7-31-22

Up at 3:30am

We would wake up at 3:30am on Day 7 of our journey on the High Sierra Trail. I did not take any photos in the pitch black darkness that morning, but had fortunately photographed our site the night before. We had camped on this mesa, that was just before Guitar Lake. We were so exhausted when I snapped this one, and a bit disheveled, having spent almost a week in the wilderness. But we would not have it any other way.

Guitar Lake

This alpine lake actually has golden trout swimming within it. Without a connected stream, I wonder how they even got here to begin with? We camped just north of the lake around 7:30pm, as the light was fading. It worked out since we preferred to camp away from the crowds anyway, to avoid hearing chattering while we slept. I had run into a group of chattery young women earlier in the day who were hiking the JMT to Guitar Lake. These ladies claimed they would start their Whitney ascent around midnight or 1am, in an attempt to watch the sunrise. They were likely camped by the lake. They were fast hikers, and I was not expecting to see them again.

Sunrise

By 5am we were packed up, and hiking down the trail, saying goodbye to Guitar Lake. We left much later than we wanted to leave, but it was the best we could do. It was pitch black at 5am, and we were literally hiking into the unknown in total darkness for the first half hour. I would watch and follow the blink of headlamps, leading the way up Mount Whitney. We knew where we needed to go, and just followed the lights. By 6am, the sun was rising and that famous alpen glow was illuminating far off peaks, as we began our climb towards the trail up Mount Whitney.

Pink Clouds

As the sun rose higher, painting clouds above like shades of cotton candy, we hiked on past Guitar Lake toward the switchbacks. My main concern weighing on me was time, due to our late start. I knew I could probably make it up Mount Whitney. In the past, I had made it to 12,000 feet at Trail Camp, on a previous attempt on Mount Whitney in 2021, a year prior. I frankly had chickened out, seeing what looked like potential storm clouds in the sky. I was fearful of being stuck in a lightening storm, since I started my day hike at 6am, and not 2:30 am. In addition to this I was lacking sleep, so I chose my safety over a summit that time.

Avoiding the Storm

For today I just simply wanted to make good time, and make it up there before thunderstorms rolled in. Making it to the peak by 11am is the rule of thumb. Rain, thunder, lightning, and hail are all common on Mount Whitney, even in July. The question was, would we make good time? Only time would tell.

The Switchbacks

We decided we would take our time as we hiked on up the switchbacks, in order to acclimate to the altitude gradually. Neither of us had hiked to 14,505 feet before, let alone with heavy backpacks. I had been to 12,000 feet before once, to Trail Camp, just below the 99 switchbacks, on the opposite side. There were so many unknowns.

Altitude

Another concern was how altitude would affect our blood pressure, since going to higher elevations raises it. This is not as noticeable for fit athletes, with lower heart rates, and blood pressure. But if you tend to have high blood pressure or heart rate, hiking to 14,505 feet could be challenging, and potentially be life threatening. We would track our heart rates and oxygen levels on our apple watches, just to keep track of how we were doing. We were prepared to slow down, or even bailout if need be.

Sticking Together

I found myself occasionally worrying about not going fast enough, and making up miles we lost, when we got soaked in the downpour by the Kern River. I worried about not making it to Whitney Portal in time to be picked up, and having to make other plans. But it is never good be full of worry. This trip was about being together, and not a speed record. As a hiking couple you have to be adaptable, and flexible with plans. If you hike on ahead, then you stop and wait, and vice versa. When you hike in any size group, or as a couple, you are as fast as your slowest hiker. Nobody gets left behind. It’s more about being together.

Before the Storm

As we made our way up the switchbacks, I wondered again, what our chances were of avoiding a storm, with so many clouds in the sky.

Castles in the Sky

But then my attention diverted back to the awesome scenery around me. I had never seen so many castle-like spires before. Mount Whitney was calling my name. There was no time for fear or worry now.

A Glacial Valley

I stopped to notice how beautiful and serene here, in this glacier carved valley of granite. Who knew rocks could have so many faces, and so much beauty unto themselves. As I glanced back, I noticed more hikers also approaching from Guitar Lake.

We were not the first or the last on trail today, heading up Whitney.

PMA

Thinking positively, I reminded myself that at least the sun was out. Storms may roll in, but I have no control over that. What I do have control over is my attitude.

