Unscheduled
Leader: How Bailey
Not having done anything this weekend (except borrow a rope from Les Stockton and repair some wind damage on a steep roof), I decided to explore the ridge SE from Twin Peaks. Don't let the topo fool you. This is a sharp ridge, steep on both sides most of the way, full of ups and downs, with lots of rock to be avoided (or climbed if you have time). There are two steep little notches, quite reminiscent of the ridge between Baldy and Iron, requiring a bit of 3rd class climbing. I got as far as X-6834, just a mile according to that famous flying crow but close to a mile and a half by my feet, and this took me an hour and a half. There was not sign of a cairn, so I made one and left a small register. Unfortunately, there was a white-out. It was clear above, but this ridge dropped down into the soup. I had already used a compass twice; though usually, after waiting 5 minutes or so at crucial points, the clouds would lift enough to let me see 1/4 mile. There was no point in going on, and it was somewhat dangerous alone anyway, so I trudged back up to Twin Peaks -- 4 hours r.t. including lunch. As if to make up for the weather, I saw 3 bighorn sheep. One male scampered away in the usual manner as soon as I came into view; but later a stately female followed by a bleating baby about 2 ft. long trotted by less than 100 ft. in front of me!
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