1. the Survivor
The quarterly journal of Desert Survivors • Experience, Share, Protect • Winter 2006/7, 25, 4
Desert Survivors History
Bighorn Logo
Mecca Hills

2. Desert Survivors
F E AT U R E
History:
The Bighorn Logo
By Gregor Nelson, Healdsburg, CA,
A
t the risk of tarnishing my small place in Survivors folklore
with a more mundane (if factual) account, here’s some-
thing on creating the DS logo, and a rather interesting
coincidence.
I was one of four members of the 17-day Solstice 1980 Expedi-
tion from Owens Valley to the Inyo crest, the first trek under the
(then tie-dyed) banner of Desert Survivors. It was there we first
encountered a former BLM employee and his ill-conceived scheme
Doris Nelson
to cut a road along the crest to the old Keynot Mine, destroying
pristine bristlecone groves in the process, and using much of the
available water for a cyanide leaching system on-site. Very quickly
the focus of the Survivors shifted from lighthearted exploration of Bruce Nelson photographing petroglyphs, Coso Range, 1946
the high desert to serious environmental protection.
Sheep canyons.
In 1981, while a graphic design major at San José State, I devel-
oped an identity for Desert Survivors to replace the hokey clip-art I had never seen prints made from these negs, and put them away
cow skull-cactus-lariat version that Doug Kari had commissioned for another twenty years. In 2005 I ran across them again, and this
for our shirts in 1980. While we hadn’t actually seen petroglyphs time looked more closely. The very last neg featured a large hori-
or bighorn sheep on that trip, it was a natural concept to explore. zontal rock with over a dozen bighorns, at least three dogs, a shield
I found a weighty volume in the SJSU library with hundreds of and medicine bag and, right in the center of the action, a rather
rock art field drawings from familiar silhouette. It is published here for the first time.
the California and Nevada
deserts. Very few of the
bighorn glyphs had the right
sense of charging resolve I felt
the Survivors needed. But I
finally found one sturdy fellow,
and noted with satisfaction that
he was found in Inyo County.
With very few alterations, it
was perfect.
A few years later, my mother
gave me a packet of about
forty 4x5 negatives she had
shot in 1946 around Wild
Horse Mesa, in the Coso
Range just south of the Inyos.
My father was stationed at the
China Lake Naval Weapons
Center at the time, helping
develop what became the
Sidewinder heat-seeking mis-
sile. Weekends were spent
Doris Nelson
exploring and photographing
the surrounding desert areas,
including the rich troves of
drawings in Renegade and The Survivor Bighorn at home, 1946. Photos ©2007 by Gregor Nelson, all rights reserved.
Cover: Palm oasis, Anza-Borrego State Park. Article to appear in the Spring, 2007 issue. Photograph by Patrick Dunn.
2 The Survivor Winter 2006/7

3. How to Reach Us Contribute to T h e bers to broadcast e-mail to everyone else
S H O RT TA K E S
signed up for the listserv. Recent topics
[See website for curent information] S u r v i vo r ; You’ll be included floods, desert wildflowers, road
Editor
Paul Brickett Glad You Did conditions, and DS service trips. Be care-
ful, though, to not inadvertently send per-
(408) 279-3129 Deadline for the summer issue is June 21,
sonal e-mail to the entire listserv.
2007. Submissions (with maximum word
length) may include letters-to-the-editor Desert Survivor members may subscribe to
Membership Information (200), feature articles (4000), trip reports either DSEM or DSOL by e-mailing tor-
Steve Tabor (2000), desert conservation issues, articles toise, desert-survivors.org. For the subject
(510) 769-1706 on desert natural history, book reviews, use “subscribe regular mailings” for
backpacking/camping recipes, member DSEM, and “subscribe listserv” for DSOL.
announcements and original art. All sub- Don’t include the quotation marks and do
Desert Survivor Website missions which relate to the mission of include in the body of the message your
www.desert-survivors.org Desert Survivors will be considered for name and address so that we can verify
publication. All text must be submitted your membership. Unfortunately, we don’t
Board of Directors electronically. Please send text longer than yet have a completely automated system,
a paragraph as an attached file. Formats and Tortoise can be a little slow, so it might
President currently accepted (in order of preference)
Steve Tabor take several days.
are: Word (.doc), WordPerfect (.wpd), Rich
Text Format (.rtf) and text (.txt). Please
Activities include your full name, city and state of
Bob Lyon residence and phone number with the sub-
mission. For photographs, please identify Letter
the people and locations shown. Digital
Communications photos need to be approximately 1600 pix- Steens Mistakes
Paul Brickett els resolution to be printed the full width
of a page (8.5 inches). April 16, 2007
Managing
Just some comments regarding the Steens
Loretta Bauer
Mountain Carcamp article in the Fall, 2006
Mission Statement for issue:
Secretary Desert Survivors
Deborah Schreiber The picture you have as viewing Kiger
Desert Survivors is a nonprofit organiza-
Gorge is actually Big Indian Gorge. Also
tion dedicated to desert conservation and
the area that they are viewing from is only
Volunteer exploration. Our members enjoy hiking in
about 500 yards from the Russ Pengelly
Lynne Buckner and learning about America’s desert lands,
Plaque, founder of the Desert Trail, but
and seek to protect those areas for future
apparently no viewing this or mention.
generations.
At Large Directors: The area viewed from is probably the best
of the Big Indian and near two good
Jannet Schraer
campsites.
Desert Survivor
Judy Kendall The view you have listed as View down
E-Mail, Listserv into Kiger Canyon is actually a view from
Desert Survivors has two e-mail lists for the East Rim to the Alvord Desert below.
Patrick Dunn
members, DSEM and DSOL. DSEM
allows members to receive most regular It should be noted that after what they
Dan Seneres mailings by e-mail rather than paper. Trip have called the Shepard’s Cabin, they had
schedules, party and meeting announce- to cross the upper Cirque of Little Indian
Nick Jedenoff ments, alerts – everything except renewal Gorge before dropping into the Little
notices and The Sur vi vor arrive in your Wildhorse Gorge and Lake area. The Little
inbox, often days before other members Indian was the first route of the Desert
General Counsel
receive theirs in the mail. You receive Trail before the Big Indian was bought out
Alan Siraco
100% of the text contents of the regular and land exchanged by the BLM. No men-
mailings (and nothing else). Desert Sur- tion of this.
vivors protects the e-mail addresses of its
members fully, never lending, selling or giv- Ross Edginton, Lake Oswego, OR
The Sur vi vor is printed by
ing them away to others.
My Printer, Berkeley, CA,
www.emyprinter.com.
