The Oasis. Monday, March 3-5:003 Your host: Evan Van Antwerp 3111 E. Loma Vista Circle, Palm Springs CA 92264

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1 The Oasis VOLUME 11 ISSUE 3 March, 2010 Palm Springs, California Monday, March 3-5:003 pm Your host: Evan Van Antwerp 3111 E. Loma Vista Circle, Palm Springs CA From Ramon turn south on El Cielo, pass through Mesquite and Bel Aire Green on the right, Tahquitz Creek golf course on the west, 4 streets on your right, Cambridge N., Cambridge S., Sonora Rd, & turn right on Loma Vista Circle. House is at end of cul de sac on the left. From E. Palm Canyon drive turn north on Escoba Drive. Go two blocks and turn left on El Cielo. It s four streets up on the left Host: Ed and Pete Date: Friday, March 12 Times: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Our chapter is always looking for Game Night Hosts. If interested, Please call Place: Keith Avenue, Cathedral City CA Directions: From Palm Springs, go East on Ramon across the wash to Landau. Turn left (North) on Landau and go half mile to Vega Avenue. Left on Vega, 2 blocks to Keith Avenue. Right turn on Keith Avenue and corner house is on the right. Bring: Bring a potluck dish or snack to share, your beverage and any table games you wish to play. For the 2010 Calendar, click:

2 Petroglyphs of the Cosos: April 2-4, 2010 Led by Scott Connelly Little Petroglyph Canyon at China Lake Naval Weapons Center contains the highest concentration of rock art in the Western Hemisphere. More than 6,000 images have been pecked, engraved, or abraded into the desert varnish. Tours are limited and restricted by the Navy. We will be camping at the Fairgrounds where tents will be on the grass and RV s nearby. Showers and hookups are available. Early arrivals on Friday can visit nearby Red Rock Canyon State Park and on Sunday we can explore the Trona Pinnacles. Additional information on our web site trip notes. The Canyon is about 1.2 miles long, and you walk in the sandy and rocky wash bottom. There is no trail. Some spots are steep but most of it is gentle sandy downhill. The first part is quite easy, the middle is moderate, and the lower end involves sliding on your rear down some very steep sections. Total drop is around 300 feet. Bring food and water (2 liters), sunglasses, hat and the ten essentials listed on the web site. High clearance vehicles are required. Carpooling is mandatory into the base. Proof of valid license, registration, insurance required. Vehicles are subject to search upon entry. Additional liability waivers to sign and must be an adult U.S. Citizen with photo ID. Social Security, birth date & place required for Base entry. Itinerary: Friday: Check in at the Fairgrounds campground and carpool to Red Rock Canyon in the PM. Saturday: 6 AM carpool to Maturango Museum for orientation and escorted tour to the canyon. Return to camp at 4:30 for potluck. Sunday: carpool to Trona Pinacles. Option to stay Sunday night. Daily camping fees are $20 for RV and $17 for a tent (payable upon arrival). Motels are available in Ridgecrest. Space is limited to 20 persons. Registration form to be completed by each applicant: Name Address Soc. Sec. # Birth Date Birthplace, city&state Phone Emerg. Contact: Phone Insurance Registration Fee: $45 (nonrefundable unless cancelled by the Navy) Non member Fee: $60 I will be: tent camping RV camping motel or other Make check payable to Great Outdoors. Contact: Scott sconnelly@dc.rr.com or Mail to: Scott Connelly, 2071 Marguerite St., Palm Springs, CA 92264

3 Earth Day 40 th Year Anniversary Responding to widespread environmental degradation, Gaylord Nelson, a United States Senator from Wisconsin, called for an environmental teach-in, or Earth Day, to be held on April 22, Over 20 million people participated that year, and Earth Day is now observed on April 22 each year by more than 500 million people and several national governments in 175 countries. Join the Great Outdoors for an Earth Day event April 22. We will participate with other organizations to clean up litter and debris in Berdoo Canyon which leads into Joshua Tree National Park. Desert Adventures, Great Outdoors, Desert Trails Hiking Clubs, Riverside County personnel, and Jennifer Taylor, BLM Volunteer Coordinator / Outdoor Recreation Planner will be working together. This is a great opportunity to show your support and participate in a project to improve our local environment. Mary Dungans, Owner, DESERT ADVENTURES JEEP ECO-TOURS & SPECIAL EVENTS, has invited participating members of the Great Outdoors for a camp out at the Desert Adventures Ranch. This is a spectacular location and a rare opportunity to experience a unique evening located on the San Andreas Fault enjoying the desert night stars. Both tents and RV s are welcomed or you can join in for a campfire evening. Details to be announced later on the Yahoo Group. You can view photos of our previous hikes at the Wilhelm Metate Ranch on the web page photo links. Reply: Name: Yes, I would like to participate in the Earth Day event. Mail: Great Outdoors PO Box 361 Palm Springs CA I will help with the cleanup. I will camp with tent I will camp with RV I will day trip for the campfire program only. Two Wonderful Day Hikes in March! 1. March 13th, Sat., Tiger Canyon Day Hike led by John Niedzwiedz Please join us for this 4 mile round trip hike in the Canyons just south of the South Lyken Trail. Difficulty for this hike is moderate with some scrambling over large boulders, but the canyon opens up and the view is worth it. At the end there is water cascading down the side of the mountain.. Elevation is about 400 feet but with a gradual slope. Bring lunch and water. We will meet at hunters at 9:00 AM. 2. March 18th, Thursday, Wildflower Hike led by Bill Bulger Depending on the depth of the Whitewater River crossings, the hike will start at the Stone House parking lot at Mission Creek. Take the West fork Trail to the PCT trail, then go south over the hill to Whitewater River, across the river and down to Whitewater Preserve. Also, we need to coordinate the correct number of vehicles that will shuttle people from Whitewater Preserve up to Mission Creek. I will have a parking permit for 5 cars at the Stone House. We can always leave a couple of cars outside the gate and shuttle people up to the Stone House if we have overflow. We will meet at Hunter's (some may wish to meet us at Whitewater Preserve) at 9 AM. Then drive to Whitewater. Leave some cars and then drive up Hwy 62 to Mission Creek Road (2 mile gravel road). After the hike, drive the drivers up to their cars at Mission Creek. The hike from Mission Creek Stone House (elevation 2450') follows the West Fork Trail with a gradual elevation gain of 500 feet, then going south on PCT ( another 100 feet gain) to top of hill (3000' elevation) that looks down on Whitewater Canyon. From there it is all down hill to Whitewater Preserve. We have a few river crossings at the river. On the day of the hike we will find out what the level of the water is. If too high for a safe crossing, we will double back from the 3000 foot hill to Mission Creek parking lot. Length: 5.5 mile one way to Whitewater Preserve Hiking Time: 4/5 hours including lunch on the trail Elevation Gain: 600 feet Difficulty: Moderate Return: 4/5 PM Hike leader: Bill Bulger

