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Solo Ascent on Mt. Whitney
#6284 07/25/10 05:09 PM
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8
R
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8
(I had some pictures to go with it but I don't know how to upload)

At Mount Whitney, I experienced something that I had never experienced before. Everything was below me as far as my eyes could reach. I was at the highest point of the lower 48 states. The gratification, together with the stunning view, overwhelmed me in forgetting about the exhaustion after an eleven hour hike.

The day was Tuesday, July 20, 2010. I started my journal at 2:20am in the morning. It was complete dark until I reached the Outpost Camp. After a break for snack, I continued my way up. The sceneries kept improving as the sky turned brighter. At 5:57am, the sun jumped out from the mountain in the east when I was just above the Mirror Lake. I capture this moment on my camera.


Figure 1 Sunrise on Mt Whitney Trail
I almost canceled my trip because my two other partners dropped out at the last minute. Not sure if I could hike the challenging trail by myself, I posted a message on WhitneyZone.com on Saturday, July 17. Soon I received a response from Rod. He assured that I would never be alone on the trail and urged me to go. I never met Rod. But it was the people I did not know who offered me help on and off the trail.

At 7:35am I reached the Trail Camp. The mountain crest was right in front of me. I felt great and it seemed the summit was within reach. A dozen hikers passed me by. At 12,000 feet, I had never come up to this altitude before and I wanted to take my time to get used to it. My pace was 50 minutes/mile so far.


Figure 2 Mt Whitney Summit within Reach
I chose a single-day over multi-day ascent because I wanted to keep my trip as short as possible. A timely advice from Steve C., also on WhitneyZone, saved me from making a serious mistake: shortcutting acclimatization. He suggested spending at least 24 hours on high elevation before the ascent. I received his message on Sunday and immediately left for Lone Pine and camped out at Whitney Portal on both Sunday and Monday evenings.

The climb to the Trail Crest was a severe physical challenge to me. The trail was steep and scary to some extent. There were metal rails to protect hikers from falling off. There were snow patches that were slippery. And the number of switchbacks seemed infinite. In fact there were ninety-seven of them. I was forced to slow down by my physical limitation. My pace became 66 minutes/mile.

I might be slow. However, with a 25 pound bag on my back and at this altitude, it wasn't too bad for a not-too-young man. To prepare for this hike, I trained for and completed LA Marathon in March. The physical and mental training was paying off. I was able to concentrate and move along with increasing difficulties.

At 10am, I reached Trail Crest. I was expecting western wind but it was such a balmy day that there was none. The view to the west was very pleasant to me. Below me were the John Muir Trail and meadows and lakes here and there. In the distance were the mountain ranges in the Sequoia National Park.


Figure 3 West View from Trail Crest
The scenery solved my mystery. Ever since I saw Mt Whitney for the first time while driving through Lone Pine on a skiing trip to Mammoth Lake a couple years ago, I had been wondering what it would look like on the other side of the mountain. It was at that time I came up with the idea of going up. I only became serious about this idea when I applied for a permit earlier this year. At the Trail Crest, I was content my job was not done yet.

The downhill hike to the junction at John Muir Trail was easy. But, all of a sudden, the uphill hike from there became extremely difficult. My heart was racing like horses and pounding like thunders. My backpack felt like there was a huge boulder in it. I gasped for air on every step. The altitude effect kicked in. I developed pains in my head and nausea in my throat. My pace dropped to 102 minutes/mile.

It was on this stretch of the trail when I saw immature summitting. A couple of young men stopped with mountain sickness. A few old men turned around and started descending. A man in his middle age sat down and told me he gave up. I felt miserable, too. I was a man with a strong will but I did not want to be stubborn and stupid and put my life at risk at the same time. So I told myself to move slowly for as far as I could.

It was also on this stretch that I needed encouragement most. Fortunately, I received plenty. "Move slowly but surely." "Just put one foot in front of the other." "You are 14,000 feet high, ease your way." "You are only a mile away." "You can see it, you can definite make it." "You are only half a mile away." "Pass that snow path. The rest is easy." "You are 15 minutes away." "You just need oxygen. Breath hard and you'll be fine." Rod, you are right. I was not alone.

At 1:05pm, I finally reached the summit. There were about a dozen people there. We congratulated each other, gave high fives, and traded photo shots. I proudly signed my name on the register by the hut,


Figure 4 Signing My Name at the Hut
A few days has passed since I came back home in San Diego. Nevertheless my emotions are still overwhelmed by this experience. The feeling at summit was unforgettable. It was very quiet up there. I was far away from city noise. Everything stood still. I could barely see running creeks or flying birds, but I could hear none. It was just extremely quite. No word can describe that quietness.

