August 2004
Backpack trip to the top of Mount Whitney
14,496 feet elevation - Highest spot in the 48 contiguous States
(64.4 miles in 6 days)

Day 1	Aug 19	Drive to Lone Pine and Horseshoe Meadows at 9,500' elevation
Day 2	Aug 20	Hike 6 miles to Long Lake at 11,000'
Day 3	Aug 21	10 miles via New Army Pass 12,300' & down to Rock Creek at 10,400'
Day 4	Aug 22	11 miles up to Guitar lake at 11,500'
Day 5	Aug 23	5 miles and 3,000' up to the TOP OF MOUNT WHITNEY 14, 496'.  15 miles total for the day to Crabtree Meadows
Day 6	Aug 24	15 miles total to Long Lake including up and over New Army Pass 12,300'
Day 7	Aug 24	6 miles back to Horseshoe Meadows and the 328 mile drive home.

DAY 1

These daily trip summaries were all written by Dr. Len Glaser from Bristol, Connecticut. My first look at Mount Whitney, from the Lone Pine Ranger Station, revealed a high, jagged peak with its two, signature, southern spines, shrouded in rain clouds. From there we drove toward Horseshoe Meadows past Movie Rocks; stacks of giant, round boulders; background scenery for many westerns. The 45 minute drive to Horseshoe Meadows entailed a 4000 foot climb affording a wonderful view of the valley below. At Horseshoe, we set up our tents for the first time. Campfires were allowed, and we enjoyed getting to know each other: Yours truly-a doctor of internal medicine; Doug Malewicki-freelance engineer; John Cole-engineer and molecular biologist; Don Edberg-professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Cal Polytech Pomona, and jazz trombonist. Don had fashioned a trumpet from a brass mouthpiece, a piece of clear plastic tubing, and an oil change funnel that he took all the way to the summit.
Fossil Falls - Mini detour to see volcanic remnants just off highway 395			John Cole at view point on the drive from Lone Pine up to Horseshoe Meadows

Day1 - Day2 - Day3 - Day4 - Day5 - Day6 - Day 7

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