The Choral Pepper Collection

Choral Pepper was an amazing woman who found adventure in the deserts of California, both Baja and Alta. With husband Jack, she edited and published DESERT MAGAZINE in the 1960's.

Mystery novel author and Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner loved the desert and Baja California. 'Uncle Erle' as he was known to those close to him, invited outdoor enthusiasts to join in on his expeditions of discovery. Gardner came to Pepper's Palm Desert office and invited Choral and Jack to join him. The following sample of black and white photos is but a preview to a new web site being built for the entire collection of Choral's Baja photos. Entire contents of this web site protected by copyright c 2004.

February, 1966, exploring south of L.A. Bay

Using helicopters, these giant cave paintings were visited. Several were previously unknown, as they could be seen from the air, but not the from canyon trails, below.

Choral spotted a giant mural while riding in the copter. From Mexico City, archeologist Dr. Carlos Margain (his map shown here) was in the copter with Choral and J.W. Black. Margain named the find 'Pepper Cave'. Choral refused the recognition, unless she physically went to the cave!

J.W. Black and Choral risked death to climb the canyon walls! The helicopter had landed across the canyon, from where Dr. Margain took this photo.

	next page