On my second attempt I made it to the top of Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the lower 48 states. On the first try, I started from 60 miles away and had to turn away due to a storm that started on the sixth day of what was suppose to be an eleven day backpack. For the successful trip, I started only 40 miles away. Except for a short hail storm on the first day of this five day backpack, I had beautiful weather the rest of the trip. I spent the last night of the trip sleeping at the top of the mountain which was very cold but clear and windless.
In the morning, the sun had lit the higher peaks and ridges. The view in this photograph is looking south over Keeler Needle toward the top of the ninety-six switchbacks of the trail that leads up from Trail Camp. In the distance and still shadowed are other peaks and ridges of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Sequoia National Park. Photograph by Rick Scott.
Updated: 22 September 2004