4 Record turnout for San Andreas talk Great Outdoors presentation at the Desert Hot Springs Community Center. The community responds! At least 150 persons turned out to hear the Great Outdoors presentation about the San Andrea Fault Saturday at the Desert Hot Springs Community Center. City officials said it was the biggest crowd in memory for the center. Thank you to GOPS members who attended. We also had a large group of men from DHSGay, the Desert Hot Springs gay men's group. Read the comments below! PATRICK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION, I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT YOU HAD EVERY- ONE PAYING ATTENTION AS I WATCHED FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM. ONLY AFEW PEOPLE GOT UP TO GO EITHER TO THE RESTROOM OR SNEAK A SMOKE OUTSIDE BUT WERE BACK IN THEIR SEATS IN A FEW MINUTES. WE HAD SOME NICE COMMENTS FROM EVERYONE WHO I TALKED TO AND I THINK YOU MAY BE GETTING SOME PHONE CALLS IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO DO MORE. AGAIN, THAT YOU FROM ALL OF US, WE REALLY DO APPRE- CIATE ALL THAT THE GREAT OUTDOORS HIKING GROUP DO TO HELP KEEP ALL THE RESIDENTS OF OUR WONDERFUL VALLLEY SO INFORMED. Regards, GEORGE FISHER, DHS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE Gentlemen, Thank you for putting together last night's presentation about the local fault lines. I found it to be quite educational, eye-opening, and a positive community service event. Definitely eager to follow this up with the upcoming Earthquake Preparedness Expo. Sam Messler, DHS Resident The fault program was presented by Scott Connelly, Ron Gilbert and Patrick Hinrichsen. Interested in a 4X4 Trip? Scott Connelly is leading another of his fabulous 4-wheel drive trips to Pinto Mtn. Joshua Tree National Park, March 21. Details will be sent out via a msg. from our Yahoo group list.

5 March, April May Events Palm Springs Death Valley 4X4 Mar 2-7 Game Night Mar 12 Tiger Canyon Hike Mar 13 Core Group Meeting Mar 17 Core Group President Robert Regni Vice President of Outings Wildflower Day Hike 4X4 Pinto Mts Mar 18 Mar 21 Keith Norris Non-Members: We will add you to our newsletter mailing list free of charge for 3 months. Please note, however, that a two dollar fee will be charged on day hikes, 4x4 outings and moonlight hikes. When it s time to renew your membership, please turn in the form with your payment. It is extremely important! Proposed schedule of activities The yearly schedule of activities is subject to change, so please check the newsletter or web site for the most up-to-date information about the chapter s activities. In addition there is always room to add new activities, so if you are interested in leading a hike, a camping trip, 4x4 or another outing, please contact: Any member of the Core Group. Articles for this newsletter should be submitted as Microsoft Word attachments via by the 15th of the month to: Newsletter-ps@greatoutdoors.org If you wish to purchase advertising space in The Oasis please submit your inquiries to: Steve Schullo at the above address. Ads should be submitted in jpg format if possible. Croquet Mar 29 Looking ahead Petroglyph Canyon April 2-4 Earth Day April 22 White Water Picnic Barbeque & Hike May 6 Treasurer John Niedzwiedz treasurer-ps@greatoutdoors.org Game Night Coordinator George Frank gamenightcoordinator-ps@greatoutdoors.org Secretary Scott Connelly secretary-ps@greatoutdoors.org Board Representative Cliff Clue boardrep-ps@greatoutdoors.org Newsletter Publisher/Editor Steve Schullo newsletter-ps@greatoutdoors.org Membership Coordinator Jack Ege membership-ps@greatoutdoors.org Web Site Administrator Ed Emond webmaster-ps@greatoutdoors.org Group List

6 Great Outdoors sounds great! How do I join? Simply fill out this form and send it in. MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES Newsletter Format: e-newsletter or Snail-mail Name Address City State ZIP Phone By joining Great Outdoors and/or attending the club s events, I acknowledge that in order for Great Outdoors to assume full legal responsibility it would have to charge higher fees than it does now. I waive the right to ever lay claim for injuries I might suffer before, during or after any Great Outdoors event. My guests will agree to these principles in writing before attending events. Signature Date Send this form and check made payable to: GREAT OUTDOORS P.O. Box 361 Palm Springs CA QUESTIONS? Write us at: info-ps@greatoutdoors.org Great Outdoors Palm Springs PO BOX 361 Palm Springs, CA Address Correction Requested $25 Regular $20 Senior (60 years or older) $45 Couple ($40 2 Seniors) If you are renewing enter your membership #