DSOL is our listserv, which allows mem-
The Survivor Winter 2006/7 3

4. Incredible Desert Event Tops Off Desert
F E AT U R E
Survivors 25th Year
O
n December 3, 2006, Desert Survivors topped off its had to make up their answers as they went along. After the ques-
25th Anniversary year with an event billed as “The tions, Alan made his choice and the gong sounded. He chose
Incredible Desert”. It was a party that will go down in Number Three, Craig Osen. Wrong! It was Number One, the
history as unique and exciting, a celebration of the group and its real Doug! Alan, you did alright. Everybody answered with such
twenty-five years of desert exploration and appreciation. Impre- deadpan truthfulness and such a sense of suspense that it was all
sario Gerry Fait put together an excellent crew of dynamic per- very convincing, up there with the best of TV game shows.
formers, all of whom offered original works of entertainment. Doug, Craig and Brian Rawlinson did a great job. It was lots of
Like all creative endeavors, these involved a lot of labor, but the fun.
show went well and the crowd was pleased. We will always
remember it. Next came “The Saga of Desert Survivors”, a re-enactment of the
long multi-day “dayhike” that led to the founding of Desert Sur-
Throughout its course, the event exhibited real creativity, a quality vivors. Using information from an in-depth telephone interview
that Gerry insisted on. The event began with typical socializing with Doug, Joanna Kumik wrote a poetic narrative about the expe-
around the tables while slides of desert scenes and facts about rience Doug and his friend Jim Morrison had as young men on
desert geography and natural history ebbed and flowed on the Keynot Peak. Joanne narrated the story while Darrell Hunger and
front wall. At 4:00 pm the event moved to its first performance. Jannet Schraer recreated through mime their interpretation of that
Founder Doug Kari had come up from Los Angeles to appear in long, dry hike. Peter Hadreas and Stan Huncilman provided music
Desert Survivors first-ever contest of “To Tell the Truth”. Picture with piano and bongo drums respectively. This was real theater,
three middle-aged but healthy-looking men on the stage each at his effectively performed and original, like a Japanese Kabuki piece.
own microphone. When asked his name, Number One steps for- What better way to portray the founding legend? Joanna’s narra-
ward to his mike and announces, “My name is Doug Kari”. When tive accompanies this article.
asked his name, Number Two steps forward and announces, “MY
name is Doug Kari”. Number Three does likewise. To the Next up, Judith Rosen took the stage and asked past and present
group’s old-timers, this was a funny thing, for Doug is well known, Directors, leaders and presidents to stand up an be acknowledged
and was Desert Survivors first celebrity. It was a strange moment, by the crowd. Meanwhile a band began to assemble behind Judith
but the suspense continued from there. composed of Neal Cassidy, Jerome Rainey and Stan. Marta Perry
appeared in a wonderful Afro-wig looking like a strange parody of
Alan Katz had volunteered to be the questioner. He knew none Tina Turner. Judith, Jannet Schraer, Jean McAneny and Maureen
of the three men, so this contest was real. Alan had developed a Grabowski were posed as backup singers. No doubt, this was
series of questions about DS’ founding event, the multi-day going to be something!
attempt of the founders to climb Keynot Peak in 1978, led by
Doug. None of this had been rehearsed; the two “non-Dougs” President Steve Tabor was called up on stage and honored with a
short introduction. Asked to make a very, very
short speech, he proceeded to acknowledge the
tribute when suddenly the band broke in on his
oration with a loud refrain of, “strollin’, strollin’,
strollin’ in the desert”. The song, played to the
tune of Credence Clearwater’s “Proud Mary”,
was entitled “Proud Steve”. Steve never fin-
ished his speech. Instead he joined the dance to
the raucous beat and even sang a few verses on
the chorus. The original lyrics, penned by Gerry
Fait, were about Steve’s metamorphosis from
warehouseman and antiwar activist to obsessive
desert hiker. The band was tight and solid; we’ll
have to make it our house band. Tabor was not
in the rehearsals and didn’t know what to expect.
For once he was not the center of the show, but
it’s hard to be humble when people write songs
Maureen Grabowski
about you. The crowd gave a great ovation to
the performers.
Following the music, Darrell Hunger presented a
slideshow of desert scenes, entitled “Edward
Steve Tabor with Judith Rosen on stage, Neal Cassidy with guitar Abbey’s Advice to Park Rangers”, reading from
4 The Survivor Winter 2006/7

5. Abbey’s works and illustrating each of leaders and activists, this will be a
F E AT U R E
his points with a slide. Many of the comprehensive portrayal of what
scenes were hilarious photos of Desert Survivors is all about. Dan
Desert Survivor members posing for hopes to show it on cable TV, per-
the camera. The crowd’s apparent haps on NPR. It’s a work in
favorite slide was that of Jannet hold- progress, but looks good already. It
ing a devining rod over a hot tub to was an appropriate part of our 25th
illustrate the need for Park Rangers to Anniversary celebration.
have the skill and ability to find water
in any situation. The Abbey quotes There was barely enough food for
were familiar, since so many members the ninety-four attendees. We ate it
had been brought up on “Desert Soli- all. Recorded dance music followed,
taire” and other works by the old a fitting finish to a glorious night.
desert sage, who died unexpectedly in There are rumors that several DS
1989. Abbey’s words define a lot of personages were caught on film as
what we have to say about desert they bounced around the floor.
issues and our sensibility about desert There’s even been talk that Presi-
protection. Thank you, Darrell, for dent Tabor was photographed danc-
the inspiration. ing all alone in the disco cage as
that sparkling disco ball revolved
Maureen Grabowski
Steve Tabor took the stage again, ‘round and ‘round, reflecting off his
this time to introduce by name bifocals. That one is hard to
the past and present Directors, believe. A good time was had by
trip leaders and activists present, all. Karen Rusiniak chose the tunes.
asking them to stand, missing Thank you, Karen.
only a few (sorry, Jessica). Then
Gerry Fait (foreground) on the dance floor
the band assembled for another By 9:00 we were ready to relax.
song, “I’m a Survivor”, a parody of What was left of the crowd spilled
the 1966 hit by the Monkees, “I’m a Believer”. The lyrics, by Neal out onto the sidewalk on Broadway. Broadway Studios in San
Cassidy, tell the story of an unassuming American who goes on a Francisco with its stage and dance floor was a good place for a
first DS trip and learns to love the desert. He/she is thereby party. Will we do it again? This one will be hard to top, but there
transformed. The crowd was urged to sing along and did so, at are those who say we need a party like this one every year. The
least to the chorus. This was another original, and more great fun. originality of Gerry Fait and the gang will not be easy to duplicate.
The lyrics are printed below on this page. The song was a great This was indeed one of a kind, but who knows? Some of us want
set-up for the catered dinner that followed. Through the dinner, to not even try, to savor this party as the unique and irreplaceable
Dan Seneres screened a short version of his film on Desert Sur- performance that it was.
vivors. Dan had edited the film down to fifteen minutes, but the
finished film will be much longer than that. With footage from We’ll see about next year or the year after.
