to
climb Mt. Harrington. The participants were Jim
Gardiner, Greg McDonald, Jeff West, and Paul
Magliocco, the trip organizer. The plan was to meet Steve
King, who was driving up from his house near Fresno, at
Road's End on Saturday morning.
We stopped for dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory on the
north side of Highway 180, just a short distance east of
Highway 99. This is connected to the Old Spaghetti
Factory in San Jose, for those of you who like the place.
After entering Kings Canyon National Park, we started
the proverbial Friday night discussion of "where should
we crash for the next few hours without getting hassled by
rangers." Well, we think we found a great spot. To get
there, go 4.4 miles past the sign that says Grant's Grove
Village (toward Cedar Grove). You will come to a dirt
road on the left with a sign listing three trailheads. Take
the dirt road for about a quarter mile until it splits three
ways. Take the middle fork about six-tenths of a mile to a
bend in the road where there is a big flat area to park and
sleep. This is National Forest land, so it's supposed to be
legal to sleep there. No noise, no traffic, no hassles.
On Saturday morning, we found Steve at Road's End and
drove back to the Lewis Creek trailhead. Starting at about
4,400 feet, we took off for Frypan Meadow at 7,800 feet.
About a mile up the trail, we came across a rattlesnake
that we estimate was about five feet long. He slithered
slowly off, so we did, too. The trail from Frypan Meadow
to Grizzly Lakes is steep and not maintained,
disappearing in a few places. We finished the trudge to
camp around 4:00 PM and relaxed, taking in the great
view of Mt. Harrington and the Canyon below.
We woke up Sunday morning to a sky completely filled
with a light cloud covering and to equipment completely
covered with lots of condensation. Packing wet gear, we
moved our packs toward Mt. Harrington, dropping them
near the trail, and continuing on toward the peak with day
packs. Mt. Harrington has an impressive final 300 feet of
granite, looking very steep from all angles. The plan was
to go up the class 3 north ridge. We ascended the gentle
valley to the east of the summit, climbed over the ridge
connecting to the final 300 foot summit block, and
proceeded up the class 3 rock. The rock was superb, as
was the exposure on the east side, making the climb very
enjoyable. We were on the summit a leisurely 1.5 hours
after dropping our packs.
The view from the top is absolutely spectacular. We could
identify peaks from Milestone Mountain to Banner and
Ritter. This peak (or nearby Kennedy Mountain) is a must
for all serious peak gazers. Best of all, the peak looks like
it is climbed only a few times a year.
We descended from the summit, dropped directly out of
the notch below the summit into the gentle valley we had
ascended, grabbed our packs and headed out through
Wildman Meadow, exiting at Deer Cove around 3:45 PM.
This is about 1.5 miles from Lewis Creek along Highway
180. The Wildman Meadow trail offers much better views
than the Lewis Creek trail, both of Mt. Harrington and of
the Great Western Divide. We didn't see any other people
from the time we left our cars Saturday morning until we
returned on Sunday afternoon. It was a nice trip late in the
summer season.
- Paul Magliocco
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Unofficial (Private) Trips
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Private trips may be submitted directly to the Scree Editor, but
are not insured, sponsored, or supervised by the Sierra Club or
the PCS. They are listed here because they may be of interest to
PCS members, not because they are endorsed by the PCS. OK?
Desert Peaks
Peaks: Avawatz, Granite II, Turtle, Rosa Point
Date: Dec 27-Jan 1 Wednesday-Monday
Contact: Bill Hauser 408-243-4566
Meet in Baker, California at the Junction of Highway 127
and Business 15 on Wednesday, 12/27/95, at 7:00 AM to
climb Avawatz Mountain. The elevation is 6,154 feet and
there is 2,500 feet of gain. Next we will climb Granite II
(2,500 foot gain), Turtle (2,100 foot gain), and Rosa Point
(4,000 foot gain). We will be car camping. The trip can be
windy and cold at times. Call me for any further
explanation.
