IntrepidXJ
Explorer
Top of the Contiguous USA
Friday - Tuesday, August 22-26, 2014
Mount Whitney- at 14,508 feet it is the highest mountain peak in the contiguous United States. While I have always thought about climbing to the summit of Mount Whitney at some point in my life, I really had never seriously planned a trip or time frame to do it. About two months ago my friend Geoff sent me a message and asked if I wanted to join him on a day hike of Mount Whitney. He had received a few permits in the lottery earlier in the year, but all of his hiking companions had cancelled on him. I checked my calendar and had no trips planned for that time yet, so I said yes. I figured since I had the opportunity come up that I might as well do it now, especially since I had already hiked six Colorado 14ers this year and was in pretty good shape. I was a little worried about doing the full 22 mile hike in a single day since I had never done a hike that long in one shot, especially with over 6,000 feet of elevation gain. I decided to keep an eye on the Mount Whitney permit website to see if any overnight permits opened up, and luckily a few weeks before the trip I was able to get two of them for the same time. I no longer had to worry about completing the hike in a single day and would be able to enjoy the trail more. Our plan was to backpack up to Trail Camp around 12,000 feet on Sunday and then finish the hike to the summit on Monday morning.
The time had finally come. I left work before lunchtime on Friday and started my drive west to California. I wanted to break up the drive into two days, so I planned to camp in Nevada near the Devil's Fire in the Gold Butte area south of Mesquite. After stopping to search for a new petroglyph panel on the way, I made it to Devil's Fire just before sunset. There were signs of recent flash flooding all along the Gold Butte Road with sand and rock covering the road where washes crossed. Even Mud Wash seemed to have flooded recently and it was a bit rougher than the last time I was here. There was only one other set of tire tracks in the wash since the last flood, so I knew that I would probably have the place to myself. I didn't have much daylight left by the time I reached Devil's Fire, so I grabbed my camera and took a few quick shots before the sun was down below the horizon for the night. I camped just below the ledge containing the sandstone fins and did have the entire place to myself. The temperature was a little warm at first but it became pretty comfortable after the sun had been down for a little while, though I never did need to use a sleeping bag that night.
Driving through Mud Wash on my way to the Devil's Fire.
Mud Wash by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
NIce reflected light in a small side canyon while searching for petroglyphs.
Side Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
One of the petroglyph panels I found this evening.
Lollipops Petroglyphs by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
My footprints from hiking across rippled sand dunes.
Tracks in the Sand by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Palm tree growing next to the cliff below Devil's Fire.
Oasis by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Sunset light on the fragile fins of sandstone found here.
Devil's Fire by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Fin by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Evening Sandstone by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
I like the way the light was catching the side of these unusual formations.
Little Finland by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Light Play by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Friday - Tuesday, August 22-26, 2014
Mount Whitney- at 14,508 feet it is the highest mountain peak in the contiguous United States. While I have always thought about climbing to the summit of Mount Whitney at some point in my life, I really had never seriously planned a trip or time frame to do it. About two months ago my friend Geoff sent me a message and asked if I wanted to join him on a day hike of Mount Whitney. He had received a few permits in the lottery earlier in the year, but all of his hiking companions had cancelled on him. I checked my calendar and had no trips planned for that time yet, so I said yes. I figured since I had the opportunity come up that I might as well do it now, especially since I had already hiked six Colorado 14ers this year and was in pretty good shape. I was a little worried about doing the full 22 mile hike in a single day since I had never done a hike that long in one shot, especially with over 6,000 feet of elevation gain. I decided to keep an eye on the Mount Whitney permit website to see if any overnight permits opened up, and luckily a few weeks before the trip I was able to get two of them for the same time. I no longer had to worry about completing the hike in a single day and would be able to enjoy the trail more. Our plan was to backpack up to Trail Camp around 12,000 feet on Sunday and then finish the hike to the summit on Monday morning.
The time had finally come. I left work before lunchtime on Friday and started my drive west to California. I wanted to break up the drive into two days, so I planned to camp in Nevada near the Devil's Fire in the Gold Butte area south of Mesquite. After stopping to search for a new petroglyph panel on the way, I made it to Devil's Fire just before sunset. There were signs of recent flash flooding all along the Gold Butte Road with sand and rock covering the road where washes crossed. Even Mud Wash seemed to have flooded recently and it was a bit rougher than the last time I was here. There was only one other set of tire tracks in the wash since the last flood, so I knew that I would probably have the place to myself. I didn't have much daylight left by the time I reached Devil's Fire, so I grabbed my camera and took a few quick shots before the sun was down below the horizon for the night. I camped just below the ledge containing the sandstone fins and did have the entire place to myself. The temperature was a little warm at first but it became pretty comfortable after the sun had been down for a little while, though I never did need to use a sleeping bag that night.
Driving through Mud Wash on my way to the Devil's Fire.
Mud Wash by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
NIce reflected light in a small side canyon while searching for petroglyphs.
Side Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
One of the petroglyph panels I found this evening.
Lollipops Petroglyphs by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
My footprints from hiking across rippled sand dunes.
Tracks in the Sand by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Palm tree growing next to the cliff below Devil's Fire.
Oasis by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Sunset light on the fragile fins of sandstone found here.
Devil's Fire by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Fin by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Evening Sandstone by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
I like the way the light was catching the side of these unusual formations.
Little Finland by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Light Play by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr