East Buttress Of Mount Whitney

Words

Mount Whitney.

Some semi-organized but mostly-random recollections of this outing to climb of the East Buttress route on Mt. Whitney. It was the Memorial Day weekend in 2004. We flew to LA after work. We waited till wee hours of the morning at the rental counter. We slept an hour somehwere on the shoulder of 395. We got to ranger station before opening & were first in line…of course it’s a lottery-based permit system so it didn’t matter. Well, actually it did. Despite the crowds at opening time, we drew the first pick. Karma!! Up to Iceberg Lake on day one (12700′) and regretting it (we were both kinda sick…especially me). The climb went well the next day and we hiked out on day 3. Three early season days in the mountains. We ran into a German dude while packing at camp. Apparently he hiked the snow gully route car-to-car in tennis shoes (+fanny pack) and passed us later in the day on the hike down. Apparently he’s a ski guide in them Euro Alps…

Photos

Shirley on the approach hike to Iceberg Lake (May 29, 2004).

Mount Whitney (right), Keeler Needle (center) and Day Needle (a.k.a. Crooks Peak) as seen on our approach to Iceberg Lake (May 29, 2004).

Shirley on the approach hike to Iceberg Lake (May 29, 2004).

Water filtering duty on the frozen Iceberg Lake (May 29, 2004).

Shirley in our camp at Iceberg Lake the evening before our climb of East Buttress (May 29, 2004).

Shirley approaching the start of the East Buttress route on Whitney (May 30, 2004).

Shirley atop the pitch 1 of East Buttress route (May 30, 2004).

Beginning the lead of P3 of East Buttress route just above the crux face moves (May 30, 2004).

Shirley following P3 of East Buttress route just above the crux (May 30, 2004).

Beginning the lead of P5 of East Buttress route. Shirley is belaying me from atop P4 - a cool ledge on the arete itself. Lower portions of the East Buttress can be seen below (May 30, 2004).

Shirley following P6 (probably) of East Buttress. Iceberg Lake is below. Some snow/ice lingered on the north facing walls (May 30, 2004).

A view from high on the East Buttress of Mt. Whitney.

Shirley topping out on P8 (most likely) of East Buttress route. Iceberg Lake (12700') can be seen below (May 30, 2004).

Mt. Russell from somehwere high up on East Buttress of Whitney. The hook shaped ridge is Fishhook Arete (May 30, 2004).

Shirley topping out on P9 of East Buttress route. This pitch ends on a small talus field c. 350 feet below the summit of Whitney (May 30, 2004).

Shirely on the summit of Mt. Whitney after our climb of its East Buttress route (May 30, 2004).

Shirley and the summit hut on Mt. Whitney after our climb of East Buttress (May 30, 2004).

The fun beginning (which is quickly followed by a long slog section) to the Mountaineers Route descent after our climb of East Buttress (May 30, 2004).

Shirley on our hike down the Mounties Route following the climb of East Buttress (May 30, 2004).

The second best cure for altitude illness: Ramen noodles. Iceberg Lake in the evening after our climb of East Buttress (May 30, 2004).

Shirley at camp on the morning after our climb of Whitney's East Buttress (background; June 1, 2004).

Shirley in our camp brushing her tooths the day after our climb of the East Buttress route on Mt. Whitney (background; May 2004).

Shirley starting our hike out on the third day of the outing after our climb of Whitney's East Buttress...this is just below Iceberg Lake (June 1, 2004).

Shirley on our day 3 hike out after the climb of Mt. Whitney's East Buttress route...the streams were raging (June 1, 2004).

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