Hitchcock Lakes

Continuing on up the switchbacks, Hitchcock Peak (Elevation 13,029) was all lit up by the morning sun. Upper and Lower Hitchcock Lakes, below it are either spring fed, or the result of runoff collecting from the basin. I’m not sure how they formed, but there are apparently camping spots by these, as an alternative to Guitar Lake.

A Sculpture Garden

Walking in the wilderness, gives you time to think. The rocky outcroppings along the switchbacks were far more sculptural and artistic than could ever be shaped by human hands. All of this was divinely created. The way each rock was placed, so deliberately. It was like walking in a natural sculpture garden, with each rock formation uniquely distinct from the rest. God’s handiwork was all around me. As hard as humans may work to be better versions of themselves, and make technological advances, nothing compares to the original creation that we are, made by his hands. We were all created for a reason, even if we don’t presently know the reason. Feeling the need to know everything is the downfall of man. Yet, we are all part of his divine plan, though we may never understand why, when, or how.

Reflections

We took many breaks along these switchbacks, which was totally ok. This was a great time to reflect on not just the scenery, which was beautiful after all, but how far we had come. The lake, which once reflected Hitchcock Peak in the early morning, was now a beautiful shade of emerald green.

Taking Our Time

As we stopped to rest again, we met a nice older gentleman, who told us about his hike on the JMT, before passing us. We were passed about twenty times on the way up, as we took our time, and a rest break about every switchback or two. We met several more hikers coming from the JMT during our breaks. This was the most social we had been on the trail all week. You go into nature for peace and quiet, not to chat it up necessarily, in a large group. At least that’s how I feel about being too chatty on trail. It’s always nice to meet people and hear their stories though.

The PCT

The JMT is the PCT, a small part of it. So there is always the chance of running into PCT hikers, looking to bag Mount Whitney along the way. We met a couple close to our age who were hiking the PCT, who detailed their struggle with long treks to re-supply, and limited water sources in the Walker Pass area south of here. Their spirits seemed a little low, and I could understand how a long trek like the PCT could be draining, on all accounts. Yet others might be ever more energized by it. You can never know what to expect hiking a long trail, or on a thru hike, as we were on right now.

A Mountaintop Campsite

This is one of the small tent sites I noticed on the way up the switchbacks, where in an emergency, one could hunker down in a tent to wait out a storm. Problem is, it’s not very large, so counting on this tent site would be a questionable decision at best.

Good Day Sunshine

As we climbed higher, the clouds appeared to be dissipating somewhat. It was hard to tell if they would return, but for now, I was feeling great about avoiding a storm on the summit. I was also glad to have saved some battery for capturing all of this. We managed to find a fully charged extra battery in my boyfriends stuff the day before, so picture taking had resumed.

Trail Junction

We had hiked up the switchbacks at a leisurely pace, and did not rush it, so we had more time to acclimate along the way. It was now about 12 noon, as we approached Trail Crest. We surprisingly ran into the couple we started the High Sierra Trail with, Whitney and Ephram. They were just a few hours ahead of us, and had summited already. The last we had seen them was hiking on past Moraine Lake. We just kept leapfrogging each other the whole trip somehow.

Leaving Our Packs

After making it to Trail Junction, we took a much needed break. We would leave our large backpacks here, and take our Osprey 3oz day packs on to the peak, with just the essentials. I brought a liter of water, snacks, first air, boost oxygen, my Garmin In-Reach, and my rain gear. I was not taking any chances with the weather.

On to the Summit

We hoped to make it to the summit there by 11am, to avoid storms, since that is commonly the rule of thumb for this mountain. We were going to be several hours later than that now, since it was already past noon, and we were not there yet.

Crossing the Sierras

The Sierras are truly breathtaking, and the higher we climbed toward the clouds we started to be able to see clear to the other side of them, where we started over in Sequoia Park, across the Great Western Divide.

Rocky Terrain

The trail along the ridge to Whitney is one of the most rocky, narrow, and rugged trails over granite slabs, I have ever experienced. There were plenty of places you needed to use caution, since some of the cliffs dropped off hundreds of feet on the right, and on the left, a few drop offs seemed to be close to a thousand feet. I steered clear of the edge.

False Summits

Heading on up the trail, there were endless false summits. I kept thinking the peak was right there, or maybe over there, and I would be wrong. Anytime you set out on a new trail, and new terrain, it’s always all new, at every turn, so you don’t know what to expect.