Gerry Goss’ Saline Valley trip, other trips, and interviews of trip
I’m a Survivor Then I added water – a gallon plus a day.
And I felt my knees begin to sway.
By Neal Cassidy, Oakland, CA
Chorus:
To the tune of “I’m a Believer”, by Neil Diamond, 1966
But I made that trip, now I’m a Survivor!
I feel whipped, but tough as can be.
I thought deserts more or less were all the same:
I’m in love! Oohh, I’m a Survivor; I feel aliver,
Seen one wash or dune – you seen ‘em all.
yessiree.
I was into forests, mountain fields and streams.
I liked places cool and lush and green.
Now I know the desert is a livin’ thing,
Full of wondrous sights for those who seek.
Chorus:
But you’ll never see them ‘til you leave the road,
Then I took one trip; now I’m a Survivor!
And get a little lost, as I was showed.
I just flipped; I’m feeling sublime.
I’m in love! Oohh, I’m a Survivor; I feel aliver in
Chorus:
this clime.
When you make that trip, you’ll be a Survivor.
Take my tip, and make yourself proud.
I thought I had humped a heavy pack or two.
You’ll be one (oohh) of the Survivors, not just a
Forty pounds or more just warmed me up.
jiver in the crowd.
The Survivor Winter 2006/7 5

6. The Saga of Desert Survivors Thirsty….. Water, water! Melt snow, soothe dry throats!
F E AT U R E
In the moonlight they stuffed snow, twigs, dirt, bugs, and all into
By Joanna Kumic, Oakland, CA
O
an old two gallon metal canteen they had found at the Keynot site
n the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada lies a spectacular and used it as a cooker to melt snow.
valley rivaled by none in its beauty. Bordered by the
Inyos to the west, the Saline and Last Chance ranges to Calm descended over them as their bodies warmed and thirst
the east, and high passes to the north and the south, the Saline abated. Overhead the sky shimmered with starlight. The moon
Valley offers solitude and a feeling of being very far away. It was was full. From a perch high above them, an owl gazed down and
in this rugged land in May of 1978 that Desert Survivors was quietly hooted as if to say “you did well, boys!”
founded. The saga goes something like this.
At daybreak, they began their descent. Exhausted and over-
One sunny hot afternoon, four long shadows suddenly appeared whelmed by the vastness of the landscape, they realized how
across the desert floor. Seeking adventure, the young students deceptive distance is. Ridges can turn into rock faces, gentle
had come to the valley to climb up to the Keynot Mine. They slopes can end at sheer cliffs. It was important to read the land
quickly set out climbing. Higher and higher they scrambled, final- carefully, to keep cool and not panic or get hurt, to talk about the
ly reaching a mine tunnel a day and a half later where, luckily, they route and make sensible decisions. If only they had marked the
found water. trail on the way up!
The following morning, inspired by the magnificence of the rising Stumbling, rocks slipping away under foot, losing the route,
sun and fueled by an intense desire for discovery, Doug Kari and retracing steps, finding it again, the descent continued. Down,
Jim Morrison set out for a day hike. Dressed in shorts and down they went discussing the importance of carrying extra
t–shirts with two quarts of water between them, they maneuvered water, food, a daypack with emergency supplies, a flashlight and
upward. compass, extra clothes.
Morning soon gave way to afternoon, while adventure turned into 36 hours later, weary but so much wiser, Doug and Jim reached
struggle. In their excitement and innocence, they forgot the first camp and found their companions had gone to seek search and
code of the desert, be prepared and carry a lot of water. rescue help.
Exhausted and thirsty they reached the summit of Keynot Peak at
sunset. The next day they descended to the valley floor and waited until a
helicopter appeared. Triumphant, they refused it proclaiming
Darkness fell, freezing temperatures enveloped them, and they themselves to be “desert survivors!”
were out of water. It would be a long, cold, sleepless night. How
to survive until daybreak was the only thought on their minds. And that, my fellow Survivors, is how it all began!
Shivering….. Oh, the unbearable cold! Make a fire, get warm!
T he Incredible Deser t, A tains) by Bob Ellis Lighting design by Ed Anderson.
Desert Survivors 25th Anniver- Proud Steve Music by John Fogerty Lyrics by Gerry Fait Moder-
sary Event: Credits ated by Judith Rosen Performed by Jerome Rainey (guitar, voice),
Neal Cassidy (guitar, voice), Stan Huncilman (bongos), Maureen
Grabowski (voice, tambourine), Jannet Schraer (voice), Judith
C
onceived and directed by Gerry Fait Special thanks to Rosen (voice) and Marta Perry in the part of Tina Turner Tina’s
Cathy Luchetti, Stan Huncilman and Broadway Studios for costume design by Marta Perry.
providing rehearsal space and artistic support.
Edward Abbey’s Advice To Park Rangers Read and interpreted
Large Visual Presentations Desert Facts by Gerry Fait; by Darrell Hunger Slides designed and photographed by Darrell
Slides of the Namibian and Californian Deserts by Judy Kendall Hunger Projection by Ed Anderson.
Slides of the Coso Petroglyphs by Li Miao Lovett Slide projection
by Ed Anderson To Tell The Truth Moderator played by Gerry I’m A Survivor Music by Neil Diamond Lyrics by Neal Cassidy
Fait Contestants played by Craig Osen, Brian Rawlinson and Performed by Neal Cassidy (guitar, voice), Jerome Rainey (guitar,
Doug Kari Panel Member played by Alan Katz. voice), Maureen Grabowski (voice, tambourine), Judith Rosen
(voice), Jannet Schraer (voice), Marta Perry (voice) and Jean McA-
The Saga Of Desert Survivors - A Re-Enactment Of The Day neny (voice).
Hike That Led To The Founding Desert Survivors Written and
read by Joanna Kumik Mimes played by Darrell Hunger and Jan- Film Preview: Documentary Of Desert Survivors Written and
net Schraer Original improvised music by Peter Hadreas (piano) directed by Dan Seneres Filmed by Jim Grannato and Yun Shin.
and Stan Huncilman (bongos) Set design (slide of Inyo Moun-
Dancing Music selection by Karen Rusiniak.
6 The Survivor Winter 2006/7

7. Thank You To The Organizers Of amazing places
F E AT U R E
where it all began.
Our 25th Anniversary Events Thank you, Gerry,
for this tribute to our
D
esert Survivors 25th heritage.
Anniversary events in
Maureen Grabowski
2006 were a great suc- Gerry Fait con-
cess, thanks primarily to those ceived of our
who conceived of and orga- “Incredible
nized them. As with all of our Desert” event
endeavors, we are dependent on on December 3
volunteers to get things done, and carried it Linda Ryan
and done right. through to success.
