mt whitney | sporty mama life.....

~GRATEFUL for the nights that turned into mornings with the friends that turned into family.

Look real close. See those two awesome women? K and J on Forrester Pass

*Let me start by saying if you are in ANY way squeamish with dirt, blisters, feet, skin or the likes, DO not scroll to the bottom of this post. Spare yourself now!

We left Mt Whitey and camped at Crabtree Meadows. We were exhausted by the time we got to CT and really just wanted to set camp, have a quick meal and rest. Although we had left camp at Guitar Lake, summited Mt Whitney, and hiked back out to Crabtree I was surprisingly not hungry. A through-hike phenomenon to me, as I knew the calories we burned and would need to replenish were substantial today. Also considering the next day, if I was low now, there was no catching up. I managed a few pieces of beef jerky and a small amount of cheese, but that’s all I could muster tonight.

We all thought it was funny that in the camp area at Crabtree there is one toilet. One. And its right in the middle of the campsites. Right out there, with nothing surrounding it. A wilderness throne. Trying to put your business together sitting out there is next to impossible while others just stand around and wait. Trust me on this, as I am living proof to sitting down and not 1 minute later having a guy walk right up, apologize and then proceed to go stand about 10 feet away. It was this day that I realized that all modesty, timidity, and discreetness was down the toilet. K dropped her entire roll of tp in there this morning!

This my friends is a throne with a view…..of EVERYTHING!

Leaving Crabtree we had a long day ahead of us. We hiked to the switchbacks/the base of Forrester Pass. We had a couple points that we thought we’d stop, but we pushed through, continued on and felt good about getting to the base of the pass. This country is so gorgeous, words cannot and will not do it justice. Right at the base, there is a perfectly, azure, alpine lake. Making the promise to myself, I had to take a dip. I leaped in with gusto and popped back out from under the frigid water with a scream that I’m sure was heard for miles. I proceeded to try and walk on water at this point due to the temps. Unsuccessful, I managed to swim back to shore and dried off surrounded by granite walls waiting to be explored.

Tonight would be our coldest night.

Backcountry Pippy

I had to switch out of my boots to my camp sandals today as my feet are terribly blistered and sore. Well-fitting boots are no match for calloused, running feet that are damp from creek soaking and sweat. They are really starting to get sore, and to save myself from the pain and a hope for some healing, I hiked in sandals all day. This resulted in yet another trail name for me; Backcountry Pippy. Must be the striped socks and braids!

There are a lot of marmots running around here, just eying us and waiting for anything to drop onto the ground for them. I am chasing them away while eating my reheated, dehydrated Chili Mac by rocketing chunks of granite at them. I’m sure they are harmless but know they will eat anything they can get their little paws on. I shortly realized after pitching, the opening of my tent is in their zone. Right in front of a den! I sit and stare out of my tent door to a fat little fella across from me. He blinks and sniffs at the air, as we make a truce. I will keep ALL of my belongings inside my tent tonight, away from his sweat and odor loving fatness, and he will….well he won’t try and get into my tent to devour the handles of my trekking poles.

Camp at the base of Forrester Pass

My marmot buddy

Marmots and granite and friends

We camped at 12,500 feet tonight and covered 13 miles.

Dawn was upon us as we packed up camp and left the base of Forrester Pass and made our ascent of the steep switchbacks. Seeing the sun rise over the mountain ranges is spectacular and the most majestic thing I’ve seen. What a gift! I have to pinch myself! It was slow-going as we descended the other side. Definitely a steep pass to maneuver. We came through some gorgeous wilderness today that smelled of mint and wild onion. This section had quite a few waterfalls that were just incredible and so life-giving to me. I needed this! Second to the ocean, waterfalls nourish my soul in such a deep and profound way. I decided that Vidette Meadows is a MUST for a camp on my next trip.

“How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!” John Muir

We had a longer day than expected today and it was definitely a low day for us. We were tired and had a lot of unexpected vertical. It was rough on all of us. We knew going in this was not a cake walk and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that not all days would be sunshine and rainbows. Going into a hike of this magnitude we’d be fooling ourselves to think otherwise. It’s in the agony that you can realize what you’re truly made of. Your potential. The laying down of egos to allow for a helping hand. We tried to support one another any way we could, but it was just an off day. It happens, and that’s why I consider these friends family now. We have seen ugly together. We have seen pain and fatigue and the bruising of our minds as we fight for the last few miles in a day.

This is the second day I’m hiking in camp sandals. I’m not sure how well they are going to hold up over the sharpness and ruggedness of the land and granite. They are not supportive and I am watching each step as to not roll an ankle. Quite frankly, it sucks, but I don’t have an alternative at this point. My toe is not doing good, the skin has completely de-gloved off of my pinky and its probably some of the worst pain I’ve ever felt. J is worried I will get an infection at this point.We are headed into Onion Valley over Kearsarge Pass tomorrow for our resupply and I’m going to have to go to the Immediate Care.

