July 19, 2013 - Lone Pine Lake

Title: July 19, 2013 - Lone Pine Lake

Trail head: Whitney Portal

Hike Info:

Trail: Trail up to Lone Pine Lake

Destination:Lone Pine Lake

Distance:  6.37 miles
Start Time: 9:38
End Time: 3:35

Travel Time: 5:57 (1.07 mph)

Moving Time: 3:21 (1.90 mph)

Elevation Rise: 2,208'

Maximum Elevation: 10,110'

Description:

After coming down from Trail Camp yesterday, we debated about what we want to do while waiting for Andrea. I am for going going back and meeting Andrea since she is hiking down today. It is a real joy to hear what she did to surprise us. So it is back up the trail, but with a twist. We had not taken a look at Lone Pine Lake.So a side trip will be taken there as well.

Towards Lone Pine Lake

So back up the trail we go. Somehow the trail is not as bad going up as I thought it would be. Sort of thought it would be a huff and puff time. While not exactly sprinting up, a good pace was kept, even passing people. When a backpacker  is met coming down, I chat with them, asking where did they come from? Where did they sleep last night? Have they seen a women about 30, probably hiking alone? The answer to all was no. On the other hand there was several people impressed that somebody would be going back up this trail willingly. But for our daughter, gladly.

Going up, I even see Larry and Paul. Glad that they are making it and enjoying it.They were only a day behind Sherri and I. About eleven get up to the junction with Lone Pine Lake. I leave my hat and a note for Andrea saying gone off to the Lake will return back in half an hour or so.

The trail is pretty eroded down to the lake, a bit steep. Not sure what to make of the lake, seems a bit desolate. Maybe because most other lakes you see either it rock rimmed or grasses and bush around it. But Lone Pine has soil, but not a lot of low vegetation.

Yesterday's View of Lone Pine Lake

After enjoying the lake for a few minutes, I go back up to a rock beside the trail down from Whitney. After lunch, I resume my questioning of innocent passersby's. Still not word-one person thought he saw someone like her, but it really did not match her. I read and rest and enjoy the sunshine. But no Andrea. Around 2, it is decided to turn back. The trip down is pretty quick and uneventful.

Gary At Lone Pine Lake

We decide to stay another night and check into the Dow Villa Motel. The Days Inn is full. While having dinner at Carl's Jr, we get a call from Andrea. She is coming down and thinks she will be there are 8. So around 7:30 we make it back up to Whitney Portal. I take off up the trail—it is becoming an old friend by now. I go up about a mile and finally meet Andrea, hobbling down the trail. She had sprained her ankle a day before. So I take her pack and we go back down. Steven does spring off a rock-he has hiked up a good ways. A joyful reunion occurs. She takes a bath and we go out for pizza.

July 18, 2013 - Whitney Portal

Title: July 18, 2013 - Whitney Portal

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail

Starting location:  Trail Camp

Destination:  Whitney Portal

Distance:  6.3 miles

Start Time:  9:47

End Time:  2:44

Travel Time: 5:49 ( mph)

Moving Time: 3:59 ( mph). 

Elevation Rise: 147'

Maximum Elevation:   11,810

Description:

Guard Marmot watching us

Sun was already risen when I got up at 6:30. We had said that we could sleep in today. Tried to get up without distributing Sherri. George, Chris, and Steve were about to leave when I greeted them. It's their earliest start. They must be ready to end their journey, as are we. 

Wooten's Throne Loaming Over Us

On our part, Sherri does not get up until well after 7, when the sun's rays are penetrating my shirt. What a difference it is to be up at 12,000'. We are not in a hurry. We dilly-dally around and do not get moving until 10. A trail crew is working on the section of the trail around us. But they are pretty quiet and work efficiently.

Down we go through this crack

The way out of Trail Camp, and for the next 2+ miles is pretty steep and rocky. So we do not make much time, only about a mile an hour. But as a consolation, we got to stop and talk with a guy who offered Sherri an apple. Also a little while later, we came upon a lone woman hiking. We talked for a few minutes, then she asked a few questions about conditions at Trail Camp. She was out of uniform and is the District Ranger for Inyo. Her name is Margaret. An enjoyable woman

Mirror Lake was our next stopping place. It was a pleasant place to rest for awhile.  Sherri even took off her boots and relaxed her toes in the lake. We continued past Outpost Camp-glad we did not stop there. The only redeeming thing about this was a nice waterfall. But the grounds were mostly gravel, with a few trees.