Maureen Grabowski
With everything
On April 14-17, Craig Deutsche planned from scratch, dependent on pure creativity, this highly
led six Survivors on a rigorous original event demanded acute attention. It was unique. Read the
four-day backpack from Saline story on the event in this issue. Thank you, Gerry, for that phe-
Valley to the crest of the Inyo nomenal evening. It was a surprise and a joy for everyone.
Mountains. This trip was Steve as go-go dancer
designed as a re-enactment of the Year 2006 was a bold one for Desert Survivors. No telling when
founders’ epic journey to the Inyo we’ll again reach this level of outstanding events, but we hope it’ll
crest in 1978, the subject of our “Founders’ Legend”. See the be before our 50th Anniversary. Watch these pages for future
Summer 2006 Survivor for the story. Thank you, Craig. events like these.
We’re already plan-
In the Fall, Karen ning another Benton
Rusiniak orga- Bash for next Fall
nized the 2006 and an Issues Con-
Benton Bash ference in Novem-
(September 22- ber 2007. We’ll need
Maureen Grabowski
24), a three-day your help as volun-
Maureen Grabowski
encampment at teers. Contact Vol-
Benton Hot unteer Coordinator
Springs in the Lynne Buckner if
Eastern Sierra you want to help
which also served with future events or Odessa Schraer modeling part of Tina
Jannet Schraer and Neal Cassidy as the group’s have ideas for events Turner costume
Annual Meeting. of your own. Her
Eighty-seven people attended; fifty stayed for the meeting. With phone is (415) 824-5454 ..
such a large membership present and with many sub-events (hikes,
a treasure hunt, a sing-along) to keep track of and details to con-
sider, Karen had quite a challenge but came through strong. Ben-
Petroglyphs
POETRY
ton was a watershed event for the group, unlike any other. It sets a
standard for future Annual Meetings, and we plan to do it again
this year. See the Fall 2006 Survivor for the story. Thank you,
By Mimi Merrill
Karen.
Feb. 2, 1986
On October 27-29, Gerry Goss led an anniversary trip to Saline
Valley, Desert Sur- My own flawed quick notes
vivors’ spiritual Are not like those
home along with Of the singer who sang of Beowulf,
the Inyos. Mem- Nor the Bard who graced blue Avon’s shore.
bers visited Saline No. The poet whose work is most like mine
Hot Springs, plus Chipped stone, rubbed rock,
canyons in the And worked a wordless tune on granite’s face,
Maureen Grabowski
Inyos and the Cot- In caves or in the desert’s emptiness;
tonwood Moun- Or scratched a feather dipped in dragon’s blood
tains. To those Across a drying autumn leaf,
who attended, these And flung it to a nameless wailing wind
were inspiring hikes Whose passage brought it to my door.
Ed Anderson at the controls to some of the
The Survivor Winter 2006/7 7

8. Desert Survivors History, 1995-2006
F E AT U R E
By Steve Tabor Pahrump Valley, was boundary-marked almost entirely by Desert
D
esert Survivors histories have been written for the period Survivors. It was a novel situation.
1981 to 1989 by Don Falk (1990), and for the period
1990 to 1994 by Steve Tabor (1994). This article brings The group also began to get calls to perform service trips. There
that history up-to-date, 1995 to the end of 2006. The history of were boundary signs to put up, old roads to obliterate, springs to
DS’ issues involvement is too complex to be included here. Watch restore and trash to be removed. Most leaders refused to perform
for an “Issues History” in the next issue of The Sur vi vor. the latter task, but the former three were attacked with enthusiasm.
It felt good to be wanted, also to make positive connections with
With the passage of the California Desert Protection Act (CDPA) many Wilderness Specialists and Volunteer Coordinators, all of
on October 31, 1994, Desert Survivors and the rest of the desert whom we found were good people. We also found the hard edge
protection activist community entered a new era. For the first time of many a Field Office Manager (the head man in the office)
the U.S. Congress recognized the value of the California Desert by blunted. Our concerns about wildlife and Wilderness integrity
protecting, all at once, millions of acres as Wilderness, National were now treated with respect. Several “bad apples”in the agencies
Parks and a National Preserve. Death Valley and Joshua Tree went on to other things, perhaps in states more redneck or cowboy
National Monuments became National Parks and a new Preserve than California.
was created in the East Mojave Desert. Sixty new Wilderness
Areas were created on Bureau of Land Management land, and a In March of 1995, Desert Survivors membership reached an all-
dozen more were formed in the National Park Service properties. time high: 1,101. It was never to exceed that figure again. Interest
It had taken eight years of struggle; the CDPA had been intro- in the desert on the part of the general public (and the hiking pub-
duced in 1986. But to those of us who had worked long and hard lic) began to wane after the Protection Act was passed. The antag-
for desert Wilderness, the victory was a sweet one. onism of the gonzo Republicans in the House of Representatives,
their rabid rejection of environmental safeguards and Wilderness
Celebrations however were short-lived. After the 1994 election, protection, may also have been a factor; as they seemed to cast a
Republican Party leaders, who had fought hard against the bill, strange voodoo on the public. Though the DS trips program was
sought its revenge by trying to repeal it. They also tried to short- expanding, with 1994 totals the highest ever (46 trips with 545 par-
circuit the new Mojave National Preserve by cutting its funding to ticipants), people stopped calling to join and new member totals
$1.00 per year. The Clinton Administration supported the Pre- began to drop. Neither trip participation nor membership totals
serve by finding money elsewhere in the Interior Department bud- have ever been as high again as they were then. (See the graph of
get, but it was clear that environmentalists, and especially public membership totals over time on the next page.)
land protection advocates, were in for a long fight once again.
Since then, Desert Survivors has retained most members from year
But with the passage of the CDPA, Desert Survivors suddenly to year. Membership renewal rates regularly top 70%, and typically,
found itself an ally of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 30-40% of those renewing endorse the groups’ efforts through
instead of an adversary. For years, the group had been battling additional donations sent in with their membership checks. After
with the BLM for more protection of Wilderness Study Areas and the big fall-off in 1995 and 1996, membership figures stabilized at
wildlife, and demanding control of mining, grazing and off-road 750 to 850 for many years. Only recently has membership
vehicles. The group’s relationship with the agency, mildly dropped to 700.
described as “at loggerheads”, was legendary in the community. In
fact, antagonism with various BLM operatives had come to define Service trips of the type described above have become a feature of
Desert Survivors’ reputation as we found, again and again, that the the Desert Survivors trips program. The group usually offers 10-
BLM had allowed one and then another outrageous action by this 15 each year; five or ten are actually performed (some service trips
or that rancher, prospector or vehicle junkie. do not generate enough member interest to justify the leader’s
showing up at the trailhead). Desert Survivors has signed a coop-
In 1995 that all changed. DS Directors and leaders began to erative agreement with the BLM at the new Black Rock
receive calls from BLM land managers asking us to help protect it Desert/High Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, enabling
and to monitor degradation of resources. Part of this was budget members to obtain reimbursement if they show up at an NCA-
cuts by the Republican-controlled Congress, but part was also due scheduled volunteer project. Proximity to the SF Bay Area has cre-
to a curious role-reversal. The attitude seemed to be, “well, now ated a demand for volunteer DS labor. The group has a good rap-
that you’ve got your Wilderness Areas, you’ve got to help us man- port with NCA managers.
