Mountaineering

I have done some "peak bagging". A spring ascent of the East Butress route, 8 pitches 5.8, on Mt. Whitney provided some alpine trad adventure. A blizzard blowing from the West was the cause for an evening spent in the rockhouse, out of the wind, but on the summit in -5 degrees F. I know for that evening, my climbing partner Matt and I were the highest persons in the continental U.S. A space blanket stowed in your helmet liner can be a life saver! Crampons and ice axe are extra gear and weight to be carried, but are certainly necessary on alpine ascents during the spring and winter in the Sierras. In cold weather, and with no stove, your body heat is all that you have to melt snow for drinking water. After a shivering cold evening, the next day dawned bright and clear. A spectacular hike and descent included a long glisade which brought us back to our base camp at Iceberg Lake.