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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
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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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
9/30/2016
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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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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
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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+1
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ziphius Posts: 911
10/1/2016
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Nice job Bob! I imagine the caliber of folks going up nearby Mt. Langley is quite different from those attempting Whitney, just because the latter peak is a 'destination' landmark.
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
10/1/2016
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Congrats on making it to the summit AND keeping your dinner reservations, Bob!  Daren and I were on Langley a couple days earlier and I was more than happy to have spent a couple days acclimating at 10-11K before bagging my first 14er. As for the quality of hikers on Langley, was a speck disconcerting seeing 70 year olds already descending while we were just starting...
Daren on the top
 Whitney Pic From Langley by tomteske, on Flickr
Whitney from Langley 4.8 miles south. If you zoom in, you can see the cabin and people on top.
 Whitney From Langley by tomteske, on Flickr
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hikerdmb Posts: 423
10/1/2016
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Congrats Bob and to your wife too. JMT2017
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
10/2/2016
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True. I expected to see people the whole time we were hiking. We didn't see anyone until we were half way up the switchbacks which was nice.
ziphius wrote:
Nice job Bob! I imagine the caliber of folks going up nearby Mt. Langley is quite different from those attempting Whitney, just because the latter peak is a 'destination' landmark.
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
10/2/2016
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We were passed up by a hippy girl with sandals and a huge backpack on our way back.
We both attributed it to youth...
tommy750 wrote:
Congrats on making it to the summit AND keeping your dinner reservations, Bob! Daren and I were on Langley a couple days earlier and I was more than happy to have spent a couple days acclimating at 10-11K before bagging my first 14er. As for the quality of hikers on Langley, was a speck disconcerting seeing 70 year olds already descending while we were just starting...
Daren on the top
Whitney Pic From Langley by tomteske, on Flickr
Whitney from Langley 4.8 miles south. If you zoom in, you can see the cabin and people on top.
Whitney From Langley by tomteske, on Flickr
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
10/2/2016
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It is on the list for sure.
Now I have friends wanting us to take them to Whitney next year.
Maybe I made it sound too easy? 
hikerdmb wrote:
Congrats Bob and to your wife too. JMT2017
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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Roryborealis Posts: 17
10/3/2016
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Such an awesome way to spend with your wife! Beautiful photos, I especially like your photo of the sunlight peaking.
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tekewin Posts: 368
10/4/2016
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Congrats! That's a big one to cross off your list.
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
10/4/2016
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Thanks she is a keeper :-)
Never complains
Roryborealis wrote:
Such an awesome way to spend with your wife! Beautiful photos, I especially like your photo of the sunlight peaking.
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
10/4/2016
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Thanks. Have thought about this one for a long time.
tekewin wrote:
Congrats! That's a big one to cross off your list.
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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rockhopper Posts: 668
10/4/2016
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Congratulations! Your training surely helped. The mighty Sierras are truly awesome. Hard to believe I have been visiting them for close to 50 years.
Here are some photos of "photos" from the past.
Mt Whiney summit with my friend 29 years ago.
the thief who stole my binocular case.
We also climbed Mt Tyndall while we were on our trip.
Landslide dust from Earthquake.
Mt Langley climb from the West.
Near the Mt Langley summit 30 years ago.
Mt Whitney from Arc pass near Mt.Langley.
Mt Whitney from Mt Langley summit.
Cheers!
edited by rockhopper on 10/4/2016
edited by rockhopper on 10/4/2016
edited by rockhopper on 10/4/2016
edited by rockhopper on 10/4/2016
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ziphius Posts: 911
10/4/2016
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Cool pics rockhopper!
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
10/5/2016
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Classic pictures :-)
rockhopper wrote:
Congratulations! Your training surely helped. The mighty Sierras are truly awesome. Hard to believe I have been visiting them for close to 50 years.
Here are some photos of "photos" from the past.
Mt Whiney summit with my friend 29 years ago.
the thief who stole my binocular case.
We also climbed Mt Tyndall while we were on our trip.
Landslide dust from Earthquake.
Mt Langley climb from the West.
Near the Mt Langley summit 30 years ago.
Mt Whitney from Arc pass near Mt.Langley.
Mt Whitney from Mt Langley summit.
Cheers!
edited by rockhopper on 10/4/2016
edited by rockhopper on 10/4/2016
edited by rockhopper on 10/4/2016
edited by rockhopper on 10/4/2016
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
10/5/2016
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@Rockhopper, sweet pictures, I really like those older photos...Tom and I passed thru several of those areas and I have similiar photos of that Miter Basin / Rock Creek area.
http://www.sefcik.com/2016/09/mt-langley-miter-basin-cottonwood-lakes.html
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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Viper Posts: 13
10/5/2016
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Nice work, surfponto. You make it look easy. If you want to see a 13-year-old's perspective of Whitney-in-a-day, you might enjoy my son's write-up: http://www.peakbagginben.com/new-page-69 Warning: it is not a short read!
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
10/6/2016
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Viper wrote:
Nice work, surfponto. You make it look easy. If you want to see a 13-year-old's perspective of Whitney-in-a-day, you might enjoy my son's write-up: http://www.peakbagginben.com/new-page-69 Warning: it is not a short read! I remember the That was easy button, that was back around 2004, Bob, was it still there?
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
10/6/2016
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13 ! 
That is impressive!!
Love his write up.
Is Denali on his list ? :-)
Viper wrote:
Nice work, surfponto. You make it look easy. If you want to see a 13-year-old's perspective of Whitney-in-a-day, you might enjoy my son's write-up: http://www.peakbagginben.com/new-page-69 Warning: it is not a short read!
edited by surfponto on 10/6/2016
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
10/6/2016
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Didn't notice it unfortunately. Then again I was at 14,505 feet ;-)
dsefcik wrote:
Viper wrote:
Nice work, surfponto. You make it look easy. If you want to see a 13-year-old's perspective of Whitney-in-a-day, you might enjoy my son's write-up: http://www.peakbagginben.com/new-page-69 Warning: it is not a short read! I remember the That was easy button, that was back around 2004, Bob, was it still there?
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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