What is The List? It is a compilation of 247 significant peaks in the Sierra Nevada. Climbing every peak on The List represents a lifetime of mountaineering achievement, and a true dedication to the wild high places of California. The List was created in 1960 by a committee of the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Sierra Peaks Section, led by the renowned Andy Smatko. 24 subcommittees each took responsibility for exploring a different region of the Sierra Nevada, identifying the peaks in that region that were especially scenic, or challenging, or historic, or unique. Read SPS Peaks List details in the Climber.Org database. The SPS identifies only 63 mountaineers who have climbed The List. Our own Sierra Club section, the Loma Prieta Peak Climbing Section, has only three finishers: Steve Eckert (1999 trip report), Rich Leiker (who isn't known to the SPS), and now Bob Suzuki.
Such a large victory deserves recognition, and a sizeable group came along to cheer Bob on at the summit:
Others did not climb the peak, but celebrated Bob's success at a champagne campfire that evening at Oh Ridge, near June Lake:
The hike itself was long but pleasant, on a cool September Saturday. We began at the Mono Pass trailhead, off Tioga Pass Road, near Tuolomne Meadows. We hiked over Parker Pass, crossed Parker Creek, and up to Koip Peak Pass. Here we left the trail and made an easy cross-country walk up to the broad 12962' summit. On the way up, we passed an auspicious flock of bighorn sheep, who had apparently come to bleat out their congratulations.
Mike McDermitt emails, "I was there in mind if not body." He thought of us on top of Koip Peak just as we were arriving.
The photo below was taken by Arun Mahajan with Ron Karpel's camera. There are other wonderful photos at http://www.karpel.org/Ron/HTMLTrips/20060916_04_Koip.html
Bob Gross adds: I scanned through the trip reports for Koip Peak. Nobody mentions the B-24 bomber crash site, halfway between Koip Peak and Kuna Peak. It dates back to 1943. Last summer [2008], Stewart Logie and I had backpacked up to Parker Pass. I dashed from there up to Parker Peak, enroute to Koip Peak. Some stranger was passing by, and he asked if I was heading to the bomber crash site. Hmmm. Yes. Yes, I am! I went to the top of Koip, then down to the saddle toward Kuna. There is the crash site. I counted three of the four propellers, and lots of aluminum scrap laying about. Apparently the bomber crashed there in 1943, killing the crew of seven. The bodies were removed within a few days, and the aluminum scrap still sits there.
