Mt Whitney

novauser

Has anyone on here climbed this? I am scheduled to climb it in July...One day up and back...no camping....

If you have do you have any pointers?

novauser

bump

cmriverside

Wait. Isn't that a 14,000 foot summit?


I hope you are doing a lot of prep with a reputable outfitter. Not something to do on a whim.

novauser

yes it is and it is certainly not a whim.
Husband just finished Mount Rainier this past summer but I chose not to go as conditions were unusually hard and we have two young kids. We are both doing this one and taking our personal trainers with us who each wanted to do it as well. It is absolutely not taken lightly and we are all in excellent shape.

uconnwinsnc

I like hiking but I don't like mountaineering. Too much risk for just a slightly better view. But...If you are prepared for it, go right ahead!

cmriverside

yes it is and it is certainly not a whim.
Husband just finished Mount Rainier this past summer but I chose not to go as conditions were unusually hard and we have two young kids. We are both doing this one and taking our personal trainers with us who each wanted to do it as well. It is absolutely not taken lightly and we are all in excellent shape.

I live near Seattle. Rainier is a beast!

Good luck on Whitney.

novauser

[/quote]
I live near Seattle. Rainier is a beast!

Good luck on Whitney.
[/quote]

lucky you!!! Beautiful place to live....

GiddyupTim

Mt. Whitney. Tallest mountain in the lower 48. Two different starting points to the top, I believe. It is a hike, not a climb, though sometimes, early in the year, people need crampons to get to the very summit. You should have no trouble with snow or ice this year, I would assume, since we are in a serious drought. The more popular route is 10 miles. It is a walk, but just remember that it is a tough one; you are quite high up and you will be climbing 6,000 feet. I believe that some people do it -- or try it -- without acclimatizing to the elevation. But, the Park Service recommends you spend two days at altitude before going.
It is a beautiful area.
Have fun.
P.S. You don't really need any pointers. It is warm in July, and they say that it gets regular afternoon thunderstorms, but I am pretty sure it does not get them as much as some places in Colorado, where they are almost every afternoon.

trail_rnr

To clarify tufel's point, it's 10+ miles each way, so 20 miles RT. It's a long day. Start early so you can take your time and enjoy the scenery.

I've done Whitney several times, including running most of it :-)

If you are reasonably fit, the hiking part is not a big deal. It's a good trail with very few truly steep spots. By far your biggest challenge will be the elevation. I usually try to spend a couple of days at elevation before tackling a peak. You don't need to do anything strenuous at altitude to prepare; you can hang out in a lawn chair at 10,000' and gain benefit. Avoid foods with lots of protein when you are on the mountain, and try to get into a smooth, steady rest-step rhythm when the breathing gets tough. Stick with easy to digest foods, and stay hydrated (drink when you aren't thirsty). I've had good days and not such good days on the mountain, and the not good days were usually because I did something stupid like eat protein bars or not drink enough.

I'm PM you the link to a little movie we made on a 2009 fun hike so you can see what the trail looks like.

beckytcy

I did it over two days camping at the high camp one night. As others said it's not technical so you don't need mountaineering equipment but the elevation can be tough. I felt light headed and winded. The biggest thing is to make sure you have proper footwear. I had friction on my heals from my hiking boots and ended up with the worst blisters ever. I took off my boots at the bottom and there was a lot of blood. It was excruciating. So be careful of that....