age them”. In 1995 and 1996, DS was besieged with requests from
rangers on the ground to help do boundary marking of the new Desert monitoring trips have also become important. DS trip
Wilderness Areas. We developed healthy relationships with several leaders are often asked to go into an area, usually a Wilderness, and
BLM ground men. So strapped for cash was the agency that off- report back to land managers about abuses they observe, usually
duty fire crews, prisoners and environmental groups were being off-road vehicle and grazing abuse. Reports are given, either verbal
asked to survey and mark the new boundaries. One of the WAs, or written, once the place has been examined. Several good-quality
8 The Survivor Winter 2006/7

9. out. The objectives were reaffirmed in 1997. They have governed
F E AT U R E
the group’s actions ever since.
While promoting grants and a professional management stance for
the group, Rochelle conceived of a Desert Art Show and Raffle as
a fund-raiser in late 1994. This art show was a success, with 22
volunteers, more than one hundred attendees, and lots of art on
display and up for auction. The event raised $4,200 for the group
in raffle money and art sales (16% of the DS budget for the year),
and it had a great impact on Desert Survivors’ public profile. Art
shows were also held in 1995 and 1996, bringing in $3,100 and
$1,700 respectively. Logistical difficulties and a drying up of both
raffle prizes and art for auction ended the art shows after ‘96 but
there is now talk of resurrecting them.
The Year 1995 brought yet another innovation, the establishment
of a Desert Survivors presence on the Internet. Members Jeff
Mick and Nick Jedenoff introduced this idea in 1994-1995 and the
Membership totals 1988-2006 Board moved to create the Petroglyph listserv as a result. By
monitoring reports complete with color pictures were generated in enabling members with e-mail addresses to broadcast e-mails to
2003, 2004 and 2005. These were considered state-of-the-art by the whole list, the listserv linked members directly with a large
all who saw them. The addition of Global Positioning System array of others. In 1996, Director Richard Bone became point-
(GPS) technology has added considerably to the efficacy of this man for Petroglyph, and in subsequent years Peter Ruddock
monitoring work. became Keeper-of-the-List.
Also in 1995, Desert Survivors became interested in getting grants One big advantage of the listserv is that it allows the President
to enable a greater activity level. One of the founders, Jim Morri- and other Directors, as well as individual member-activists, to
son, had introduced this idea back in 1990 but received no backing broadcast issues alerts to a large number of members so as to
from the Board. In 1994, Volunteer Director Rochelle Gerratt res- amplify our weight when land agencies ask for comments on spe-
urrected the idea and called for the Board to take it seriously. One cific proposals or plans for the desert. With the Internet, we can
thing needed was a Mission Statement, a unifying concept that do this without having to send paper mailings on the spur of the
would serve to define the group and its goals. No grantsman moment, a time-consuming and expensive task. The Internet also
would fund a non-profit without a Mission Statement on the mast- allows for the propagation of complex documents like Notices of
head of its publications. Proposed Action (NOPAs) and management plans; both can be
bulky when sent through the mail. So important has issues com-
Rochelle organized a Board Meeting that would be led by a facilita- munication been to us, then and now, that we’ve kept on-line
tor in February 1995. This facilitator, from The Management expenses in our budget as an Issues line item. We could not do
Center in San Francisco, guided a group discussion in which without on-line communication nowadays.
Directors gave their views on what the group was and what it was
trying to do. Out of this all-day session came the slogan, “Experi- Soon after developing Petroglyph, Desert Survivors tackled the
ence-Share-Protect”, which is now part of the DS logo, along with problem of how to establish a website. Member Neil Ratzlaff did
the bighorn sheep icon and the words Desert Survivors. The new most of the work in the early years. Some Directors were wary of
logo began appearing on the trip schedules and The Sur vi vo this new form of communication, being hesitant about revealing
immediately afterward and was placed on Desert Survivors fragile and sensitive desert places to the untutored millions who
teeshirts and hats in 2001. The slogan is a succinct representation may just be looking for places to ride their bikes, for petroglyphs
of what we do: experience the desert (through visitation), share to vandalize, for arrowheads to steal. In time, however, websites
our experiences with others (through trips and publications, evolved into a primary definition for groups like ours. Web devel-
slideshows and street fairs), and protect the desert (by using our opment came a couple of years after Petroglyph.
communications to get members and others actively involved in
issues work). All through the late 1990s, the Desert Survivors Issues Group
functioned as the major group’s forum for issues work. Discus-
The Desert Survivors Mission Statement reads as follows: “The sion of issues moved away from Board Meetings, which were held
mission of Desert Survivors is to experience, share and protect the every two months, over toward the Issues Group meetings, which
desert, a beautiful, fragile and threatened environment deserving were monthly. Stances and tactics on issues were usually worked
of respect and requiring constant vigilance.” out at Issues Group meetings, attended by eight to twelve of the
most involved members, then sent to the Directors for ratification,
Three more meetings were held in March through May 1995 in either at a regular meeting or by phone or e-mail.