Conditioning Bike
Peak: Mt Tamalpias Class 1 - 2,517'
Date: January 27 Saturday
Raincheck: February 4 Sunday
Contact: Phyllis Olrich 415-322-0323
phylliso@forsythe.stanford.edu
Co-Contact: Patt Baenen 415-494-3022
pattb27@aol.com
Join Patt and me for a killer mountain bike ride up Mt.
Tam. If off-road conditions are too muddy, we'll opt for a
40-mile road ride up to Skyline from Palo Alto. Rain
postpones to the Raincheck Date.
Aconcagua Acclimatization
Peak: Mt Shasta Snow - 14,162'
Dates: January 5-7 Friday-Sunday
Contact: Steve Eckert H/W 415-508-0500
eckert@netcom.com
This trip is not for beginners, but is not intended to be an
ice climb either. We will sleep on the summit plateau
Saturday night for maximum altitude conditioning.
Aconcagua climbers are encouraged to bring heavy packs
and gear, and to climb with their intended partners. Non-
expedition climbers are welcome also. Bad weather
shortens but does NOT cancel this trip. Plan on below
zero temps and high wind, like you would expect on any
really high peak.
Meet outside the Fifth Season in Shasta Village at 7am on
the 5th, fully packed and ready to drive to the trailhead.
Form your own climbing teams in advance: no need to
contact the Contact unless you want to know who else is
looking for partners.
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Official (PCS) Trips
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PCS trips must be submitted through the Scheduler (see cover).
Speak of Diablo
Peak: Mount Diablo Class 1 - 3,849'
Date: January 7 Sunday
Leader: Kelly Maas H: 408-279-2054
maas@idt.com W: 408-944-2078
Start off the new year with a local climb. We'll ascend the
north side of Mount Diablo, which is quite different from
the other sides. Expect about 17 miles and 3500'. Meet at
9:00 at the Mitchell Canyon trailhead in Clayton or carpool
from the Bank of America on Calaveras (237) at Hillview
(near 680) in Milpitas at 7:40.
Palmer Promises Pyramid Peak
Peak: Pyramid Peak Class 2 - 9,983'
Date: January 13-15 Saturday-Monday
Leader: Palmer Dyal H: 415-941-5321
W: 415-604-6545
Co-Leader: Wanted
Topo: Pyramid Peak 7.5'
This will be a moderately-paced 3 mile snowshoe trip to
climb a relatively easy peak in the Desolation Wilderness
area southwest of Lake Tahoe. The elevation gain is about
1000' per mile and we plan to camp at tree line. We will
have time to build snow caves on the first day and view
the marvelous glaciated scenery of the whole Tahoe basin
from the peak on the second day. There will be a choice of
returning on Sunday or Monday depending on the weather,
etc. This will be a good trip for beginning climbers.
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Mid-September On Shasta
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We met up with the rest of our party at the intersection of
97 and Pilgrim Creek Road that was to take us to the
Brewer Creek trailhead. They were Kelly Maas, Rick
Woodin, and Jonathan Penn. In our car were Kai
Wiedman, leader, Dave Erskine, and myself. After
hearing how little sleep they'd gotten by the railroad
tracks, we were glad we couldn't find that spot the night
before.
Our guide to the Brewer Creek trailhead was the new
Fifth Season map which accurately guided us to where we
wanted to go. This was much unlike our trip of several
years ago when we diligently followed the directions on
the old map but ended up on a road that changed from bad
to worse and got out and walked. Now we know those
directions were wrong.
After leaving the cars, we hiked up the trail a bit, then cut
cross country towards the easily visible Hotlam Bolam
ridge. We looked back as we walked so we could retrace
our steps. There are horror stories of people se arching for
their cars on the way out.
Once on the snow, we strapped on our crampons and
headed up to the Hotlam Glacier, our intended route.
When we hit the glacier, we roped up into two teams.
There were plenty of crevasses, large and small, to be
found, but the snow bridges were solid and provided safe
crossings. We hoped to make it to 11,700 that night which
would put us in good position to do the summit, descend,
and drive home the next day. When we reached that spot,
we were happy to find it to be very accommodating. There
was little remodeling to do for those of us who had tents,
and there were good bivy sites for the others. A bonus was
a trickle of running water close by which saved us from
melting snow.
