By tradition, leaders are allowed to lose 10% of the participants... but in with 13 and out with 3 is ridiculous!
Gordon and I had scouted Butterfly on March 8 and found substantial changes in the access since our last visit. Inhabitants strongly discourage access by vehicles through the private road off of Table Mtn. Rd. but accept foot traffic as long as you don't disturb the dogs? Further, the road in is badly washed, but passable as we found several trucks in the meadow before Rock Point in the course of our hike.
We met at the Santa Ana carpool point at 6:30 am, we were at the trailhead by 8:30. We found several other cars already there. Bowing to the feelings of local residents, we parked at the end of Table Mtn. Rd and walked back the 1/8 mile to the access road and in past the houses, fences and gates where we used to park if not driving the road toward the mine.
The walk in was pleasant and routine to the top of Butterfly with only a couple of times that I got off route. There are a lot of ducks... We had a leisurely early lunch on the peak and enjoyed the views. Returning to the cut-off to Rock Point, we took a poll to see whether to do it also and only Tal Kaniger decided to sign out and get home early. I was not feeling well but led to the base of the old trail up Rock Point where Dick Shamberg and Gordon took over for the climb. My memory was bad so I went down the left side of the creek involving some cross country instead of the nice wide trail on the right side.
On top, the group discovered the new easy trail down further west and opted to return by that route out by the common below the Pathfinder Ranch and thus back to the cars. Meanwhile, I was enjoying a relaxed time watching the clouds drift by and Neal Cosand, Tom Sakowych, and Rick Fig, thinking of my best interests, came back down the old trail and joined me for the walk out by our entrance route, arriving about 20 minutes ahead of Gordon, Jean Hermanson, Alan Wright, Sally Quigley, Dick Shamberg, Andy Burdis, Basil Anton, Harriet Edwards, and Leo Crookham who took the round-about way.
It was a lovely day and very pleasant company - the usual HPS outing.
Much thanks to Gordon who set up the trip and to him and Dick Schamberg for their assistance.
