A Redlands man was preparing Friday afternoon to ascend 24 peaks in 24 hours on a 40-mile loop route traversing the spine of San Gorgonio Wilderness high country and Yucaipa Ridge, in an effort to help raise funds for the Wildlands Conservacy of Oak Glen.
Paul Melzer, 56, works as a fundraiser for the conservancy, which owns and operates what is billed as California's largest nonprofit nature preserve system, he said Friday in a phone interview. Conservancy lands cover 145,000 acres of mountain, valley, desert, river and ocean front properties.
Melzer's quest begins around 6:30 p.m. Friday May 24 in Mill Creek Canyon. Summits he intends to reach include 10,650-foot San Bernardino Peak, and 11,499-foot San Gorgonio Mountain, the highest point in Southern California. He'll also try for 9,324-foot Galena Peak above Mill Creek Jumpoff at the east end of Yucaipa Ridge.
Melzer, a seasoned mountaineer and endurance runner, describes his 24 peaks in 24 hours effort as a "solo, self-supported run, comprised of climbing 24 peaks in 24 hours, covering about 40 miles and 15,000 feet of ascent" and the same amount of descent.
On his blog 24n24 Melzer said he intends to start and finish at the conservancy's Bearpaw Preserve below Forest Falls.
"It's a personal challenge," Melzer said Friday in a phone interview. "It's also an opportunity for people to donate and support the conservancy."
For more information about the Wildlands Conservancy visit www.wildlandsconservancy.org.
For info about how to donate to Melzer's effort to raise funds for the Wildland Conservancy visit 24n24.blogspot.com/p/levels-of-support.html.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