The hiking out took me seven and a half hour. I had a severe heartburn. I don't know if it was because of the altitude. It got so bad that it was the only reason I had to make frequent stops on my way back. I was racing against time otherwise. It was almost completely dark when I reached the parking lot at 8:45pm. I wanted to sleep badly. After shower, I managed to call my wife and then collapsed into my bed.

I was not an experienced hiker. Learning from this experience, if I ever hike that kind of trail again, I would pack less. I packed 13 bottles of waters, each 500ml. I only needed 10 of them. I would pack smart. I packed Subway sandwiches. It might be the culprit of my heartburn. I would just pack a couple of bagels. I did something right, too. I started early on the day. It turned out I needed every minute of my early start. I moved slowly, hence the altitude sickness never hit me. And I pack my back on my planning, preparation, and perseverance. The hike was brutal, but it was well worth it.


Re: Solo Ascent on Mt. Whitney
Ronald Mao #6286 07/25/10 05:31 PM
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Ronald, thank you for a heartfelt report on your trip. It certainly shows commitment.

Around here we have a saying "No pictures - It didn't happen", so email Steve C & he will tell you how. Or perhaps other Board members will jump in.


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Solo Ascent on Mt. Whitney
wagga #6287 07/25/10 06:38 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,261
Bee Offline
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Posting pictures:

[img]photo address[/img]

The above format allows you to post pictures, however, you must have a "host" site -- such as Flickr or Picasa -- to download from your computer & import your photos. Within these sites are windows that one can cut and paste the individual photo address from, place it in the template shown above. To see if your photo works, use the "preview post" option down below to check (it will show up in the preview box)


The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.
Re: Solo Ascent on Mt. Whitney
Ronald Mao #6288 07/25/10 06:50 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
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Ronald, again congratulations on the summit! Your detailed TR was very inspiring, and I applaud your determination and perseverence. Quillansculpture and I were up on the summit just 5 days earlier, and the feeling doesn't soon go away.

Your TR brings back some memories of my first time up this mountain last year, a solo dayhike with a 16-pound pack. That 16 pounds was way too heavy - your 25 pounds must have been pure torture. Next time ditch all that heavy bottled water in favor of a feather-light filter and re-fill as you go. No shortage of water on this mountain below below 12,400 feet. Three liters will generally get you from Trail Camp to the summit and back. If you can get that daypack down to 10 pounds or less - about average for a Whitney dayhike - your next summit will go a lot quicker and more pleasantly.

I'm glad Doc Rod convinced you to forge ahead with your plans. As he said, in the summer you are never alone on this mountain and most people will gladly assist a fellow hiker however they can. Glad you got the encouragement you did on that final backstretch to the summit. I'm also betting that on your way back down to Trail Crest you did the exact same thing! Between your comments about headache, nausea and wanting to sleep I suspect you may have been experiencing some AMS, but clearly not enough to stand in your way. Just a great job of obtaining your goal and you should feel very, very proud - particularly since you say you're not a regular hiker. Or are you? Now, that is . . .

I was going to give you a tip on photo posting, but I see that Bee has bee-aten me to it. It's easy once you have a hosting site like Flickr set up with a free account.

Again, congrats on a wonderful (though painful) experience - hope to meet you on the mountain some day.

Re: Solo Ascent on Mt. Whitney
Bulldog34 #6291 07/25/10 11:19 PM
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8
R
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8
Thanks a lot guys. Here are the links to the pictures on Flickr. Not sure this is the way Bee meant.

Figure 1: Sunrise on Mt Whitney Trail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronaldmao/4829914154/


Figure 2: Mt Whitney Summit within Reach
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronaldmao/4829304647/


Figure 3: West View from Trail Crest
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronaldmao/4829915580/


Figure 4: Signing My Name at the Hut
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronaldmao/4829306075/


And appreciate your comments. I certainly hope I can meet some of you on the mountains!

Ronald


Last edited by Steve C; 07/26/10 12:34 AM. Reason: include pictures
Re: Solo Ascent on Mt. Whitney
Ronald Mao #6299 07/26/10 08:06 AM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 695
CaT Offline
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Posts: 695
Excellent Ronald!
Congratulations!

Your TR also brought back the feelings I had when I summitted my first time. It truly is an amazing feeling to stand on the summit -- the view, the quiet, the accomplishment. Thanks.

CaT


If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracle of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.
- Lyndon Johnson, on signing the Wilderness Act into law (1964)
Re: Solo Ascent on Mt. Whitney
CaT #6305 07/26/10 09:58 AM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 660
Rod Offline
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Posts: 660
Awesome job Ronald. Glad you went.Thanks for the Trip report and pics.You now are inducted into an elite group of people who had stood on the highest point in the continental USA.


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