Mountain Activities of the Sierra Club, 1946

Publication Year: 1947.

Mountain Activities of the Sierra Club, 1946. During the summer of 1946 the 42nd Annual Outing of the Sierra Club travelled for six weeks through the high Sierra Nevada, covering the finest and highest portions from Cottonwood Pass, S. of Mt. Whitney, to Piute Pass at Mt. Humphreys, far to the N. Most of the more interesting peaks along the route were ascended by different members of the party. An average of 100 people participated in each of the three two-week periods. The three leaders, R. M. Leonard, D. R. Brower and Raffi Bedayn, are members of the A.A.C. Other members present were Marjory and Francis Farquhar, Weldon Heald, Helen Le Conte, Bob Lipman and Harriet Parsons.

The Sierra Club Base Camp, organized and managed by Oliver Kehrlein, had a total attendance of 145 at two sessions of two weeks each. Camp was made in the high country of the Fourth Recess of Mono Creek. This camp is similar to the mountain camps held by mountaineering clubs throughout the world. A fine location is established about one day’s pack from roadhead, and the surrounding country is thoroughly explored. The High Trip, on the other hand, is unique in permitting the members to move to new country every second or third day, and thus to explore by pack train remote wilderness areas that are inaccessible by any other means.

D. R. Brower was the organizer of the two-week “cache and carry” system of Knapsack Trips along the 13,900-ft. Kings-Kern divide of the Sierra Nevada, and among the glorious mountains of Grand Teton National Park. By careful planning in advance, food caches are established to permit high country off-trail exploration by knapsack, with loads not exceeding 20 pounds.

The other trips sponsored by the Sierra Club are the Burro Trips and the Saddle Trips. The Burro Trip is primarily for the purpose of instructing lovers of the wilderness in the technique of independent wilderness travel, doing all that is necessary to pack and care for a small pack train. Three of those trips indicate the enthusiasm with which people desire to learn. The Saddle Trip is the most luxurious of all, appealing particularly to those who love horses. Since all members are on horseback, a greater range of country can be covered than by other means.

R. M. L.