Mt. Whitney at Sunrise

The first rays of morning light hit the High Sierras.   We woke up in the middle of the night at Guitar Lake and packed up to hike the last miles up to Mt. Whitney for sunrise.  When we looked up the trail in the darkness, we could see dots of headlamps snaking their way up the mountain and strings of headlamps could be seen below us too.  We weren't alone in our quest for the sunrise on Whitney.

"Day 17, 2:30AM, alarm sounds, headlamps on, camp wrapped up, and on our way following the line of lights zig zagged up the canyon walls into the darkness, where hiker lights and stars merged into confusion. Dropped bags at Trail Crest 13,650 ft., when black sky turned to dark blue. Scampered on rocks along the ridge passing window crevices between the jagged rocks, looking out east to the neon lines on the horizon. Just two miles but almost a lifetime as we made our way up to the icy cold of Mt. Whitney. Standing on the cliffs edge, looking out in all directions on top of the world as the sun's first rays graced the earth. Underdressed and light headed, soon ready to get down to normalcy even with the brief comfort of pushups and Whitney hut." - Taun Taun

Wondrous Beauty

J Bear, hands in pockets, nearing the top

All of us on top of Mt. Whitney, the highest summit in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet high

Hugs all around...

Going up to Mt. Whitney was a glorious climax to the John Muir Trail section of the PCT.  Strolling up Whitney was probably the highlight of all my backpacking trips.  And being able to share the epic experience of going that high and walking through such magnificent rocks with such dramatic views with my brothers and friends was an amazing blessing.

The Trail Crest junction below the summit

"Rich ripped his shirt off. Brujo and Khaas celebrated. I popped round pills wishing myself grace through 8 final miles of sweet, sweet pain. Smiles graced our faces as we whipped by the miserable folks hiking up 6,000 feet to Whitney. Looking down on the Alabama Hills the way the Hebrews looked down on Canaan when coming from 40 years of desert. Climbed a gorgeous valley down to Whitney Portal beers and burgers. Climbed the peaks of awareness of the natural world. Climbed up the heights of pain and human strength. Climbed 205 miles and 8 mountain passes over 17 days. Cuz what else are we gonna do, but keep on climbing." 

- Taun Taun