| Mount Whitney or Bust | | | | the time I reached Consultation Lake, none of the |
| - My first camping trip in the Sierra - | | | | rest of the group was in sight. I later found out they |
| In 1952 I was 19 and had previously made only one | | | | had all camped at Muir Lake. I proceeded on up the |
| overnight backpack camping trip to North Fork | | | | famous 96 switchbacks, hoping to get a better view |
| campground in Santa Anita Canyon with the Boy | | | | and see the rest of my friends. |
| Scouts. I did have a little hiking experience under my | | | | I finally stopped long after dark and spent Saturday |
| belt and had hiked Mt. Wilson and a couple of other | | | | night at Trail Crest, right on the trail. At 13,333 there |
| local peaks, but I was certainly not in great condition | | | | isn`t anything but rocks and those rocks not very |
| or ready for what the next couple of days would | | | | comfortable, particularly with no pad to sleep on. |
| bring. But I was young. | | | | Some time during the night there was a partial eclipse |
| We met up, my friends from PCC -- Peter Stephens, | | | | of the moon off in the southwest. I awoke Sunday |
| John Way, Ken Nichols -- and myself and left | | | | to people stepping over me and complaining about |
| Pasadena about 8 p.m. Friday evening in Peter's old | | | | my blocking the trail. Had some cold granola for |
| paneled truck. Eventually Mojave with its infamous | | | | breakfast and then headed on up to the trail. The |
| Whites Restaurant appeared and we stopped for | | | | hike from Trail Crest to the summit was spectacular, |
| dinner. About 11:30 p.m. we arrived at Whitney Portal, | | | | with views of the whole of the Sierra spread out to |
| put our old sleeping bags on the ground making a | | | | the west, and the Owens Valley and then the Inyo |
| makeshift campground out of a little space next to | | | | Mountains to the east. Telescope Peak in Death |
| the truck, and tried to get some shuteye. | | | | Valley was clearly visible. This part of the hike would |
| I had no tent, stove, or prepared food-- only snacks | | | | have been fairly easy except for the thin air which |
| and a can of Dintymoor Stew. For sleeping I had | | | | made oxygen difficult to come by. |
| borrowed an old, worn-out WWII sleeping bag. I | | | | Once at the summit I signed the log book and |
| strapped all this on a string backpack I had made | | | | enjoyed the view and all the awesome scenery. |
| while in the Boy Scouts. | | | | After waiting a couple of hours for my friends I |
| Saturday morning we all had a bit to eat, got our | | | | started to worry and so headed down the trail and |
| backpacks and other camping gear together, and | | | | finally met up with them about halfway down the |
| after a late start finally began hiking up the Mount | | | | switchbacks |
| Whitney trail.. By the time we reached Muir Lake it | | | | Got back to Whitney Portal about noon and got a |
| was late afternoon and the group slowed down and | | | | little rest. My friends finally straggled in about 6 p.m. |
| began to spread out. I was ahead and forged on. By | | | | and we headed for home, tired but very satisfied. |