Desert Peaks Section, 16th Annual DPS Chili Cook-Off and Pumpkin Carving Challenge, California Eastern Railroad History Tour: Join us for a day of fun in the Eastern Mojave National Preserve at the foot of the New York Mountains. Whether you like your chili traditional, Texas-style (no beans), or vegetarian, bring your favorite recipe or just stalwart taste buds to this DPS classic. 
Cooks prepare chili from scratch at the site then all enjoy happy hour followed by chili tasting and judging. Prizes will be awarded by category, with special recognition for spiciest chili, best presentation, and the coveted Best Overall Chili. Cook for free or taste for $10.
Pumpkin artisans bring your gourd and carve your best design at the site to be judged for a prize alongside the chili. Optional hiking history tour of the long abandoned California Eastern Railroad.
Send ESASE with choice of Cook or Taster to Hosts: Dave and Elaine Baldwin , Leaders: Larry & Barbee Tidball.

2007 DPS Chili Cook-Off Report

With the exception of our annual banquet, this is our most popular event. Each year a desert camping location is chosen for this culinary event of dubious ecological value. A contest is held. The object is to compete to create the best chili in at least one judging category. Typical categories are Best Texan, Best Vegetarian, Spiciest, Best Traditional, Best Presentation, Best Overall, Best Runner-up, Most Unusual, & Honorable Mention.
It is possible to win more than one category. Who decides who wins? Well that is probably the best part of this contest. There are NO SPECTATORS IN THIS CONTEST! Everyone has a job whether it be organizer, hike leader, contestant (cook) or judge. Everyone gets a vote and the organizer counts the votes.
The festivities peak at the announcement of the winners. Prizes, compliments and insults (tongue-in-cheek) are administered by the event organizer to all participants. Special prizes and/or trophies are given to the winners of each category. At the end of the ceremonies it’s back to the community campfire for yarns, tales and liquid refreshment.
The event generally lasts for one full weekend. A hike to a desert peak is led by qualified leaders on Saturday. The Chili Cook-off always occurs on Saturday night at a primitive car-camping location. Another hike is sometimes lead on Sunday or participants can plan their own activities for that day. participation in the hikes is optional. One can come only for the cook-off.
Cooks in this contest incur a significant financial burden in producing the bulk of the food consumed on Saturday night. For this reason, a small fee is changed to the judges (non-cooks) to offset this expense. Most judges concur that it is a real bargain even at half the price .