Mount Baden-Powell, Mount Burnham, Throop Peak, Mount Hawkins, Middle Hawkins, South Mount Hawkins (LO)

20 July 1968

By: Peter Roien

Leaders: Peter Roien, Les Gampp, Laura Oard

(July 20, 1963, we made our first Vincent Gulch to Crystal Lake hike via the summits of Mt. Baden-Powell, Burnham, Throop, and the three Hawkins peaks. The hike was repeated in 64, 65, and 66.)

On July 20, 1968, we made our annual attempt. This attempt was partially successful in that Peter Roien did climb all six summits. Les was handicapped with a hip injury but gamely hiked all the way to Crystal Lake via the Windy Gap trail. Laura hiked with Pete to the summits of Mt. Burnham, Hawkins, and Middle Hawkins and went with him on the long trailess hike from Middle to South Hawkins. They left Vincent Gap at 6:45 and were back at Crystal Lake at 5:45. It had been a very warm day and the heat slowed us down. We were both in fine condition at the end of the long hike.

On August 24, 1968, Laura and Pete hiked from Poopout Hill to Camp Angelus via the high altitude Ridge Trail which for 8 of the 20 miles are at an average altitude of more than 10,200 feet. The day included a shuttle and round trip drive of 180 miles from Long Beach.

(Pete writes: "Publicity never meant anything to me but the completion of long hikes with multiple summit climbs at our age might serve as an incentive to elderly mountain climbers who feel they are getting too old for that kind of a sport. Perish the thought! No exericise is as beneficial to our health as mountain climbing and I hope we can enjoy it for many more years. " -- and how old are they? Pete is 81, Laura is 71 and Les is 77. O.K., you peakbaggers, match these records! Pete, Laura, and Les - you have our highest respect and unbounded admiration.) [In the next Lookout, the following correction appeared: In a recent trip write-up, I listed Laura Oard's age as 71. My source of information was unreliable - should I have asked Laura? I cannot apologize too humbly - Laura climbs like a 20-year old, looks like a 30-year old, and (as Pete Roien reminds me), is actually at least 10 years younger than 71!! Laura didn't complain, but I always like to keep the record straight, about an exceptional person for whom I have the greatest respect and affection.]