New York Butte, Pleasant Point

12-Oct-68

By: Roger Mitchell

INYO CREST

Fifteen people in six 4-wheel drive vehicles met in "downtown" Keeler to start a trip along the 9,000 foot crest of the Inyo Mountains. We were told by a resident of Keeler that our proposed trip couldn't be done. Fortunately the leader didn't hear that, so we did it anyway. Our route started at the one-time town of Swansea, and climbed rather steeply the 6,000 feet to the crest. Keeping track of our 4-wheel drive caravan was simplified because half the vehicles had CB radios.

We had always heard l0,668 ft. New York Butte was a tough peak however, from the point where we left our cars the 700 feet climb required only about 30 minutes. Camp was made in the comfortable ruins Of the Salt Tram Summit Station and to our surprise the temperature only dropped to 39 degrees.

9690 ft. Pleasant Mountain was climbed Sunday morning under threatening skies of an incoming storm. We rejoined a civilized road at the century old ghost town of Cerro Gordo. From, here it was all downhill to Keeler to complete our loop.