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Whitney Main Trail 9/19/16
#48435 09/19/16 10:35 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 372
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DUG Offline OP
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 372
Pretty much a perfect day, could not have had better conditions, but it didn't start that way a couple days ago.

I was a last minute addition to my brother's permit. I did 45 miles around VVR in June, but not much hiking since. I've been working out pretty hard lately and dropped a ton of weight, but I wasn't sure how that would translate to hiking.

This year is the 20th anniversary of our 1st Whitney summit and my brother has kept the yearly streak alive since then.

I'm now 16/19 and hadn't tried since 2010.

I headed up to Horseshoe Saturday afternoon. As I was getting into Lone Pine, my wife called to tell me I had forgotten a bag at home when I left. There were some fairly important items in there, like fresh contacts, prescription medicine, toiletries and eye glasses. Some less important items such as a change of clothes, running clothes for a trail run Sunday, my iPad with movies, and my iPod.

My wife offered to bring me the bag, but it would be four hours each way. I stopped at the visitor center to take inventory of what I had. I found two pair of contacts in my first aide kit, old eye glasses and one dose of my medicine in the glove box. I would be okay.

I visited 4 stores in town to pick up some toiletries, new headphones, a couple magazines and a book. Satisfied I drove up to Horseshoe. After closer examination the old pair of eye glasses had some sort of paint overspray on them. I was able to use toothpaste and a pencil eraser to clean them. I settled in to read a book about David Spade. He's not that interesting so I took a nap. After dinner I gave up on reading and went to bed. I slept pretty well and got up Sunday for a light workout. It was supposed to be a quick trail run, but I left that stuff at home. I also left my map of the area. I went to the nearest trail head, which turned out to be Cottonwood and headed out for a walk.

Since I only planned on going out 2 - 2.5 miles, I didn't bother with a pack. I left the same time two other groups did and got some looks from one of them. They seemed surprised to see a solo hiker in street clothes and no gear heading out ahead of them. They seemed relieved when they saw me coming back in one piece.

A mile from the trail head I ran into a hiker finishing part of the JMT, having started in OV. He was worried about a ride, but I took care of him, getting him to Lone Pine.

I met my brother for lunch at the Pizza Factory and watched a little football. I quick walk around the Alabama Hills and we were at the Family Campgrounds. The generator was down at the store, so the kitchen was closed. Luckily I brought dinner for myself from town, but my brother had to scramble a little for food.

Went to bed early and got up at 0130. We took my SUV to the trail head, getting front row parking. By 0200 we were on the trail. Warm temps all the way to trail camp. I topped off my water bladder and stashed my filter under some rocks to retrieve later. The switchbacks are in fine shape with just a little bit of easily navigated ice at the cables. Trail was clear and dry everywhere else. Winds were very light all day.

Before 1000 we were on the summit and stayed for 30-40 minutes. I was pleased I could do that well with no practice hike and having not been over 12k in several years. Horseshoe probably helped.

After Outpost Camp we said our good byes and I went ahead. My brother was meeting his family at LPL and I wanted to get home, after spending two nights sleeping in my SUV. He had two fresh drivers to chauffeur him back to the Bay Area, I was on my own. I told him where the old trail was and said he should check it out. I took off at a light jog, pausing only for a pic with my sister in law at the LPL sign. From there it was about 45-50 minutes back to the parking lot, jogging slowly and using the old trail. My brother texted that he arrived 15 minutes after me. I caught the traffic delay at the wrong time and spent 25 minutes there. I thought for sure that I was going to be rear ended because the car coming up behind me after I stopped didn't seem to making any effort to slow down. They made good use of their anti lock brakes and I'm sure our license plates were almost touching.

Once released by the pilot car it was an easy four hour drive south.

A great day on Whitney. I hope to do R2R2R with a friend in a few weeks, before they turn the water off for the season.

Re: Whitney Main Trail 9/19/16
DUG #48436 09/20/16 08:12 AM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 225
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Posts: 225
Welcome back!

