Thanks Steve for linking the picture!!!
The picture was taken when I started to the summit at 11/28/14 Thanks Giving Day of last year.
It might be silly story, but I would tell you guys because the incident was really valuable lesson for me.
After I failed to reach the summit at the point remaining 1 miles at April, 2014, I decided to try again by solo at November Holiday. But, problem was that I was so beginner. I had only two hiking experiences for the last ten years, one was the Whitney failed at April and another was Halfdome took 6 hours from happy isles to little Yosemite valley at 2013 summer. I know… I was too weak by junk foods and no exercise for my life.
Anyway, when I was on the summit by astronaut moving, it was almost 3pm, then 7pm when I was down to the Trail Camp.
In the darkness, my stupid Costco headlamp was dead, and I ate only one energy bar for whole day due to severe headache. (I didn’t even know it was due to high altitude sickness ) I was so freezing, and could not find the tent, then panic to search for 2 hours.
I gave up searching, and moved down alone in the total darkness. I lost the trail at Mirror lake once, and Outpost Camp to Whitney Zone again. When I lost again at Lone Pine Lake, I was finally exhausted and laid down waiting the rescue or whatever.
During my body was freezing, looking at beautiful milky way in the sky, I just realized I got Cell phone. Then, it was 3am when I arrived to the parking lot with cell phone flash light.
One more story…. when I turned on the heater in the car, the red gas lamp was blinking and I left my wallet in the lost tent. Ha ha~ ~
Trying to recover in the car without heater to save the gas until 7am, I borrowed $40 from the angel of hiker, Mr. Kovar(Thanks again~!!!!) and drove to LA home.
I had the search hiking 2 more times (X-mas and Feb 2015) after the lost, no luck yet. So, I am planning to get the trail camp again at 04/17/15. It will be the last chance without permit.
Lessons I have learned.
1. Have good headlamp: Now I carry 2 at all hikes(BD Icon and Storm )
2. Start as early as possible
3. If you can’t get the summit before noon, be clever to give up.
4. Fill full gas tank before parking at trail head
5. Carry emergency blanket all the time.
6. Study and prepared well before any hikes.
7. Never underestimate any mountains.
This was my silly short-version of 127 hours story.
