Two much on Mt. Whitney

At ~14,500 feet, Mt. Whitney is the highest peak not only in the California Sierras, but in the contiguous United States as well.  With a paved road leading to a trailhead at over 8,300 feet, and a well-maintained trail free of snow for several months a year carved all the way to the summit, Mt. Whitney is ascended hundreds of times annually.  The peak is often done as a day hike, either by the 22-mile (round trip) trail or by off-trail routes, such as the 3rd class Mountaineer's Route.  Once upon a time, when I was fit and well-acclimated from living at around 8,000 feet in Mammoth Lakes, I hiked the trail in 11 hours round trip.  That same summer, I took three days to do the Mountaineer's Route.  Suffice it to say, climbing to the top of Mt. Whitney from Whitney Portal and back again in one day is challenging for most mortals. 

But climbing Mt. Whitney once in one day is not enough for some.  Recently, several contributors to the Whitney Portal Store Message Board have chronicled climbing to the summit twice in one day from the trailhead at Whitney Portal.  Such a feat involves around 12,500 feet of elevation gain (and, of course, 12,500 feet of elevation loss).  One of the mountaineers, Rick Kent, reported taking about 17 hours for the double-header, while Richard Piotrowski reported taking 20 hours.  Even before their Whitney doubles, these peakbaggers had become notorious in the regional mountaineering community for their outlandish outings.  It will be interesting to see what they come up with next.  It will also be interesting to see what kinds of harebrained outings their Whitney doubles inspire among their peers.      

Off the beaten track on Mt. Baldy

Yesterday I dragged a former college roomate, who I had not seen or even spoken to in 16 years, to the summit of Mt. Baldy (10,064 feet) in southern California.  Fortunately, he has taken good care of himself over the years, so slogging up and down 4,000 vertical feet before noon was no problem.  Aside from catching up with Eric, the highlight was seeing a group of about six bighorn sheep, including some lambs, meandering around Baldy Bowl.

Mt. Baldy, a.k.a. Mt. San Antonio, is one of the big three alpine summits in southern California, the others being Mt. San Gorgonio and Mt. San Jacinto.  Most hikers heading for the summit of Mt. Baldy opt for either the Ski Hut Trail or the Devil's Backbone Trail, but there are excellent alternatives that avoid the crowds. 

The Register Ridge route, which we ascended yesterday, follows a steep, rough path for over 2,000 vertical feet between the beginning of the Ski Hut Trail and the middle of the Devil's Backbone Trail.  The path is not maintained and disappears in some of the rockier sections.

Though we saw about one hundred people during our descent of the Ski Hut Trail, we saw nobody on our ascent of Register Ridge.  In fact, in the six times I have been on Register Ridge, I have seen no one but my companions.

Fatality on Mt. Whitney trail

A hiker was found deceased on the eastern slope of Mt. Whitney on Saturday, October 31.  He set out for the summit on Sunday, October 25 via the main trail which originates at Whitney Portal.  The experienced 73-year old man was last seen near Trailcrest, roughly 1.5 miles from the summit, in the late afternoon on Sunday.  He was reportedly struggling but still ascending when last seen.  A coordinated search began on Tuesday in bad weather after he did not return to his car at the trailhead.  The cause of death has yet to be publicized.

Sources:
Searching for Wade
Whitney Portal Store Message Board

My Mountaineering Highlights

2010
Mt. San Jacinto (10,804 feet, CA), up East Fork of Snow Creek (direct finish, 50+ degree snow, ~10,000 vertical feet in 11.5 hours), down to tram. April.

2009
University Peak (13,632 feet, Sierras, CA), up North Couloir (50+ degree snow/ice, class 3+ rock, ~4,500 vertical feet), down Southeast Ridge (shortcut variation, 40+ degree snow), 13.5 hours. November 22.

Mt. Russell (14,086 feet , Sierras, CA), East Ridge (class 3), 5,800+ vertical feet, 14+ hours. October 3.

2008
Bondcliff, Bond, Guyot, South Twin, and Garfield (White Mountains, NH), 29 miles, 6100 vertical feet, 15+ hours, solo. August 5. 

Mt. Washington (White Mountains, NH), Lion Head Winter Route, 8+ miles, 4,300 vertical feet, ~9 hours, solo. January 5.

