Sorrell Peak, Weldon Peak, Morris Peak

14 May 1994

By: Luella Fickle

Leaders: Luella Fickle, Erich Fickle, Bob Micheal

We met at 7:00 a. m. at Walker Pass Campground on Saturday. We got into David Jensen's 4x4 and Bob Michael's Ford truck. Instead of a routine bag of Sorrell, we were doing Sorrell the short way with Weldon from Hwy 589. Sorrell was a repeat for everybody but Dorothy Danziger and George Thomas. We quickly climbed Sorrell then drove to the place where the PCT crosses Hwy 589 (Jawbone Canyon Rd) via Landers Meadow. Using a copy of the PCT guide, Charlie Knapke's 1993 trip description and the guide from the Lookout we proceeded to hike out to Weldon Peak. The Lookout's route guide suggested the use of a west/southwest gully. We took this literally. We climbed up a west/southwest facing gully. This gully leads brush and rock free to a point just north of the west summit of Weldon. I have never seen as much miners lettuce as we walked over going up this gully to Weldon Peak. The summit of Weldon Peak is the high point just west of the "W" in Weldon Peak on the new Emerald Mtn 7-1/2 minute quad per Charlie Knapke. Erich Fickle completed THE LIST on Weldon Peak. Bob Michael carried some champagne to celebrate Erich's List Completion. Dorothy Danziger supplied home made cookies. We ate and drank before we descended via the south side of Weldon into the south draw and followed it back west to the PCT where we found the duck mentioned in the Lookout route description. We encountered some brush descending from Weldon to the saddle above the south draw. The hike back up to the cars was a real slog. It was hot and humid. We decided that we really didn't want to drive up Piute so we returned via the Landers Meadow/Harris Grade route to the Kelso Valley Road and Walker Pass Campground. More goodies. Saturday night we were joined by Paul Sue, Alan Pendley, and Wayne Norman who had climbed Kearsarge Peak in the Sierra Saturday.

Sunday morning the group split up. Bob wanted to explore The Needles. David wanted to do Scodie. George did Scodie Friday. George had enough heat and wanted to go home as did Wayne. The rest of us climbed Morris. We got a 7 a.m. start from Walker Pass. We had a cool breeze. There was coreopsis and lupine along the trail. A Scott's Oriole sang from a Joshua Tree clump its meadowlark sounding song. The breeze continued all morning. We were back to the cars in time for Erich and I to reach Graziano's in Mojave in time for a noon pizza.