Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Whitney with ear plugs - a deaf mans story

I do not hear the waterfalls or the streams, do not hear the deer in the woods. But I see things you do not see , I smell the trees and the flowers. My world is much different then yours, I avoid people and I avoid conversation. Next time you watch the television hit the mute button, you will be in my world.But one thing we have in common is we have both stood on the top of Mt. Whitney.

After two failed attempts to climb Mt. Whitney I gave up, put away my boots and said screw-it if I can not climb that mountain I will not climb at all. Two months later I accidently hit the WPSMB site and took a peek. I came across a post from BOB R, took a look at some of his pictures and said , that old dude has been climbing that mountain longer than I have been alive.I started to think I could return to Mt. Whitney. Then I looked at a post from Shin and really got excited, I saw all his pictures of people standing on Whitney smiling. Inspired by the pictures of Bob R and Shin I quickly put on the boots and hit the trails.I returned to Whitney a month later and summited for the first time. I now have 3 summits and want more.

The purpose of this post is to thank the people who take the time to tell there stories, you are the reason I returned to Whitney. Bob R and Shin ,I look for you every time I am on the mountain. If I come across you some day I will just say hello and smile as i walk past, us hearing impaired people do not make good conversation.
Doug, thank you for taking the time to visit with me on my last trip. I think you were enjoing our visit I just could not hear anything you said.

THE SILENT HIKER

Silent Hiker -- You have 3 summits and GUTS too! Thank you for posting from your perspective what the mountain experience is for you. I've been out of the loop for a few years because of lingering physical restraints, but want to get back up there. Will settle for the local trails near the house for now..................steve

Hi We did talk and I know you heard me you smiled! Sound is a very small part of the world since we can touch each other in many more ways. Thank you for the post you will open the doors for many more.

"I avoid people and I avoid conversation."

I hear you. Me too. To experience that satisfaction, I need to hike far into the mountains, far off-trail, so in some way I envy you.

My hearing problem is not a lack but an acuteness. You may be merely a couple steps ahead of the rest of us.

I love the sound of water, but you may not be entirely missing out: you do not so much hear it, but feel it. There are entire ranges of sound that escape the human ear. They arrive as touch.

I have crappy but mostly correctable vision. Senses are fun. You use what you got.

Cheers to your ascent.

Hello Silent Hiker,

The beauty of hiking goes far beyond what is gifted to those who dare. A successful summit or a regretful defeated attempt is according to each individuals abilities. The beauty lies in ones self perseverance, determination and will to suceed.
Your will and determination speaks volumes in all languages. I, without doubt, believe you will inspire others, who read your opening statement, to take that first step, lace up their boots and step out the front door. Success has no limits.

Congrats on your summits! May you have many more!

JB & JT

Silent Hiker: Your post made my day. Thank you.

What a nice post. There so often seems to be this thought of one way, one hiker, one trip.....but you show that is not so.

I think it is clear that you heard Doug, just not his sound. It is that way with Doug, not his writing or his oratory, but his spirit.

So now BobR has dragged another one to the top, and Shin has started inspiring people.

Sometimes, the balance seems right.

People look at me like I am stupid, I just can not hear. When I am on Mt. Whitney people do not judge me , I am one of them. Last month i sat on a huge rock at Trail Camp and visited with a nice lady for an hour. We just looked at the mountain and smiled at everyone that walked past. We did not need to talk, if you have been there you will know what i mean.

Doug, I am glad you remembered me. Do not forget to tell Shin I want to climb Mt. Baldy in February.Tell Bob R I left the tent at home and slept in a bivy, just like the old dude.

Hi Silent hiker,
SMILE !!! Thats all we need to communicate !!!
Don

Silent Hiker,

Were you at Trail Camp around Labor Day weekend? Sept 1 & 2?

I have day-glo yellow hiking poles and was leap frogging on the trail from Mirror Lake to Trail Camp with a gentleman that matches your description.

I also had set up camp in an area that was empty when I arrived at Trail Camp, but had a group of 10 arrive as the sun was setting and surrounded me.

As I left the summit I said to you ( see you at dinner tonite).I am sorry I missed you, I went down to Outpost Camp that night. Yes you are the nice lady I was talking about. Thank you for visiting with me , it was so beautiful at trail Camp.I waited at the Portal the next day, hoping to say good bye, but the 6 hour drive home put me on the road. I will see you next year same week end.

Silent hiker,

A truly inspirational post. Thank you.

My 11 year old son is profoundly deaf, the victim of a severe reaction to the DPT immunization when he was just a few months old. At 5 years he was implanted with a Cochlear Implant. His response to the implant was better than could have possibly been hoped for. He is mainstreamed and just another 6th grade kid now.

But, I am often amazed by the way he can supplement his hearing loss with his sensitivity to sight and smell. After viewing pictures from my Oct. 3 summit (summit #2) he asked if we could do it together next year. Sweet, a new hiking buddy!

Thanks for sharing.

I'm so glad you posted. I was wondering where you were when I returned from the summit. I returned to Trail Camp around 4pm and spent the night.

The afternoon hiking the trail with you and sharing time on the rock was a very special afternoon. It was a wonderful experience.

Your hearing impairment probably helped you get a better nights sleep at Trail Camp as one of the guys in the group of 10 that camped near me snored all night long. And he was loud. I could hear him, even with my ear plugs in. As I was getting water from the inlet stream, a guy that was camping closer to the lake mentioned he could hear the snoring.

I'll mark my calendar for 2012.

You should of seen the smile on my face when I read your first post. I felt terrible for not saying good bye. I ALWAYS hike by myself, when I do hook up with another hiker they quickly ditch me. They learn i do not make good company.It is extremely rare to find a hiker that will visit with me for a prolonged time. My goal on Mt. Whitney that weekend was to look at every tree , smell every plant , put my hands in the stream and meet just one nice person. I ended up achieving all of them.

Doug SR; I never heard a single word, the smile on my face was the lingering effects of that screaming good cheesburger and fries you fixed for me.

THE SILENT HIKER

Now thats funny..........and true!