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Two climbers overdue
By Brian Hixson
Just as I was coming out of a
Biology lecture, the pager sounded, and I went to
the nearest telephone. Upon phoning in I received
the information that two climbers were overdue
from a climb of the North Face of Mt. San
Jacinto. I rushed home, gathered up my gear, and
headed towards the road head.
We made our Base Camp at the
community of Snow Creek, which is at the foot of
the North Face. When I arrived, Don Landells had
just landed in his Bell Jet Ranger. Kevin Walker
and Jim Fairchild had been selected by Operations
Leader Walt Walker to be the first team to be
flown part way up the mountain. The plan was to
have them check for tracks, fly two more members
to the top for a check, then put two more in the
bird to fly as observers.
Just as Kevin and Jim were about to
climb into the bird we received a message, via
the sheriff's radio, that the two overdue
climbers had hiked out to the Long Valley Ranger
Station. So, we loaded up our cars and headed
home.
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