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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
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Each season we read posts with the same flavor. The gist of it is... Can I/we get away with climbing Mount Whitney during the sholder seasons without any real background in Mountaineering.
The answer of course is YES. And the answer of course is NO. On a perfect day with no mistakes and some hard work the summit is right there. Lets change the picture a bit. Weather rolls in, the snowfield that you went up four hours ago freezes. An ankle rolls. My buddies headache just won't go away and now my partner is dizzy and throwing up. Whats your game plan. Well, it now time to fall back on your training...
Ahhh we kinda skipped that part because its only Mount Whitney. You can see it from the road. What could REALLY go wrong.
I am 51 years old and a self described beach kid. Open my garage and in it you will find a half dozen bikes, boogie boards and if you look over to the right...Crampons of various types, snowshoes, Chouinrd Ice Axes with some modern ones thrown in. Ropes, hanesses (some a bit to snug) ice screws and some way to shiny rock gear.
Beach kid to a raving Sierra addict...There I was in a book store. Right next to Surfer magazine was a copy of Summit. (sadly long gone) I could not take my eyes off an article about climbing the "Cascade Volcanos." I bought the magazine and by the time I got home I had the number to RMI memorized. I booked a 5 day mountaineering course with the grauation on the summit of Rainer. In the six months in between the time I booked my trip and the time I climbed...I figured I better put some work in. My first stop was to the book store. Freedom of the Hills was my constant companion. Any chance I could, I would bomb up to the Sierra to get my The Oppisite of Sea Legs. I practiced rest stepping, pressure breathing, kicking buckets up snow slopes and plunge steping down them. I wanted to remove any doubt about how things would work out at elevations greater then sea level. Finally a summer trip up Whitey with a 60 lb pack. Not because I wanted the work out. I just did not know any better. I was gonna be gone for 4 days, I must need 4 pairs of socks...It only went down hill from there.
I never looked back. Whitney, then Rainer became benchmarks in my life. Not just because they were challenges. The learning, the experiences, the lessons learned.
Now when I make it up a mountain or choose to head down, its with a bit of knowlage that fuels the decisions. (some luck) I am a fireman, and I have surfed some good sized surf. So I realize some times you have to hang it out a bit. But whats wrong with getting a foundation first.
20 years ago when I first started heading out into the Sierra...I count them as some of the finest times of my life. The people I have met, my climbig partners are some of the finest people I know. I figure about now, the foundation has been set.
Have fun, enjoy whats around you.
Tad
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,018 Likes: 4
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,018 Likes: 4 |
Hi Thanks Tad ,Some good insights!Doug
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 64
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Your story sounds about like my introduction to rock climbing and then mountaineering twenty-five years ago. The thing is, you did your homework before taking the Whitney test, and that's what everyone should do. Thanks for sharing
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 33
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Hi tadman, Doug et al. First off, Doug, thank you soooo much for this forum. It has given me many laughs, a few tears and so much info over the years.
Tadman, this brought to mind my 1st time to Whitney, about 40 years ago. And no, I was not an infant snuggled onto my Dad's back! A big heavy pot attached to my pack, 2 cans of sterno inside ( we were prepared, 1 can certainly not sufficient) a dusty package of dehydrated spaghetti we got off the shelf of a small sporting goods store in Norwalk where I grew up, french rolls and a big can of fruit cocktail. We did make the summit, but I did learn much from that adventure. Fast forward 5 years ago, my 5th trip up the mountain, made it as far as Trailside Meadow and the 13 years since my previous successful effort had taken a toll on this body. I turned around! And now to the present, I am taking a group of 8-10 guys up for 1 day trip to the summit on Sept 28. By far the latest I've ever been, little nervous about that and that I am the only 1 in our group to have been on Whitney. Originally 2 other Whitneyites were in the group but the lottery fate did not smile kindly upon our first 5 dates. Anyway, I am a task master as far as conditioning of my "posse", necessities and safety. So, hopefully 9/28 will be a good weather day, we'll get an early start, my 6th time on Whitney will give me a 666 batting average and be back down in time to have a truly enjoyable burger and beer at Dougs'
Regards,
Bob
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
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Posts: 35 |
What I would not give for you to post some pictures of your first trip.
My early trips up Devils Slide bring back memories of my dad with his old Army pack and sacks in each hand. I love taking "new" crews up into the Sierra. Whitney, Mount Dana via the couloir, 3rd classing (OK 2nd classing) Crystal Crag, Mount Star... I know you will have a great time. I like to say "I start out slow, then taper off." I am heading up into Whitney country mid July with a small group. Prior to that I am hoping to hit Candle Light Peak. (Thank you Bob R.!) Then In the fall...Either North Peak or a peak to be named latter. The fall trips are my favorites. We don't get much in the wall of fall colors in Redondo Beach.
Nice "chattin" with you.
Warmest regards,
Tad
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Tad, unfortunately I did not take pictures of that first trip, not much room in that old, small canvas pack I used. My 2nd trip up in the 70's was a different story. There was a certain "fad" then and 3 of us decided we would do Whitney, make it to the summit at which time we would "streak" and photograph the event for Guiness World Record of high altitude streaking! 1 of us brought 35 lbs of camera equipment. We went up Memorial week end, had been a snow storm a week before, then it turned warm. Sank up to knees and waist. Made it as far as switchbacks only to hear many avalanches around us. We probably could have done the same thing at 12,000', but I guess we kind of chickened out!
And, the pictures we did take conveniently have disappeared. Hmmm, the only evidence of this event is this posting! Woops!
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