Cascade out of Lone Pine Lake

After this, the trail became much more like a trail and we really took off, barely pausing for a break. We made it down the steep descent at a good pace. Even though some people passed us, we did good. We could see the road, then a half an hour later, we saw cars in the parking lot at Whitney Portal (36.58648, -118.23888). Then we finally came into view of the trail's end, and there was Steven. A joyful hug was given. A wonderful sight to see. Our journey was completed.

Final Creek Crossing

Entering Whintey Portal

I cannot say there was euphoria, or even exhaustion, or a brilliant revelation. We were done with the trail for now. We had enjoyed the time and now it was time to get on with our next things-enjoying our family, enjoying our life, which is what the last 24 days have been about. Of course, there were a couple  of priorities: finding the bathroom, finding this moose burger we have been dreaming about since Yosemite, and finding a shower. The bathroom came soon and provided much relief. The moose burger was a bit of disappointment-the fries were good. The shower came in the form of a hotel room at the Comfort Inn in Lone Pine.

We spent time just relaxing and writing and reading. Then went out for dinner at the Totem Cafe-pricey, but good. Then back to the hotel room and to sleep after a little while.

Today's JMT Lesson:  It is OK to stop when we need to, know our limitations, and enjoy what we have.

The End

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Peanut Butter and Nutella on crackers	Totem Cafe	Clif Bar, Jelly Bellies, CytoMax, Propel, GORP, Bank Balls

July 17, 2013 - Trail Camp

Title: July 17, 2013 - Trail Camp

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail

Starting location:  Guitar lake
Destination:  Whitney Portal
Actual Destination:  Trail Camp
Distance:   9.2¹
Start Time:  6:03am
End Time:  6:50pm
Travel Time:  12:47 (0.72 mph)
Moving Time: 6:52 (1.34  mph)  ¹
Elevation Rise: 3,336'  ¹
Maximum Elevation:  14,506'

Description:

Psalm 19:1-4 (NIV), from today's quiet time:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
³ They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.

These words seem so appropriate, so right after all which we have seen and done. May my spirit offer the same words and praise.

The Night Sky silouetted by the top of the Sierras

I woke up at 2:30 to seeing the stars dance in the heavens. Then I turned over and saw lights on the move up past us, and on up to the mountains which we will climb today. My mind must have been excited as I could not return back to sleep for more than just a few minutes. 

Morning has broken

Sherri woke up around 3:30. I asked her if she was ready to start walking? No. But neither could she go back to sleep. So we laid there, watching the stars and lights, and thinking about how cold it was outside of our sleeping bags. Finally around 4:30, we got up and got packed. Just a wonderful sunrise, on the faraway peaks-rosy, orange and light. But we will not feel the warmth for several hours as Whitney and its range will be blocking the sun.

Guitar Lake

E'gads! Our propane canister has run out of fuel. Or is it just too cold? Whichever way, I am now glad we asked for Talia's canister back at Le Conte. Her canister fired right up and we had hot oatmeal on this cold morning.

Left our campsite at 6 and started up the long trail to Trail Crest. We will be in shadows all the way to Trail Crest.  Like the Tolkien song says, The Road Goes Ever Onward. But today is our last day on the Trail. Tonight Steven will pick us up, assuming we can make it down to Whitney Portal. Showers and burgers fill my mind as we walk along.

The trail is going up is strong and the oxygen is light.  This has us stopping for breath in the cold air, but the coolness does have the positive effect of having move along. Not really sweating. Before we know it, we have climbed up 500', then a thousand. I start playing a game of saying which pass we have just topped-Glen Pass, then Pinchot, Mather, Muir, and finally, of course, Forester.

Hitchcock Lake

We rise above Hitchcock Lakes, admiring the reflections of the rocks rising from the lakes. The sun is  shining on these slopes, creating a bright spots on our climb. We stop a couple of times to take off our packs. At 9, three things happens: we come out into the light, John B from Fresno appears, and we arrive at Trail Crest. All three are welcome, even though in a little while, the first will be less so. 

Trail up the side of the mountain

At Trail Crest, which is really about 200' below the actual pass, but the JMT does not go through the pass on its way up to Whitney. After unloading some of Sherri's pack and putting the contents into mine, we take off towards Whitney, with Sherri's pack, stocked with food and water. It took us three hours go from Guitar to Trail Crest. It will take close to three hours from Trail Crest to Whitney. 