2007
Mt. Katahdin (Maine), up Hamlin Peak via Hamlin Ridge (class 3), to Baxter Peak, down Knife Edge (class 3+), ~12 miles, ~4,500 vertical feet, solo. Summer.

2003-2006
Hmmm . . . not much mountaineering here.  But I got married, earned a PhD, moved from CA to NY, started teaching college full-time, and fathered a child.

2002
Fairview Dome (Yosemite, CA), Regular Route, 5.9, 9 pitches (I led 8 pitches). September.

Mt. Shasta (14,162 feet, CA), Whitney Glacier Route, 3 days. June.

Crimson Chrysalis (Red Rocks, NV), 5.9, 9 pitches. Spring.

Bird on a Wire (Joshua Tree, CA), 5.10a, 3 pitches (I led crux).

2001
June-July: Spent six weeks in the Mont Blanc Massif, with a basecamp in Chamonix, France.  Climbed nearly twenty alpine rock routes, including (pardon my French grades):
Cordier Pillar, Grand Charmoz, TD 5+ A1, 600m (bailed 1-2 pitches from top).
Bienvenue au Georges V, First Pointe des Nantillons, TD+ 6a+, 350m (I led crux).
Le Marchand de Sable, Tour Rouge, TD+ 6a A1, 280m (skipped last pitch of snowy 3).
Voie Marilene, Pointe Lachenal, TD 5+ A1, 250m.
Vaucher Route, Gendarme 3068, TD 6a, 400m.

Moon Goddess Arete, Temple Crag (CA Sierras), IV 5.8 (no summit). May.
 
Whodunit, Tahquitz (CA), 5.9, 6 pitches (I led 5 pitches).
 
2000
Lone Pine Peak (12,944 feet, CA Sierras), North Ridge, III 5.7, 14 hours car-to-car. May.

Royal Arches Route (Yosemite, CA), 5.7 A0, 15 pitches.

Red Rocks, NV: A dozen climbs of 5+ pitches including:
Crimson Chrysalis, 5.9, 9 pitches.
Beulah's Book to Sunflower, 5.9, 9 pitches.

1999
July: Spent the month climbing in the Canadian Rockies. Highlights:
Mt. Edith Cavell, East Ridge, III 5.3.
Cadot Crack, Medicine Slabs, III 5.8, 14 pitches.
Mt. Louis, Gmoser Route, III 5.8, 12 pitches.

1996
June-August: Basecamped at the Grand Teton Climbers' Ranch in WY and climbed thirty alpine routes, including ten summits of the Grand Teton by eight different routes. Highlights:
Grand Teton, North Face, IV 5.8, 19.5 hours car-to-car.
Grand Teton, North Ridge, IV 5.9 (variation), 2 days w/ bivy on Grandstand.
Grand Teton, East Ridge, III 5.7+, 2 days w/ bivy high on route.
Mt. Owen, Serendipity Arete, IV 5.7 A0, 2 days w/ bivy near summit.

1995
45 day trek in the Khumbu Himal, Nepal.  Highlights included Everest Base Camp, climbing Kongma Tse (~19,000 feet), climbing Chukkung Ri (18,238 feet), and crossing the Cho La. April-May.

11 day trek to and from the Goecha La (~16,500 feet) near Kanchenjunga in Sikkim, India. March.

1994
Onsight flashed several 5.11a sport climbs in the Owens River Gorge (CA).

Pacific Crest Trail (Snoqualmie Pass in WA to Manning Provincial Park in Canada), 26 days, 260 miles, 2 food drops. September-October.

John Muir Trail (CA Sierras), 17 days, 225 miles (including detours), 0 food drops, solo. August-September.

Fairview Dome (Yosemite, CA), Regular Route, 5.9, 9 pitches.

Mt. Whitney (14,505 feet, CA Sierras), up Mountaineer's Buttress (class 4+), down Mountaineer's Route.

Mt. Ritter and Mt. Banner (CA Sierras), solo in spring w/ bivy on saddle.

Climbed six Colorado 14ers in winter/spring, 5 of them solo.

1993
Grand Teton (WY), Upper Exum Ridge, II 5.4, spring conditions, plastic mountaineering boots. July.