Mt. Whitney From Cottonwood Lakes

Above camp a meadow was covered with early morning frost.

Whitney Day!

Mt. Whitney Trip from Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead. June 2000.

DAY 3, July 1, 2000, Whitney: 13 miles, 4215 gain and loss:
Whitney Day! For my partner, this would be his third visit, but for me the summit had always eluded me for one reason or another. My last attempt was December 25 from Whitney Portal during a dry spell, but the sub-zero weather, the lack of unfrozen water and the fear of frostbite stymied that attempt. Other times it just fell off our hiking itinerary due to time limitations or injury. But today I knew nothing would stop me now, and I was anxious to obtain the summit and check it off my list of things to do. Such popular destinations as Whitney are not among my favorite goals. I prefer instead the more solitary destinations that cross-country mountaineering allows.

The first steep climb of the day puts the hiker above this meadow.

We had prepared for the hike the night before and best of all we were base camping so there was no need to be packing things up, a tedious chore at best. After a quick breakfast in the chilly morning air, we peeled off our warm clothes at the last minute and hit the trail at a fast clip. Dave scampered ahead as I left camp a few minutes later than he did so I could take care of last minute physical duties. The sun had just hit camp as I hit the trail, and for the longest time I weaved in and out of the terminator line on my march upward, alternately freezing and overheating, zipping and unzipping my top, and wondering if I should stow the warm pullover. That inner debate ended as I entered the shadow of Whitney for good and faced some solid hand numbing cold temperatures. I did not see the sun again until nearly Trail Crest.