9/3/00 8:40pm
Good evening! We are on the second night of our journey, so let me recap: Day 1 - At lone Pine Ranger Station we were lucky enough to get a permit for the same day entering at Onion Valley. We rented a second bear canister and drove North to Onion Valley. We left there at 2:30p and found camp at 5:30p. Since this was the first time using the tarp it took quite a while. We tried using the bug insert (it sucks- right now we are using it as a ground cloth) which only made it super difficult to get in and out (we were too cold to care ). We put way too much H2O in the refried beans and were forced to eat it like soup. We re-organized the bear canisters until our fingers were frozen trying to fit everything in there. In the end we tossed pita bread and slept w/ our sunscreen, lip balm, etc. Froze all night and we were pretty beat the next day.

Day 2: (Things get much better) The day warms up, and we cross Kearsarge pass before noon. We eat lunch at a beautiful mountian lake on the other side and revitalize our spirits. BTW, Jen and I are both wearing the REI GTX Spirits and they are wonderful! The best fitting boot either of us has had. Anyway...we meet up with the John Muir Trail (JMT) and hiked down into the beautiful valley where we are now. We found a spot where they have a metal box chained to a tree log to keep bears out, so we made camp about 100yd away. The tarp is working great today! We ate a great meal of raviolleti, pasta sauce, & cheese... our lunch was cheese, meat, & crackers, and our breakfast was granola, milk, & blueberries. Eatin' like royalty!

9/4/00 1:00pm
We have just eaten another very filling meal of meat, cheese, and crackers (6oz meat, 4oz cheese, 24 crackers for two). I would suggest dropping the meat dosage down a bit. We are just under Forester Pass basking in the sunny clear blue sky. Last night clouds rolled in, but they were gone by morning. On the way up, ran into (got speedily passed by) an ex-marine w/ a go-lite pack. He was carrying 30lbs in it! Only a couple pounds lighter than ours with no suspension. I have been very pleased w/ my new pack as has Jen.
*Pocket at foot of sleeping quilt to stuff fleece
*T-valve on drinking tube to hook up a H2O filter
Last night it got below freezing. I was surprised how well Jen & I did. She was actually warmer than me! This morning we got up late (7am) took down camp quick, ate a Clif bar, and hiked until the sun came over the mountains. Wow! What an instant difference! I basked in the sun while we ate breakfast until I could feel my fingers and toes again. Well, time to hit the trail!

9/4/00 8am
Still in bed. Too cold to get up. Yersterday it took longer than we expected to get over Forester Pass and we were forced to camp in this very windy and cold valley. After a bit of frustration, we got the tarp set up sound, filtered water and cooked from inside the sleeping quilt.

We were forced to use the mylar bags for warmth last night (a first for both Jen and I). They really do add a lot of warmth for a couple of ounces. The ministrone soup was good last night, but I might add TVP next time.

9/5/00 6:53pm
*Reduce the height of the windscreen
*Put useable clip on backpack straps for gloves, hat, etc...
*Make two esbit tab stove

9/5/00 8:27pm
Tucked under the sleeping quilt with my fleece shirt wrapped around my head. It really helps! We are spending the night 4.4 miles from the Crabtree Ranger Station, 11.7 to top of Whitney.
*Quilt needs velcro on sides
*Diamox did its job, no incidence of altitude sickness
No mylar bags tonight. We have dropped altitude to about 10,000 and are expecting a more comfortable night.
*Freeze-dried lasagna was great! but not enough - we added mozerella but try adding TVP.

9/6/00 8:07am
Good Morning! We got moving at 6:25 this morning and were hiking by 6:52. We prepared most of our belongings the night before and we were in a definite hurry to get moving since it was only 15� F when we woke up. The quilt was definitely not designed for this. We spent most of the night huddled together in uncomfortable positions trying not to die.
-OK, back to cover yesterday. I have decided to write a book on pack-shui or camp-shui. At least I'll title a clinic that if I do one on how to pack your pack or setting up camp. Jen and I discussed how many fashion rules we were breaking which put us in a fun mood and took our mind off of the trail for a little bit. Speaking of trail, we decided (at a fork) to go the high road and it paid off nicely. The scenery here is very arid but breathtaking. I would like to do the JMT someday (but maybe earlier & warmer).

Right now our packs are so light it is is laughable! It is a little more work setting up the tarp, but it is very roomy and very light. The stove is a bit more work, but it too is super-light. The quilt needs more insulation. (and velcro but the design is valid. So far (gear-testing-wise) this trip has been a success!

Well, the water isn't thawed completely yet, but there is some to sip on. Later.
*Shave end of spoon to work as screwdriver for bear canister.
*Small piece of black plastic to put under H2O bottles on sunny days.

9/6/00 4:38pm
Guitar Lake. Set directly below Mt. Whitney it is a beautiful sight. We are camped behind a set of rocks approximately 100yds from it. I worry now about the temperature tonight. I have strung the tarp as best as I can - taking advantage of the rock face to minimize wind, and I have placed rocks along the open sides, but I still doubt we we will get much sleep. Our journey is almost done. Tomorrow we expect to reach the Whitney Portal parking lot by late afternoon.

