2022-06-15, 12:19 PM
(2022-06-14, 07:23 AM)MojaveGeek Wrote: Yes, Tom Budlong ran Friends of the Inyos and spent a ton of time there. Also Steve Smith, who worked out of the BLM Ridgecrest office. Steve was also an early canyoneer in the DV area and descended lots of places, I recall his descriptions of the upper reaches of Dolomite Canyon, for example. I sort of recall some things they wrote in the Desert Sage, the publication of the Desert Peaks Section of the Sierra Club. Their archives are online, but maybe were not last time I looked (check at archive.org if not). Steve's son, who may also be named Steve, to add some confusion, is also an avid hiker in the area.
For years I wanted to do the Lonesome Miner route, but it's probably out of my league now.
If I make a summer trip to DEVA in 2022 I'll stick to higher elevations and this area of the Skidoo Pipeline could be a "cool" place to spend a few days. I'm still keen on locating a maple grove (northeast face) that Brian DeFord encountered about 9-10K elevation on his way from Badwater to Telescope Peak a few years ago.
Life begins in Death Valley