Fri, June 6 - Mt Whitney Summit

Summit Day, Mt Whitney Trip

There are two main routes to the summit from Trail Camp. The standard route winds its way up 99 switch backs (someone more anal than I must have counted them) while a chute to the climber's right provides a direct snow ascent at an angle of 35 to 40 degrees. The views while walking up the chute are spectacular, the early low angle sun lighting up the yellow rock faces on our right side. The view looking east from the top of the chute shows Trail Camp, the surrounding mountains, and the Owens Valley with the Inyo Mountains beyond.

An hour at the summit is enough time to enjoy the view without getting too cold from the 30 mph winds (there are many big blocks of rock at the summit acting as wind breaks). We enjoy the first 30 minutes alone and then 4 other groups make the summit. A 60 year old gentleman is wearing a kilt. Dunkley inquires as to whether he is a "real" Scot and learns that he has taken precautions to reduce drafts under his kilt.

I had last climbed Mt. Whitney in 1984 with a good friend, Dave Parlour, and try calling Dave from the top. My phone has intermittent reception (not sure why) and I'm not able to reach Dave. I talk to Dave later and he tells me that I must be doing pretty well to reach the summit as an old man (Thanks Dave!)

We hike back to camp, pack up and make it back down to the trailhead by 5PM. A ranger tells us on the way down that the small store in the trailhead parking lot has the best burgers within 50 miles. It is true that everything tastes better after a few days climbing in the mountains, but these burgers are "really" good and the good selection of beers further enhances this. Most of us have sore feet but we all enjoy the hike and climb, looking forward to the next mountain adventure.

Dunkley and I make our way toward Santa Barbara, where he has some good friends, Mike and Fiona. Following the Kern River, Dunk navigates and is able to provide enough entertaining driving to keep me happy for months. Dunk may have selected different roads had he known what he was in for as the passenger.