which a series of objectives for subsequent years were hammered
The Survivor Winter 2006/7 9

10. F E AT U R E
Desert Survivors Service and Monitoring Trips, 1994-2006
Year/ 2001
Month Location Leader Jan Little Marias Wilderness road restoration Tabor
1994 Mar Selenite Wilderness boundary signing O’Riley
Aug Bodie Hills fencing Dickes Apr DTNA signage, clean-up & site survey McMullen
Apr Black Rock NCA Volunteer Training O’Riley
1995
Apr San Benito Mountains Ellis May Black Rock NCA Leave No Trace training O’Riley
May Blue Eagle (NV) Wilderness signing Ellis May North Black Rock Range monitoring Ellis
May Owens Peak WA trail maintenance O’Riley 2002
Oct Inyo Wilderness road survey Goss Jan Mecca Hills Wilderness road restoration Tabor
Oct San Benito Mountains Ellis May Carrizo Plain fence removal Lyon
Nov Nopah Wilderness boundary signing Tabor Oct DTNA signage, clean-up & site survey McMullen
2003
1996 Mar Calumet Water Search (monitoring) Tabor
Mar Desert Tortoise Natural Area (DTNA) McMullen
Mar DTNA signage, clean-up & site survey McMullen
Mar Pahrump Valley Wilderness signing de Bellis
Apr Golden Valley Wilderness monitoring McMullen
Mar Pahrump Valley Wilderness signing Tabor
Apr Bighorn Mtns. Wilderness monitoring Tabor
Apr Joshua Tree NP trash removal McMullen
Sep Black Rock Desert Service Trip DuPertuis
Apr Quartz Spring (DVNP) fence removal McMullen
Oct Steam Wells (Golden Valley) fencing Dickes
Apr Diablo Range (San Benito County) Ellis
Nov Sheephole Mtns. Wilderness monitoring Tabor
Jun Bodie Hills fencing Holten
Nov Sheephole Mtns. Wilderness monitoring Tabor
Sep Inyo Mountain road survey Ellis
Sep East Sierra native plant restoration Tabor 2004
Jan Clipper Mtns. Wilderness monitoring Tabor
Oct DTNA fence removal McMullen
Feb Piutes/Little Piutes Wilderness monitoring Tabor
1997 Mar Carrizo Plain fence removal Deutsche
Mar DTNA fence maintenance McMullen Apr Kingston Range RS2477 road survey Lyon
Jun Bodie Hills fencing Holten Apr Bright Star Wilderness road concealment Deutsche
Jun Sheldon Wildlife Refuge fence removal Tabor Apr Woods Mtns. WA RS2477 road survey McMullen
Sep Steamboat Rock (BRD) trash removal Ellis May Black Rock Desert road concealment DuPertuis
Oct Massacre Rim fire break Tabor Jul Little High Rock Wilderness monitoring Tabor
Oct Eureka Valley native plant survey Ellis Sep Little High Rock Wilderness monitoring Tabor
Nov DTNA fence maintenance O’Riley Sep Black Rock Desert Service Trip Lyon
1998 Oct Piper and Sylvania WA boundary blockage Deutsche
Mar Desert Tortoise Natural Area (DTNA) McMullen Nov Algodones Dunes ORV monitoring Tabor
Apr Rainbow Talc Mine monitoring Tabor Dec Darwin Falls WA road concealment Deutsche
Jun Bodie Hills fencing de Bellis Dec Little Picacho Pk Wilderness monitoring Tabor
Aug Bodie Hills fencing Tabor 2005
Nov DTNA fence maintenance McMullen Jan Bristol Mtns. Wilderness monitoring Tabor
1999 Feb Piute Mtns. Wilderness monitoring Tabor
Mar DTNA signage, clean-up & site survey McMullen Mar Old Woman Mtns. Wilderness monitoring Tabor
Jun Massacre Rim Wilderness signing Holten Apr DTNA signage, clean-up and site survey McMullen
Oct Fish Slough native plant restoration Tabor Apr Coalinga Mineral Spgs. trail maint. Lyon
Nov Nopah Wilderness boundary signing Deutsche Apr El Paso Mtns. Wilderness monitoring Tabor
Nov DTNA signage, clean-up & site survey McMullen Apr Surprise Canyon monitoring (DVNP) McMullen
2000 Sep Black Rock Desert road concealment Lyon
Feb Palen-McCoy Wilderness road restoration Tabor Dec Horsethief Roundup cleanup Deutsche
Mar DTNA signage, clean-up & site survey McMullen 2006
Apr Rest Spring Wilderness boundary signing Deutsche Feb Picacho Peak Wilderness Monitoring Deutsche
Apr Black Rock Desert boundary signing O’Riley Apr Bright Star Wilderness road concealment Deutsche
Oct DTNA signage, clean-up & site survey McMullen Apr Mecca Hills Wilderness monitoring Lyon
Nov Inyo Mountains Tamarisk Removal Lyon
Director Helen Wagenvoord, a veteran of the National Parks Con- ular minutes that became the bible for members following our
servation Association and other non-profits, became directly issues work. The Board of Directors used them to set priorities,
involved in the Issues Group starting in 1996. Other strong members used them to lobby politicians and agency personnel, and
activists were Bob Ellis, Dave McMullen, Dave Halligan, and Janet they became a public record of what was happening in the desert
Johnson, the Chair. From 1993 through the Issues Group’s demise for that whole era.
in 2001, Janet chaired the meetings at her home and produced reg-
10 The Survivor Winter 2006/7

11. When members stopped showing up at meetings, Janet kept up the map” as a unique and exciting route for long-distance trekking.
F E AT U R E
work as an Issues Chronicle for awhile, then discontinued it. Li
Miao rejuvenated the Issues Group in 2003, but since then spo- Desert Survivors organized a Desert Trail Relay on the first twelve
radic in-line communication and actions by the President and segments in California in January-March, 2001. Each segment had
Board have been substituted. In the environmental community a different leader listed in the trip schedule and new members
generally, on-line blasts have become the substitute for face-to-face would gather at each trailhead to continue the next part of the
meetings in issues work. What this portends for the future of our journey. A celebration was held at end of the Relay at Kelso
movement in this age of SPAM is an open question. Dunes. In the fall of 2001, another relay was performed on the
last fourteen California segments, from Kelso through Death Val-
In 1997, another attempt was made to get grants for Desert Sur- ley to the Nevada border. Similar relays were done for the Nevada
vivors. Helen Wagenvoord and Steve Tabor managed to get a segments, the first half in 2004 and the last half in 2005. Thus the
grant from San Francisco’s Peradam Foundation in the amount of Desert Trail was proved out as a viable route for backpackers.
$10,000. This was originally given as seed money with which to Dispatches from the relays made for some of the most exciting
hire a staff person or two, both to build the group’s membership trip reports of those years. A relay on the northern routes in Ore-
and do issues work. Over the course of a three-year period, 1997- gon is now contemplated.
1999, Steve and Helen wrote three major grant proposals and a
series of minor ones in the hope of increasing the budget by Starting in 2000, Desert Survivors received an intense recharge
$20,000-30,000 per year. Except for a couple of minor amounts, from the advancement of Jessica Rothhaar to the Board of Direc-
one for $1500, another for $3500, these efforts were unsuccessful. tors. Jessica devised a membership survey in that year, the first for
In 1999 the Board of Directors released the Peradam funds to pay Desert Survivors since 1993. The survey produced many new vol-
for issues work instead of organization-building. Much of our unteers for the group. Jessica became Membership Director at the
work on the Bodie RV Park and other campaigns were funded 2000 Annual Meeting and promptly devoted her considerable ener-
with this money. Almost all of Desert Survivors work down gies to the first Desert Trail Relay in early 2001. Through her pub-
through the years has been funded by membership dues and dona- licity efforts she managed to get a couple of newspaper articles
tions. With the end of the dot-com boom, foundation funds for printed. She led one segment in the first relay and two segments
environmental work become harder to get and further DS work in in the second relay in 2001.
grants has been shelved..
