Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board "It's A Good Thing You Gave Up..."

Young Studs jumped up in front of the Old Man...
Thinking he can't possibly be faster then they are...
Old Man (still really out of shape) decides to punish them...
An does...
(in the voice of that bully from The Simpsons)
HA...HA!
(and I did say the title out loud to them as I passed by while they huffed-and-puffed)


Here are some photos from a trip around Whitney yesterday:
















I don't remember this loop as being as difficult as it was yesterday...

As I turned around from signing the register, KW and client were walking up... I stopped by their camp at UBSL late in the afternoon to say hello again...

Missed food at the Portal Store, but did get to spend some time with xSpeedy (Mike)...

Couldn't have asked for a nicer Autumn day...


The album: http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/Whats-New-1/Around-Mt-Whitney-101014/44903319_2qCJs8#!i=3604353435&k=qcSnpH2

I love it (or is it hate it?) when that happens. People who are resting up ahead, upon seeing you approach, suddenly leap to their feat, fling on their packs and take off!

Why pick on young studs?? Try it with this real old man and see what happens.

5:15 this morning.

Maybe when I get back down to four.

J/k

I was taught to respect my Elder .

Richard P, and Whitney 1

We are doing a fun hike from Langley to Whitney on Thursday.. 2 am start from Horseshoe meadow trail head.. Would you like to join us??

No short cuts just raw trail movement..

Then on Sunday Whitney to Tyndal, 2 am start..

No short cuts all trail miles.. Or we could do Williamson and Tyndal from Shepherds pass, we would love your company..

Mike should come along ,he can drag us around when we reach the i hate this hiking crap hour..

Richard,

Thanks for the above beautiful photos and Report of an ambitious day outing.

My question: The final (7th) photo in the TR shows Sakai Col. Did you consider taking it back? Do you think Sakai Col would be a faster way to get back to the TH from the Arctic Lake drainage for a hiker with a light pack? (Last month Myles told me he thought from UBSL, Whitney-Russell Col was better than Sakai Col for an approach to the south face of Russell, but then he is usually carrying a ton of gear.) Anyone else have input on a comparison of these two options?

By the way, your 4th photo (Hitchcock Lakes) is on page B6 of my copy (the National Edition) of the Business Section of the New York Times today (10/14/14).

Jim

Take Sakai Col if you want a change of scenery, not to save time. It's easily an extra hour of travel time, even if you're moving quickly. (And even if Myles is carrying a ton of gear and wearing flip-flops, he's going to be moving faster than anyone else---whether in hiking shoes and a speedo or otherwise.)

Davey, Thanks for the invite, but I will be on a roof.

Crazy J

Jim, Jeff has it right...

I've been up and down Sakai Col multiple times and I think that the difficulty (a LOT of loose stuff and big rocks) of the terrain makes it slower then the longer route up and over Whitney/Russell.

I did think about it because I was going to stop in and visit with KW at UBSL and would have had one more thing to talk about... I told Kurt a few years ago that I wouldn't take a client over Sakai Col... ever. (Kinda like I can say I've done the Rockwell Variation to the East Ridge... you won't see me doing that one again. Sand is one thing... sand and lots of loose rock is another.)

BTW, really glad to see conditions reports popping up on a regular basis... Doug definitely deserves our support... and this is one more way to show it.

Thanks.

Jeff and Richard,

Your input on Sakai Col is appreciated.

Thanks.

Jim