The Summit of Mt Whitney is made up of a large fairly level area that can hold a multitude of
hikers/climbers on it's summit plateau. You have worked hard to get on top, and now is the time to enjoy the
360 degree view that the highest peak in the Continental US affords you.
Looking east, you will be able to look down
10,000 vertical feet and see the little town of
Lone Pine and the Owens Valley. The mountain
range that you see across the valley is the Inyo
Mountains. To the north you will be able to see
many Sierra peaks, along with White Mountain
on the north eastern side of the valley over 60
miles away. To the west is Sequoia National Park,
and to the south peaks such as nearby Lone Pine
Peak, and Mt Langley come into view.
As with most Sierra Peaks, Mt Whitney contains a summit
register box. It is like no other I have ever seen on any Sierra
Peak (and I have been on many of them) in terms of size and
construction. This register is designed to fit several thousand
names. I was told by one of the forest service personnel that
Sequoia Rangers now and then make the trip to the top of Mt
Whitney in order to collect the filled register and replace it with
a new one. The registers are not discarded, however,
but are placed in the archives as part of Mt Whitney's legacy.
So you can be assured when you sign the Mt Whitney
Register your name is going down in history.
Mt Whitney's summit also sports a Stone Hut
that was built in 1909 under the sponsorship of
the Smithsonian Institute. The main trail
was completed in July of 1904, and just five
years latter, in 1909, the current stone
hut was constructed. It was completed in about
a months time. In modern day terms this may
not seem like any big deal, but one must
remember that back then all building materials
had to be delivered on site by mules (who had to
be coaxed up the trail under heavy loads). Add to
this, the fact that all construction had to be done
with simple hand tools, and you begin to get the
picture of how much effort it took to complete this project. The idea to construct a hut on the summit was
conceived after the first recorded death on Mt Whitney on July 26, 1904. Three men from the U.S. Bureau of
Fisheries had climbed up the brand new trail, and while on top eating lunch, were struck by lightening. Two
out of the three men survived, but the strike on Bryd Surby ended up being fatal.
Afternoon thunderstorms during the summer months
are still a danger to the modern day hiker and
climber. Lightening is not only a concern on peaks
but also on exposed ridges. The summit shelter's
door has a warning posted on it (image to the right)
warning visitors about the dangers of being on the
peak during lightening storms. The warning also lets
you know that taking shelter inside the hut is no
protection against electrical storms. Your best bet is
to always move toward lower ground when foul
weather threatens.
Spending the
night on the
summit of Mt
Whitney can be an experience all its own. Some hikers plan their trip so
that they will be able to reach the top by sunrise. Watching the sun rise on
the eastern horizon from the vantage point of Mt Whitney's summit can
be an experience you will never forget. I only spent the night out on the
peak once under circumstances that were not as pleasant as I would have
liked. My climbing partner Mike and I were pretty much forced into a
night out after climbing the east face of Mt Whitney in 1981. We ended
up running out of time for the descent to Ice Berg Lake (where we
had set up our initial base camp) because it had taken us so long to make
the ascent. We took shelter in the hut but were unable to close the door
because it was rusted into an open position that could not be altered by
mere human effort (the stone hut door was made of iron back then but
has since been replaced by a wooden one). The wind whistled throughout
the inside of the shelter all night, and time went by very slowly. It is best to forget about looking at your watch
in situations like this (because when you think an hour has gone by your watch reveals that only 5 minutes has
elapsed). I was never so glad to see the dawning of a new day after that cold night out. The upper left photo
shows a view of the inside of the stone structure. The stone seat with a patch of snow on it was where we sat
the night out while waiting for first light. We placed our climbing rope on top of the stone seat to provide a
little insulation from the bitter cold.
If you should decide to spend the night out on the summit of Mt Whitney make sure you are prepared for it.
Have proper equipment for the cold and have plenty of water along during the summer months, or carry a
stove for melting snow during early season.
I find that one of the neatest views from the
summit of Mt Whitney is Mt Russel just to the
north of Whitney. Mt Russel is one of the
California 14ers, and has a double summit. The
photo to the left shows a view of this magnificent
mountain from the top of Mt Whitney. The
peak on the left hand side of the image is the
higher point and shows the imposing face of the
fish hook arete. This face poses an interesting
challenge for accomplished mountaineers. I have
climbed Mt Russel twice via the east ridge route,
and can tell you that it is a classic Sierra climb
along a knife blade ridge.
All in all, the summit of Mt Whitney is a great place
to spend some time. The spectacular views
(To the right is Iceberg Lake, which is located
over 2,000 feet below the summit of Mt Whitney),
the wonderful since of accomplishment, and the great
memories you will have, make the 22 mile round
trip worth the effort.
So make sure to plan you trip accordingly, so that
you can spend some quality time on the summit.
And make sure your camera has plenty of film (or
room on your digital card) for taking plenty of
photographs. You will want to record all your
memories for your loved ones back home.
hikers/climbers on it's summit plateau. You have worked hard to get on top, and now is the time to enjoy the
360 degree view that the highest peak in the Continental US affords you.
Looking east, you will be able to look down
10,000 vertical feet and see the little town of
Lone Pine and the Owens Valley. The mountain
range that you see across the valley is the Inyo
Mountains. To the north you will be able to see
many Sierra peaks, along with White Mountain
on the north eastern side of the valley over 60
miles away. To the west is Sequoia National Park,
and to the south peaks such as nearby Lone Pine
Peak, and Mt Langley come into view.
