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It was an amazing accomplishment for me. I am a 54 year with newly diagnosed prostate cancer.It may sound crazy to some of you but this Whitney summit was an important part of my cancer survival. I know some of you will get it.
I started working out a year and a half ago with no real driving force other than to get in better shape.I hadn't worked out or taken very good care of myself for at least 20 years.Until 6 years ago I ate, drank and smoked heavy.
8 monthes ago I added running stairs at a local Jr. College 3 times/week to my working out. I did the stairs specifically to get myself ready to climb Mt. Whitney.
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the end of March 07.This just fueled the importance of me summiting Whitney.
My buddy and I left SoCal early Tuesday 6/19/07 and drove to the Portal.We ate a pre-whitney burger at the WP store, talked with Doug and took our 46 lb plus water packs up to Outpost camp.It took 5 hours packing up that obscenely obese backpack. Once there we talked to several people who had just gotten back from the summit and they all reported that it took them about 12 hours to summit and back to Outpost Camp.That is what I thought it was going to take me.
I left for the summit the next morning at 6:45 AM on Wed. 6/20/07 . I summited Whitney at 3:15 PM. I was tired but elated. I spent 15 minutes on the summit signed the registar took pics and headed back down.I had no idea the hardest part was ahead of me. The trip back to Trailcrest was VERY hard.I thought that the hike back down the mountain would be easier than going up it but I was wrong,very wrong.I struggled back down to Trail Camp at 7:30 PM. I thought it would go easier than it did. I was totally spent energy wise at Trail Camp. Little did I know that it would take me another two and one-half hours to arrive back at our camp at Outpost in the dark.We got back to Outpost at 10:00 PM. A full 15 1/4 hours later.I had forgotten to take my headlamp in my daypack. Fortunately my buddy Eddie brought his. We stumbled down the last 45 minutes in total darkness with only one headlamp.My bad.I made sevaral mistakes like too heavy of a backpack but this one could have been a really stupid mistake. I did fall 2x hard due to bad visability coupled with bone-assed tiredness and fatigue.No real injury other than a swollen left knee and sore right wrist. Thank goodness for the last few gummy bears that gave that last burst of energy to make it back to camp. I was out of water so I steri-penned some water took a drink and went straight to bed.No dinner just rest.We got up at 5:30 a little sore and tired,packed up at hit tha trail down at 8:30 AM.It took 2 1/2 hours from Outpost to Portal. I weighed my pack and it still weighed 46 lbs.I guess carrying out the wagbag negates any food weight that was eaten.We ate another of the WPS famous chesse burgers and fries. Nothing ever tasted any better.
My quest to climb Whitney has been accomplished.My desire to climb Whitney became my quest to survive prostate cancer.I now have done one.Story to be coninued.
PS I took alot of pics and hope to be able to add them soon.
Last edited by DocRodneydog; 06/22/07 02:58 AM.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Congratulations DRd!!! Awesome accomplishment. I work in radiation therapy and my mother just celebrated her 13th year of survival so I count myself as someone who knows what you've overcome to do this. Keep it up brother. Training for the High Sierra Trail starts tomorrow. kidding...
Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest. -- Mark Twain
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Just as I was about to be critical of the the Doc for not knowing which Astronaut hit the Golf Ball on the Moon (it was Alan Shepard not Neil Armstrong) I read this wonderful posting. Congrats, GreaT jOB 
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Congratulations DRD....don't beat yourself up over the details and minor mistakes, you're just building your personal knowledge base for your next trip.
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Congratulations! Great persistance!
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Way to go !! You rock. I am a cancer nurse and setting goals and accomplishing them is HUGE. You will do well with your therapy if you keep up that fighting spirit. That is awesome!
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Wow! Congratulations! What strong determination! Wish you good luck beating the cancer!
Last edited by OneOfTheCrowd; 06/22/07 04:42 AM.
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From one cancer survivor to another: Great Job , especially the perseverance!
climbSTRONG
"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" -Helen Keller
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Congratulations! A great motivational story of what we can do.
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Doc,
I get it. I have had an obsession with this trail for decades (I've hiked it 3 times) and I did not have something as serious as cancer to drive that obsession. In my case, I think it has something to do with fighting off the aging process.
I also agree that the descent is at least as difficult as the ascent. It is easier to fall and it is brutal on the muscles of the feet and legs that are constantly working to prevent that.
I learn something on every hiking or camping trip. As in your case, it is usually learned the hard way. That just means you will be less likely to make that mistake again.
Congratulations,
Denbo
It's just transportation from one party to another.
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Wonderful accomplishment!
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Doc,
Thanks for sharing this great story. I too reached the summit for the first time that day at 8:30am, and I am sure I said something to you on the way down! It is a honor to know I shared the trail with you and makes the day a bit more special to me. Celebrate a bit, but keep the physical training going. If you are in the mood there are always other trails.
Let me quote one of the songs I listened to on the way down:
"Day by day, kickin' all the way, I'm not cavin' in
Let another round begin, live to win
Yeah, live, yeah, win" (Paul Stanley- "Live to Win")
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That is really great, thanks for sharing your story. A few years ago I came down from the summit with plans to go all the way to the portal and stopped at outpost camp at 11pm and did the same thing; right to sleep. Just remember, all the mistakes you make keep the stories you tell your friends more interesting. If everything went exactly as planned the trip wouldn't be nearly as exciting.
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Doc:
Same story, different data. June 18, 2005, 61 years old, colon cancer, 2 years out of chemo. There was ice and snow on switchbacks, so went up the "chute". Came down over the snow, coudn't find the trail or outpost camp. Spent the night in the woods above Outpost camp, but not knowing it. Scared the #@$% out of buddies. Did summit again in one day in Sept 2005, 21 hours round trip. A group of us are scheduled to do it from Horseshoe Meadow and out the Portal the third week of July, and maybe again in August.
Keep an eye on this board, lots of stories about people conquoring things in their lives and proving it by climbing this mountain.
That Crazy Water Guy
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