It felt like I had entered another realm. Now I was truly within the castle floating in the sky.

Into Thin Air

The view from the base of Mount Muir towards Keeler Needle, Crooks Peak, and Third Needle. I was truly feeling blessed to have the opportunity to see this mountain, in its actual form, free from any snow. It truly was a sculptural masterpiece, with all its dynamic spires jutting out into the thin air.

Looking back towards Mount Muir and Trail Junction, and the glacial peaks of the southern Sierras.

Keelers Needle

Looking back at Keelers Needle. A gentleman we ran into hiking on up from Guitar Lake had suggested we hike up Keelers Needle. I did not climb it or Mount Muir on this trip, but I heard plenty of people talking about it how they were planning to. So easily bagging two peaks and a prominent outcropping, is possible, if you’re up for the challenge. I imagine it would have added an extra hour at most, to climb both. But we were here for Mount Whitney today.

The Last Stretch

I was actually feeling great at this altitude. We had brought some Boost Oxygen along just in case we needed it. But we both felt fine, and it was hard to feel anything but excitement, along the last stretch of trail.

Hikers Lie

People kept saying the summit was just around the corner. Why do hikers love to lie, and tell you you’re almost there> It was tough to know exactly where the trail was taking you, since it was essentially endless piles of rock slabs. But finally, I spotted the ski hut, and knew we had actually made it. It was such a good feeling.

The Ski Hut

Standing by the ski hut I recalled a couple of fast hiking young women who I passed, and chatted with who were hiking the JMT. They had mentioned they would watch the sunrise on Whitney, and one of them talked of wanting to sleep in the ski hut. I wondered if they had. It was cramped, and full of hikers when I arrived so I did not venture in, but I did take a peek inside. There was a trail register out front, which I proudly signed. I love old stone buildings like this, and historical places. Now I had made history, making it up here to the ski hut, and summit of Mount Whitney.

Mount Whitney 14,505 feet

We did it! We had made it to the summit together around 1:30pm, and we were now just about done with the High Sierra Trail. I had never climbed a 14r before, and the highest elevation I had ever been to. The same goes for my boyfriend. Here we were, on a packed summit, with people from all walks of life. Nothing quite unites us in spirit like the trail, and Mount Whitney is a special place. It draws so many people in from all over the world. It’s a great opportunity to be our best, and congregate together as humanity all at one moment in time. Thats what the pandemic really stole, our humanity. We need to come together, and never do a repeat of that, letting fear control our lives. I was glad I was doing this High Sierra Trail and climbing Mount Whitney together, with my boyfriend. Sure I could have gone solo, but it was definitely better together.

A Recap

We had begun our hike around 5am, having woken up at 3:30am. So the entire 3500 feet of climbing took us 8.5 hrs. We took several breaks on the way up, and had heavy packs, for 2500 feet of the climb to Trail Junction, after which we took small day packs with just the essentials for the remaining 1000 feet to Whitney summit.

Trail Crest

After heading down to Trail Junction, we headed up once again to Trail Crest, on what would be the final climb of the day. From here it was all downhill. We had crossed the Sierras, and now we’re leaving it all behind us. All those peaks, and all that beauty we experienced, were even more dynamic seen from atop Mount Whitney.

The 99 Switchbacks

Heading down the switchbacks, I decided I would try counting them to see if 99 was simply an exaggeration. I quickly lost count, since I was exhausted, and ready to get to camp, so I could get some rest. The only thing on my mind was getting to camp before storms rolled in. I saw clouds had begun to surround Mount Whitney. I kept thinking about the people going up, while we were on the way down, and wondered how they fared up there. It would be frightening to watch a lightning storm from a 14,501 foot peak.

The Cables

Between these cables, and the rest of the 99 switchbacks, we slowed considerably. Our delays resulted in storm clouds moving in. By the time we were down the switchbacks around 3pm, it started to rain, then hail, then thunder, and lightning. The Sierras have mountain weather from July until September, which includes snow, lightning, and hail just like this. I had experienced it a few times before camping by Lake Tahoe. Snow in July can be a reality here, even when there is not a snowflake to speak of anywhere.

Weak in the Knees

I may have been ready to outrun this storm, but my boyfriends knees had other plans. His knees were hurting, and he was ready to done hiking for the day as a result. He had to reluctantly sit down about every switchback, as droves of backpackers whipped past us. He was not the only one struggling though. There was another gentleman who had not drank enough water, and had altitude sickness. People were trying to help him down, give him water, and many people donated their electrolytes to him. Be forewarned, that people with altitude sickness will be very unreasonable, and illogical, as this gentleman was. This group likely saved his life, along with donated water, and electrolytes from those who cared.