At the 2001 Annual Meeting, Jessica was elected Communications
The Year 1997 also saw an utterly new focus to Desert Survivors Director. Along with Art Director Hall Newbegin, they changed
activities, the Desert Trail. The Desert Trail, or Desert Trail Corri- The Sur vi vor, Desert Survivors’ quarterly journal, from a brown
dor, was designed as a continuous hiking route, in the desert, from paper magazine to glossy white. The heavy white paper would
Mexico through the Sonoran, Mojave and Great Basin Deserts allow for good photo reproduction, allowing for pictures at good
into Oregon and eventually to Canada. The route uses existing resolution to enhance the text. This change was expensive and, as
foot trails, jeep trails and cross-country travel to get from point to is often the case with new things, was resisted by several Directors.
point. The way is shown with compass bearings and GPS read- But the new Sur vi vor was a “smash hit”, receiving much positive
ings. feedback from members. The desert’s wide landscapes are tailor-
made for photography, and the inclusion of people in the pictures
In 1997 Steve Tabor mapped out the route in California and Neva- personalized trip reports as nothing else could. Jessica and Hall
da and began proving out individual segments using hikes on Sur- edited and did layout for two years. Since then, current Communi-
vivor trip schedules as the test. Fall and Winter hikes were used cations Director Paul Brickett has continued this process. The
for California routes, while Nevada routes were done in Spring and Sur vi vor is now one of the group’s most impressive offerings, giv-
Summer. From May 1997 to September 2000, Steve led forty ing much joy to members and non-members alike.
reconnaissance trips on the Desert Trail route in the two states.
From time to time he would fill in the blanks on private excur- In 2002 Jessica initiated a new format for the Desert Survivors
sions. Meanwhile member George Huxtable led eight private trips Annual Meeting. The 2001 meeting was almost a disaster. It was
to map the route in Death Valley. Almost all of these were three- held on a rainy December Saturday less than two months after the
or four-day backpack trips from point-to-point, complete with 9/11 attacks and lacked a quorum. Some quick phone calls
map tracings, elevation records and (later) GPS positions. It was a brought more members in so the meeting could proceed, but these
unique, challenging and ultimately satisfying endeavor for both. difficulties were a wake-up call. Jessica’s plan was to replace the
traditional meeting in 2002 with a Desert Conference. Presenta-
Steve and George gained an endorsement of the California route tions would be made by desert protection activists, and workshops
at the Desert Trail Association (DTA) meeting in May 1999. One would be held afterward. The actual business meeting (bylaws
year later, Steve, Bob Ellis and Ol’ Creosote (a.k.a. D.W. Tomer, amendments and the election of officers) was relegated to an hour
former head of the California DTA) gained approval for the and fifteen minutes. The idea behind this was to give the member-
Nevada section in May 2000. Since then Steve and George have ship a stronger reason to attend. In the process, interest in desert
documented the routes in both states in published guidebooks. issues would be rekindled, and more member involvement would
The Desert Trail routes have gained publicity through numerous be fostered.
newspaper and magazine articles, putting the Desert Trail “on the
The Survivor Winter 2006/7 11

12. The new plan worked. The first desert conference/annual meeting hope more members will use this service, since it saves us a lot in
F E AT U R E
in 2002 drew 56 members. Speakers included Paul Brink of the paperwork and check clearings, especially for renewals. To use this
BLM’s Sacramento State Office, Chris Roholt of the BLM’s Desert service, go to http://desert-survivors.org click on the Renew
District Office in Riverside, and Brendan Cummings of the Center Membership button, and then click on the PayPal icon.
for Biological Diversity, plus DS’ own Dave Halligan (speaking on
military expansion) and Bob Ellis (speaking on off-road vehicle Down through the years, Desert Survivors has kept up its outreach
damage). The speakers were followed by workshops in which program and its trips program, two key methods in which the
members explored how to get involved in various issues. Out of group makes contact with the outside world. For many years,
this came a rejuvenated Issues Group led by Li Miao. Steve Tabor did slideshows at backpack shops and meetings of
environmental groups, reaching thousands of citizens with the
We continued the format in 2003, 2004 and 2005, with more message that the desert is beautiful and worth saving. The group
speakers, plus a “Desert Jeopardy” game, and dancing in the has staffed tables at environmental fairs since 1990, most notably
evening. In 2003 we had Steve Tabor with an explanation of the the old San Francisco Chronicle Outdoors Fair from 1991 to 1996,
California Desert Protection Act, Helen Wagenvoord (Wild the Contra Costa Earth Day Fair from 1991 to 2000, the Solano
Spaces) with a overview of the vast array of threats to the desert, Stroll in Albany from 2000 to present, and the Berkeley Earth Day
and Byron Kahr (California Wilderness Coalition) on the RS2477 Fair from 1991 to present. At these fairs, members have handed
threat to the desert pursued by off-roaders, followed by Dave out some 10,000 pieces of Desert Survivors literature and have
Lefevre (BLM Winnemucca Office) on the new Black Rock Desert spoken directly to several thousand persons. These efforts have
National Conservation Area. In 2004, speakers were Phil Klasky, made our group well known to those interested in desert protec-
who spoke about his community organizing against off-roaders in tion in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our liaisons with other envi-
Wonder Valley and the Twenty-nine Palms area, and Gerry Goss, ronmental groups statewide and in Nevada have added to the
who gave a demonstration of GPS technology and how to use it in group’s reputation for excellence in desert education and protec-
the desert. Speakers in 2005 were Paul McFarland of Friends of tion outside the area.
the Inyo, who spoke about several issues in the Eastern Sierra, and
Jon Harman, who gave a presentation on the digital enhancement Further work has been done locally in educating folks about the
of photographs in archaeology, especially petroglyphs. At all three desert through our Technical Seminar and Beginner Backpack
conferences, speakers were followed by a potluck dinner and con- Seminar. From 1991 to 2003, the group held a Technical Seminar
tra dancing to the tunes of The Cactus Huggers, a live band. each summer to familiarize members with aspects of conducting
trips in the desert. Anywhere from ten to twenty-four members
By 2003, it was clear that the Desert Survivors website needed gathered in a local park to study trip planning, first aid and map-
some improvement. Jessica, as Communications Director, called a and-compass. Originally designed for potential trip leaders, this
meeting to get feedback on what was needed to make the website soon became a way for ordinary members to learn how to design
more representative of the group and more informative to the their own trips. Starting in 2000, trip leader Bob Lyon began
general public. Out of this meeting, attended by ten members, teaching his Beginner Backpack Seminar at the annual Summer
Dave Launchbury emerged as the new webmaster. He redesigned Picnic. Bob focuses on equipment and techniques designed for
the DS website and maintained it regularly from 2003 to 2005, at backpacking in the desert, especially on how to travel light and
which time it really came into its own. Websites always need reju- easy. The Beginner Backpack Seminar is now held every year. The
venation, so ours is currently undergoing yet another revision at Technical Seminar, discontinued since 2004, will be brought back
this writing. The URL is http://desert-survivors.org . in 2007.
