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Karen
Trad climber
So Cal urban sprawl Hell
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 17, 2009 - 06:25pm PT
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Howdy all. Over a week ago I posted a thread asking for advice on the best snacks to pack some punch for our upcoming Whitney trip. You all gave me some great ideas and ended up deviating a bit from my usual junk food trail food. btw...the Lara bars were awesome!
Anyway, the trip was a success, it was the first time my daughter (Missy) had been above 12,000 ft and her first time carrying a load on her back. Her best friend, (Naomi) had never even been in the Sierra, nor had she ever gone on such an intense hike, neither girls had ever backpacked.
The trip was not my idea, it was my daughter's, frankly I was surprised when she even suggested it, amazed actually. She did stress she wanted her most adventurous friend along, she felt she wouldn't give up that way, sort of needed the competition; and the friend we brought along-even without experience in the mtns-is one tough girl.
Here are the two girls....smiling:
To get us flat landers acclimated we spent two nights at Whitney portal. The night of our early departure we got annoyed due to people running around flashing their lights yelling, "There's a bear"...argh!!!!
We got up at the butt crack of dawn and set off up the trail at 5am.
The first water crossing was intimidating for Naomi----the climbers trail at North Fork:
We made it up to Trail camp by 2pm, yeah, we were slow cause our damn packs weighed a lot, 35+ pounds and that was minus our water, here is me, yep check out that heavy pack:
Those girls were wiped out by then, set up camp and we all got off our feet, drank a ton of water and chilled. It was quite nice up there, not too many people at this point and we scored an awesome campsite.
The next day was our summit day, once again got up early and set off, hiking up the switchbacks I learned Naomi was afraid of heights so when we got to the rails she wasn't too happy. I talked her through it, along with a sketchy spot near Trail Crest, she did great though.
Half way now:
The rest of the hike to the top went slow but both of those girls were intent on summiting.
Side note, all along on this trip we were nearly in a constant state of amusement, (I've not laughed so hard in years), we were every but as crude as a bunch of guys, it was great to just let loose, laugh, be girls, no inhibitions, it was liberating.
All along they told me if they made the summit they were going to do an underwear shot, be damned it anyone was up there or not. Of course, this time of year there are a bunch of people up there, so the guys on top got quite the "view" when the girls did just that, whipped off there clothes and took the underwear shot:
A more conservative picture of the three of us on the summit:
These girls were quite happy to have made the summit and they each jumped for joy, here's Missy:
Naomi"
It was beautiful on the summit, not a trace of wind, crystal clear skies and warm. Very warm and we ran out of water on the descent, well, good this we had the water filter, here is Missy pumping a sketchy area. Didn't get sick !!!!
Made it back to camp and those girls were wiped out. So guess who had to pump all the water, make dinner and clean up, yeah, Mom!!!!
By that evening this is what I looked like:
The following day was an easy hike back down the trail, uh huh...not with those heavy packs, and packing out the poop was nasty!!! yikes, my daughter in her infinite wisdom sprayed down the "wag bags" with bug repellent, actually worked but even closing those bags in heavy duty trash compacter bags, they still smelled!!! sheesh, what if you just used the bags the forest service hands out, yuck!
The final shot, at the end wagging their bags:
The girls were very proud of themselves for the effort and tenacity it took for them to pull off this trip. Naomi was amazing and hung in there even when scared and was way out of her comfort zone. I was proud of my daughter. She was the kid in years past who when on a hike would just sit down and refuse to go any further, many a time I had to put her on my back to get her down the trail. No more, after it was over she asked, "What shall we do next?"
Lastly, as we got to the end of the trail our egos were a bit deflated. There was the finish line for the Death Valley to Whitney portal ultra-marathon; and here we thought we were bad a**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Edit to add.... the hike/climb was dedicated to Woody, he would have been proud, especially of Missy!!!
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jul 17, 2009 - 06:30pm PT
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Nuthin "OT" at all.
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perswig
climber
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Jul 17, 2009 - 06:32pm PT
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Excellent.
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Karen
Trad climber
So Cal urban sprawl Hell
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 17, 2009 - 06:35pm PT
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TGT, I meant "On Topic" guess I messed up...!!!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jul 17, 2009 - 06:45pm PT
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You look like you were having more fun than an "all boys" trip ever had!
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the Fet
Supercaliyosemistic climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Jul 17, 2009 - 06:52pm PT
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Great trip report. Congratulations.
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Barbarian
Trad climber
slowly dying in the OC
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Jul 17, 2009 - 07:04pm PT
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Bad a$$ is relative to a time and place. Nice TR! The thing about doing Whitney or anything else that is difficult... you begin to realize that most of the limits you have faced in your life are self-imposed.
So what's next?
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Karen
Trad climber
So Cal urban sprawl Hell
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 17, 2009 - 07:19pm PT
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My daughter is jonesing for Half Dome, Naomi is up for anything and I want to climb Split mtn.
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reddirt
climber
Elevation 285 ft
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Jul 17, 2009 - 07:20pm PT
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SWEET! Love the funderwear shot : )
reddirtgirl
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Jul 17, 2009 - 07:20pm PT
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really nice.
big trip for a first outing in the sierra.
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
way, WAY out there....(OMG)
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Jul 17, 2009 - 07:23pm PT
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Nice TR, there, girls.
All these boys arguing could learn a thing or three from ya'll.
WooT!
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hooblie
climber
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Jul 17, 2009 - 07:25pm PT
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wait a minute. i just now realized i did'nt see the obligigagato.., required shot of the mountain. and never thought of levitating HIGHER than the summit though i would have been if i had been invited. gotta say the wag bag concept, plus repellant seems redundant. gucci or dior on the glacier glasses?
hail to the hardy summiteers!
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Jul 17, 2009 - 07:49pm PT
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Cool TR,
Looks like fun was had by all.
Zander
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Jul 17, 2009 - 07:53pm PT
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Congratulations!
Great TR!
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Gene
climber
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Jul 17, 2009 - 08:02pm PT
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Great TR! Way to go. Thanks for sharing.
gm
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jul 17, 2009 - 08:10pm PT
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Looks like the knee has fully recovered.
We all gotta go climbing some time.
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426
Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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Jul 17, 2009 - 09:31pm PT
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Paying it forward...so hot right now. Way to go Mom
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
way, WAY out there....(OMG)
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Jul 17, 2009 - 10:01pm PT
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Yeah, it's cool to kinda get out there with ya, even though I'm outa range, & feel the pull of the high mountains.
Looks like ya'll girls had the best trip....Now, what's the new adventure?
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leavinglasvegas
climber
escondido
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Jul 17, 2009 - 10:23pm PT
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absolutely brilliant!
heading up that way in an hour or so. thanks for the awesome tr!!
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Ricky D
Trad climber
Sierra Westside
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Jul 17, 2009 - 10:29pm PT
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Well at least the undies weren't Gr'animals or worse - something from Victoria's Secret !!!!
Plus the jump gives them 3 more feet of altitude - woohoo!
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