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Cy Kaicener -- The Early Days

PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 11:59 am
by Hikin_Jim
Say, isn't that Cy on his first summit of Cornell?
Image
:wink:

HJ

Cy Kaicener - the early days

PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 1:19 pm
by Cy Kaicener
Jim - you have to be kidding. :) I never did anything that daring 8)

This is me more than forty years ago

Martinez Mountain
8 February 1969
By: Cy Kaicener

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Leader: Cy Kaicener
Asst.: Les Stockton

Twenty-nine fresh, eager hikers met at Pinyon Flats campground on a clear, sunny morning. We caravaned a mile to the start of the hike, which begins by dropping down to a trail next to an unused dolomite mine.

The Santa Rosa Mountains were completely snow covered and provided a spectacular panorama along the trail. After a brisk morning, the temperature soon rose and was comfortably cool throughout the day.

The trail continues for about five miles to Cactus Spring almost to the base of the mountain. At the base we ran into freshly fallen powder snow which added variety to the climb but was never more than a few inches deep and, therefore, did not hinder progress.

The peak was attained just before 1 o'clock after climbing an interesting summit block which is high class 2. Twenty-nine people signed in the register which was highly satisfying for me. To my surprise, Fred Hoeptner suddenly appeared on the summit having left the cars after the group and taking another wash up the mountain.

The weather was delightfully warm at the top allowing us to sunbathe. Snow covered San Jacinto and San Gorgonio glistened in the not-so-distant distance.

On the descent there was a slight misunderstanding when Les Stockton took another canyon down and waited at the bottom for the group to come down. The group, however, did not come down because Les was not in sight so Ken Ferrell and Jay Frogel went back up to top of the ridge to look for him. In the meantime, the group descended and found an apologetic assistant waiting. Somebody had observed a red demon darting around the bushes down below. It could only be one person. The descent was further slowed down because of the snow and took twice as long as the ascent.

Les Stockton offered to take a splinter group of energetic peakbaggers over to Sheep Mountain. This group grew to fifteen people including one eight-year-old youngster, and off they went despite the lateness of the hour. Everything went beautifully and we reached the cars just as darkness fell (6:20 p.m.). We were followed by the Sheep group only one hour later.

There was one side note that I told the group about only when we got back to the cars. It was that when I scouted the trip a month earlier, I got lost when darkness fell and only got out after midnight after losing the trail. I started hiking at 10:30 in the morning on that day.

The group kept together well and appeared to enjoy the aesthetic value of the surroundings.



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HPS Archives Index | Hundred Peaks Section

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 4:07 pm
by Hikin_Jim
Nice, TR, Cy. It still reads well some 40 years later.

HJ

PostPosted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:11 pm
by tinaballina
:)

8/10/68 actually here's one of Cy's from 43 Years ago pg. 2

PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:25 pm
by Pitownpi
I gotta give respect where it's due! Image

this old paper/can is very fragile,the "Parchment of Cy" if you find it, please respect it's condition, There is a new book to sign that's not so delicate.

with kindest regards and respect,
Pi

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 9:19 am
by Hikin_Jim
1968!

Cy, you're my hero!

HJ

Re: 8/10/68 actually here's one of Cy's from 43 Years ago pg

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 9:42 am
by Cy Kaicener
Pitownpi wrote:I gotta give respect where it's due! Image

this old paper/can is very fragile,the "Parchment of Cy" if you find it, please respect it's condition, There is a new book to sign that's not so delicate.

with kindest regards and respect,
Pi


Thanks guys - I cant believe that old summit register page is still there :)

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:35 pm
by Perry
Funny! That does look like Cy.

Re: Cy Kaicener -- The Early Days

PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:55 am
by Ed
I sent this to Cy by PM, but no answer, I guess you have to login and check your PMs. Hope Cy is doing well. I apologize for cluttering up the discussion board with private conversation, but this discussion board currently needs some stimulus anyway! The below is sprinkled with names that will be unfamiliar to the discussion board. But I suspect not to Cy.

Cy,

I sometimes wonder if we crossed paths back in the day. Evidently we did, at least once. I found this photo in Sierra Club archives, from the Big Picacho trip of Thanksgiving, 1974.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/183926019 ... otostream/

In Photo 52, I am the one in the red bandana, Ed Omberg. My wife at the time, Mary, is the one in the white shorts. Henry Heusinkveld's description says you are the one at the upper right. We are also both in Photo 59. I'm the one with the orange pack standing next to Simone. I look tired! I don't remember being tired on that trip, but I could have been, since I was sidelined the previous summer by a dislocated shoulder.

This was our second try at Big Picacho. The first was a trip led by Paul Lipsohn, from the San Pedro Martir side. Turned out to be a bust, we became lost, and ran out of water and time. Since this trip was led by John Robinson, we were sure it could not fail.

I recall someone taking a bad fall on the way down, either Shirley Akawie or Lou Petitjean.

Thanks for inspiring me to take up hiking Skyline. I haven't done it in a few years, and probably never will again. But I did it 47 times on a wobbly knee after decades of being sidelined by knee injuries, and am very pleased that I did. It's been a great experience.

Ed

Re: Cy Kaicener -- The Early Days

PostPosted: Sat Aug 22, 2020 4:51 pm
by Sally
Cy, you’re my hero too! Several years ago on one of my first ascents of San Jacinto (I think it was via 7 Pines Trail) I was sitting at the top, just me, for a while when another hiker appeared. He told me he had hiked up from Palm Springs. I was thinking, “yeah, riiight!” He was low on fluids So I shared some water with him. After chatting a while he wrote “mtsanjacinto.info” on my map. I did not even own a computer then, so I was clueless. Soon after, I came across an amazing article in the Press Enterprise about Cy and Doreen doing Skyline almost daily. It was then that I realized that it WAS possible to hike up from Palm Springs. A few years later I found this forum and shortly thereafter started hiking Skyline. To this day I do not know who wrote “mtsanjacinto.info” on my map. Do any of you old timers on this forum remember writing that on my map?