From our vantage point, we could look up at the ice
formations and crevasses towards the summit and down at
a storm that was threatening close by. Fortunately, it
didn't come our way.
In the morning we headed up for the summit. Kai wanted
to go up to the steeper upper end of the glacier and cross
the bergshrund. There was some concern (Kai called it
trepidation) as we could see a snow bridge but didn't
know if it would take us where we wanted to go. The other
rope team chose to go a lower route.
We had to remind ourselves that we were in California.
Kai called it a glaciated paradise! He said it was like
going window shopping but not having to buy (i.e. fall
into a 50-70 foot crevasse).
After the bergshrund, we belayed a tricky traverse which
put us in the right spot to ascend our couloir. There we
were, unroping, and looking up at 800 feet of 45 degree
imposing ice in front of us. On the way up the couloir,
Kelly suddenly appeared from the side and said that the
other two parties on his rope team weren't feeling well
and wanted to return. Kelly, coleader, graciously
volunteered to go back with them.
It seemed that the couloir would go on forever. When we
looked up it seemed that we were making very little
progress, but finally the steepness relented. The payoff
was that the summit was only 300 feet above us.
Several parties were already on top and had come up by
various routes. The weather was unbeatable but we stayed
only a little while, remembering that we had a long day
ahead of us.
Descending by almost the same route, we easily found the
car and after a quick dinner in McLeod, headed back to
the Bay Area for one of those well known PCS 2:00 a.m.
returns.
- Cecil Magliocco
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THE BACK PAGE
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Scree is the monthly journal of the Peak Climbing Section of
the Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter. Subscriptions are
$10/year. Checks payable to "PCS" should be mailed to the
Treasurer so they arrive before the last Tuesday of the expiration
month.
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If you are on the PCS email broadcast, you have an EScree
subscription. Send Email to for
additions/removals from the broadcast (the message is
"subscribe sc-pcs" or "unsubscribe sc-pcs"). The EScree is
FREE, but EScree-only subscribers must contact the Treasurer
to become voting PCS members at no charge.
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Rock Climbing Classifications
The following trip classifications are to assist you in choosing
trips for which you are qualified. No simple rating system can
anticipate all possible conditions.
Class 1: Walking on a trail.
Class 2: Walking cross-country, using hands for balance.
Class 3: Requires use of hands for climbing. A rope may be used.
Class 4: Requires rope belays.
Class 5: Technical rock climbing.
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Elected Officials
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Chair:
Debbie Benham / dmbenham@aol.com
415-964-0558 home
1722 Villa Street (Apt 2), Mountain View CA 94041
Vice Chair & Scheduler:
Paul Magliocco / pmag@ix.netcom.com
408-358-1168 home
15944 Longwood Drive, Los Gatos CA 95032
Treasurer and Membership Roster:
Phyllis Olrich / phylliso@forsythe.stanford.edu
415-322-0323 home, 415-725-1541 work,
750 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto CA 94301
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Appointed Positions
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Scree & EScree Editor, Email Broadcast Operator:
Steve Eckert / eckert@netcom.com
415-508-0500 home/work, 415-508-0501 fax
1814 Oak Knoll Drive, Belmont, CA 94002-1753
Mailing Labels and Change of Address:
Paul Vlasveld / vlasveld@siecomp.com
408-247-6472 home, 408-257-7910 x3613 work
789 Daffodil Way, San Jose CA 95117
PCS World Wide Web Publisher:
Aaron Schuman / schuman@sgi.com
415-390-1901 work
http://reality.sgi.com/csp/pcs/index.html
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In Upcoming Issues:
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New Mazones Guidebook
The Lamont Loop
Day Tripping Up Telescope The Hard Way
solo trip report "Just Me and Mr. Marmot"
The original "pondering" article for the Scree
"Describe Your Closest Shave" compilation
Ramaker's Rules for Reducing Rockfall
Hi. My name is Jim C, and I'm a peak bagger.
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Meetings are the second Tuesday of each month. Deadline for submissions
to the next Scree is 12/26/95, the Monday two weeks prior to the meeting.
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