Mt Whitney Zone Forums Trip Reports One a Week for 26 Years

Actually, the next milestone is the 30-year anniversary of my first climb. I’m going to climb Cathedral Peak on July 20, and I need a partner. If you’ll buy the plane ticket, I’ll pick you up at RNO and bring the rope. And if you’ll make it for “Summit 2K”, I have two pairs of skis and two pairs of snowshoes.


I only have six days at home between August 14 and September 6. July 20 would work better.

BTW, there is one more statistic that I don’t think I have ever posted: I’ve done 77½% of my climbs solo (either no partner or partner didn’t make the summit).

Whoa, July 20!!

Due to the significance of the date for you, and the hikers attending this, I'm tempted to meet you guys and do what we did last time. I've got a kid I want to take up to Cathedral this summer, and if people I know are going up, that could be a great day! It's only a couple of days before my family leaves on a big vacation, though, so not sure.

And you retired guys hiking mid-week... what's up with that??

...and hope for a non-windy day, too!

My very first summit was Cathedral Peak on July 20, 1987. It looked cool from the Cathedral Lakes trail, so I scrambled up the fourth class route. I didn’t even know what peak I was climbing, let alone what “fourth class” meant. My wife was pissed at having to wait while I tried to kill myself.

The thirty-year anniversary climb obviously has to be on July 20, mid-week or not. Gary, are you in? You know that old “I have to work” excuse doesn’t cut it anymore.

Was reading that some (presumably rather wealthy) bloke was bragging on buying a new Ferrari every Saturday for 2 years.

I know you get far more satisfaction than him.

While I'd love to, Bob, family responsibilities have me tied to Atlanta through early August. There definitely should be some type of celebration on 7/20 - I just regret I can't be a part of it. Sorry to hear you'll be out of pocket most of August - John and I may still run up to Reno and see how Dovie and the horses are doing . . . ;-)

And Steve, half the reason to retire early is SO you can hike regularly on weekdays! It's just taken me a few months to get around to it . . .

Steve:

Gary can't make July 20. Are you in?

Not so sure. Family leaving on a big vacation 2 days after that. Work is always overloading me. I'll have to decide a few days before.

July 16 would sure suit me/us better. Sorry to be so wishy-washy.

OK. I’ll see if I can coax one of my old climbing partners out of retirement to be on the other end of the rope. Having to work really gets in the way of the important things in life. You should figure out how to retire.

I'll be watching your SPOT. Hope you have a (way) less windy day than we did a few years ago. Outside of hurricanes, I've never heard the wind howl like it did that day.

Gary, today was an outstanding "blue bird" day!

We went up the west side, summited, then descended the climbers' descent trail on the east side. There were lots of people going up the climbers ascent today.

   

Met a gal -- grad student returning from a summer job, who just wanted to climb something on her way home.


This taken by a solo woman climber who did the technical route. She tagged the summit, and had to return home -- to El Portal.
           


                Garmin InReach track:
             

Thanks for the photos, Steve. That was a great day!

Yeah, rub it in Steve.

Bob, so sorry I couldn't make that July date! Congrats on your continuing summits and the expansion of that record. Sorry we'll miss each other this year, dammit.

John and I are planning on going up the Cathedral MR in a couple of weeks. Hope our weather is half as nice.

> Yeah, rub it in Steve.

No rubbing intended, Gary. It was sure fun. I didn't even know about the somewhat constructed climbers' descent route off the east side of the ridge, N of the peak. It made the descent easier than heading back down the west side.

> John and I are planning on going up the Cathedral MR in a couple of weeks. Hope our weather is half as nice.

Let me know when your plans firm-up. There is always a chance I could join you. I've got a 12-y-o I think will like it. It'll have to be a weekend for us, 8/26 or later, though.

Steve, it'll either be Saturday or Sunday, 8/19 or 20. We arrive at the Portal 8/17 and want to hit Cathedral first while we acclimate. Then Whitney and Langley before we head back to LA on the 26th.

Well crap. I have an important obligation that weekend. Maybe next time.

Gary, I’m leaving for Goat Mountain tomorrow. I’ll be doing Mt. Cotter a few days later, weather permitting. I leave on August 22 for a seven-peak backpacking trip. I just might be able to get away to join you between trips. Saturday would be better for me. Keep me posted.

Well, damn, I just had to cancel the trip. Bri had her second fender-blender in a 9-month span, and both were her fault. At age 17 she's at risk of losing her license unless we move fast before her Sept court date. We may be able to reschedule later this year, but I've got to see how big a bite this takes out of my wallet first.

The joys of parenthood . . .