Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board 3:10:07 car-2-car on the Mountaineers Route….plus

Jason Lakey of Bishop, California did a car-to-car solo session in the Whitney Region of the Sierra including, The Keeler Needle, East Face AND East Buttress of Mt. Whitney before traipsing over to Mt. Russell to do The Mithral Dihedral AND the Fishhook Arete and jog down the east ridge back to the car all in about 16:30 hours!

He has also held the car-car record (3:10:07) on the Mountaineers Route of Mt. Whitney for nearly 10 years
Source:
http://www.rockandice.com/news/1272-bishop-local-adds-513b-crack-and-speed-solos-whitney-region

Yowzer…that’s just un-freakin-believable!

Hi Yea but... , When Jason did the Mountaineers route he had planned not telling many people , he knew it would lead to endless debate, so this summer when I heard he did the Whitney storm I was glad he had not changed much on grandstanding. He is a very solid young person . I recall some other days that include 3 of the 4 routes, one ended with a talk on the throne on Whitney that has been removed.
I had just read the link to that climbing blog post and had some thoughts but held them back, but Jasons climb sums it up as one waves the victory flag others are driving iron and never looking back . Thanks Graham I will defer the questions to you How could that be? Doug

Yeah, he may be pretty tough on the Sierra granite and scree, but I’d like to see his C2C time if he adds Mt Pancake to that circuit

I agree, Rick....un-freakin-believable! I wonder if he climbed all the routes or down-climbed some of them. Anyone know?

Hey Doug, is 3:10:07 MR car-car still the record?

Is this Jr's friend?

Fun to think that this guy's down at the Portal having a beer while I'm still working my way up the Final 400 on my best day! I'd love to see him come blazing past me some day. I can feel my heartrate climbing up way past 200 while I jealously try and keep up (for about a minute, maybe less).

While we're discussing the true superhumans, let's not forget Peter Croft and his East Buttress, Fishhook Arete, East Ridge of Carl Heller... oh, and I'll throw in Tunnabora and Carillon for giggles on my way back to the Portal for a burger with Doug. (my words, not Crofts's)

Geez, I think there ought to be a more equal distribution of ability...

Hi Yes to both , When Jason did the record on the Mountaineer's route he was working on the trail crew, the section of short switchback above trail camp had blown out in a slide over the winter. He had ask about the record held by Marty.

I think he had been up the North Fork several times not hundreds like Marty so when he said he was going to see how fast he could do the route Doug Jr sat with him over an hour going over points most likely to get offtrack and sections to gain speed and stay on a straight line , after Jr's tips I talked with him several minutes and could not add anything Jr had not covered.

Postcard in hand we took off to the old trail, I signed and recorded the start time, gave Jason the card. He was off , at the summit he finds a guy and the time was recorded and he has the guy sign. Now the famous walk down the chute begins, If I recall Jim F was in the chute that day?? 1:01 hours Jason is at the kitchen door.Thanks Doug

Hi Doug,

I was indeed up on the Mountain in August 2002. Two things really stick in my mind from that August. Galen Rowell had died earlier that month and Jason Lakey turned in this sizzling time on the MR. I remember you mentioning you clocked Jason as he finished at the Store and that a person at the Summit documented Jason's "turn around" time there.

Speaking of Galen Rowell, while he is certainly acknowledged as a great climber and photographer, he was also fine runner. I recall running against him in the 25th Annual Double Dipsea Race in June 1994 (13.7 miles on trails and cross country from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach and back, 4600 ft elevation gain). He was then 53 and ran an excellent time. I speculate that in his younger days Galen too could have had a pretty solid time on the MR.

Seasons greatings to you, your family, and the Portal Crew.

Jim F

Which brings up a question: I have heard, but have not seen any documentation of the fact the Galen Rowell day-climbed Denali.

One man trains for the Mountaineers Route by working the trail crew. Another trains for the West Buttress by circumnavigating the McKinley Massif. Rowell's account of the McKinley circumnavigation and the later ascent appear in the American Alpine Journal, 1979, page 105-117. Ned Gillette participated in both as well.

Dale B. Dalrymple
http://dbdimages.com

Thanks Dale. I'll have to look that issue up.

Yeah, it would probably be like watching those elite Mexican runners motoring up La Malinche (Mexico) during the Sky Run about a month ago. They ran up to the summit in a little over an hour and it took Richard and I about 3 hours. The scary part was how fast they can run downhill….yikes

I always enjoying reading/watching folks doing incredible feats….very inspiring