Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Whitney Again?

Last year I went up Mt. Whitney in a day with my son, his wife and six others. I came down saying I would not do the hike again. No way!!! So why do I say yes when the possibility of going up again is presented to me? What is it about this mountain that has caught me?

You have caught the "Whitney fever". Once you have it, the only "cure" is to return again and again. I will be coming back this July for my eighth annual trip. Of the last seven, four have been up-and-down in a single day, last year I camped three nights along the main Whitney trail, and three years ago, a friend of mine and I spent five days coming around from Horseshoe Meadows. I also did Whitney four times back in the 1970's, so this year will be my 12th time on the summit. Twice I have spent the night on the summit, and plan on doing it again this year. I celebrated my 50th birthday atop Whitney, and next year when I turn 55, I will once again be on the summit with friends drinking champagne.

For me, there is something about the Eastern Sierra's Whitney in particular, that keeps calling me back. There is a hidden beauty that many people cannot see, but I look forward to it each year. I hope you do come back this year and enjoy the experience once again.

Whitney Mike

Amen Whitney Mike,
-I will be 55 this year!
-Hiked Whitney 14 times since '99
-summited 12 times
-once with my 20 year old daughter, September 09
-once via MR April 09
-will be up on April 5th via MR route(can't wait)

Yes I agree with you, look forward to it every time, plus it really keeps me in shape year round.


The "Mountaingoat" Rancho Bernardo, San Diego

I've done six times since I said the same words on 8/2/97. The latest being 9/20/09.

you da man wbtravis5152

On the way up, I wonder why I do it. On the way down, I'm planning the next trip. I didn't start climbing Whitney till I was 44. I'm five for five now. All year long I look forward to the next climb. the first was a two day trip. The next four were in one day. I prefer the one day death march.
I love meeting wonderful people on the trail. I've met a few clowns on the trail as well. I was a Scoutmaster for several years and taught the boys to love hiking in the mountains. I guess I'll never give it up. Hope to see you on top!

I thought the same thing last summer both times that I hiked Whitney. I did the death march in August and a 5 day trip via Horseshoe Meadows in September. I don't think I'll ever do the death march again, but the 5 day trip was awesome. I think there's something in the water that MAKES us go back. Now if I can only convince the wife...

And some of us come a long way to make the pilgrimmage. My regular late winter hiking excursions to Death Valley led to my first trip up the mountain last year. Now I have a second annual California destination each year other than DV.

And the wife and daughter were successfully convinced to accompany me this upcoming season . . .

The difference between me and you is I know I'll never do the death march again. I came to that conclusion after the '99 death march.

My friends and I do something different each time. The next time it is either the MR or through the Miter...but that can change, the death march thingy won't.

ha. Summited 3 times, but not last summer, when I only made it to Trail Camp & in the morning decided to go down instead of up. Ran into Some Guy on the rocks above Trailside Meadow and asked him the same thing. His answer:

"Are you kidding!"

There you have it.

I blame wbtravis and his website with both my obsession and success summiting MW. He got me hooked on the idea by reading his site. Actually my own obsession came with a bout of prostate cancer and needing a physical obstacle to overcome as my personal metaphor for survival.MW became that physical obstacle that I linked with my cancer survival.It worked.

Been 3 times since August of 08. First time was up the (classic) East Face Route. Quite the experience for my second 14r. Then went in April 09 (main trail) and again in August 09 (Moutaineers Route). I've been telling everyone that I will be skipping the Whitney Zone this year, then I have these moments of panic when I realize I have not applied for my permit yet...

Count me in. I tried twice last summer, made it half way up the switchbacks the first and summited the second. Yes, I said there was not a chance of me doing it again. Within two or three days, I couldn't wait to go back up. One way or another, I'm going again. Gary, Rodney and others have inspired me....In fact the list is too long to count.
Thanks I'll see you up there :-)

What exactly is the "Death March" ?

Dayhike. 22 miles up and down in one day.

It hurts.

why keep going back?

Here's what the mountaineering literature says, from a real mountaineer, the late-Brit, Pete Boardman in Sacred Summits,

“Once a mountaineer has climbed so high, for the rest of his life he dreams of returning.”

Harvey

Try twice in one day. 44 miles! Ask Jack aka whitneyn1.

My knees hurt just to think of his feats...

You're kidding - right?

No he is not kidding and he has done it mutiple times.

Is there a term more emphatic than "speechless"? I need it right now. I couldn't do 44 miles in a single day across flippin' Kansas.