I get up around 5:30 a.m. just in time to see the sunrise.
I am anxious to leave, but not anxious to leave this godly place. I wish I could take this place with me. I can't.
My anxiety is the 4 hour drive back to the concrete and steel jungles of Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Reality. Had things been different back home, I would not be experiencing these remorse feelings. They say all good things must come to an end. True.
But before I leave, I have to break camp. Sleeping bag. Stuff. Tent. Roll. Mattress pad. Roll. Bear vault. Stuff. Clothing. Stuff. Stove. Stuff. Ice axe and crampons. Secure. Water bladder. Full. Water bottles. Empty. Trekking poles. Adjusted. Sunscreen. Applied.
As I am doing these things, Steve and Mark awaken from their slumber. They said as soon as they hit the bags, out went the lights. They were exhausted. They said it was the best sleep they had in years. Deservingly so. You earned it.
Brian and Eusebio awaken as well. Brian is still on cloud nine. Eusebio manages a smile. He looks tired.
Steve and Brian bid us farewell. Now that they have conquered the highest in the 48 they are off to go to the lowest of the 48. Death Valley at 282 feet BELOW sea level. We shake hands and congratulate them on a job well done.
We leave Outpost Camp at 7:06 a.m. to begin our "long" descent to Whitney Portal 3.8 miles away. I know of this descent. It is the longest 3.8 miles. The good thing is that it is downhill. The bad thing is that you are fatigued, sore, smell, and may have blisters on your feet. You wish you could just take an escalator down to the ground floor, go to your vehicle and drive away.
The water levels in these stream have risen significantly since Sunday. I guess the water level to be around one to two inches higher than a couple of days ago. We make it across all of them without incident. With the warmer temperatures, the snow melt will accelerate. Many hikers await I am sure.
About a half mile or less from the end trailhead, the trail switches back towards the east. If you look up you can see Mt. Whitney. I turned around and pointed it out to Brian. He stopped in his tracks to gaze upward. There is this smile on his face. "Hey, Brian, you were up there! Eusebio, you will get your chance next year!"
The mountain air now becomes civilized air. The smell of smoke. The smell of bacon. Ah...
We arrive at Whitney Portal around 9:00 a.m. I weighed my pack again on the spring-loaded scale. Fifty-five pounds!
I change...check that...I shed/peel out of my camping clothes into some nice clean ones. I take off my shoes, socks, braces and stuff them into the stuff sack. This is some really dirty laundry. I debate whether to hit the road or eat a Portal Pancake. I imagine my body odor was enough to scare any bear away, but it didn’t matter. I don't care how I smell or appear.
I decide to have that infamous Portal Pancake. I know I will be back in July and August, but you never know who you will meet.
I bid Eusebio and Brian good-bye. I never knew them before the hike. Just strangers on a webpage who signed up to hike. I will not forget them. I hope to see them some day on another Outdoors Club adventure.
I walk into the store and order my pancake. I am so hungry I can eat a Portal Pancake in its entirety.
I notice a gentleman sitting down eating his breakfast. I ask, “Are you Doug, Sr.?” “Yes,” was his reply as he stood up to shake my hand. Doug Sr. is the proprietor of the Whitney Portal Store and is a wealth of information in his 20 years of operating the store. He also is the co-author of the book, Mount Whitney: Mountain Lore from the Whitney Store. It just so happened to be that his son, Doug Jr., was my chef. I chatted with both Dougs and they told me of some of the stories and cast of characters who visit the WPS. I had a good laugh. They are warm and very friendly people. Down home. Down to earth.
I told them of my two Iowa friends. As soon as I finished that story, Mark and Steve and their uncle enter the store. “That’s the 2 guys!”
I only eat half of my pancake. Man was that good. I am stuffed. I am happy. I finally got to eat the infamous pancake.
Eusebio enters the store to again wish me goodbye. "Next year, Eusebio! If I get a permit you will be the first person I will call! I promise you that!"
I bid both Dougs farewell and tell them I will see them again in July.
Time was around 10:00 a.m. I drive down Whitney Portal Road to Lone Pine Campground to check on the campsite for my July 12 hike. I will be checking in on July 7 and check out July 10 to check in to Dow Villa that afternoon. I talk to the camp manager, Pat. Nice old lady. We chatted for a while, then I told her I had to hit the road for the four hour trip. Before I left, I went by the campsite. Nice. Excellent location. Nice view of Whitney.
The time was 10:30 a.m. Time to return to “base camp.”
I arrive home at 2:45 p.m. I unpacked my things to put away or to air out (especially the sleeping bag!). I sprayed WD-40 on my crampons and ice axe and wiped away the excess.
Next on the agenda was that long awaited shower. The water invigorated my weary body and soul and brought me back to life.
My "almost victory" dinner was a leftover Arby's roast beef sandwich and a couple order of fries. I had to cook a fresh batch of rice because the other batch looked nasty. Once the rice was cooked, I zap both the sandwich and fries in the microwave. I also fry an over easy egg to put on top of my rice. I break the yolk and pour on the soy sauce. I do have weird eating habits, but that is me and that is how I got to become what I am.
Lessons learned: I will never forget to pack my Marmot rain gear. I will never take for granted a warm cup of coffee. I will never forget the new friends I made on this hike.
Did I have fun?
You're damn right I did!