Frustration Sets In

I remember feeling a bit frustrated that I was being forced to hike in the rain. I felt like I wanted to just run down Mount Whitney, and outrun this storm. My boyfriend was not doing doing, slipping, and even falling on the way down. He was fine other than his knees. There was nothing else I could do. At one point I thought if I hiked faster, he would find it in him to try and keep up. That turned out to not be the case. I became so cold and probably borderline hypothermic, hiking down to Outpost Camp. I remember feeling like I might pass out a few times since I was just wearing a raincoat over a thin long sleeve shirt.

Conversations

I remember having a conversation with myself regarding jeopardizing my own safety to wait for another hiker, which was my boyfriend. I was not leaving him, but in my mind, I kept telling myself I was an idiot, to make a poor choice to hike in hail and lightning. What seems worse is abandoning a person you love in the wilderness in a storm.

Taking on Too Much

This was all yet another example of trying to do too much. Staying at Trail Camp, and setting up the tent would have been a perfectly good option. Maybe the mountain got to me, but making judgment calls was tough at this point. We would hike 10 miles down to Outpost Camp from the summit, eventually making it there around 4:30pm, after descending down slippery granite steps in the rain. Granite rock is not where you want to be in a lightning storm. Fortunately we did not have much conductive stuff to attract lightning, and survived. Lightning strikes are rare. I just prayed for us to be kept safe. I just turned my safety over to Jesus and hiked on. We were so close to the finish line. The wilderness had tested me, yet again.

The Wilderness Experience

We got the whole experience on this trip on the High Sierra Trail. We saw tons of wildlife, swam in mountain lakes, drank from streams, camped by a waterfall, braved storms, crossed the Great Western Divide, and now had summited Mount Whitney. We had our wits tested many times. We were both stronger as a result. We had crossed the Sierras in 7 days. I was not ready to do it all over again at that moment, but I knew I would be back.

A Rainy Night

It rained all night at Outpost Camp, but we stayed dry in my Big Agnes Copper Spur tent. We awoke the next morning around 6am, to the sounds of a waterfall flowing by the tent, and Lone Pine Creek. Everything was damp outside, and there seemed to be a break in the rain. So I got right to work packing up, and preparing to take down the wet tent, which is never much fun.

There was not a worry in my mind, since all around me was jaw dropping beauty. We had camped right beside a beautiful cascading waterfall, and Lone Pine Creek. This might be my new favorite camp site.

There was a family of California Pheasants running about past the tent. The baby pheasants were insanely brave, coming with a mere foot of me, while I was still in my tent.

Climbing Mount Whitney, surviving freak storms, wild pheasants, waterfalls, being miles from civilization, swimming in mountain lakes, and crossing the Sierras…what more do you want? This was definitely an epic journey.

We made it back to Whitney Portal. High Sierra Trail complete!

Don’t forget to get yourself this nifty sticker, to remind yourself you climbed Mount Whitney, and so you can do whatever it is you do with stickers. We got ourselves some nifty coffee mugs too, and breakfast at the portal store. All this before a huge rainstorm came in. We made it to my boyfriends car just in time. The road to Mount Whitney would get closed due to rock and mudslides later in the day. So the timing could not have been better, for our exit from the High Sierra Trail.

Our (Unplanned) Actual Itinerary

7/24/22	Crescent Meadow in Sequoia Park to Nine Mile Creek
7/25/22	Nine Mile Creek to Hamilton Lakes
7/26/22	Hamilton Lakes to Big Arroyo
7/27/22	Big Arroyo to Kern River Hot Springs
7/28/22	Kern River Hot Springs to another Kern River Campsite before Junction Meadow
7/29/22	Kern River Campsite to Guitar Lake
7/30/22	Guitar Lake to summiting MT Whitney and on to Outpost Camp
7/31/22	Outpost Camp at Whitney Portal

I hope you enjoyed reading this, and it is helpful in knowing what to expect, should you decide to visit here.

About me

I’m Serafina! I’m a writer and California girl who loves to go exploring. Hope you will get outside today, breathe some fresh air, and be happy!

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@serafinabenjamin

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