Mt. Whitney here we come

I’ve been trying to set big goals since blowing out my back twice in the past two years. PT and rehab have been good, and I’ve returned to doing many of the things I like to do. Surf? Check. Swim? Check. Stairmaster? Check. Hike? Check.

So when my friend Scott suggested we try and tackle Mt. Whitney again this year, I thought: (Holy crap, no!) Why not? Two months from today, I hope to be enjoying the view from the summit. There’s a lot to do before we get there, though.

Scott got our permit sorted out, which is for a single day in the so-called Whitney Zone. This means we have a day to do the bulk of the hike, up roughly 5,000 vertical feet. This, I’ve discovered, is what’s now commonly known in hiking circles as an “extreme day hike.” And it sounds a bit insane to think that I, a sea-level dweller, can bag a nearly 15,000 foot peak in a day.

We’ve agreed to wing it a bit on the trip. We may try to do a short hike and overnighter if possible on Tioga Pass. We’ll throw all our gear in the car so we’re ready for a longer hike/overnighter on Whitney if we can luck into an extra day’s permit when we arrive. Then we can acclimate a little better and hopefully have a better chance for the summit. If not, we’ll go anyway and see how far we can get in a day or before we start puking or the legs give out. If we have to do the extreme version, we’ll get up well before the crack of dawn and we’ll benefit from headlamps and late daylight on the way down.

Today we also have the internet at our disposal, and access to discussion boards about current trail status (how much snow is on the face/switchbacks?) and an advance on the weather. We’ll know what we’re getting ourselves into before we go.

Flash back to 1996, the first time I tried Whitney. Me and Scott did the trek up to Trail Camp (~12k feet), and hunkered down just in time before getting slammed by a wild thunder and hail storm. We couldn’t summit the next morning due to snow on the switchbacks. I also recall being sore as hell that morning. So the prospect of doing the entire hike in a day is indeed a big goal. I don’t recall any altitude issues that trip, but we didn’t go higher, either. I was in pretty good shape. And I was 21. But we’ve vowed to return and try again, so this is it.

When PT for my back ended about a month ago, I started training in earnest with regular trips to the gym, the pool, biking, and more recently up local trails. This weekend I did two hikes up the 7.2 mile (roundtrip) PG&E Trail at Rancho San Antonio County Park, which after the second trek on Father’s Day kicked my ass pretty good. It’s one of the tougher trails in the area — a calf-burner on the way up and a thigh/knee-killer on the way down. I’m trying to push myself without over-doing it, so as not to F-up my back again. In addition to getting in shape, the hikes are proving to be a good gear test as well.

My primary gear, so far – all recently purchased:

• REI Venturi 30L pack
• 2 liter Camelbak water reservoir
• Salomon Quest 4D GTX boots
• REI Traverse Shocklight trekking poles

Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

• I’m beating myself up right now but am generally fit. I’m not too concerned about fitness overall if I can keep up my current workouts.
• I’ll be glad to do some 10 mile hikes this summer. We have our first scheduled on Mt. Diablo in early July.
• I’m happy to be breaking in my boots early. My feet are torn up. Heel blisters, toes are smashed, ankles are a bit cut up.
• I hiked with my 30L pack weighted on Friday. Every hike now will include a pack with some weight. Just having the straps on you while going uphill and sweating up a storm takes some getting used to.
• My 2 liter water reservoir may not be enough and I may upgrade to a 3L. Then again, not sure I want the extra water weight/space taken in my pack.
• I’m loving the REI backpack – it’s a great size, and not too heavy even if loaded. It has great airflow through the back and harness. However it won’t be big enough if we get an extra night on the mountain.
• I don’t want to hike in with my ratty old North Face pack. It’s like hauling a potato sack on your back compared to the new REI pack. My how materials have evolved in the last 15 years.
• I need a blister kit and am considering sock liners, on the recommendation of another friend.
• I need to get to the gym.
• I should probably start running a bit.
• I need to hike more.

Two months left. Getting there is going to be a tough but fun climb.