Hi All, thanks for all the information provided here, it all helped in one form or another. I'd like to share my groups experience from recent Mt. Whitney trip.
I obtained a six person pass for 6-8 August. Most persons in the group, including two who summitted last year were in good shape - cardio wise, unknown how four of us would handle altitude. Two of us, me and friend - 'J' were not in best of shape. I began doing cardio workouts, lost a few pounds etc. He did not do alot. We live in East Bay Area - so I began taking him on training hikes to Mt. Diablo (obviously not for altitude training) for cardio training and to get him used to backpack. He was slow and did not really improve time or distance BUT he always made it. He didn't do other training. The others like I said were in decent cardio shape and they just kept up regular workouts.
Three of us, including me took Diamox, starting a couple of days before heading to lone pine. 'J' tried it and it made him sick so he stopped.
We all arrived in Lone Pine on Tuesday (8/5) and checked into the Dow Villa (two to a room) We looked for rental bear containers (thought we all needed one) found two at ranger station when we got our permit, one at one sporting good store and another at a different store. We later rented another at Portal Store. We had dinner at Seasons - good food, slow service, but gave us plenty of time to talk and plan.
After doing research, getting advice, my plan was to hike to Trail Camp, set up base camp, next day hike to Summit, come down, pick up our stuff and head to Outpost Camp for second nite. While talking with the guys who had done this last year (and next day to Doug at Portal Store), they suggested staying at Outpost Camp both nites, advantages -- nicer camping, no need to carry heavy pack up to Trail Camp, sleep at a lower altitude, no need to break/setup camp again. Disadvantages - longer summit day hike, less altitude gain prior to summit. But they made sense so on August 6 we left the motel and went to the Portal Store for the huge breakfast. (we past a van with a broken out window- McDonalds bag on back seat- duh)
We loaded up our packs and headed toward Outpost camp. We were all stoked and found this an pretty easy hike except for 'J', he sent us ahead w/o him. We had tried to put him in the lead but he said he was uncomfy w/ a 'pushed' pace and he said he'd meet us at Outpost Camp. Five of us arrived at 1220, 'J' shortly after that. We set up tents, we all brought tents. We found that two man tents aren't. Unless your married to your hiking buddies two man tents seemed to cramped for us so we all brought a tent - three brought solo tents, 3 brought 'two man' tents. Plus we only had to carry them to Outpost so no big deal for the extra comfort.
Couple of guys took an afternoon snooze, while some of us explored the beautiful waterfall above the camp. We climbed as high as we could, took in the views. I was amazed at the amount of water still running.
We sat around camp, got ready for summit attempt and ate dinner around 6. It was a touch cold and windy needed some fleece to stay comfy. Most of us hit the sack between 8-9.
All of us up by 5:30, ate, fixed day packs with water/food and hit the trail by 6:30. Again five of us went ahead at 'J' insistance, he felt comfy at his pace and said he would drive on and maybe see us as we took breaks along the way.
Five of us arrived at Trail Camp, used toilets, ate some food, scrambled over some rocks and pumped some water. I filled up 100 oz bladder, but elected not to carry an additional full 32 oz bottle, I tend to drink alot and later wish I'd had that 32 oz bottle. We didn't see 'J', left trail camp and headed to switchbacks. I found this part not really hard but it was long. I kept looking toward to Trail Camp to see if I could spot J but to no avail. There was a moderate amount of ice in the cable area. We ran into some nice and one not so nice person. along this stretch. Some guy went running past us, I was amazed.
When we got to Trail Crest we were blasted by strong wind, most of us put on long sleeves or windshells. At this point, one of the guys who had gone last yr said (and had been saying)we are almost there! He apparently had forgotten about the next stretch of trail, I found this part difficult, the footing and the length was more than I expected. Once the footing got better, not so many rocks, the length again suprised me, although easier walking. I loved the views, mountain ranges for miles, lakes, etc.
Again of course we ran into many nice people who offered advice/encouragment etc. We arrived at the summit at 12:35. Signed the register, took some photos, I made a couple phone calls (I Know, I Know) During the phone calls, I was asked about 'J' and I said I hadn't seen him in hours and was just hoping he would make it. Another in my party told me he did not think J would make it.
I was feeling pretty good and was very excited about making it to the top! We left at 1:50 (I think) up on top for over an hour. One in our party said he found a toilet on top, had a seat and did some business at 14,000 + feet- made me laugh.
