Reported on the PCT_L listserver
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Yes, once again your PCT hero, Switchback, has cheated death. This time
on a visit/lunch with Sierra pioneer, Glen Dawson, at his Pasadena
retirement home. Meadow Ed and I braved the traffic and rain soaked SoCal to have
lunch with this historic mountaineer and contemporary of John Muir. Glen
was born in 1912 and John Muir died in 1914. His deceased younger brother
was named Muir Dawson. Glen was given an honorary Life Membership in the
Sierra Club in 1921. The certificate was signed by Sierra Club president
William Colby. Mr. Colby was secretary to John Muir when he was the first
president of the Sierra Club. Glen was on the Norman Clyde expedition for
the first ascent of Mt. Whitney's east face in the early 1930's. Norman
Clyde made more first ascents in the Sierras than any other person. Several
year's ago Glen was given an honorary doctorate.
His retirement home is a place Ed and I want to live at if I have to move
into a something like that. What a nice place. There are 23 different ice
cream flavors you can have at lunch and supper for dessert, plus lots of
other things. All the food was first rate. Just the way Ed and I like it,
plus we were the kids there. The trouble was that a lot of the folks there
seem to be doing better than us. Glen is very alert and likes to recall
the post pioneer days in the Sierras. This was his generation. He made an
ascent with others of the last unclimbed 14,000 foot mountain in CA, plus
other first ascents.
For Meadow Ed, I had Glen sign a large two picture sheet of Mt. Whitney's
east face and the historic black/white picture of the first ascent group at
the top after their historic climb. Mine from last year's visit is framed
and hanging in my den at home. What a neat thing to have. After lunch I
took Ed down to the Long Beach dock for the trip over to Santa Catalina
Island. He was going there for Christmas. A very enjoyable holiday visit
with Glen and Ed.
Faithfully recorded and accurately reported, your obedient servant --
Switchback the Trail Pirate
