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Environment BLOG |
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July 2008
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It was a packed house at the REI in Rancho Cucamonga last night, where Frank Usher imparted his wisdom on what you need to summit Mt. Whitney, the crown jewel of the lower 48s standing at 14,496 feet. Now 63, Frank scaled Mt. Whitney for the first time when he was 18. Frank said of our local mountains, the trail up Mt. Baldy most closely resembles the trail up Mt. Whitney. Mt. San Gorgonio, of course, being the tallest in Southern California, is the closest in elevation. 
Courtesy of Homer J. Wilson
Homer J. Wilson and fellow Sierra Club Peakbaggers member, Ron Morris, take a seat at the top of Mount Whitney in 2003.
Among the needed gear are bear-proof canisters to stow away your food and a long-handed spoon in case you bring those foil-wrapped meals that require hot water. And if you're going at a time when you need to use mosquito repellent, remember that if you use one with Deet, that it eats through nylon, meaning your sleeping bag. So either bring a wash cloth or some light long johns for sleeping in your bag. Or just use a more organic repellent. This is probably obvious to most of you but don't wear jeans, or as Frank said, "No Levis." Wear synthetic materials such as nylon and bring layers. Use your fleece jacket as a pillow and bring a beenie cap to wear at night. And another good item: a poncho that fits over your pack in case you get caught in an afternoon downpour. Dare I say, you need to be mindful of picking up your own waste, and even pack that out. Frank uses a Ziploc baggie inside out to grab it and then seals it up again. He said think of it as picking up your dog's droppings. Still, not looking forward to that one! Here's a little-know factoid: In 2007, visitors packed out at least 6,330 lbs of human waste! Pack-out kits also are distributed with wilderness permits. You can even watch a video on how to do it, by clicking the above link. Water: At least 3 liters per day. There are enough water sources along the way so bringing a water purifier is an option. Packs should be range from 4,200 cubic inches to 5,000 cubic inches, at least, Frank said. I found one at REI that I just adored, but at $195 I'm going to ponder whether I need one bigger than the one I already have. So thanks to all who also imparted their wisdom on the earlier blog item: Hit the Stair-master, and take along Excedrin for the altitude, were among the tips. And as a side note, I found this photo of Homer Wilson in our digital library. You can see what the top of the mountain looks like. But I think I recall meeting Homer and his wife at the Banff Mountain Film Festival held in Redlands last March. They said they had been up to the peak a couple of times. |
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