As with most Sierra Peaks, Mt Whitney contains a summit
register box. It is like no other I have ever seen on any Sierra
Peak (and I have been on many of them) in terms of size and
construction. This register is designed to fit several thousand
names. I was told by one of the forest service personnel that
Sequoia Rangers now and then make the trip to the top of Mt
Whitney in order to collect the filled register and replace it with
a new one. The registers are not discarded, however,
but are placed in the archives as part of Mt Whitney's legacy.
So you can be assured when you sign the Mt Whitney
Register your name is going down in history.
Mt Whitney's summit also sports a Stone Hut
that was built in 1909 under the sponsorship of
the Smithsonian Institute. The main trail
was completed in July of 1904, and just five
years latter, in 1909, the current stone
hut was constructed. It was completed in about
a months time. In modern day terms this may
not seem like any big deal, but one must
remember that back then all building materials
had to be delivered on site by mules (who had to
be coaxed up the trail under heavy loads). Add to
this, the fact that all construction had to be done
with simple hand tools, and you begin to get the
picture of how much effort it took to complete this project. The idea to construct a hut on the summit was
conceived after the first recorded death on Mt Whitney on July 26, 1904. Three men from the U.S. Bureau of
Fisheries had climbed up the brand new trail, and while on top eating lunch, were struck by lightening. Two
out of the three men survived, but the strike on Bryd Surby ended up being fatal.
Afternoon thunderstorms during the summer months
are still a danger to the modern day hiker and
climber. Lightening is not only a concern on peaks
but also on exposed ridges. The summit shelter's
door has a warning posted on it (image to the right)
warning visitors about the dangers of being on the
peak during lightening storms. The warning also lets
you know that taking shelter inside the hut is no
protection against electrical storms. Your best bet is
to always move toward lower ground when foul
weather threatens.
Spending the
night on the
summit of Mt
Whitney can be an experience all its own. Some hikers plan their trip so
that they will be able to reach the top by sunrise. Watching the sun rise on
the eastern horizon from the vantage point of Mt Whitney's summit can
be an experience you will never forget. I only spent the night out on the
peak once under circumstances that were not as pleasant as I would have
liked. My climbing partner Mike and I were pretty much forced into a
night out after climbing the east face of Mt Whitney in 1981. We ended
up running out of time for the descent to Ice Berg Lake (where we
had set up our initial base camp) because it had taken us so long to make
the ascent. We took shelter in the hut but were unable to close the door
because it was rusted into an open position that could not be altered by
mere human effort (the stone hut door was made of iron back then but
has since been replaced by a wooden one). The wind whistled throughout
the inside of the shelter all night, and time went by very slowly. It is best to forget about looking at your watch
in situations like this (because when you think an hour has gone by your watch reveals that only 5 minutes has
elapsed). I was never so glad to see the dawning of a new day after that cold night out. The upper left photo
shows a view of the inside of the stone structure. The stone seat with a patch of snow on it was where we sat
the night out while waiting for first light. We placed our climbing rope on top of the stone seat to provide a
little insulation from the bitter cold.
If you should decide to spend the night out on the summit of Mt Whitney make sure you are prepared for it.
Have proper equipment for the cold and have plenty of water along during the summer months, or carry a
stove for melting snow during early season.
I find that one of the neatest views from the
summit of Mt Whitney is Mt Russel just to the
north of Whitney. Mt Russel is one of the
California 14ers, and has a double summit. The
photo to the left shows a view of this magnificent
mountain from the top of Mt Whitney. The
peak on the left hand side of the image is the
higher point and shows the imposing face of the
fish hook arete. This face poses an interesting
challenge for accomplished mountaineers. I have
climbed Mt Russel twice via the east ridge route,
and can tell you that it is a classic Sierra climb
along a knife blade ridge.
All in all, the summit of Mt Whitney is a great place
to spend some time. The spectacular views
(To the right is Iceberg Lake, which is located
over 2,000 feet below the summit of Mt Whitney),
the wonderful since of accomplishment, and the great
memories you will have, make the 22 mile round
trip worth the effort.
So make sure to plan you trip accordingly, so that
you can spend some quality time on the summit.
And make sure your camera has plenty of film (or
room on your digital card) for taking plenty of
photographs. You will want to record all your
memories for your loved ones back home.
Mt Whitney - Summit timberlinetrails.net
Whitney Links
Base Camp
Getting Started
Trailhead
Trail Guide
High Camp
Trail Crest
East Face Route
Summit
Aerial View
Whitney Video
Whitney Slideshow
For Additional peaks and
information on the Sierra
Nevada. Click Here.
Photo Gallery Sierra range.
Click Here.
Base Camp
Getting Started
Trailhead
Trail Guide
High Camp
Trail Crest
East Face Route
Summit
Aerial View
Whitney Video
Whitney Slideshow
For Additional peaks and
information on the Sierra
Nevada. Click Here.
Photo Gallery Sierra range.
Click Here.
Click Here to Watch our Mt Whitney Video
For More Photos &Further Information On Mt Whitney Please Check Out The Below Links
Base Camp Getting Started Trailhead Trail Guide
High Camp Trail Crest East Face Route Aerial View
Whitney Slide Show
For Additional peaks and information on the Sierra Nevada. Click HERE.
For a Photo Gallery featuring the Sierra range. Click HERE.
Or if you are looking for answers to the deeper things in life, try the Ultimate Journey
Base Camp Getting Started Trailhead Trail Guide
High Camp Trail Crest East Face Route Aerial View
Whitney Slide Show
For Additional peaks and information on the Sierra Nevada. Click HERE.
For a Photo Gallery featuring the Sierra range. Click HERE.
Or if you are looking for answers to the deeper things in life, try the Ultimate Journey