Right now we are basking in the high altitude sun as we write our journals. We have met a number of interesting groups ready to tackle Whitney tomorrow.

They are doing trail work on the east (exit) side and no one could go out that way today. The trail conditions here are amazing! Almost too nice. You are always aware of the machinery and manpower that has invaded the surroundings.

9/7/00 10:45pm
We did it! This morning we climbed Mt. Whitney! Okay...recap: Last night the tarp worked great. I built up the rock walls more and sealed off the gaps. The doorway was part of the tarp weighted with rocks so that we could get in and out. While the sun was still up it was a sauna. At night it was still very windy and 28�, but with the help of mylar, it was our most comfortable night yet. We got up at 4:35am and were on the trail an hour later. As with any summit trek, once moving you warm up fast. Since we were hiking up the backside (west) we were in shade until the last 30 minutes. The trail brings you above 13K and then follows a ridgeline for a couple miles before ascending to Mt. Whitney. Despite being acclimated, the air was thin. We reached the top by 9:30am. We expected a mass of people crowding the summit (at times close to 200 people a day attempt the summit), but the trail from the east was still closed for the day to those hiking up (trail work), so it was only the people we had met over the last couple of days. Wow!!

The trip down was a knee-breaker. It is a little over 11 miles from the summit to the Whitney Portal (parking lot). The last 8.7 miles are all downhill involving nothing more than slamming your boots into rock below you over and over again. Our feet and knees went back and forth between being numb and sore. On the way down we ran into Calder Reid, a ranger for the Inyo N.F. that went to Ranger Academy with Stan (a friend of mine from REI). She had given us the idea of going from Onion Valley and we thanked her again and expressed what a wonderful time we had. We told her we would be thumbing a ride back to Onion Valley to get our car (difficult to find anyone driving up there in the evening) so she suggested a fellow ranger in Lone Pine (Bruce) who might take us up for small fee (Rangers of all people can understand a tight budget! ). We made it down to the parking lot by 4:00pm and decided to start hitchiking to Lone Pine. I went to use the bathroom and by the time I came back Jen had found us a ride. Very cool. Bruce was equally cool. He took us up to Onion Valley and related some of his expriences as a Ranger and his hown thru-hike of the PCT. I had to nearly force him to take money for the ride despite the fact that it was probably well over 50 miles roundtrip!

At the parking lot, three cars had been broken into by bears (obvious food was left visible in each of them, but our car was O.K. We had moved all of our remaining possessions into the trunk.

After a refreshing meal at a neat, artsy Pub and Pizza place called Rockin' Rhino's, we decided to hit Nevada's highest peak tomorrow. Are we insane or what!?!?

9/10/00 4pm
Location: Some beach in Ventura, CA
Activity: Lying in the sun.
Current thoughts: Life is good. :)
We detoured to the beach where the sun is shinging and it is always in the 70's. Now I can understand the draw. Constant beautiful weather! The air isn't as dry, the temp is perfect, and it is almost always sunny. The wind is a bit heavy right now, but it is still wonderful. I'll have to try a a beach vacation some time - or move to one.

Recap: After Whitney we drove north to Bishop and slept (somewhat cramped) in the car. We got info on Boundary Peak in the morn and drove out to it. It is normally a long drive on poorly maintained rocky/gravel road, but now a section was washed out in a recent (rare) rain. We got permission to cross private land, but it took every bit of nerve, skill, and mostly luck to get us down the "road". We got to the traillhead wiped, filtered some water and didn't get on the trail untill after noon. We knew it was a very late start, but thought we would get a feel for the trail as long as we had come so far. We didn't make it. It was pretty clear that our pace wouldn't bring us off the mountain until dusk and we would still have a long hike to the car. I'll try to give some instruction for next time.

Be sure to take the Tyndall Canyon Rd. to get to the trailhead. We went down Ciatovich Creek Rd. and asked permission from the owner. It works if necessary. At the trailhead - do not drink directly from the stream. Cattle/horses graze upstream and I am sure it is very contaminated. It is a fairly long hike just to the saddle (Tyndall Canyon Saddle). Wear low gaitors and pant legs to prevent getting torn up from the sagebrush and getting tons of scree in your boots. At the beginning the trail is fairly clear and it hugs the southern side of the valley bottom. After the last horse pasture (the last grass/trees before the trees in the gulch at the bottom of the saddle) hike north through the grass where walking is easy before you start wading through more sagebrush. A little north of center from the last pasture is a fairly good "trail", but it will be very difficult to find. Head for the gulch at the bottom of the sadle - it is on the right-hand/north side of the group of trees. Follow the top rim of the gulch on its south side to the top. Head to the top of the saddle before heading south onto the first mountain. The trail from here on will be sporadic and sometimes non-existant. Just focus on your goal and - almost forgot - bring trekking poles!! It is very gravelly; much like walking on slush - 2 steps forward and one step-slide back. :) Good luck!!