Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board 3 a.m. Fire-up

Could use a little help here. We'll be starting up the trail around 3 a.m. in a couple of weeks. That's alot earlier than my normal starting time and what I've learned recently is that my body REALLY doesn't want to get fired up until much later than that. Have been trying to head out at 4 or so to do training and it just aint happening. I'm hoping that when the big day comes it'll all sort itself out and won't be a problem. Whatcha think?., cuz I'm a little concerned about it right now.

In my experience, most first-time Whitney hikers are so excited and pumped up the preceding night, they don't sleep very well. I know I keep waking up every half hour, glancing at the clock, checking to make sure the alarm is still set and anticipating the hike. I doubt if any of us really wants to get up at 2:00 (or earlier) to set out on the trail at 3:00, but when the time comes, you'll be ready. The adrenaline will kick in as soon as you wake up because you're going to embark on a great hike.

You will probably be a little sluggish the first 30 mins. since your body isn't accustomed to doing exercise in the middle of the night. But don't delay your start time, 3:00 is optimum. You'll be so happy later on in the day that you started early. Good luck to you!

I agree with Candace. When I did my hike last week (third time), I intended on a 4:00 am start time, as I did last year. Set the alarm for 3:30 am, and woke up at 2:45! Started hiking at 3:15, and was back having fries at 12:45 pm. The crowds seem to start around 4:00 - 4:30, so leaving earlier will put you ahead of the "rush hour". Plus, you will thoroughlu enjoy the cooler temperature as you ascend the switchbacks.

Good luck, and have fun!

Both times I hiked I set my clock for 2:00 AM and was on the trail at 2:30 AM. This last time I was really suprised how many people were up and around at the trail head parking lot at 2:15. Both times the excitement kicked in and I was wide awake after a couple of miles. Don't stress enjoy your hike.

JJBB

One more thing--see if you can get about 10 hours of sleep the second night before your hike; it's that sleep, not the one just before the hike, that will make the biggest difference in how you feel at 3am.

That is all very good advice, but you may also want to try the new PowerBar PowerGel (Tangerine flavor), it has 50mg of caffeine... It takes about 15 minutes to "kick-in" and you definetly won't be sluggish or tired. I used it to help me get up Mt. Whitney and White Mt. in the same day (19 total hrs, that includes drive time)

Thanks, all of you. Sounds like it's not going to be a problem. That good night's sleep 2 days prior is right on. I know sleeping the night before is going to be out of the question. We hike in 5 days and I already can't wait to get started. Anybody know how the weather's been up there?

if i could just add my humble opinion: i've done a few car to car trips and i've never left before 8 am. aren't you depriving your body of a full nights sleep by waking up at 2 0r 3 am?unless you're asleep by 7 pm the previous night how can u be fully rested for the big hike. at 3 am your hiking in the dark right? so why not get a full nights rest and, if the average time is 12-18 hours, then you end up walking in the dark
anyway. is the dark before sunrise different than the dark after sunset. i guess only if your really burnt out from waking at 3 am.

there seems to be a common phobia among new hikers and maybe even a few seasoned hikers of hiking after the sun goes down. maybe of getting off trail i would assume. on a trade route like the whitney main trail i don't see what there is to fear from hiking back after the sun goes down. i guess what i'm trying to say/ask is: WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL THEY NEED TO WAKE UP SO DANG EARLY TO DO A WHITNEY DAY HIKE!.

i understand people may have to work the next day and they want to get home or whatever but could someone please explain the thinking behind the rediculously early start, i mean our beloved whitney is no K2.

I don't like early starts either, but if the weather is going to turn ugly on a mountaintop, it's most likely to do it in the afternoon. It's typical to try to get to a high summit before lunchtime so as to hit the top and be on the way down before thunderstorms roll in.

That's it, exactly. Plus we should be finishing up at perfect CHEESEBURGER TIME at the Portal store. Plus, I think watching the sun rise while on the trail is going to be awesome!

Don't expect much sleep between 9PM and 3AM. The tourists/hikers don't stop walking through the lots with their headlamps shining in your car until Doug closes the store and then the day hike hordes start thronging in at 3AM SHARP! Then its car doors slamming, headlamps, flashlights, yakking everywhere. Don't worry, that'll wake you up good.
Grab all your sleep between these times. Or better yet find a parking place well down the mountain.

I have hiked Whitney 4 of the last 5 years. We hike it for time so the moment we hit the trail its full speed. We usually start at 5:00 a.m. In general I am not good for any intense physical activity before 8:00 a.m. So the week before I leave for Whit I start to change my hours around. I will work out at 7:30 one day then 7:00 the next and so on waking up earlier and earlier each day. The day before I leave its on the road at 5:00 a.m. with a pack on for just a mile or so out and then back. Also I don't normally eat until after I work out but at Whitney I am trying to get something down at 4:00 a.m. before the hike, both food and water. So each day on that last week I am trying to get something into my body before I work out.
I feel that if you wake anyone up at 3:00 a.m. throw a pack on them, stuff them full of food and water and throw them into intense physical exercise, that person is going to feel horrible at sea level much less at altitude. I hope this helps. With the hours changed around it also makes it alot easier to fall asleep at 9 or 10 the night before the hike. This has helped me greatly and I am ready to crank when my boot hits the dirt. It has help better my time dramatically over the years from over 16 hours the first time to under 9 the last two years. We are trying to break 8 in a couple of weeks.

Good Luck
GRINDER

We woke up at the Trail Camp at 3:30 AM and hit the trail at 4:00. It was well worth getting up. We hiked at night and even saw a few falling stars and the Moon was incredibly bright. The other advantage to an early rise was not really being able to see the 97 switchbacks. Doing them in the dark took away some of the psychological impact. By leaving early we reached the top by 7:45. That was at a very slow pace since our bodies were fighting the altitude.
Good luck. I think you will enjoy the early rise.

Be careful of caffeine before/during a hike as it is a diuretic and we all know how important good hydration is.

YAHOO!!!! Did it. 3a.m. start, no problem. Grinder, my concerns were exactly how you put it, but it was cake! Doing the first few miles in the dark actually turned out to be a bonus....from LPL down was the most boring part anyway and we got to see the sun light up the MOUNTAIN!!! One of the most incredible days of my life! and oh, Grinder, there are 135 stairs, not 136 :-)

Yes, I stand corrected there are 135 stairs. I was there yesterday. Since I forget every year how many there, I have it etched into the black fence at the bottom. So I look at that number each time down, getting ready for the next push up.
For those of you that have no idea what we are talking about we are refering to a fairly nasty trainig area in North San Diego County.

Congrats
GRINDER