Getting high on the East Side of the Sierra Nevada

A few months ago (after cocktails), Wayne mentioned that he had secured hiking permits to ascend Mount Whitney. I rolled my eyes. Mary said "I'd like to do that". I think I choked on an olive. See my previous page for more photos and a failed attempt at Whitney's summit. I remember that day as the most painful day of my life, but, if Mary wanted to climb the highest peak in the contiguous United States, who was I to say "ARE YOU F&$%ING CRAZY?".

Over the next few months, we got in a few hikes with 8% or 10% grades in the Bay Area. The idea was to get used to climbing...

After failing to summit Whitney in 2005, I knew that we needed more than a 2 hour ride in a Southwest Airlines cabin to acclimate to 14k+ feet (4.4km+ for the rest of the world). So, we set out to spend about a week at an average of 7k feet (2km). The plan was to climb Whitney on a Sunday. We would drive up through Tioga Pass on Wednesday and camp with friends at 9k feet (Saddlebag lake). Well, we never found the friends and after cruising every campsite along 120 east of Yosemite, we pulled into Lee Vining to look for a Motel room. Hmmmm, no vacancy. Anywhere in Lee Vining. We are so screwed. Mary gets the brilliant idea to try the tourist office in Lee Vining, and viola la! there are rooms at June Lake. We call to reserve a place and proceed to the fabled Mobile gas station for dinner.

The Katz enjoy a meal at the Lee Vining Mobile Station (the Whoa Nellie Deli, actually).
Mary and Bob hang out just outside Yosemite.
A pointy peak on the way back from Mono Pass



The bottom of the post pile.
The top of the post pile.
Rainbow falls
Lu and Hap (the Katz) on the ledge in front of Rainbow Falls.
Rainbow falls with Bob and Mary
I think this one is the Methuselah tree...
so we took a little family photo.
Wayne and Miles
Big horn sheep.
sunrise
pretty rocks
Group shot: Wayne, Miles, Mary, and Bob
Mary strikes a conquering pose
We made it!


This little stone hut has special significance to me: WAG use number 3.