As seen here from the north "Temple Crag is one of the most beautiful mountains of the Sierra, chiefly because of the splendid glacial sculpture of the precipices on that side, which are of dark, massive granite and rise 3,000 feet above the lower Big Pine Lakes. The north face is cut by two deep and narrow snow chimneys; the northwest face by a broader couloir. These have carved the intervening buttresses into tremendous, fantastic towers." Harvey Voge 1954. This picture was taken the morning of August 11, 1931 while in route with Jules Eichorn, Glen Dawson, Norman Clyde, and RLM Underhill as they later that day summit Temple Crag.
Cover: This register is a small unlined note pad measuring 2 1/2 X 4 inches. The cover reads "Western School Series" and is opened from the bottom with approximately 50 sheets.
Page 1: "Temple Craig 13,016. Chronological order of ascents. 1909 Geological Survey Party" "March 30 1929 - Dec 13 1930 Norman Clyde" Note that Crag is spelled "Craig" by the survey party. Also note that the second ascent was 20 years later.
Page 2: "July 1, 1931. Morgan Leonard, Glenn Ricltenbargh" "Aug 11, 1931. Jules Eichorn, Glen Dawson, Norman Clyde, RLM Underhill"
Page 3: "May 12 - 32. Norman Clyde, Walter Brem" "Aug - 32 Walter A Starr Jr" "Aug 23, 1932 Morgan Leonard. 2 hr 50 min from 2nd Lake"
Page 4: "May (scratched out) June 1, 1933 Norman Clyde" "June 23,1933 Dave Brower Geo. Rockinmount Berkeley Calif Usual Route - Mt. Alice Saddle" (Note that Contact Pass was named six years later in 1939) "June 18, '34 Up northwest face to notch west of peak and up arete; snowing - can see almost fifteen feet. Norman Clyde, Harvey Voge, Dave Brower"
Page 5: "July 2, 1937 Muir Dawson, LaVele Daniels 1st woman, Nelson Nies, and her first peak" (Arrow points to LaVele Daniels) "July 3rd 1937 Dick M. Jones, May Pridhem" "Dec. 7 - 37 Norman Clyde"
Page 6: "April 14 - 38 Norman Clyde" "May 5 - 38 Norman Clyde" "June 14 Norman Clyde, Hubent North, Bill Blanchard, PORTLAND, ORE. Gov't Camp"
Page 7: "July 3, 1938 R.C.S. camped at 3rd. Lake. Scattered clouds, fair weather, fine view. Howard S. Gates 1st peak climbed July 3 '38, George Wilkens, Agnes Fair"
Back Cover: Bares the printing "H. R. Sturdevant, 430 West Green St., Pasadena, Calf."
As a post script to this album I want to take the opportunity to thank my daughter for hand carrying the original summit register from Temple Crag to the Bancroft Library from her seventh floor oasis at Priestley Hall, and to thank fellow High Sierra historian Mike for helping us save the register from further decomposition as well as the lead photo to this album (hope ya don't mind, Mike). I also thank Harvey Voge for his beautiful and timeless description of Temple Crag from the first edition of the Sierra Club's "Climbers Guide to the High Sierra." I would also want to tell viewers to this album that this and every other High Sierra summit register are available for viewing at the Bancroft Library at Cal Berkeley, unless, of coarse, the High Sierra summit register you seek is still in place on the peak. This picture of the northwest face of Temple Crag was taken in July of 1959.
