Sights on Mt. Whitney

Here I am, out of my winter hibernation and looking ahead at what promises to be a truely exciting summer. The highlight of this summer is going to be an attempt to scale Mt. Whitney, which at 14,505 feet is the tallest peak in the contiguous United States ( the tallest peak in USA being Mt. McKinley in Alaska )

Planning for the trip started way back in January since only a limited number of people are permitted on the Whitney trail every day. That means there is a long drawn application process with the number of applicants far exceeding the daily limit. And then the lottery system comes into play and keeps you guessing until the last moment if you will be one of the lucky ones ( This is sounding so much like this years H1-B process :)) Lady luck was with us this time and we have a day permit for the 8th of July.

So we have about three months of time to prepare for this big hike. Apart from the regular running/gym workouts and climbing a few trails, I think it is important to do few treks at high altitudes. As of now plans are to hike Half Dome ( 8836 feet ) and Mt. Dana (13,061 feet) in Yosemite NP. Each of these treks are challenging on their own and should help us prepare for the big one.

So Mt. Whitney, here we come !!