Almost to the top

The climb up is along a trail which is always rocky, sometimes a bit narrow, and is perched on a steep incline for much of the way. Today was a light traffic day. When Sherri was up here before, the line could have been at Disneyland. You add in that the Badwater to Whitney Portal run ended today, you get a fair amount of trail runners as well. One sort of skidded in front of us, after passing us. He flopped around, trying to right himself, before realizing how close to the edge he was. But for us, we took our time and was cautious.  As we approached the top, the altitude was taking its toll on us. We stopped more and more often to catch our breath. We felt relieved as we turned the corner, and started up the third of a mile incline up to the peak. Many others were stopping and breathing along the way.

Smithsonian Hut

At the top (36.57886, -118.29185), we found the Whitney hut, actually called the Smithsonian Institute Hut. It was constructed to observe a solar eclipse. In the trail registry, we saw that the Ray and Rachel had made it to the top on Monday, July 15th. It was good to see that. But we did not see an entry for Nicole.

The Top

Celebration

Also on top, we see John from Fresno, along with George, Chris and Steve from Minnesota. Sort of like a family reunion. We talk for awhile. After much trying, got to send a text with our picture. Also Spot worked as well. 

That is when things got interesting. Called up Steven. He said that Andrea was coming in from the High Sierra Trail to surprise us. She would be there Thursday night, and climb over Whitney Friday. At least that is what her schedule is. That is a big surprise. What a wonderful daughter to think of us, and want to make our lives a joy. 

This does lead to one complication-what do we do now? Go back to Guitar Lake? Go down to Lone Pine tonight? Stop someplace else? We decide to stop on the trail down. We were not up to doing the climb out of Guitar again.

We called other family members, telling them we made it to the top. Also, that we have now officially completed the JMT, It is fun doing that--also fun just saying that. Got through to all, except Andrea, of course. David does say that not all of our Spot messages got through. The Minnesota group decides to leave the party after awhile. We talk with John for awhile longer, then he heads off as well.

Gary, King of the World

 

We stay on top for a total of an hour and a half, then start coming back down. It is faster-not as much need to catch our breath. But you do feel weaker, so we do not move very fast. Also with the rocky surface we have a tendency to be careful.

Whitney from the east

We rest at Trail Crest before we start our way down in the Lone Pine direction. We will try to make Outpost Camp tonight. Did I say down? The first little bit is another 200' climb, before we start our descent. Then down we go. Down, and down, and still more down. They have re-engineered this from seven years ago. I do not know, but Sherri  remembers a different trail. But the steepness, once again causes us to be cautious, so we go slow, about a mile an hour. Seems strange that we are going at the same speed down something as up it.

Trail Camp is by the pond

Around 6:30 we get into Trail Camp.  (36.56314, -118.27943) Sherri remembers this place as being human turd infested. But it looks like the Forest Service has cleaned it up quite a bit. As tired as we are, we decide not to do another two miles down to Outpost Camp. We find a suitable place. Then on the way to get water, a better place. Dinner is cooked. We see George, Chris and Steve a little ways from us and exchange greetings. Then it is off to bed. We look at pictures and fall asleep, knowing we do not need to get up early  tomorrow.

You may have noticed, that the description from the top does not contain these jaw dropping thoughts and observations. I guess by the time we got there, it just does not match up to the rest of the journey. It is the end, and that makes it special. it is wonderful to see the mountains upon mountains, looking down on everything around us. the cold, blue lakes, the barren landscape. but there is not a specialness to the place for me, like there is around some of the other high places we have been too. Even a lowly pass like Island, I have more desire to be at. I am not saying that I wish I was not here, but that the enjoyment is in the completion of the journey, rather than in the place. Do we think we will go up there again? Probably not.

Today's JMT Lesson: It does not matter how fast you go, as long as you get there.

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Peanut Butter and Nutella on crackers	Beef Vegetable Wrap Milano Mint Chocolate Cookies	Clif Bar, Jelly Bellies, CytoMax, Propel, GORP, Bank Balls

 ¹The supplied figures above come from either the book John Muir Trail: The essential guide to hiking America's most famous trail by Elizabeth Wenk or from topo maps. There was only partial tracks for today in my GPS. Below is the readings from today's status on the GPS. I view it as only somewhat accurate.

Distance:  9.41 miles

Elevation Rise:  1,805'

Maximum Elevation: 14,505'

On the trail up

The Windows and Mt Muir from Whitney

Trail down to Trail Camp

Marmot Heaven

Place: CA-Trail Camp

Trail Camp (Mt Whitney)
(Long, Lat)

Description:


Trips:

• July 17, 2013 - JMT: Gary and Sherri
• Augist 2007 - JMT: Sherri and Andrea

Pictures:

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References:

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