Bret, You need to remove this one from your list this year....it is your GOAL and you can acheive it. Check out the people on this site. It's not just climbers and ultra hikers, but regular guys and gals. I can name three right off the bat who made Whitney a goal after cancer. I not only had cancer 4 years back, but had a total hip replacement in late October of '08. Less than 12 months later, I summited Whitney. It took me two times, but after I didn't make it the first time, I summited San Jacinto twice and then Whitney in one month. Not bad for a guy who was 52 at the time. Make your goal and pick a date. I does not have to be the date you tried to get in the lottery. I didn't get my lottery dates last year, but just choose a date and went. Call the Inyo Forest Service staff a few days before you go and they will tell you how many openings there are. The day I summited Whitney, there were over 90 open spots. All but a few filled the day before our hike.
Whitney is there, it's waiting and you can push yourself to the top. It takes effort and most of all, will power. Take your time, take a friend and have a super time. Let us know when you are going and we will root for you. Then whether you made it or not, give us a report.
Best of luck!
"Turtles, Frogs & other Environmental Sculpture"
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If less is more, imagine how much more, more is -Frasier
