General Meeting

Date: April 9

Time: 7:30 - 9:00 pm

Program: High in Wyoming -

Gannett Peak

Presenter: Kelly Maas

When someone says Wyoming, most climbers think of the Teton Range, and especially "the Grand". The state high point, however, is not surrounded by camera-toting tourists - it's quietly hidden away in the Wind River Range.

Join us as we recount the tale of Cecil, Kai and Kelly, who ventured into this range and scaled the monstrous Gannett Peak, while enduring mosquitoes, rain, incredible wildflowers and

beautiful lake basins. They then continued on to Grand Teton N.P. for some R&R and one of the very best long day hikes anywhere.

Location: THE NORTH FACE

Directions: 217 Alma Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301

From San Jose (Northbound Highway 101): Take the University Ave Exit and turn left (south) going toward Stanford. Turn right on Alma Street.

From San Francisco (Southbound Highway 101): Take the University Ave exit and turn right (south) going toward Stanford. Turn right on Alma Street.

PCS Trips

PCS trips must be submitted through the Scheduler (see back cover for details).

Pilot Knob & Lamont Pk

Dates: May 6-7 (Sat-Sun)

Peaks: Pilot Knob (6200+'), Lamont Peak (7,429')

Class: 2

Leaders: Bob Suzuki, w: 408-678-3541, SuzukiR@sd-star.com

Joerg Lohse, h: 408-542-1406, JoergPCS@gmail.com

Maps: Onyx and Lamont Peak topos

Start the spring climbing season with 2 day hikes and
car camping north of highway 178 (east of Bakersfield).
Contact either leader to sign up.

2006 Tentative PCS Trip Schedule

May

May 27-29 Angora Peak, Coyote

June

June 16-18 Palisade Basin/Big Pine Creek area

June 30- July 4 Mt Ruskin, Arrow Peak

July

July 1-4 Mt Emerson, Muriel Peak

July 1-4 Mt Sill

July 8-10 Pettit Peak, Volunteer Peak

July 22-26 Milestone Basin area

August

Aug 11-13 Giraud Peak

Aug 12-16 Mt Goddard

Aug 19-20 Mt Silliman

Aug 19-20 Tuolumne Meadows Carcamp

Aug 25-27 Mt Ritter, Banner Peak

Aug 25-27 Mt Langley

September

Sept 2-5 Piute Peak, Volunteer Peak (redux)

Sept 8-10 Mt Gabb

Sept 16-17 Koip Peak

Sept 22-24 Excelsior Peak, Glass Mountain

Trip Reports

Report on the PCS Backcountry Navigation Course

Locations: Peninsula Conservation Center

Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve

Dates: March 1^st, 7pm – 10:30pm

March 4^th, 8:30am – 4:15pm

Instructors: Bill Straka and Richard Vassar

Ten PCS members found their way to the classroom session of the Backcountry Navigation Course held at the Peninsula Conservation Center on Wednesday, 1 March. We hope that no one took a wrong turn, got lost, or was otherwise prevented from attending. Participants included Tom Driscoll, Nancy Fitzsimmons, Bill Kirkpatrick, Bob Suzuki, Joerg Lohse, Linda Sun, Harry Xue, Steve Comkin, Janet Vassar, and Instructors Richard Vassar and Bill Straka, with the able assistance of Kelly Maas. During the evening we practiced backcountry navigation skills including reading maps and route selection, and the use of compasses, altimeters, and GPS receivers. We were all amused and intrigued by a participant’s compass that insisted on pointing south rather than north. Some thought that one of the instructors was playing a practical joke on his wife.

The field session was held at Skyline Ridge OSP on Saturday, 4 March. The participants included Bill Kirkpatrick, Joerg Lohse, Janet Vassar, Richard Vassar, Barbara Straka, Bill Straka, and Kelly Maas. We lucked out and hit a weather window in a very rainy week and enjoyed a dry day. The day got off to a bit of a rocky start due to a trail running race that was using Skyline Ridge OSP at the same time. Fortunately, we were all able to find a parking spot in spite of the large turnout for the race and soon we were measuring our stride length, navigating a cross country course to a lone bush, trail junction, and gate given nothing but distances and compass bearings. Next, participants honed their art skills by preparing a sketch map of the trails surrounding Horseshoe Lake. After lunch we learned how to operate the GPS receivers supplied by Bill Straka and successfully navigated to six preselected locations scattered throughout the preserve. Everyone got plenty of practice using the navigation skills from class and no one got lost so the instructors declared the class a success.

