San Jacinto Six

July 19, 2008

By: the Doggetts

On Saturday, July 19, 2008 Peter & Ignacia Doggett and Bill Simpson led an HPS group to six peaks in the San Jacinto Wilderness. We took the first tram from Palm Springs and began walking promptly at 8:20am with Peter in the lead. Scouting Cornell & Jean on Friday helped Peter to routefind swiftly and directly up a gully. By 9:30am we had arrived at the top of Cornell Peak. Unknown to the rest of the group, Cornell Peak was Peter's 3,500th HPS Peak.

At the end of our descent from Cornell to the vally below, we encountered another HPS group led by Ted Lubeshkoff and Wayne Vollaire. After greetings and some information sharing, Ignacia led the group up through a beautiful meadow and up the slope toward the saddle north of Jean Peak. At 11:45am we reached the top of Jean Peak and enjoyed a 30 minute lunch.

Bill Simpson navigated the way to Marion making such good time that Ignacia wondered aloud whether we were really there already. At 1:10pm we reached Marion Mtn. & our entire group climbed the chimney to the summit. Added to the pleasure of rocks to climb and vistas to observe, was the tremendous comradery of this group - ready to give an assist, quipping, joking, laughing and expressing appreciation of their experience.

With Peter in the lead we hiked through the wilderness of trees and rocks over to Drury Peak, arriving at 2:12pm and celebrating Brian Mason's 100th peak. Good job, Brian! The celebration could have continued another half hour, but we needed to keep moving. Clouds had begun to gather and the leaders had an aversion not only to finishing in the dark, but also to coming out wet &/or charred!

From the saddle east of Drury, Ignacia headed the group on a straight line to the saddle east of Folly Peak (finding the way around brush & large rocks and steadily gaining elevation). The summit waas reached at 3:30pm and with the clouds looking less threatening, we took another long break. A few in the group were feeling weary, but true to their character, they pushed on strongly, following Bill around and up boulders to arrive at San Jacinto Peak at 4:30pm.

Following a substantial break, Peter hustled the group back cross-country through Tamarack Valley & the Sid Davis Drainage, to reach the tram at 7:52pm. Throughout the day we hiked at a BRISK Pace, but we took rather long breaks at several of the summits to enjoy the rock challenges, lunch and a 100th Peak Party. The participants included: Brian Mason, Christine Soskins, Michael Dougherty, Lyn Dyer, Don Croly, Virginia Shackleford & Sylvia Swinford. The three leaders took turns leading the group and we noticed that the group behaved superbly throughout the long, strenuous hike. Everyone was focused, positive, helpful and agreeable. It was a great day!