Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Whitney Newbies...What Surprised You?

A lot of first timers on the trail hang around here after their trip. I think it would be informative and interesting what surprised you the first time up the trail.

The first time I did the MMWT the only thing that really surprised me was the boulder hopping you had to do to get to the summit, that got gone with the trail work in 1999 and 2000. Oh, and some 70 year old blowing by 45 year old me like I was standing still at 14,000'.

My first trip was in '99, when there was work being done on the Switchbacks. We did it in 2 days with an overnight stay at Trail Camp. The thing that surprised me most was the human droppings all over the place and the smell.

In '02 I put together a dayhike which included my wife and 2 teenage children and about 11 friends. Most of the hikers zoomed to the top, but my wife took 11 hours to get there and experienced no adverse effects from the altitude. Some of the younger, faster folks, who had no significant time at altitude, experienced mild illness.

Both of my kids were angry with me for "making" them do the hike and my son said, "You didn't tell me there were going to be all these rocks." Apparently, I had told him this trail was like a super highway, compared to most hiking trails and gave him the wrong impression.

I pointed out to my kids that I had explained to them the old axiom, "Getting to the summit is optional, returning to the trailhead is mandatory." They could have turned back at any time, but they had summit fever, just like everyone else. We always have a good laugh about the "rocks" comment. "Dude, it's a mountain."

Something that impresses me every time is the mental challenge of the hike. I always equate it to life challenges that are long term situations, such as establishing a career, running a marathon or raising kids. (Two out of three aren't bad.) Once you establish your long term goal, it is probably better to concentrate on the smaller challenges than on the over riding larger challenge. "If I can just make it to Trail Crest from Trail Camp, I will see how I feel." Sometimes, I just try to get to the next switchback without stopping. You have to honestly evaluate your total situation and make adjustments, but push yourself, if you are not in serious trouble. The difficulty lies in making that assessment.

My wife and I are making another attempt on Sept. 13. I am 61 and I robbed the cradle. <g> I have been reading the 3 guide books I have accumulated over the years, visiting the message board and watching hikealongpete's video. I have the vcr version and run it on fast forward. The closer I get to the big day, the more I remember the difficulties and challenges.

I'm not sure if I will reach the summit. There are so many things that can go wrong, but I will just keep putting one foot in front of the other, until it is certain that I must turn back. I'm a little older and I have already been there, so I don't think I will do anything foolish, but I would really like to get there one more time.

I have to remember not to look too far up the mountain and just get to that next landmark I can see a short distance up the trail, then do that all the way to the top.

My first summit was last Tuesday, 8/15. We were on the trail at 12:30 am and summited at 7:30 am. I was surprised at 1)how much easier the ascent was than I had anticipated (all of that grueling training paid off!) and 2)how the trail quadrupled in length on the descent! I was positively convinced that the parking lot had been moved to Lone Pine while we were heading up. But all in all, it was a perfect, trouble-free hike, and as in childbirth, the pain quickly forgotten and now I'm contemplating a second trip!

The first view from Trail Crest - it is breathtaking.

My first time on Whitney was Aug 8th. I'm a 43 year old, in moderate condition. The biggest surprises:
-Actually making it to the summit in under 9 hours.
-I had no signs of altitude sickness at all (I live at sea level and only had 2 days of climatization.)
-My wife, who was in much better condition, suffered severe headache and nausea after we made it to the top.
-How beautiful the whole mountain and trail camp turned at sunrise. Fantastic orange... pictures couldn't capture it.
-It was much colder and windier than I expected.
-The store's cheeseburger and fries tasted better than I imagined.
-We both recovered pretty quickly after the longest hike we had ever been on.
-Potable aqua pills don't taste too bad.
-Biggest "no-surpize"...already planning for next year.

That Levis and street shoes don't cut it in winter conditions. That the summit hut has no beds and blankets, food, water, wood for making a fire. That you can see an atomic blast at Yucca Flat from the summit. And that you can get your climb written up in the local paper.

That when you are young, Mind Over Matter seems to work OK.

My first triip up was July 2002 and what surprised me the most was that I wanted to do it again, and again, and again....

My first time was August 6, 2004. I came to hike the MWT quite by accident. A co-worker had a friend who was looking for people to hike the MWT, and she asked me. My answer? No, it wasn't no.

I had seven weeks to train. I hit the local SoCal mountains and really put a lot of umph into it.

We left at 1:40 a.m. One of my companions who drove up from OC to Lone Pine after work, fell asleep and was snoring on that big rock next to the Whitney Zone sign. I call that rock "Lawrence Rock."

When I got to Trailside Meadows and eventually Trail Camp I was in awe. Everything I read or heard about was true.

Then up the switchbacks. Lawrence sped up like a rabbit only to collapse on his trekking poles as I did my "tortoise" routine.