For those who missed the PCS Backcountry Navigation Course or would like more practice using the navigation skills, Bill Straka will be teaching a two and a half day version of the course at Clair Tappan Lodge near Donner Pass from June 16-18: “Finding Your Way – Navigation Workshop: Learn or polish navigational skills using such tools as a map, compass, GPS receivers and altimeters. Bring any tools you may have. Beautiful hikes and instruction led by Bill Straka who worked with the Global Positioning System and competes in orienteering contests. Price: $145 Sierra Club members, $170 for non-members (includes lodging, meals, workshop. “ For more information visit the Clair Tappan website at www.ctl.sierraclub.org.

Report submitted by Richard Vassar

Looking For Nordic Ski Patrol Candidates

Lake Alpine Nordic Ski Patrol (located in Bear Valley) is looking for cross country skiers to join us patrolling the beautiful backcountry around Lake Alpine. We are affiliated with the National Ski Patrol, and we maintain our first aid skills at the same level as alpine patrollers, but our emphasis is more on other aspects of traveling safely in the backcountry in a winter environment.

Patrolling provides the chance to regularly get out and enjoy the backcountry with others of a like mind, while providing the opportunity to do something beneficial for others, and who knows, maybe save a life. There are other benefits as well, such as the great educational programs that are administered by the NSP.

You don’t have to be a great skier to join us, but you should have basic skill at traveling cross country, and be in reasonably good shape with the stamina to put in a full day of fairly strenuous exercise. And to get a feel for patrolling please join us for a weekend of skiing, no commitment required. To find out more, please contact Charles Schafer at (408) 354-1545 or message me at c_g_Schafer@yahoo.com.

n Charles Schafer

Private Trips

Private trips are not insured, sponsored, or supervised by the Sierra Club. They are listed here because they may be of interest to PCS members. Private trips may be submitted directly to the editor.

2006 Tentative Private Trip Schedule

May

May 20-21 Stanislaus Peak, Mt Morgan

June

June 3-5 Mt Henry

June 2-4 Red Slate Mountain

June 10-12 North Guard, Mt Farquhar

July

July 1-4 Goat Mountain, State Peak, Marion Peak

July 14-17 Mt Lyell, Mt Maclure

July 22-30 Whaleback, Glacier Ridge

July 28-30 Merced Peak

August

Aug 11-12 Matterhorn, Whorl Mountain

Aug 12-20 Wind River Range, Wyoming

September

Sept 7-10 Rodgers Peak, Electra Peak

Sept 22-24 Middle Palisade

2006 Private Trips Open for Signup

For the following trip listing, please contact:

Warren Storkman, 650-493-8959, dstorkman@aol.com

·Date: May 2006

Mt Kailas in Tibet, or, Meno Nani (7728m) in Tibet

For the following trip listing, please contact:

Bob Suzuki, SuzukiR@sd-star.com

Chris Franchuk, clif2694@earthlink.net

·Date: May 27-29 (Sat-Mon)

Peak: Coyote Peak (10,892'), Angora Mtn (10,198')

Difficulty: Class 2

Location: Southern Sierra Nevada

For the following trip listing, please contact:

Bob Suzuki, w: 408-678-3541, SuzukiR@sd-star.com
Steve Eckert, http://www.climber.org/WhosWho/Steve_Eckert.html

·Date: Sat. 6/3 - Sun. 6/4 or Mon 6/5 (2 or 3 days)

- Peak: Mt Henry
- Difficulty: class 2, ice axe, snow travel
- Location: western Sierra Nevada

For the following trip listing, please contact:

Bob Suzuki, SuzukiR@sd-star.com

Bob Evans, 408-998-2857, robtwevans@email.msn.com

·Date: Sat. 7/22 - Sun. 7/30 (9 days)

Kern Pt (12789 ft, class 2), Picket Guard (12,302 ft, class. 3) Whale Back (11717 ft, class 3), Glacier Ridge (12,416 ft, class 4) For obsessed peak baggers: at least 60 miles and 15,000 feet.

Possible bonus jaunts to Milestone or Triple Divide.