Traveling with Andrew and Jennifer: November 2010

Mt. Whitney at 14,496 ft. is the highest peak in the lower forty eight states. We traversed the high Sierra peak by ascending the mountaineers route and descending the ninety-nine switchbacks or "the mule's way" as John Muir put it many years ago. He said that the mountaineers route is not for soft, succulent people. The mountaineers route takes you up 6,500 ft. in six miles and the other trail takes you down 6,500 ft. in eleven miles. And, our friend Arnaud did make it back north to climb Mt. Whitney with us!

Icy stream crossings

Awesome views looking down at the Alabama Hills, the Owens Valley, and across at the Inyo Mountains.

The Ebersbacher's Ledges

This boulder field was time consuming to cross.

A couple of guys doing some ice climbing.

Mt. Whitney's peak on the right and the needles to the left of the peak.

Going up...

There is the peak and the couloir we are headed up on the right.

This was the really steep part.

At this point we have crested the ridge (entered Sequoia Nat. Park) and are skirting the backside of Whitney up to the summit.

Approaching the summit just before sunset. There is a stone emergency hut on the summit.

We made it up in eight hours!

What an awesome feeling! It was quite possible we were the highest people in America for the night. Assuming no one was above 14,500 ft. in Alaska.

We carried our little point and shoot camera with us to be light weight and to take panoramics.

That is the lake below the couloir we came up.

We spent sixteen hours on the summit! We got to see the sun set and rise from this amazing place.

A beautiful morning! And chilly...the temps were in the low teens during the night. We did have incredible weather though...no storms, no wind, and lots of sunshine!