MOUNT WHITNEY 14,491ft.

Mount Whitney is the peak standing high in the center of this photo.

This says it all.

Reid dropped use off at the trail head at 11:00 p.m. Aug. 8th. 2008
David, Philip, Christine and I.
Christine makes her way across one of the many water crossings of the night.

It would be bad to fall into the water at this point of the Trail, with 11 miles to go and the temperature of the thin night air dropping fast. Time to take a rest and catch our breath. We are now above the Treeline somewhere in the
99 switchbacks approximately 12,000 ft. 4 a.m. Aug. 9th.


5:30 a.m. still somewhere in the 99 switchbacks, with the sunrise at our backs !!

10:00 a.m. made the last push from Trail Crest to the summit of 14,491 ft. Unfortunately my nephew Philip became sick with high altitude sickness so my brother David and Philip turned
around and headed back down the Mountain to wait for us at a lower elevation. My summitting Mount Whitney this year was motivated by my dear friend Christine and
the passing of my Mother-in-Law Hanni Ruth Frach in witch I had a small ceremony at the top
in her memory.
Now Mount Whitney has more meaning then just the Highest Mountain in the Lower 48 States for myself and my family.


Christine made it like it was just a walk in the Park. I was very proud to share the moment
with her. Thanks for the moral support.

Now it was time to get off the top been as there was not much oxygen in the air and the temperature was below 32*F.

The descent was nice and sunny but very cold and windy.

On our way down the switchbacks..

In the shade we had to watch our footing for patches of ice. Christine carefully picks her path.

Some of the scenic spots along the trail the mountains in the background is ware we where just hours before.
One of the mountains mischievous critters the Marmot will rob you blind when your back is
turned on them.
This is what Reid and Mikki and the Kids did part of the day while we where hiking,
they went fishing and caught so many fish, Hunter and Calvin where just amazing,
even Thomas caught 3 fish with his little Spiderman fishing pole and Katarina
caught 1 with her Barbie pole it was amazing. And I missed them catching their first fish,
thank you Reid for helping them!!

Thomas was so proud !!!

and Katarina too, it was such a nice fish, good job Kitty Kat!!
Proud and crazy Calvin..
Wow, Thomas look at this one , their is a real fish on your Spiderman Pole, he was not sure what
to do with it, so cute...

Yummy Yummy, Trout anybody.....

Hunter caught 5 fish, what a fisherman.

At around 5:00 p.m. Reid, Mikki and the Kids came up to the Whitney Portal and just waited for us. 6:30 p.m. Aug. 9th we emerged from the wilderness to be greeted by the Forest Gnomes. With gifts of Ice cold Beer!!!

Philip is looking pretty good here even though he had suffert from Altitude Sickness and was unable to Summit, their is always next year Philip, Thank you so much for coming.

This Forrest Gnome was extremely friendly and happy to see me.

The sun was setting and the trip had finally came full circle.

Uncle Dave had found one of those patches of ice on his way down the mountain and was nursing his bruised ribs and cut arm with some Ice cold Medicine.

Reid was so proud of Christine. (Me too).

One of my biggest fans missed me all day long, I missed her too!!!