Reposted from @exploring_with_five_kids (@get_regrann)
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Day 3: Summit Mount Whitney!
My first 14er was summiting Mount Whitney. I know, I’m crazy, but only because I was crazy enough to think I can, and I did it. I summited the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States!
To me, the hike to the summit from trail camp was not physically the hardest. It was hard but not as hard as the hike from Lone Pine to Trail Camp. This hike was hard in the sense that it felt long & I felt weird, like a zombie.
#52hikechallenge2019 👉 44/52
#lynns52hikechallenge2019
Backpacking Mount Whitney from Mt Whitney portal
Distance: 22.5 miles
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation: 14,505 ft
Elevation Gain:
Dogs: 🚫
Bathroom (non-flushable) at trailhead: ✔
Pack out everything. Wag bags & bear cans required.
Acclimation
24 hours before leaving sea level. I started taking 200mg of Ibuprofen every 4-6 hours, low dose of Diamox twice a day, and loaded up on extra water.
Day 1: Slept at Crestview rest stop, Elevation 7,545 ft
Day 2: Slept at Lone Pine Lake, Elevation 10k ft
Day 3: Slept at Trail Camp, Elevation 12k ft
Day 4: Summited Mt Whitney the following day, Elevation 14,505 ft
Training
As soon as I won the lottery, I started hiking hard hikes every week, then easy hikes the following day with my kids. My day pack would weigh about 25lbs. A few weeks before the trip, it weighed more. During the week, I sped walked during my lunch, walking 2 miles in 30 minutes. After work, I would speed walk/jog another 2 miles. I wish I trained harder because at day one, at 8k ft, I was still out of breath with every step. I can hike a strenuous mile in about 15-20 mins at sea level, but at high altitude, it took me more than an hour. This trail is no joke, please plan accordingly and do your research. Before my hike, I disclosed my hiking plans to my family and friends & told them to ask for help if they didn’t hear from me.
#mountwhitney #easternsierra #mtwhitney #goadventure #wwhmember #exploringWithFiveKids #backpacking #thesierras #trailcamp #adventureon #takethetrail #werehikers #adventureanywhere #allaboutadventures #mtwhitneytrail #mountaingirl #backpackersworld #merrelloutside #backpacker