Also in 2003, Desert Survivors amplified its Desert Survivors Elec- Through all these years, Desert Survivors has also continued its
tronic Mail (DSEM) capability. This service was conceived and trips program (see Trip Statistics on following page). From 30 to
directed by Director Peter Ruddock in 2001 and 2002 and is still 45 trips have been conducted each year, about evenly divided
maintained by him. Members can sign up to discontinue paper between carcamps and backpacks except for years when we’ve
copies and receive Desert Survivors mailings via e-mail, thus saving done Desert Trail Relays, which are heavily skewed toward back-
both paper and expenses for the group. In excess of 120 mem- packs. Since 1989, the group has led 675 trips with some 5900
bers, 17% of the membership, now receive their mailings, except participants. These trips have concentrated on desert Wilderness
for The Sur vi vor, in this way. To sign up for this service, send an Areas and Wilderness Study Areas, both BLM and Parks, mostly in
e-mail to tortoise, desert-survivors.org with the subject line “sub- California and Nevada, with a few trips in Utah, Oregon, Arizona
scribe regular mailings”. Put your name and postal address in the and New Mexico.
body of the message.
A host of leaders have designed and led these trips. This has been
In 2004 Desert Survivors began accepting payments for dues and the “retail” side of Desert Survivors activities, and it has been
teeshirt/hat sales via credit card, using the payment service “Pay- tremendously successful. A major part of Desert Survivors’ repu-
Pal” through the group’s website. For many members this has tation is due to the incredible range of exploration conducted by
become a convenient way to pay bills. The group pays for the ser- members on these trips. These explorations are unsurpassed both
vice on a per use basis, so no extra funds are taken from the mem- within and outside the environmental community. Other groups
ber’s credit card except as stated. You get what you pay for. We and BLM and Park Service personnel themselves come to us when
12 The Survivor Winter 2006/7

13. they need information on specific areas. The trips are fun, but
Desert Survivors Trip Statistics,
F E AT U R E
they also bear witness to the land, its beauty and the need to pro-
1989-2006 tect it. DS has been a shining light when it comes to knowledge
Desert Survivors has offered and conducted an impressive num- of the desert.
ber of backpack, carcamp and service trips in its history. Below
are the statistics since 1989. Participant totals from 1989-1993 are In 2006, Desert Survivors celebrated its 25th Anniversary with
incomplete. several events. In April, Craig Deutsche led a multi-day backpack
trip to the Inyo Mountains on the route used by Founders Doug
In general carcamps have been better attended than backpacks. Kari and Jim Morrison on their initial trip in 1978. It was out of
Offerings have been about evenly divided between the two. that trip that Desert Survivors was founded. Craig’s group got
Desert Trail Relays trips in 2001, 2004 and 2005 were heavily water at the same spring and stayed at the same cabin used by Sur-
weighted toward backpacks (51 to 3), so statistics overall are vivors in the early 1980s in their classic explorations of the Inyos,
somewhat skewed toward backpacks. Participation was low on Desert Survivors spiritual home. This trip was followed in Octo-
these backpacks, lowering the overall per-trip percentages. This ber by another classic, Gerry Goss’ carcamp to Saline Valley,
has been compensated by deleting Desert Trail Relay trips in the another DS haunt from the early days. Gerry is a long-time mem-
third section below, which gives better data. ber from those early days and he knows Saline Valley and the
Inyos well. He served on the Board of Directors for many years.
Trips 1989-1993
A major Anniversary Celebration was held September 22-24 at
Estimated*
Benton Hot Spring. This three-day affair drew 87 members.
Type Total Pct. Participants
There were hikes, hot tub soaks, a campfire sing, and addresses by
All Trips 128 100% 1300
Backpacks 75 59% 700 founder Doug Kari and the current president. On the last day we
Carcamps 53 41% 600 conducted the 2006 Annual Meeting. With 50 members present,
* Participant totals for 1989-1993 are incomplete. this one was much better attended than the one at the Desert
Conference in 2005. Seven brand new Directors were elected and
new ideas for rejuvenation of the group were introduced for
Trips 1994-2006 action in 2007. It was a new beginning for the group. Organizer
Participants Karen Rusiniak has agreed to head the committee for next year’s
Type Total Pct. Participants Pct. Per Trip meeting at the same place. Perhaps it takes a hot tub to get a
All Trips 547 100% 4659 100% 8.5 Desert Survivor to a meeting. We’ll see if it works again.
Backpacks 285 52% 2073 44% 7.3
Carcamps 195 36% 2134 46% 10.9 The last 25th Anniversary event of the year was Gerry Fait’s
Service Trips** 67 12% 452 10% 6.7 “Incredible Desert” party held in San Francisco in December 3.
**Regularly-scheduled Service Trips; does not include Monitoring Trips. Attended by 94 people, this event was a celebration of the group’s
past, its long history. Featured were original songs performed by a
Trips 1994-2006, minus Desert Trail Relay trips. live band of Desert Survivor members, a retelling of the Survivors
Note: The Desert Trail (DT) Relay Trips in 2001, 2004 and 2005 founding legend by Joanne Kumik, a “To Tell the Truth” skit
were heavily skewed toward backpack trips and were lightly (“Who is the real Doug Kari?”), a slideshow by member Darrell
attended. This table gives a clearer comparison of the ratio of Hunger with a narration of quotes from Edward Abbey, and a
backpacks to carcamps and more accurate participant percentages preview of Dan Seneres’ new video on Desert Survivors. A
for 1994-2006. catered meal and dancing finished the show. It was a great event,
Participants not soon to be matched. A lot of work went into it, all volunteer,
Type Total Pct. Participants Pct. Per Trip in keeping with Desert Survivors tradition.
All Trips (nonDT) 493 100% 4393 100% 8.9
Backpacks 234 47% 1862 43% 8.0 With its 25th Anniversary over, Desert Survivors faces an uncer-
Carcamps 192 39% 2079 47% 10.8 tain future. With the 2006 election there is new hope for public
Service Trips ** 67 14% 452 10% 6.8 lands protection, but as usual most of the work will have to be
** Regularly-scheduled service trips; does not include monitoring trips. done by volunteers. It’s a lonely struggle sometimes. Other envi-
ronments are easy to love, as one can see by looking at the mega-
bucks mailings that come past one’s mailbox year after year. By
Total Trips 1989-2006
contrast, the desert is hard to love, except by special people. It’s a
Estimated*
special place needing special consideration and special efforts to
Type Total Pct. Participants Pct.
preserve it and to help it and its special plants and animals along.
All Trips 675 100% 5959 100%
We in the leadership look forward to working with you in this spe-
Backpacks 360 53% 2773 47%
cial organization called Desert Survivors. The next twenty-five
Carcamps 248 37% 2734 46%
years of Desert Survivors beckons. We dare not fail the desert.
Service Trips ** 67 10% 452 7%
* Participant totals for 1989-1993 are incomplete.
** Regularly-scheduled service trips; does not include monitoring trips.
The Survivor Winter 2006/7 13