High Sierra Topix

We needed to train for an upcoming challenge. What better training than knocking out a triple crown at elevation? We went for the White Mountains Triple Crown. This is three peaks, Limestone, Sheep and Piute. The height of these peaks is 12,277, 12,497 and 12,564 feet respectively.

We had climbed Barcroft the previous day. We took a picture of Limestone, Sheep and Piute from the summit of Barcroft.
The parking area for the climb is right off the road to the Barcroft gate. The Forest Service has placed cones and rocks on the ground to designate the area.
The slope up Limestone is a loose scree climb.
Sport quickly found the ammo box holding the summit register.
We signed the register on Limestone.
We found Laura’s and Bob Burd signature from 24 August of last year.
Bob Burd has posted a report about this climb with Laura. They did all three peaks as well. So we made our way to the top of Sheep. We searched and search for the ammo box containing the register. We had no success. I knew there was a register because Bob had posted many pictures of it going back to about 1958. It was really a remarkable piece of history. All we could find was the benchmark.
The views from Sheep were great.
There was a wind screen built of rocks but no ammo box to be found…
…guess where this is headed. We worked our way down the scree choked slopes of Sheep toward Piute.
To be continued…

The smooth gradual slope of Piute still had patched of snow.
We reached the top and quickly spotted the ammo box. I was happy to open the box…
…but only found one slip of paper. This is the message from Tim Forsell…
Edit gap.

Edit gap.

Edit Gap.


I’m guessing he is not from the John Dittli Cripple Creek but the one on the White Mountains. I nominate Tim for president!

Here is a great shot of a beautiful woman with Barcroft and White in the background.
From the summit of Piute you can barely see the roof of the privy at the Barcroft gate.
Hey, Snow Nymph, what ever happened to Laura?
Some Dead Head has mistaken this for “Box of Rain”.
We eventually made our way back to the parking area.
Thank you for reading our peak bagging TR.

-Russ

I've heard of lots of registers disappearing around here, for the signatures. People can be so lame sometimes!

Thanks VR for the enjoyable TR and wonderful pictures. Makes no sense for
people to be taking these summit registers.

I'm surprised people don't try and steal the benchmarks.

Nice report, Russ.

I must be missing something. What was the distressing find?

KathyW wrote:I must be missing something. What was the distressing find?

Kathy,

I apologize for not being very clear. Bob Burd and Laura Molnar bagged these same three peaks last year on August 24. Bob wrote up a report:

http://www.snwburd.com/bob/trip_reports ... one_1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This report went out on the internet. It included several pictures of historic register entries.
Somebody read his report and thought, "Hey, I've got an idea...Steal these registers!"

There are some people who can reach a certain level of low. I find this distressing.

Thanks,

-Russ

Hmmm. Since I 'm not of a criminal mind. Thinking a quick buck? I just did a check of ebay for peak registers... Nothing. If my grandfather showed me one I'd think very poorly of him. *Scratching my head* WHY!? It just doesn't make sense. But then again; there are life's little mysteries out there.This is one of them. Sad indeed.

I suspect the removal of registers is more of an ideological statement from over-enthusiastic environmentalists who think of themselves as saviors of the wilderness because they do not think ANY permanant fixture or structure should be in a wilderness. Ignore the idea that you probably got there on a road, trail perhaps with signs and other permanent structures.

Other possiblity - just like stealing a stop sign - maybe frame the register and hang it in your bedroom to impress your peers.

Other possibility - pure vandalism. Least likely, I never thought of vandals being energetic enough to climb peaks. Kind of hard to get drunk and still climb 14,000 foot peaks.

Really sad. WD could be right about enviro extremists. All of us (here) care about the environment, but WD is right about civilization making it possible to know about it and to get there.

And then there are people who are so messed up that the only way they can have any sense of importance is by doing something to injure or upset somebody else. Sad indeed.