Old Dad Mountain

11-Feb-95

By: Dennis Richards

Sandy and I drove out to Jackass Canyon on Friday evening to celebrate my long awaited DPS finish and my 50th birthday. We quickly set up camp, started a small campfire, and opened a bottle of champagne. Others started arriving about 8:30 PM and joined our campfire.

Next morning saw a steady stream of arrivals from San Diego and L.A., including a San Diego Chapter W.B.C. group led by Rob Langsdorf and Gail Hanna.

By 8:30 AM we were moving to the trailhead in several vehicles. After a few words of introduction, we started for the summit. The weather was unusually warm and I didn't realize until later that this was my first climb of a DPS peak in a T Shirt. The steep climbing went smoothly with several of the COL'S present helping to keep track of everyone. Much popping-of-corks was heard by all on the summit. After I had drunk some champagne, Scott Jamison convinced me that he had found a "blowhole" on the mountain. He even got me to get down on "all fours" to listen to the escaping air. I can just imagine the campfire talk on future DPS trips: "Yeah, I even got a picture of him doing it. He believed the whole thing." With such stuff legends are made.

After such festivities we returned to camp for the real party and were joined by Bill Stephens and Terry Flood. We spent a pleasant afternoon enjoying the company of friends. Thanks to all for a most memorable trip. In addition to those already mentioned, participants were: Mark Adrian, Eric Beck, Lori Lando, Richard Carey, Sadie the Dog, Julie Rush, Ruskie the Dog, Carl Johnson, Carol Snyder #1, Dave, En Li and Rachel Jurasevich, Arthur and Frank Lin, John Strauch, Charles Hummel, Judy Ware, George Pfeiffer, Carol Snyder #2, Helen Mondala, Allen Dunn, Bill Carlson, Ric DeVan, Carol Rakowski, Emelyn Eldredge, and Ben Rosen.