I already knew this was going to get MUCH worse before it got better.

Join the start of our journey HERE Tales From the Trail

And Guitar Lake to Mt Whitney HERE Tales From the Trail-Guitar Lake to Mt Whitney

Into the mountains I go. To lose my mind and find my soul.

When we woke it was cold. I had smartly decided to wear a base layer under my hiking pants. I layered on a top base layer, a cold weather fleece, my down jacket, beanie, buff and my gloves. I was cold now but knew I’d warm in the climb. I put on my headlamp and unzipped myself from my tent. Immediately I noticed what appeared to be fire flies out in the night sky, which after taking a second look I realized where the headlamps of the hikers climbing Whitney ahead of us. Their lights danced in black space as they made their way up switchback after switchback in the freezing cold of the night.

The terrain of Whitney is rough and jagged. It’s granite boulders unfriendly. Sharp and serrated. As we started our way up we sludged through water running down the grassy slopes. The only green laying like a skirt at the bottom of this giant, granite treasure. My breathing was out of rythym and I wasn’t sure if the cause was the frigid cold, the accent or fear that had a grip on me. I can’t tell you why I was experiencing fear, other than worrying about altitude sickness, climbing in the dead of night or falling or quite possibly it was the fear of the unknown or the fear of failure.
As we climbed I could look out into the dark abyss below us and see the bobbing head lamps that reminded me of twinkling stars. I wondered how many would join us at the top for the sunrise.

Making it to Trail Crest was surreal. I had that a-ha moment of “I’m actually doing this!” Adrenaline rushed through my body. Trail Crest is the turn you take to the summit where the trail from Guitar Lake meets the Whitney Portal trail. It’s a staging area for the summit. Large packs are dropped and left here and slack packs are put on. The trial gets steeper and narrows at this point.

Previous to going to bed, we had packed our slack packs. Since we were returning to Guitar Lake we didn’t have to bring our big packs. We packed a small amount of food and enough water to get us to the summit and back.

Shortly after leaving Trail Crest I got ahead of K and K. J had decided that morning that she was going to skip the summit due to an injury from the day before. Being up Mt Whitney before she decided it wasn’t worth the risk to possibly take her out of the rest of the trip. At this point I was climbing alone in pitch black. No one ahead of me or behind me as far as I could see. I’m not gonna lie I was terrified! It was very empowering, scared me to death and allowed me to overcome some fears. I shook as I walked. I was cold and spilling over with unease. I had to get myself under control and allow my bravery to kick in. It was completely silent except for the wind on the side of the granite slab to my right. The other side a sheer drop. I learned right then I am a lot braver than I think I am. My entire world existed in a tiny dot of light from my headlamp. I couldn’t see further than 5 feet. As the trail narrowed I had a hard time being able to tell where I was going, a couple of times climbing over waist-high boulders dead center in the trail and watching every step I made as to make sure I planted my foot wisely. It was getting colder and colder and I was starting to get in to some snow and ice. I was anxious to reach the top and I was worried that I wouldn’t make it before the sunrise.

I prayed and knew that God is not a God of fear. This calmed me. I was quickly reminded of all the fearful things He’s brought me through only to step to the other side of that fear and feel accomplished, free, able, unrestrained and….enough. I think moving past fear is healthy. To do so is liberating. It changes you. You no longer feel the need to compromise or settle. And what’s funny is after you’ve smiled in the face of fear, you know you can never go back. You can’t go back into the unhappy relationship, the dead end job, the unhealthy friendship, the uneventful life, or the unloved and given-up dreams. You won’t allow fear to trample you again. You may have the occasional whisper of fear, a hint that reminds you that you’re human, but it will never overtake you enough to disable you.

When I turned the final switch back I saw it. Silhouetted by the faint glow of the pre-risen sun. The hut! I made it. A sob choked out. Relief from my discomfort and a complete sense of joy filled me! A feeling of success washed over me. I went inside just enough to warm up a bit (the summit was in the low 20’s with a sharp, biting wind) then I walked out to the summit table where ten others were perched waiting to be kissed by the sun. I sat alone and cried. I was overwhelmed, so caught up and grateful to be there right in this moment and as the sun rose I sat in praise! How awesomely, magnificent this gorgeous country is! How strong I am. How great our God is.

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*As I finish this blogpost I have just received confirmation of issue for another wildernesses permit for the JMT hiking southbound this time (SOBO) this July/Aug including, God willing, another summit of Mt Whitney!!

**Mt Whitney summit 14,505 feet

May you always do what you’re afraid to do.