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| Backpack | 17.40 Miles |
6,700 AEG |
| | Backpack | 17.40 Miles | 2 Days | | |
| 6,700 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Mount Whitney CA - August 2009
A 1202 mile roundtrip adventure to a couple of parts of the world I've always wanted to visit - the Eastern Sierra Mountains (Mt. Whitney) and Death Valley...
This adventure actually started back in January when Lance McQuiddy approached me regarding making joint lottery applications for Mt. Whitney before the February 17th dead-line. Come April 1st, I'd received my F.O.A.D., but Lance successfully scored an 8/4 entry date with an 8/5 exit date for a group of 4 backpackers!
Monday August 3rd - 9am rendezvous at Todd Kallmyer's in Tempe AZ. Steve Taranowski and Todd toss their gear into my F-150 and we are on our way - a 527 mile drive to Lone Pine CA says my Google Map printout. We eat up the miles tuning in various C&W radio stations along the way - I-10 west to I-215 north to I-15 north to US-395 and we're in Lone Pine CA by 6pm. We check into our room at the Comfort Inn and meet up with Lance at the Pizza Factory. An extra large "Officer Pino Special" with a pitcher of Sierra Nevada (seemed appropriate given the locale). Lance gives us our license plate permits to be attached to our backpacks and our infamous "Wag Bags". He also has rented bear canisters for Steve and Todd. I already owned one from previous wilderness hikes. We toasted two groups of hikers celebrating completion of the 12 to 14 day hike from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney (now that's a real haul!). Looks like we are all set for tomorrow...
Tuesday August 5th - Lance off on his own agenda. Todd, Steve, and Randal up at 5:30am and arrive at the Whitney Portal by 7:30am. Parking is an issue as every space is occupied and had to park at the side of the road almost all the way back @ Lone Pine (I figure this added at least 5000 ft of additional elevation gain walking from the truck up to Whitney Portal - just kidding...). False start as the "NO FOOD IN VEHICLES - CITATION & TOW-AWAY" signs didn't register with some of my passengers. Another trek down to my F-150 parked near Lone Pine and another 5000 ft of additional elevation gain to remedy the situation... Onto the Whitney Trail starting at 8365 ft and through the portal for real this time! I soon catch my first glimpse of one of the many Lone Pine Creek Falls - I wasn't expecting this - looks exactly like the falls at the white-water-rafting rides at California Dreaming/Disneyland. And I always thought "how fake" those falls looked... We make the steady climb up to 9850 ft and 2.5 miles from the portal to the first glacial lake - Lone Pine Lake. Take our first major break here at the picturesque lake to dip into the bear vault and eat a trail lunch. 3.5 miles from the portal we hit Outpost Camp at 10,365 ft. My body altimeter has kicked in as my head starts to pound and I feel the burn in the lungs. I need a break at the camp. Todd and Steve are still fresh and decide to push on to stake out a choice camp site at Trail Camp. I take my time capturing some images along the way - Mirror Lake, cresting the tree-line at 11,000 ft, Trailside Meadow, Consultation Lake, and finally at 12,053 ft and 6.0 miles from the portal - Trail Camp! Todd waves me over to the "sheltered" camp site. I find some level ground just above Steve and Todd and begin assembling "Camp Alpen Schulhauser". The Trail Ranger comes over to check overnight permits, bear canisters, and "Wag Bags". He even gives us a demonstration on how to use the "Wag Bag". Also get a lecture about how the stone windbreak I assembled beside my tent destroys the natural beauty of the camp site. Says he disassembles windbreaks every morning...
We have towering Wotans Throne directly to the north, glacier to the west, glacial lake to the east, full moon rising, and FULL GALE FORCE WINDS! Mountain House all around for dinner off the Giga-Stove. We're shouting at each other just to be heard over the jet-engine winds and the temperature is dropping fast. We retire early to our tents...
The evening is miserable with fractured sleep as my tent threatens lift-off many times from the GALE FORCE WINDS. There's also a very uncomfortable rock poking up in the center of my tent. This rock seems to find my spine constantly through the night...
Wednesday August 6th - Up before dawn's first light to answer nature's call and I can see a procession of headlamps on the switchbacks heading up to Trail Crest. I retreat to the warmth of my tent but soon hear Steve's voice; "You're missing some great light!". I poke my head from my sleeping back to see icicles on the roof of my tent - I'm frozen... Todd yells to Steve to get a start and he'd be 15 minutes behind. I struggle to get warm and leave maybe 30 minutes behind Todd. I'm hurting...
2.2 miles beyond Trail Camp I reach Trail Crest at 13,777 ft. This is the highest altitude I've ever hiked. Mega-gale force, frigid wind, my head is pounding, my lungs are on fire, my legs are shaking, the sights are stunning, but I can't really enjoy them... I'm at the highest elevation I've ever hiked and I'm throwin' in the towel on summiting Whitney today!
As I pass hiker after hiker down the switchbacks, I'm continually asked; "How's it on Whitney today?" There's a look of disbelief (or disdain) when I say I didn't make it. "Turnaround, take your time, there's plenty of time to make it..." After a few more lectures about needing to head back up to the summit, I change my tune when I'm asked; "How's Whitney today?" - "Mega-windy" is now the response. No more lectures. I pass a couple of hikers with full-blown altitude sickness symptoms - retching their guts out at the side of the trail. They decide to turn back with me towards Trail Camp.
I arrive back at Trail Camp to see about a dozen marmots forming a perimeter around Camp Alpen Schulhauser. Quick inspection doesn't reveal any destruction from these critters. I estimate the time to be about 9am as I begin to break camp. Taking down the tent in GALE FORCE WINDS, solo, requires some ballet-like maneuvers. I leave a note for Todd and Steve indicating that I'll meet them @ the Whitney Portal Store or the truck later in the day...
I take a leisurely stroll down the Whitney Trail stopping whenever the sights/sounds/aromas suck me in (which is frequently). I have a couple of deer encounters on the way down. There's a steady din of military jets flying overhead and the odd sonic boom. This doesn't enhance the sights/sounds/aromas I was enjoying...
I arrive at my F-150 around 2:30pm and partake in that wondrous post-hike sensation - removal of hiking boots and slipping on the sandals! I grab a burg and beer at the Whitney Portal Store. Red Tail Ale hits the spot, along with the home fries and a burg with the works. It's been rumored that the best burg-n-beer you'll ever have is the one from the Whitney Portal Store after summiting Whitney. Since I didn't make it to the summit, I can't confirm or deny this rumor...
Steve shows up at 4:15pm followed by Todd at 5:00pm. They both made it to the summit - congrats to them!
Thursday August 5th - Death Valley https://www.nps.gov/deva (recent addition to the NP? - doesn't show on some maps that Panamint Valley https://www.panamintvalley.com/ is part of Death Valley National Park), Ballarat ghost-town https://www.desertusa.com/mag99/apr/sto ... larat.html , Oldtimer, Potlicker, Trona Pinnicles https://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/trona.html (Planet of the Apes, Star Trek V, Lost in Space backdrop locales - typically 30 permits a year issued for film shoots), Rich and Troy encounter, yada yada etc. Got just a small taste of Death Valley that's enough to trigger a serious future trek...
I pull into the home driveway in Ahwatukee at 8pm that night - a 1202 mile roundtrip.
P.S. 4-GigaBytes of digital images and made my goal of Trail Crest @ 13,777 ft. That's the highest altitude I've ever hiked at. Next time, plan to stay at Trail Camp for 2 nights. That will make the summit from Trail Camp a single day affair, without having to sprint from the summit to the TH Portal before sunset... |
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