At the summit hut at 14,497 feet above sea level. Congratulations to Art and his friend Russ N. on their first summit of Mt. Whitney on August 6, 2007.
For the last couple of years, Art had always been "bragging" around work that Whitney was just a walk in the park and that he could walk it backwards and this and that. Yeah, yeah.
Anyhow, I finally convinced Art to apply for a permit back in February and he got it. I helped him fill out the form and told him when he had to mail it. I obtained my permit in March, but Art never got his in the mail. Apparently, his permit was "never sent" so I told him to call up the ranger station and find out what the delay was about. To make a long story short, Art was informed over the phone when he and his team were going.
Art was already an avid mountain biker, so I told him that the cycling will help him with his cardiovascular endurance and leg strength. All he had to do was incorporate some hiking in the local mountains. He would report to me that he and his wife were hitting the trails in preparation for their moment and he was always asking me questions and I was always providing him the answers.
Art's team of six and my team of four were to go on this day. We had it all planned out. We were going to combine the two teams into a mega-team. If someone backed out, we had someone willing to fill in the void. When two vacancies opend up on Art's team, I told my wife Pam and she was willing to go. I was going to do a "solo" starting at around midnight while the rest of my team would start at their own time, but with Pam going that would change. Art wanted his team to go when I went. "Are you sure you want to leave at midnight, Art?"
However, due to job changes and training commitments and requirements, I had to pass up the opportunity for my sixth summit. TeamBruin was to go, but they had other commitments and had to back out. Mike B. was a go, but I had to tell him of my circumstances and that I was canceling the hike.
My wife and I salvaged a camping trip out of this at Whitney Portal thanks to TeamBruin relinquishing their #44 camping spot for us to enjoy "bear country."
My wife and I hooked up with Art at the Pizza Factory in Lone Pine on Friday, August 3 and gave him the last and up-to-the-minute details of the weather and trail conditions. His plan was to go up to Horseshoe Meadow on Saturday and Sunday to get a quick acclimatization at 10,000 feet.
After Pam and I completed our Meysan Lake hike on Saturday, August 4, we decided to shower up at the Portal Store and it just happened to be that Art and Russ were there in the store. Pam and I sat down with them and I gave them the details on where the "secret" trailhead was, the "vanishing trail" around Mirror Lake, where to replenish their water supplies, what to pack, the time to turn around if not on the summit. Yes, they were bombarded with a lot of information just a couple of days before their big hike, but it was information I felt they needed to reach the top. The information I provided was something I never got before my first summit back in 2004.
While in Fresno, I received a voicemail from Art. He and Russ had made it. I believe it took them 8 or 9 hours up and 4 hours down. Not bad for a first time. Not like my 17 hours 12 minute 25.03 second "endurance test."
Again, congratulations to Art and Russ on their first summit! You were up there!
I bet you two are planning for a return trip!
Yo, Brohammy, I did it! 
