High Sierra Topix

Saturday we did Independence Peak as a warmup for Sunday's climb up the Mountaineer's Route. This was my first time going up AND coming down the MR! Great weekend!

I felt good after and had enough energy to start the drive home after the hike, but it caught up with me and I pulled over a few times to sleep (got home at 4am). I took today off for the drive home, but since I'm here now, I'll go in and work 1/2 day. Pix later!

I lied, this was the first time up and down the final 400' above the notch. We came down the next chute once and I thought I was going to die after watching a boulder break loose and bounce all the way down to Arctic Lakes (at least it sounded like it did).

Saturday, 18 August 2007
Onion Valley (9,200') to Independence Peak (11,744')

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/3341381#186332449

We did Independence Peak as a warm-up hike for Mt Whitney's Mountaineers Route. Fun hike and nice afternoon on the summit, except all the smoke from the Zaca fire.

omg are those pictures funny - I don't remember having that good of a time - must have been the dirty girls

saturdays picts:
http://tomcat-rc.smugmug.com/gallery/3337225#185910936

Sunday we had 8 people starting up the MR - everyone made summit and back down in time for burgers and fries. summit incl 1 virgin to Whitney and two newbies to the MR. everyone did great - good day on the mountains with friends
Sundays picts:
http://tomcat-rc.smugmug.com/gallery/3337242#185911903

Awesome photos! Tom, looks like you went to the snow nymph school of photograpy, really tells the story of a great time. Congrats to everyone especially Holly for her first time.
Tom, the gaitors are a bit too gucci.

Fun photos Tom. Looks like it was a fun time on the MR!

for the second time in less than a week found me back up the Mountaineer' s Route of Mt. Whitney. my friend Sierra Gator was taking some "newbies" up on Friday so we arranged to get Tara and Alice along for their first attempt at summiting California's tallest mountain in the lower 48. Tara had never been above 10,000 feet before but she had no trouble with the altitude.

Jim(SierraGator) initially was supposed to be bringing 3 friends - but that reduced to 1 by the time we got to the trailhead. so 5 of us left Friday morning at 5am for our summit bid. the weather was great and the crowds were light - a great day to be on the mountain. Don(Jim's friend) made it partway up the notch)above 13k feet) before tiring out.

the other 4 of us made it to the summit at appr 1:30pm - we enjoyed an hour on the top before heading back down. on the summit we met Reinhold Metzgar. he was staying at the summit hut to get acclimated for an upcoming JMT hike. he plans to beat his previous personal best of 5.5 days unsupported start to finish(210 miles). although his record was finally recently beaten(4.5 days by an ultra runner carrying no tent and no sleeping bag) he thinks he can beat his previous best time by several hours(that will be an average of 42 miles a day) - and than inlcudes carrying tent, sleep bag, etc. oh btw - did I mention Reinhold is 68 years young. we just missed the summit of 82 year old Louise - but some of her family was still lingering at the top and it was fun to share in their jubilation.

we all came back down the MR route together. I think it was a shock for Alice and Tara to come down the very loose rock in the chute - but they did great and we all made it back safetly. we were too late for burgers and fries so Alice drove us down to the High Sierra Cafe for a late night dinner. then we drove back up to the portals and everyone was alseep within 5 minutes for hitting sleeping bags.

Saturday morning we enjoyed eggs and pancakes at the portal store. Alice and Tara headed back to Bakersfield while Jim and I decided to have a light climb day of Thor Peak. although tired we both made it up and down in under 6 hours - that included revisiting the sight that Jim got caught in an avalanche 4 years previous.

pictures for Whitney:
http://tomcat-rc.smugmug.com/gallery/3370859#188177914

pictures from Saturday and Sunday
http://tomcat-rc.smugmug.com/gallery/3372111#188261147



obtw's

the fire near Big Arroyo - smoke still visible - thanks for the mention to Laura and Alan. my friends on the west side have really appreciated seeing the updates


Saturday - after our Thor hike we went down to Lone Pine to shower and eat - rained pretty good in Lone Pine - I imagine there were wet hikers on Saturday afternoon. nice change of pace.

today we just hiked up to Clyde Meadow and back - original plan was to hike Russell via Suicide Col but I was lacking in ambition and motivation. the morning clouds made for some awsome sunrise views - Whitney actually looked "pink" this morning - a rare treat indeed.

from last week . . . .

Sunday, 19 August 2007
Up and down the Mountaineer's Route

PHOTOS: http://snownymph.smugmug.com/gallery/3341518#186708095

Devon, CrazyBob, Rachel, Tomcat, Holly, Jill, Sam and Snow Nymph dayclimbed Mt Whitney via the Mountaineer's Route. This was my first time going down the final 400. :-)



Tom, Congratulations on another MR summit! Love the brown shirt "Life is simple . . . Eat, sleep, hike"

Beautiful pictures you two! That as very enjoyable looking at all those albums..Thank you for posting them.

Okay I have to get a pair of those fun gaiters..are they the nice stretchy ones?
What is it with these people that can't carry out those waggy baggies.

thanks Anita -
I love the new varieties on the gaiters
http://www.dirtygirlgaiters.com - they are fun


life really is simple