The Curse is Lifted 2020.09.06 Hiking, Latergram In 2013 I started an annual tradition of sleeping on top of the tallest mountain. I don’t know why, but year after year I went up. Pressure built to go up again the next year, and so on. These extended 14er summits were not easy for the obvious reasons, but almost every time it ended up being harder than hard because of surprises at the top. 2013: I had no idea what I was doing. It was very hard to get up that strange hill, especially since the notorious PCT clown Guino had dosed me with 200mg caffeine that morning (I’m caffeine-free). But it turned out to be bizarre and romantic, with a sunset and a sunrise akin to something you’d see on Star Trek. Kitten, King […] Read more
Dear PCT Class of 2019 2019.04.01 Hiking, Opinion, Pacific Crest Trail I’m getting ready to go on a hike of my own, but I wanted to drop you a note to let you know it’s still snowing in the High Sierra. My 2017 blog post “Dear PCT Class of 2017” with tips about snow travel and whatnot definitely, definitely applies, since we got more snow (* see footnotes) this year than we did overwinter 2016/2017. I spent the winter shoveling, plowing, skiing, and snowshoeing in the Sierra, and I’ll tell you what: nobody who knows anything about avalanches or snow conditions (in brief, they suck) is going back there behind the Crest right now. I hope you read my 2017 letter and do all the other research and preparation you can, and don’t rush a thing. There are […] Read more
Annual Whitney Debaucle: 2018 Edition 2018.09.22 Hiking, Pacific Crest Trail This story is about this year’s weird ass annual Whitney hike. I’ve been sleeping on top of Whitney every year for six years now, and each year it seems to get worse. This year I made a loop, planning to go in over Baxter Pass and out via the Mountaineer’s Route on Whitney. It didn’t happen that way. Something happened on top of Whitney that turned the whole trip into a skidmark. The story starts off a little slow, but stick with it. It ends with poop and helicopters, which always liven a story. The Hike in over Baxter Pass I actually walked to Rae Lakes all the way from the center of Independence. WHO DOES THAT? Me. I do that. I’m not afraid to walk a […] Read more
Annual Whitney Sufferfest 2017.09.16 Hiking, Latergram It’s sort of neat — in that I-have-a-headache-and-feel-like-barfing-or-pooping-but-it’s-20°-and-I-can’t-move-or-part-of-me-will-break-off way — to have the summit of Mt Whitney (1400′) to yourself for twelve hours. The new moon brought all the stars — and the milky way — out to play! But this is just this morning’s sunrise looking northwest. Read more
Upside-down on Whitney 2016.10.13 Latergram 14,500 feet upside down. It was a really cold night last night at Iceberg lake, one of those nights where you have to pee so bad but don’t dare crawl outside the sleeping bag because it was so hard to stop shivering when you first got in. I tore my emergency blanket to bits trying to keep it wrapped tight around me! Today was my first Mount Whitney summit via the mountaineers route, which was definitely challenging. I’m very impressed with how many people attempt it because it involves so much fearlessness and fitness. It was very cold and windy at the summit and so a handstand was the obvious choice of pose. Numb hands, numb feet, dressed like a dork trying to stay warm, but happy […] Read more
Erskine Fire Smoke 2016.06.25 Latergram Smoke from the Erskine Fire looking southeast from the summit of Mt. Whitney. If you’re looking for views in the South Sierra right now, I hope you like thick smoke, too! Can’t even see the mountains the sun is setting behind, it’s that smokey. Read more
We Three Hiking, Latergram, Lowest to Highest My wonderful hiking partners and I make it to the top of Mount Whitney despite all that moisture!! Lots of hugs and next up: hot cocoa. L2H completed, and for Abram (left), the H2L2H (highest to lowest to highest)! My third summit in three years, and third time sleeping on the top. I climbed four 14ers this summer: Mt. Sill, Mt. Tyndall, Mt. Williamson, and Whitney. Backstory: Abram had no Microspikes (crampons) and so I lent him one of mine after his makeshift ziptie “spikes” failed (they break quickly in the cold). We skipped the icy 99 switchbacks and went straight up the Trailcrest chute, each with one spiked foot. When half-way up, we spotted a beautiful woman headed down, alone. That gave the boys courage to […] Read more
Whitney with Snow Hiking, Latergram, Lowest to Highest Current status. Except for the fact that wind drifts removed most of it, the crest got about 3 feet during October’s big storm. The ice on rock was the scariest part. Read more
So embarrassing and very ironic 2015.08.25 Hiking, Latergram, Pacific Crest Trail 2015 PCT hiker Splob left a book of John Muir’s writings in the Muir hut with this Public Service Announcement (PSA) in the back pages. I thought it’d get a little more mileage by sharing it here. LNT is great because it means that more of us, and our children’s children, can enjoy pristine areas of wilderness. It’s important when camping near pristine headwaters (or any water source) to keep your chemicals and biohazard waste out of it. Wash/poo well away from water’s edge over a dirt hole and bury it. It’s sad to see lakes and streams full of soap bubbles, much less the invisible sunscreen and Deet, and don’t get me started on white roses. 🐟 But Splob! Look What You Started! Update 2019: Splob’s […] Read more
Whitney Office 2014.06.27 Hiking, Latergram The view from my office* at 1365ft. Almost on top of Mt. Whitney! *A remote place with LTE Read more
Sunrise (moonrise) 2013.06.16 Latergram, Pacific Crest Trail I really debated posting this, but it goes up because I love the Andersons at Casa de Luna and they like moons. Read more
First Whitney Sleepover Latergram, Pacific Crest Trail Where I slept last night, on top of the tallest mountain in the lower 48, Mt. Whitney. Thanks, Busted, Kitten, and King Street for inviting me along! Read more