Day 129: Mt Whitney

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It was with much excited anticipation (and some trepidation on my part) that we set off at first light to climb Mt Whitney. It is not actually part of the PCT but nearly all thru hikers plan to make the climb if the weather is good. At 14505 ft it is the highest mountain in the southern USA (there are higher peaks in Alaska).Along the way we passed some beautiful lakes and streams and we commenced the ascent from a valley surrounded by tall rocky cliffs which formed an amphitheatre. The path was a bit of a highway both in its breadth and in the number of hikers (mostly day hikers or those doing the high Sierra trail or the John Muir trail).We didn’t mind stepping aside to let others past as it gave us a chance to rest. The exertion at high altitude causes headaches, nausea and fatigue commonly and can be much worse. We both felt exhausted and nauseated at times and the going was very slow especially as we approached the peak. Once there and resting we felt elated and the symptoms abated.There is a hut right at the summit but, with an iron roof, it is probably the worst place to take refuge in a thunderstorm and there is a warning about the danger on a notice inside.For our day, though, the weather was perfect and we made it safely up and back down in time to pack up our gear and head a few more miles down the track.Tonight’s campground is beside a river which unfortunately means that there are also plenty of mosquitoes.With the 17.4 miles up Whitney and back, we completed 20.7 miles but only 3.3 PCT miles.