Our destination
The first night. A lovely motel in Lone Pine, CA. 4,000'. No Vacancy signs in all motels. I booked this months ago.
Our destination, the next morning.
Rather Yosemite-esque. It is just on the other side of the range.
Ready to go.
This is in the campground by where the car is parked. 8,000'
These people did not take all bear-treats out of their car. Tsk, tsk, tsk
Chipmunk. Granite. Trees. Aka the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The Whitney Portal Store. For all of your forgotten items.
The trailhead.
You can weigh your pack a switchback or two above the start of the trail.
Basta's is 35 lbs. Mine was 26. You'd think that would be light enough.
The Whitney Highway
I like my new trekking poles.
Pretty
Stop. Huff. Puff. Continue on.
We had several creek crossings
Nice rock trail across this one.
Stop. Huff. Puff.
Getting higher rapidly. Those are the Panamint Mountains. Beyond them is Death Valley
Far more water than I expected on this trail
Lone Pine lake is a detour off the main trail. Not for us today.
We have a permit for two nights
Getting close to the timberline.
Lone Pine Lake
A little waterfall.
4 miles in. Time for lunch.
Lunch mooch.
Outpost Camp, our lunch spot. 10,000'
Baby backpacking.
Mirror Lake
A harsher form of pretty
The last of the trees
This pack is too damn heavy. Huff. Puff.
Well above Mirror Lake.
Not so pretty. Rather desolate.
The Great Wall of Whitney?
Trailside Meadow. 11,000' An unexpected oasis.
Serious huff puff. There's not much air up here.
Filtering water for the last push to Trail Camp
High altitude varmit
The lake at Trail Camp. At last.
Pitching the tent at 12,000'
Sterilizing water for dinner
Nice lake. Convenient, too. Achingly cold.
Cooking dinner. Freeze-dried lasagne. Mmmm.
The last of the light before sunset.
Dawn the next morning.
It's cold.
Doing a secret happy dance inside because I don't have to summit.
Dawn is beautiful. And welcome.
Rosy tips
Goodbye to Trail Camp. We can go up no farther.
A deer says goodbye
Outpost Camp again. 10,000' Altitude sickness is fading away. Time for breakfast.
Lone Pine Lake in the early morning.
Our fearless photographer figured it looks the same coming down as it did going up so this is the last picture.
