PCT Day 39, 20 June 2022 (Monday)
“Whitney, Finally”
Start Location: |
Wilderness Campsite |
Destination: |
Crabtree Meadow |
|
PCT Miles Day 39: |
2.4 |
Cum PCT Miles: |
766.3 |
|
Non-PCT Miles Day 39: |
17.1 |
Cum All Miles: |
814.6 |
|
PCT Miles Remaining: |
1,886.3 |
|
|
|
Elevation Gain Day 39: |
251 |
Cum Elevation Gain: |
134,551 |
Today was my fourth attempt to hike Mt. Whitney. Dating back to my Boy Scout days, I have been denied due to weather, fire, and medical reasons. I finally got there today, and it was worth it. It was a perfect hiking day. The temperature was comfortable, the winds were low, and I didn't even put on a jacket until I got to the top...unusual for being at over 14k feet. The 360 degree views were really spectacular. And just like Half Dome, you are surprised by how expansive it is at the top; you could spend an hour just walking around up there. Mt. Whitney is not officially on the PCT, so I didn't get many official PCT miles in today. But the ~15.5 miles hiking Whitney still made a full day. Also, Whitney is, obviously, the highest point I'll get to on this hike, but it is not the highest point on the PCT, that is tomorrow with Forester Pass.
All in all, a really great day. I would highly recommend to anyone that doesn't mind overnight backpacking, to go up Whitney from the west side, it is a great trail.
Campsite last night with Mt. Guyout as the backdrop
Part of Crabtree Meadow
Timberline Lake, on the trail to Mt. Whitney
Guitar Lake at water level
Marmot trying to hide from me
Guitar Lake from high up...funny, from up here it looks like a cello
The Mt. Whitney Trail
Neat rocks
The meeting point of hikers coming up from Whitney Portal (east to west) and the PCT/JMT (west to east)
One of the famous "windows" leading up to Mt. Whitney
Another one of the windows leading up to Mt. Whitney
Hut at the top of Mt. Whitney
The very top of Mt. Whitney
From the top of Mt. Whitney, I believe that is Iceberg Lake
Panoramic from atop Mt. Whitney
From the Mt. Whitney Trail
Lower and Upper Hitchcock Lakes from high up the Mt. Whitney Trail
Stream feeding into Guitar Lake
No comments:
Post a Comment