DAY 56: MT. WHITNEY

miles: 22.5

It's midnight, I'm pretty pumped, and I am inhaling 4 pop tarts. All I could think was, "I can do this."

I pop my head out of my tent and look up in the general direction of the rest of my team: little red headlamp lights glowing and bobbing, everyone must be cooking breakfast. We've been asleep for less than 4 hours.

We were slack packing it up to the top so we didn't have to take down our tent or pack any of our belongings, which was nice. Sleeping bags were coming with us, though, because it was going to be FREEZING at the top.

1:00am sharp rolls around and we set off, up up up upupupup.

Angela and I take up the rear, the boys always speeding ahead of us, like a dog off leash (there is a hiker out here named "Dog" aka "Dog off a leash", that's why I stole the term). It's perfect.

I had a small headache the day before, probably due to the elevation, but we camped at above 11,000 feet so we should be okay.

By 12,000 I was feeling it. Lightheaded, out of breath, slightly woozy. Angela and I took our time, careful to place each step, always stopping to catch our breath. It wasn't that cold. Hikers from the day before said that they were hiking in ALL of their layers, yet their teeth were chattering, because of the wind. There also was not a lot of wind on this particular morning... we were lucky.

It took us almost 4 hours to get 4.8 miles to the summit. Angela and I reached the hut at the top and started hollering for our colleagues. Wolf Pack? Where are you1?!?

First light was visible, but the official sunrise would not be until 5:24, 20 minutes away!

First light.

Setting up a cozy area to view the sunrise.

Chik Chak and Starfox in the best seats in the house, on the front edge.

The view from the top to our right. (the whole 360 view was this stunning... we were literally on top of the world).

Everyone celebrating and taking photos. Mr. Green frozen and bundled below.

Bad iPhone photo of the sunrise. I had to. 

Hugest bummer? My real camera was dead for this event. The pinnacle of our PCT hike (one of the high points, literally) and I don't have a decent camera in which to capture it! I was really bummed out about this, but I tried not to let it taint the experience. I did my best with my crummy iPhone....

Getting lighter out.

Sour Cream and Sunshine watching the sun rise.

Getting even lighter out. It's amazing how quickly it gets light outside.

Me and Rocky on top! 

Rocky and I on our way down...

It got FREEZING real quick and once the sun was up, it was as if someone turned up the freezer temperature, so Rocky and I ran down the mountain as fast as possible. I would have liked to stick around, but was afraid I'd become a hypothermia frozen fish stick.

The wind had also picked up, making the wind chill unbearable.

Part of the trail in the daylight, that we went through in the dark.

The trail.

The peaks on the trail.

These windows, offering dizzying views down thousands of feet.

Guitar Lake on the far right of the photo, where our base camp was. So far away!

The trail...

Sour Cream back at base camp, so happy! We did it!

Goodbye Guitar Lake, we still have 14 miles to go today on 4 hours of sleep....

Crabtree Ranger Station from above.

Bighorn Plateau, a highlight of the day.

Look at these circular grass patches! I thought of you, Olenka!

Bighorn Plateau.

Bighorn Plateau.

Bighorn Plateau.

We were so. tired. by the time we reached Tyndall Creek. We had climbed Mt. Whitney on 4 hours of sleep, descended Mt. Whitney and walked a total of 22.5 miles that day. My body was screaming at me, every fiber of me. Luckily, Ben, Sour Cream and I made it to our camp spots at Tyndall Creek at 4:00pm so we got to bed SUPER early! 9 hours of sleep for us tonight!!! What. a. day.

Bighorn Plateau.