The trail I plan to take is about 26 miles. It takes about 22 hours. There are two places on the way to get creek water. The hardness of the trip comes from lack of oxygen. Hikers usually camp at 8000 ft site for 1-2 nights to get used to the altitude. Most people starts at 3am.
A permit is required to go to the top, and there is a lottery system to grant the permits. Usually at around Feb, people start sending applications with a small fee for the permit. My hiking buddy (together with his wife) has been hiking Mont Whitney for several years. He has recruited some of my coworkers including me. We have got the permits, reserved the camp site, and etc. Unfortunately, I have wasted 2 permits, two years in a row.
Now it is the time of the year again, we are talking about getting permits, hope I can make it this time.
According to those who have been at the Whitney, this is one of the places that is ok for ameature hikers like me. We are not talking about Ever Rest here, .
Sorry if I have changed your post to hikings. Will stop at this point.
The closest I went was Sequoia National Forest and King's Canyon. You're my hero.
For those not in the know, Mt. Whitney towers up 14,000 feet and more, the tallest peak of the continental America. The peak that's taller is Mt. McKinley in Alaska. I think the fast Veil MM can get around this wad of the earth will be 5-7 days. But she is fast, so I degress.
Hope I did not ruin your interest of putting up mountain postings, , should I keep my mouth shut?
Every summer, I try pick a place near bay area for hiking. Never been to Kirkwood though. Only looked at it from the top of Mount Tallabs.
My next journey is Mont Whitney. Have planned for several years. Everytime when I am ready to go, something came up, . My hiking buddies are getting a permit for me this year again, looking forward to .
Most places I have been to are uplifting; but this place was like a blackhole, I felt the extraordinary weight in my heart, for days. Still, I miss the sights and think about them often.