About 1/2 hour after we started down we ran into 'J' heading up!!! He was going slow and not feeling the best. He said he wanted to go on. I decided I'd go with him, back to the top. I asked the other guys for extra water/food. I got some food but not water (this is where I wished I would have brought the extra bottle - this extra time w/ J was going to cause me to run out) J and I headed up while the other 4 continued down.
J said he had been drinking ok, but hadn't eaten since Trail Camp. I tried to 'force' some food on him but he just chewed a bit of dried fruit, spit more out than he ate. He was going really slow with lots of little breaks. I encouraged him with everything I could. We met lots of folks leaving and they would inform us of our distance to the top. Hour, then 40 min, then 30, ugh,, we were taking a long time. I was still feeling good. I took J's camelback pack, had some clothes, camera, water, etc in it just to give him every chance he could to make it. (He had a 32 oz bottle left, I carried it also and gave it to him when he needed it) J was looking bad but refused to give up being so close. I literally pushed him at times, at a step or an incline, I'd just push him in the back just so he would keep moving and not stall.
After much encouragment from me and others he made it to the top at 3:40. I saw no one else on top. J signed the register (his comment was "I'll never do this again") and we took some pictures. He was exhausted. We stayed only 10 minutes. I told him we had to get down to Outpost Camp before dark and he needed to hustle down. The only water we had left was J's 32 oz, I took a sip and gave him back his pack and water.
We started down the trail and ran into a couple about 5 minutes from the top, the lady didn't look so good. (I think these were the last people of the day) I started hauling down, I knew I needed to get down before dark (no head lamp, hadnt planned on the extra time spent with J) and I needed to get some water, I figured first place was switchbacks. About 15 minutes after I left the top, it hit me. Ugghh, I don't know if it was the altitude, the exeretion or what, but I suddenly felt like crap. I had to sit down for a few gather myself. J caught up and saw me and offered advice/encourgment. After a couple of minutes, I started up again and blazed down the trail. J couldn't keep up, I just had to get down, down to lower altitude and get to some water.
Passed a bunch of people who asked if J had made it and were happy he did. I blasted down the switchbacks, ate some ice that had stayed on the rocks and then pumped some water from stream crossing trail. I pumped 64 oz for me and 32 for J. Left the bottle on the trail with a note for J to pick it up. Just as I left the water source, J called out to me, he had caught up to within a couple of switchbacks. I told him about the water and reminded him to hustle and that I was going to keep going (I had gotten cold while stopped to pump water)
I continued a fast pace, but ugghhh this trail would never end I thought. Trail camp seemed to never come. Finally thru Trail Camp and onto trailside meadow - which by the way I didn't remember so well, as I was a 'follower' up in the morning and must have been looking down to much. For a few I thought I had gotten on the wrong track. J said later he got quite an ovation as he went back thru trail camp- most had seen his struggles as they passed him.
After what seemed like forever, I made it back to Outpost Camp at 7:30. Rest of party said they made it back only an hour before, they had taken a slower pace. I felt horrible. My back hurt, my legs were trembling, my heart was racing, I was flush/hot and then cold. My friends fixed me some hot dinner, hard to eat but they made me, didnt help much. I told 'em I thought J was about 1/2 hour behind me. I'd give him and hour to get down and if he didnt make it, I get my headlamp and go back up and guide him down. ( I was praying he made it before that hour)
There was still good lite on the trail at 8'ish but I started to worry about J a bit. We began asking people coming thru if they had seen him - no one had. By chance as I was looking up onto the descending trail into Outpost from Mirror lake, I saw J!! He was moving slowly but moving! A friend went to the bottom of the switchback area and called out to him, but no answer. A group of guys told us it was J. He arrived at 8:30 and said he never felt worse. We gave him some water, tried to feed him, he refused and put him to bed. I still felt horrible and went to bed.
I couldn't sleep which was wierd as I felt exhausted. I checked on J a couple of times in the nite, he was sleeping although tossing and turning. I didn't get much sleep and at 6 saw two of our group off(they had to get back to Bay Area), got a little more sleep then prepared for hike back to Portal. I still felt bad, just an overall 'blah' feeling, headache, yucky stomach.
By 10 we were all on the way back down. We kept a fast pace and made it down by 11:30. We cleaned up, packed up and drove off. Returned our bear canisters and headed home.
I learned alot while hiking Mt. Whitney. I am very glad I did it, very excited about the whole thing. I am amazed at J's determination and am so glad he made it. I learned some lessons and have some different ways of doing things for next time. You've read enough already,, I'll get into lessons learned some other time.
Thanks to all who offered kind words to J and I and made sure we were ok!
Thanks for reading.
