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Iron Mountain #3, Rabbit Peak #1

10 March 1996


Hundred Peaks Section Celebrates 50th Anniversary of First Hundred Peaks "Game" Outing Listed In Schedule

Approximately 75 hikers participated in a hike in the local mountains which re-enacted an outing led by Jack Bascom fifty years ago. Jack was on hand to help lead the outing again.

The idea for a hundred peaks "game" was conceived of by Weldon Heald in the early 1940's. Heald mentioned his idea to Jack Bascom, and it gained popularity. By 1946 a number of individuals were in the game, but the first hundred peaks game outing listed in the Schedule, and led, was an outing to Iron Mountain No. 3 and Rabbit Peak No. 1 located just off the Angeles Forest Highway near the Monte Cristo Mine. That hike was conducted on March 10, 1946.

On Sunday, March 10, 1996, hikers met at the La Canada rideshare point, then reconvened at the Monte Cristo Campground. After the signing-in process, HPS chair Ruth Dobos presented Jack Bascom with a plaque recognizing him as the HPS' John Backus Leadership Award winner for 1995. Jack then addressed the assembled hikers, describing the origins of the hundred peaks idea as well as details of the hike we were about to re-enact. He mentioned that two participants of the hike, Eric and Elsie Kent, had sent their regrets that they could not join us this day.

Now it was time to hike. Bob Thompson, an Angeles Chapter Chester Versteeg Award winner (1988), led the group up the dirt road leading from the campground, turning on to the road leading to the ridge near the summit of Iron. Bob's route only approximated Jack Bascom's route of 50 years ago, because there are trails that existed then but have long disappeared, and there are roads that exist now that didn't then. Patty Kline, also a Chester Versteeg Award winner (1993), assisted. Several other HPS leaders were scattered throughout the large group.

Shortly, Frank Goodykoontz, Joe Young, and Frank Dobos drove their vehicles, loaded with celebratory items, to a flat area near the entrance to private property around the Monte Cristo mine. After the climb of Iron the group partied in typical HPS style. Jack Bascom, who had hiked all the way to the party site, attached the original topographical maps from the 1940's, copies of the first Southern Sierran, and other historical information, to a cord strung between two vehicles.

After the party many hikers were ready for a climb of Rabbit, and Peter Doggett and Jim Fleming obliged by providing leadership. On the summit of Rabbit, the group remembered Theresia Glover, prolific HPS leader, who had passed away in late January. Her son, Peter McGowen, who had travelled from Australia, was present on the hike. Theresia had planned to complete the HPS List on this hike.

Other participants hiked out to the campground. Waiting at the campground was Sam Fink, legendary hiker. Sam was one of the hundred peaks game players in the 1940's. Lynda Armbruster had brought Sam to the campground from Santa Ana to be a part of this important historical moment. Sam and Jack Bascom thus were able to greet each other this day.

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