Marion Mountain, Jean Peak, Cornell Peak, San Jacinto Peak, Castle Rocks

17 September 1988

By: Ron Jones

Leaders: Ron Jones, Lou Brecheen

Lou needed Cornell Peak in the ongoing quest for the Holy Grail - our list finisher status. Luckily this peak was scheduled before the "insurance crisis" which prohibits carrying rope on any Club trip. Seven of us met Saturday morning at the Pacific Crest/Fuller Ridge trailhead. We backpacked up to Little Round Valley, arriving there before Noon.

After lunch we set out cross-country for Marion Mtn and had fun with the short Class 3 scramble to the summit.

Then we turned north and followed the ridge to Jean Peak where Barbara Cohen celebrated earning her HPS emblem.

The evening weather was balmy and we sat around for two hours with story telling and jokes - attorney jokes predominated. Late at night an overflying jet precipitated a chorus of coyotes howling from the nearby valleys and ridgetops.

Sunday morning we got an early start and hiked over to Cornell Peak. Three or four persons used a rope and all six persons who started reached the summit. Again six persons hiked back to camp over the summits of San Jacinto and Folly Peaks.

Three climbers needed Castle Rock and climbed it on the way back to our cars. Thanks to Lou for another fine assist and to Barbara Cohen, Jon Fredland, Jack Haddad, Jim Kilberg and Gloria Nafel for the jokes. Be sure to join Lou and me on our double list finisher atop Mt Hillyer on November 19!