On July 7th 2009, I set out solo for what was at the time the biggest adventure of my life. I had chosen to take a job in Los Angeles instead of San Diego and was set to work the day after my arrival back from the hike. I met an amazing group of people - Buck, Dan and Ashley and we formed a bonded tribe. We shared laughter and agony along the trail. We split up towards the end of the trip because we all had different objectives but we were all somehow reunited at guitar lake on the last day. This was the hike of a lifetime and set the tone for the next three years of my life. Placing happiness over money. Putting nature over technology. This trip truly shaped me into the contrasted individual that I am today.
The Route:
16 days
222 Miles
46,000 feet of elevation gain
Plus:
Split Mountain (14,058ft)
Junction Peak (13,858ft)
Mount Muir (14,018ft)
My Food Lists
Preparation and PO boxing food
The Trail
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| Day 1 Start of the trail |
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| Day 1 Cathedral Peak |
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| Day 2 Lyle Canyon |
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| Day 3 Ashley before Donner Pass |
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Day 4 campsite at Rosalie lake
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Day 5 buck dan Virginia Lake Lunch
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Day 5 Virginia Lake Lunch
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| Day 6 Squaw Lake |
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Day 6 Squaw Lake Sunset
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Day 7 Lake below the pass
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Day 7 Selden Pass
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Day 8 Blayney Meadows Hot Springs
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Day 8 Entering Kings Canyon
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Day 8 San Joaquin river crossing
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Day 8 San Joaquin river crossing
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Day 9 Jumping Rock
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Day 9 sunset at mcclure meadows
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Day 9 sunset at mcclure meadows
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Day 10 Ashley hanging out
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Day 10 Muir Pass
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| Day 10 - View From Muir Pass |
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| Day 10 Muir Pass |
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| Day 10 - Note from Buck |
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Day 10 My tent helen lake
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Day 10 Ashley watching sunset
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Day 11 Farewell at Lower Palisade lakes
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Day 11 My tent at Lower Palisade lakes
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Day 12 Atop Split Mountain
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Day 12 Split Mountain
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Day 15 Junction Peak
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Day 15 Climbing Junction Peak
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Day 15 Atop Junction Peak
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Day 15 Forrester Pass
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Day 16 Ashley Atop Muir
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| Day 16 Me Atop Muir |
Summit of Whitney
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| Summit |
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| The tribe and others met along the way |
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| The Tribe |
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| The Tribe |
Completion
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| Happy...so Happy |
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Celebration
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Looking back into my old Journal entries, I came across a theme that is sure to be repeated often in my life.
"Life is flying by so
quick. I can’t believe that I
finished this adventure and now I am returning back to reality. I am starting a new life. I will miss the powerful force of nature. I will miss the freedom of thought and emptiness of the mind. But life is lived most fully with contrast. The tallest mountains and deepest valleys whisper in my ear. You think that you know us, but you don't. You know yourself, and we have helped."
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