A Day at 14,496 Feet

Let’s take a step back and start with the day before the hike of Mt. Whitney. I wasn’t myself; the day started just as any trip I was leading, but this wasn’t a trip that I was ever leading, Jessica and I were on time and headed to the Sequoia National Forest with an ETA of Noon (t-minus 17 hours to the hike). So like I was saying, everything was fine; we located the camp and were greeted by Jess’ sister, Danielle and her boyfriend Joey, who was the official leader and quite possibly the most knowledge woodsman ever! After setting camp and continuing our carb feast (many of you are so jealous) there was nothing to do but enjoy the quiet surroundings of the Whitney Portal Campgrounds. This is where I started to lose myself. As we sat there more and more stories of previous adventures to the summit kept coming up…and let’s just say talking about blizzards, blown-out knees and only 30% of all people who attempt day-hiking Whitney the first time succeed wasn’t building a brother’s confidence!

The shit really started to hit the fan when I needed to use the restroom for the first time. You see the latrine was only 100 feet from our campsite but there was a slight incline to reach it. I made the hike to the John and I was winded. How could I possiblly challenge the highest peak in the lower-48 if I get winded by taking a leak? How did I get myself here? Well I did what everyone in position would have done – I started rationalizing excuses to get out of this thing!!! I had food poisoning merely two day prior; surely my strength was not were it should be, etc...So as the night unfolded the remaining other 13 hikers and 18 campers arrived – each bringing with them their uncanny charm of how nuts this mountain is and slowly I was a shell of myself. Seriously looking back these people who I only knew 2, must have thought me a mute. I sat there fighting off the mosquitoes, downing Gatorade and plowing through pasta just waiting for an excuse to arise…

4am Saturday and the only thing to arise was me (actually I didn’t get but 3 hours of sound sleep). Nonetheless 4am and the time had come! We hit the trail at 5:12am just as the sun broke over the horizon; all 13 of us stopped and peered over to see the sun! What a sign of the good day ahead. For reference note the trailhead (Kelly that is where you begin) is at 8,360ft. The first couple miles are gorgeous, I do mean gorgeous, but you can also read “fairly simple.” This is where the forest is at its thickest on the hike; multiple waterfalls we cross, weaving in and out of lush brush and really getting a good since of the Sequoias. The group thinned out in seperation and I was obviously in the last group of Jessica & another Whitney virgin, Vanessa. But even in this group I was the lagger and often took my pace over theirs. To be honest miles 1-6 weren’t to challenging…but then came Trail Camp at 6.3 miles and 12,039ft elevation. This is the last place to fill up for water before you reach & return from the summit (not to mention the last toilet). So all is well there and I’m feeling great…my confidence is at it height and I’m ready to finish this thing…

Let’s just talk about the SWITCHBACKS. I read the Internet blogs and everyone warned that the “grueling switchbacks” would be your downfall if you aren’t prepared. No matter how thick they laid it on, they lied! This should not be legal. You gain over 1700ft in elevation in 2.2 miles!!! 96 of these menacing things. So the threesome starts up…and right away I realize this is a mistake. I’m not through two switchbacks before I lose count! These aren’t some nice craved out trails at Camp Keep, these are barely walkways covered in snow and lose rocks. But yet I climb. This is when all the self-doubt comes rushing out and I start spouting off at the mouth (can’t you just imagine the logical bitching I am putting the girls through). I’m actually by myself most of the trip; I have myself on a strict hour eating habit of 1 packet of instant carbs (GU) and a handful of peanuts. About halfway through the switchbacks (SWB) I finally catch the girls and say it out loud for the first time, “I don’t think I can do it.” Thank God this didn’t fly with them and they worked their motivational magic and got me moving again. But now we came up on something they call the “cables”??? About 2 SWB from the “cables” I got my first crap, quickly followed by my second. Both were in my thighs and I was in some serious pain. I had met a friend, Don, this 58 year old Eagle Scout leader who was doing the hike too (not from the trailhead though, whimp) who asked if I wanted him to rub my legs for me. No thanks, I may be sitting with my legs over a 13k ledge and unable to bend them, but I will not be having you rub me down. So I stretch out & got moving towards the “cables.” Guess what…no cables. Somehow the cables were snapped and were replaced with one piece of rope…yup you had to hang on this rope, place your feet against the mountain covered in snow, chest to the rope, back to the air and shimmy across about 12-15 feet. I have no idea where this came from…but I rocked it out like I was James Bond (only more Irish and a lot for terrified). Ok, now I’ve had it, I can’t breath (13k in elevation), I just hung off the mountain, my legs are cramped and I just lost my water bottle on the “cables.” But Jessica assured me we were almost there…

8 mile. That is what I saw drawn on a rock about 10 minutes after Jess had just told me we were “almost there” repeatedly. She is a liar. I flip b/c if we are at 8-mile, we have 3 more to reach the summit…that’s 6 miles to return standing where I was standing then. I wasn’t having it. I ordered the girls to press on without me b/c I needed to think. So I sat and rested. I actually prayed and told the Big Guy that it was up to him; if I stood up and had energy I would finish no matter what, if not I’d return to the camp. So I took about a 10-minute power nap and woke up feeling great…I so pressed on to the summit.

Over the next 3 hours I walked the final 3 miles by myself (excluding this great Japanese woman, Jiwon, who took pix of me). The final mile is tough b/c you see the summit and you desperately want to reach its peak, but there is still many steps of snow and rocks ahead of you. But finally I made it!

I didn’t jump for joy. I did scream and cry. I found Jessica and Vanessa who thought me lost and then we ate! Nothing like the best PB&J to help you recover. Once I did that I was great. I ran around the summit looking down at Death Valley and the rest of the Mountain Range. So many crystal lakes and were within site. I can’t even remember a cloud floating by when we were up there. After about 30 minutes it was time to descend and get to base camp. I had a new juice of life. I could accomplish anything now and there wasn’t anything slowing me down…I think I started skipping down the mountain.

The descent was quick, but there is one particular part you need to know…I know it is getting long…but we hiked about 2.5miles and were nearing the hated Switchbacks. On our way up we saw some other hikes decide to slide down the mountain face to save some time and enjoy an impromptu sledding. So we went at it. Tactical mistake #1…we let the big guy go last. #2 we let the scared girl go first. 1+2=trouble. We started to slide down but soon the speeds were too quick to control. Eventually one girl hit another and then I smashed into both to break everything up. I tossed aside Vanessa but Jessica wasn’t so lucky. We made about 2-3 summersaults together before we broke apart and then I was literally free falling for about 700ft. I was completely out of control and only could see the boulder laced bottom approaching. Without question I have never been more scared! I must have looked like one of those wipe-out videos of X-treme sports. The girls say you saw nothing but feet and arms bouncing the entire way down. Somehow I slammed into a soft snow bank avoiding the rocks by about 40 feet. Why I survived without any injuries I’m not sure, but I did, so that was the coolest thing I have ever done. The girls made it down and we eventually found the trail again. Once tempers calmed we all laughed and realized that we will always remember sliding down about 1k foot drop off of Mt. Whitney.
Finally we reached the bottom at 8:34pm…during twilight (no headlamps). 15hrs later, 22 miles complete, I truly am proud of myself. You have to set small goals to reach the big ones; I don’t think I would have ever made it without small goals and good thoughts of all of you pulling me through (prayer didn’t hurt either). Not sure what is next, but I’m taking suggestions. Hope all is well and you are trying to hit some goals too!

(trip taken in 6/04)