Re: Whitney Main Trail 9/19/16
DUG #48440 09/20/16 10:10 AM
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 8
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 8
Originally Posted By: DUG
Pretty much a perfect day, could not have had better conditions, but it didn't start that way a couple days ago.

I was a last minute addition to my brother's permit. I did 45 miles around VVR in June, but not much hiking since. I've been working out pretty hard lately and dropped a ton of weight, but I wasn't sure how that would translate to hiking.

This year is the 20th anniversary of our 1st Whitney summit and my brother has kept the yearly streak alive since then.

I'm now 16/19 and hadn't tried since 2010.

I headed up to Horseshoe Saturday afternoon. As I was getting into Lone Pine, my wife called to tell me I had forgotten a bag at home when I left. There were some fairly important items in there, like fresh contacts, prescription medicine, toiletries and eye glasses. Some less important items such as a change of clothes, running clothes for a trail run Sunday, my iPad with movies, and my iPod.

My wife offered to bring me the bag, but it would be four hours each way. I stopped at the visitor center to take inventory of what I had. I found two pair of contacts in my first aide kit, old eye glasses and one dose of my medicine in the glove box. I would be okay.

I visited 4 stores in town to pick up some toiletries, new headphones, a couple magazines and a book. Satisfied I drove up to Horseshoe. After closer examination the old pair of eye glasses had some sort of paint overspray on them. I was able to use toothpaste and a pencil eraser to clean them. I settled in to read a book about David Spade. He's not that interesting so I took a nap. After dinner I gave up on reading and went to bed. I slept pretty well and got up Sunday for a light workout. It was supposed to be a quick trail run, but I left that stuff at home. I also left my map of the area. I went to the nearest trail head, which turned out to be Cottonwood and headed out for a walk.

Since I only planned on going out 2 - 2.5 miles, I didn't bother with a pack. I left the same time two other groups did and got some looks from one of them. They seemed surprised to see a solo hiker in street clothes and no gear heading out ahead of them. They seemed relieved when they saw me coming back in one piece.

A mile from the trail head I ran into a hiker finishing part of the JMT, having started in OV. He was worried about a ride, but I took care of him, getting him to Lone Pine.

I met my brother for lunch at the Pizza Factory and watched a little football. I quick walk around the Alabama Hills and we were at the Family Campgrounds. The generator was down at the store, so the kitchen was closed. Luckily I brought dinner for myself from town, but my brother had to scramble a little for food.

Went to bed early and got up at 0130. We took my SUV to the trail head, getting front row parking. By 0200 we were on the trail. Warm temps all the way to trail camp. I topped off my water bladder and stashed my filter under some rocks to retrieve later. The switchbacks are in fine shape with just a little bit of easily navigated ice at the cables. Trail was clear and dry everywhere else. Winds were very light all day.

Before 1000 we were on the summit and stayed for 30-40 minutes. I was pleased I could do that well with no practice hike and having not been over 12k in several years. Horseshoe probably helped.

After Outpost Camp we said our good byes and I went ahead. My brother was meeting his family at LPL and I wanted to get home, after spending two nights sleeping in my SUV. He had two fresh drivers to chauffeur him back to the Bay Area, I was on my own. I told him where the old trail was and said he should check it out. I took off at a light jog, pausing only for a pic with my sister in law at the LPL sign. From there it was about 45-50 minutes back to the parking lot, jogging slowly and using the old trail. My brother texted that he arrived 15 minutes after me. I caught the traffic delay at the wrong time and spent 25 minutes there. I thought for sure that I was going to be rear ended because the car coming up behind me after I stopped didn't seem to making any effort to slow down. They made good use of their anti lock brakes and I'm sure our license plates were almost touching.

Once released by the pilot car it was an easy four hour drive south.

A great day on Whitney. I hope to do R2R2R with a friend in a few weeks, before they turn the water off for the season.


congrats!


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