Talk about a trip you took out to Anza Borrego
Mount Whitney
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1369
9/30/2016
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I have had this one on my ever growing "Bucket List" for quite some time. Something about Mount Whitney being the highest point in the lower 48 made it an easy list choice. The fact that you don't need technical gear besides good boots, headlamps and hiking sticks also meant I could do this with minimal investment.
Picking Up Our One Day Permits.
We started our hike at 2AM from Whitney portal since our plan was to be back in Lone Pine for dinner by 5pm. Hiking in the dark was new to both Mary and I, and we loved it! Your senses are hyper sensitive and sounds such as running streams are amplified in the peacefulness of the forest.
Our first encounter, about a mile in, was with a group of zombie-like hikers coming towards us. The group leader barely managed to utter "How far to Whitney Portal?" to which I explained they had about 45 minutes. Apparently they had got a late start and had been hiking all night to get back to their car. From the looks of them I am not sure they made the summit, but nevertheless this was a surreal introduction to our quest for the peak.
Sun finally started to come up once we were past the last campground (trail camp)
The brilliance of the eastern Sierras illuminated by the morning sun
One of the big obstacles you will read about in hiking blogs, forums etc are the 99 switchbacks just past trail camp. This section of trail seems endless and is also the point when you begin to ascend above 12,000 feet.
Mary heading up the switchbacks
Beautiful but we realized we had a long way to go
Guard rail section with sheer drop off to the right
We continued up the switchbacks which never seemed to end. Of course when you are completely exhausted you run into a hazardous section with extremely slippery ice.
Ice covered most of an upper section of the infamous switchbacks
Mary looking towards the John Muir trail which is now added to the "Bucket List"
We made it to the top!
We finally reached the summit around 10:45 AM. Completely exhausted, we had a quick lunch, took the obligatory summit pictures, signed the log book and began our long descent back down towards Whitney Portal.
It was an amazing experience!!
Mary happy to be headed back down after 9 + hours of hiking
edited by surfponto on 9/30/2016
edited by surfponto on 9/30/2016
edited by surfponto on 9/30/2016
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1369
10/1/2016
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Thanks Daren,
It was a great experience. Very interesting to see the different kinds of people attempting to summit.
I really worried about a few of them.
dsefcik wrote:
Nice pictures Bob...congrats to you and Mary for a successful summit! Surprised to see ice still on the switchbacks, there was some pockets of snow still left on Langley also.
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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