Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Mountaineer's Route Video

I don't know how many of you have noticed the "Labor of Love" thread on WPSMB and the video associated with it, but I would suggest you take a look if you have the time. It's a 30-something minute video made by two docs from Michigan - Dave and Jeff - about their first trip to Whitney to climb the MR. It's exceptionally well done and very high quality. I really enjoyed it.

Here's the link. Both the trip itself and making the movie were a blast. I hope you like it.
Midlife Madness

Dave,

Great video! So where were you hitting 108 in the car? Kind of fun out on those long straight stretches, isn't it. (My wife took our car up to 100 out in the Panamint valley a few years ago. Her one and only time at that speed.)

If you are looking for some more cool trips, I would suggest:

• A Grand Canyon hike -- maybe a rim-to-rim.
• The full Narrows hike into Zion N.P.
• Camp in Havasupai and day hike down to the Colorado River and back.
• Visit Yosemite and hike Half Dome.

The above are all exciting and well worth the effort -- very special places to go and see. But sorry to disappoint you, they won't be quite as hair-raising as your Mountaineers Route trip ...well, you might not like the cables on Half Dome.

By the way, I'm writing this from the SW corner of Michigan. I'm doing that mtn bike ride I invited you guys to join on Sunday near Ann Arbor.

While you're at it, give Angels Landing a whirl. And pack the Depends . . .

Thanks Steve. The 108 mph was on one of those long, downhill straightaways in Death Valley (in our SUV!). If I was ever going to do something like that, DV seemed the right place for it.

As for other trips, the choices are almost overwhelming. Thirty years ago as a teenager I actually hiked some of the Narrows at Zion and it would be really cool to go back. The Grand Canyon will probably be a family trip one day and Yosemite has been on my to-do list for years. The only problem is that I live in freakin' Michigan so none of these trips are easy to do. Add in job and family and it severely impairs my ability to explore all the cool places in this country. We're still riding our fame from Whitney but we're definitely thinking about the next adventure.

Enjoy your mountain biking while you're out here. The weather is actually pretty reasonable right now. Are you racing or is this recreational riding? Have a great Thanksgiving.

Dave

Racing?!?! Hah! I'm older than you! This is definitely a recreational ride.

And I forgot to add Angels Landing in the Zion recommendation.

If you have the $, all of those places have accommodations for family trips. ...well, not Havasupai.

Dave, does your family enjoy hiking and the outdoors as well? I ask because that solved a huge logistical problem for me. My wife loves to hike and camp, and our daughter learned early (age 3). For the past seven years we've been able to focus a couple of family vacations each year around visiting and hiking national parks around the country. I still get away solo each year to spend a week killing myself in Death Valley, and Whitney will now be an annual event for me, but many of the really cool places I've hiked in the country have been courtesy of a vacation with a family of hikers. No Orlando for us. Well, only a few times . . .