Soda Mountains

6-May-67

By: Andy Smatko

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Here Doug Phillips, Dennis McAllister, Ellen Siegal, Bob Mason, Frank Yates, Malcolm Benedict and I peaked 3,719' and 3,640'+ in the range southeast of Old Dad Mtn. The former was made from the road to the east of the mtn and is class 2 from this side or any direction. An admirable feature of this peak is the vast expanse of sand reaching high up on its east face. We dropped down to the valley between it and Peak 3,640'+ to the NE, which was ascended by its SWesterly slopes, also class 2, any route.

We then caravaned to Baker and went SW on the freeway to the ZZYZX exit on the dirt road to the Quartzite mine in a canyon of the Soda Mtns. Great gusto followed as a sparerib and sauerkraut dinner prepared by Ellen was consumed by our crowd.

Next day in already hot weather we did the high point of the Sodas, 3,663', by proceeding up the canyon, gaining the SE ridge thence along it to the Summit. We scared up a rattler in the wash on the way up. This gain was class 2-quite loose in places. Both these summits had no record of previous climbs, however they do now, Pks 3,719' and 3,640'+ that is, but is probable that this high point of the Soda Mtns night have been previously done, only because about 400' from the summit a wooden lath was found. One has to carefully choose the route down the east side of this range as there are cliffs breaking up the gradual slopes. Well, this does it 'til fall and winter arrive for more High Point ascents.


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