Trail Crest was spectacular. The trip leader proceeded no further due to acrophobia. Now wasn't the time to tell me that! Even I had doubts as I surveyed the trail ahead of me. Started getting wobbly knees. I decided to push on.

I almost fell 1,500 feet. I met a hiker on his way down as I was making my way up. We bumped. Next thing I know I am looking down and then I felt this tug from behind and the hiker yanked me back to safety. I thanked him and I looked towards the skies and yelled, "That wasn't funny You know!"

When I got to the summit, I stood next to the trail sign and took a panoramic shot with my disposable (didn't have a digital yet). It was very windy that day. Of the six on the team, only two of us made it. The only thing I forgot to take a picture of was the summit register.

The hike took me 17 hours 12 minutes 25.03 seconds. I took a picture of my watch when I hit the trailhead as a memento. I had no AMS issues. I was on a natural high.

That night as we ate at the Merry Go Round, I was still in a state of shock. I couldn't believe I had pulled off a chance of a lifetime. I always wanted to hike Mt. Whitney since coming out here in August 1985. Couldn't find the time to do it, nor could I find anyone who had any experience.

That's it in a nutshell. Done it three times since!

I made my first trip in 1971. I was in great shape and it was a very special version of just another hike -- there was not an abundance of surprises. I did learn that:

1. Levis and running shoes do cut it in summer conditions.

2. That the summit hut has a nice hut (which I slept in). No beds and blankets, food, water, wood for making a fire, though.

3. That you can see really far. Why I would have believed one could see an atomic blast at Yucca Flat from the summit. (Little did I know that someone had.)

4. That no one but you cares that you did it -- and that's enough! :-) If someone told me that you can get your climb written up in the local paper, I'd have laughed... unless maybe you threw in an atomic blast.

5. That no permits are required and that deciding on Thursday to do the climb on Saturday is fine, even on Labor Day weekend. (Note: This may have changed since 1971.)

Bob R -- loved your post!

My first summit was via the Mountaineer's Route on Aug. 11 1985, after failing because of weather the year before via the west; part of a loop starting from Kearsarge Pass.
Our party of three never found the Ledges and thrashed our way, at least it seemed that way at the time, up to LBSL and crashed. I have a note that says it took us 11hr. 10 min. and 24 sec. to summit and return to LBSL, totally spent of course! My main memory of the top was this guy teeing golf balls off to the east. Thought that sort of strange...

Ok, I'm not a newbie, but I am surprised that I keep coming back every summer to hike it again.

And that there's not a Starbucks on the summit yet.

whegardt -- Are you sure you climbed the right peak?



(Picture first posted by sbslowpoke on these pages a few months ago)

How little the altitude affected me.

-I think what stunned me the first attempt was how quickly my nausea hit when I reached the trail crest.

-Was also surprised how few Nevadans actually hike up there, especially given its a straight shot down 395 from Reno

-That people over 60 are hiking this. This makes me smile cuz I can keep on doing this for a looooooong time

-That I made it up in less than 9 hours (8 hours 51 minutes to be exact)

I first summited Whitney in 1982 when I was a teenager. I've been back every year(except 3), to summit since then.

The thing that surprised me most was that I had no symptoms of altitude sickness at all, and I was very scared of that the first time there. I've never had any problem with altitude and certainly sympathize with those who do.

The second thing that surprised me was that the trail was so un-steep. I've always wished the trail was steeper and shorter, but there's always the Mtn. route for that!

First time, July 1972. Impetus: A free gasoline service station map that showed this dotted line from Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park to Mt Whitney.

I had planned a round trip hike, leaving my car, wallet and MONEY in the car at the western end. The hike was splendid but it was obvious I was not hiking back. Hitched back, slept in some ballfield in Fresno.

Camped on summit in rock crypt. Permit - ha, that was the good old days.

Do not remember the boulders or rock hopping mentioned. Sunset - instantly freezing. Lipton's soup (there was no cup-o-soup back then) does not soften at 14,000 feet. Brown rice - forget it.

Incredible trip.

Back twice since. Once from Piute Pass and 3 years ago from the East side finally. All overnight trips - I don't need the challenge and I enjoy the scenery too much and get queasy with headlights.

What surprised me was how tough the stretch from trail crest to summit was. Only around 1000' of gain over 3 miles but the altitude just pummeled me on the first Whitney hike. I almost quit a mile from the summit but decided to keep pushing. The day before at the Portal store my wife bought t-shirts for my daughters that said, " My daddy climbed Mt. Whitney ". I couldn't make liars out of my daughters. I think the top of New Army pass to the summit of Langley is also brutal.

Rafael...

How well the trails are graded. Made the whole trip enjoyable

in addition to the starbucks at the summit, this commercial at the start was a bit surprising
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshhikes/225943276/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/70/225943276_61e20087e0_o.jpg" width="544" height="700" alt="trailhead advertising" /></a>