Picked up our permits at 3:30PM on the third, spent the night at the Best Western and started our trip to the summit at sunrise on the fourth.
6:25AM start in shorts, tank top, trail running shoes and a little over a gallon of fluids. Lots of sunscreen but no bug spray and no mosquito issues. Got to trail camp in a little over two hours and the summit in just under 4 1/2 hours. I put light gloves and a beanie on at trail crest but aside from that the weather was great. It seemed like 90% of the people on the trail looked like they were dressed to climb Denali, not Whitney in early September.
There was slush right near the summit that, I thought, made coming down great as the footing was more controlled. Took the beanie off at trail crest but kept the gloves on for the descent which was good as I ate it twice on the way down. Lots of water on the 99 switch backs still. I kept the feet dry on the way up but splashed through it all on the way down.
3 1/2 hours down for just under 8 hours round trip. Everyone on the trail was super-friendly and had no problem letting us pass when space became available. It also seemed, compared to last year when we climbed in early July, that everyone looked good and able to summit without issues.
Random information:
ALtra MT King trail shoes
Alarm set every 30-minutes. Drank 8-16 ounces every alarm on the way up, every hour on the way down.
Bone broth the first two hours, powerade after.
Trekking poles from trail camp to summit and for the entire descent.
Additional calories:
4 GU gels and one packet of blocks
"Iced" the legs and cleaned up in the stream by the parking lot and was back home in San Diego five hours.
