Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Let Our Freak Flag Fly

Must be that side of the country.

I have the pink & green freak flags on my poles. I realized the freak flags are a good way to gauge the wind direction. In this picture, it's one of the few days when there is almost no wind on the top of Baldy.

Just a reminder to move this thread up the list as activity heats up. Fly your flag, meet up on the trail and include it in your TR. Best TR flag story of the season wins a completely arbitrary prize. So far Wazzu is in the lead, if only because my old house -- or at least the lot where it used to be -- is somewhere in the background of her summit shot. at least I assume that shot is to the south.

Yeah for me!! ....actually, I think this is more of a northern view...need some help from the Baldy summit experts...the poles are wedged between the rocks on the corners of the summit plate, with me standing on the corner close to ' 10,064'

saltydog, hope to be reading a TR from you with some photos of your Freak Flag.

We should not only have a prize for best story, but best photo :-)
I hiked with wazzu last week and she is very proud of her "freak flags". And, she is hiking the heck out of the mountains to get ready for her August Summit of Whitney. In case you want good reading, you should check out her last summit attempt, where she became an angel, helping a delirious young man who was hallucinating (seeing images in the rocks), back to his camp site. We're all lucky she's on our mountains and I know I'm looking forward to her Mt Whitney and preparation reports.

Here's the link to her Mt Whitney story:

Best laid plans

Much appreciated, and a great story, Joe. I understand I may see you up there with the Bulldog around the 20th. That still on?

saltydog....yes, it's on with Gary. Of course that is if he survives Laura and Bob on Cathedral Peak!!! Laura looks to be getting ready for Gary, so maybe something special is in store. I think the words "Epic Shit", WTF and "Challenging" have been used in reference to Gary and Cathedral Peak.

BTW - My FREAK FLAGS are flying. It's on my poles, ice axe, Ford Explorer and daypack. And I'll be up at Whitney this weekend, so if anyone sees me at the Portal, Lone Pine or the Hostel....I will have lots of Freak Flagging Ribbon for Free if you need some. I mean I bought 300 feet of the stuff.

Counting the days for Gary, Barb and Bri. Wishing the e-ledges would go away.

QS,

Can't wait to see the photo of the freak flag on the other side of the e-ledges. Just "git er done"!

I might be able to get up to the portal after your summit with the Bulldog family.

Would be great to see all the folks and freak flags at the portal for burgers and beverages.

Hey Peter, I've haven't been on the boards much in the past week, but I thought I had read that you were coming out earlier than originally planned from your JMT hike. The 18th, wasn't it? If that's not the case, then hopefully we'll cross paths on the mountain or at the Portal. We plan to head up with Joe on the 20th (assuming permits), and back down the morning of the 22nd. We'll be hanging around the Portal the 22nd-24th, wazzu, so would love to finally meet you if you make it up! I think Chris (SoCalGirl) plans to be there that weekend as well.

Re Cathedral Peak - I don't think Laura will be in for that as she just climbed it with Bob P. last weekend, but you never know. We'll hook up with her somehow - Bri would have a meltdown if she went all the way out there and couldn't get a Mooseback ride. She can't decide from moment to moment who she is more excited about seeing: "Uncle Joe", "Moosie" or Doug.

Catpappy and I went on another rock-climbing expedition last week and discovered that 5.7 is a helluva lot harder than 5.6. Only our second time in an alpine harness, so no big surprise, but it made me think: Cathedral is a 5.6 crux and 4 long pitches - am I ready for this? Talked it over with Bob, though, and he assured me it's "mellow" and within my skill set. Then Laura called last weekend's climb on Cathedral with Bob "fun and challenging". My exact response was, "'Challenging' for Laura = WTF for me?!" Guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks how steep my mountaineering learning curve is.

Joe, I know that after this coming week's Whitney hike you'll be in tip-top shape for our MMWT backpack on the 20th, but we may have to slow you down some. Bri got a huge 2nd degree burn on the inside of her thigh today from a dirt bike exhaust manifold - probably 6 inches by 3 inches. Ugly. She insists it won't hamper her on Whitney, but I don't see how it can't. We'll know more in a couple of days when we go for a training hike, but just FYI. Hopefully youthful exuberance will override whiny tween mode . . .

Hey Gary....Tell Bri to take it easy before Whitney. I think we've all gotten burnt from motorcycle exhaust pipes.

Also, no problem, I don't think I'll have a problem carrying her to the top. She just needs to have you carry our back packs :-)

Yes "we" have! Aloe Vera gel (pure, uncolored sort meant for burns)can be your best friend when it comes to burns (I was burned in April and was not healing properly until I started using the gel almost constantly)

Gary & Joe: Gary heard, or read, right. We will be coming down the 20th, probably summit on the 19th. Guess you'll be on your way up. Look for the green flag on the vintage Kelty.

Oh yes: I have been persuaded to establish a prize for the best Phreak Phlag Photo as well as story. So OK, maybe another Kelty, or that Brownie I took my first Whitney shots with in 1964. Must be around here someplace . . .

FYI: If anyone is up at the portal on the 22nd, Gary, his wife Barb, his daughter Bri and I will be coming down from Whitney that afternoon, permits willing. I understand SoCal Girl Chris, Saltydog, possibly Norcalhiker67, Akichow, wazzu, Jack and Betsy, hopefully Rod and a couple of others that said they may make it up.......also maybe a Moose sighting.

So, I'll be driving a dark Ford Explorer with "Freak Flags". Come and say hello if you get a chance. I don't have faces to put together with all these names and it would be a pleasure to meet you guys (and girls).

I'll be there July 22 - 24. Hope to be at the portal on the 22nd in time to see QS and the Bulldog family come down the trail with good stories of a successful summit.

I'll have my freak flags flying from something...pack, hiking poles, hat, etc.

We're there July 23-25, so will look for your flags too (I'll have flags on my backpack somewhere).

We will miss you by a day. We will be on Whitney from the 19th through the 21st, freak flags flying behind us. We will summit the same day as Qullian, Bulldog and family, but it woudl have been nice to see the rest of you as well.

Brent N

Hello all... GirlChild and I will be up there from 22-25 in some area or another... I have no freak flags because I'm a slacker and.. well.. just haven't gotten them yet!

I will, however, be easy to spot by the company I will be keeping (GirlChild: rather moody teenager, usually identified by the vast assortment of neon colored puffy paints adorning her shoes, pants, and/or shirt... or the scowl on her face as she disagrees with something I've said/done/thought/breathed/... Most likely to be spotted with a camera in hand)

Hey Chris.....pick some flagging up from me. You'll see me.....you can't hide from me :-)

Joe.. you forgot the BWHAHAHAHAHBWWWWHHHAHAHAHAHA

Steve - I noticed you're local. It sounds like you weren't able to find tape locally? Did you have to order online?