US: Mt. Whitney

As part an educational branch to my blog I am going to try to make a daily post on a specific mountain with a brief descriptive paragraph. Today I decided to talk about Mt. Whitney. Whitney was named after the famous explorer and geologist Josiah Whitney, who in 1860 led the first effort towards a comprehensive geological survey of the state of California. Located in Sequoia National Park, Whitney is the tallest mountain in the U.S. at an elevation of 14,505 ft. Interestingly, this mountain is within 100 miles of Death Valley, which contains the lowest point in the US at 262 feet below sea level.


Without any requirements for technical climbing, this mountain is the most ascended member of the Sierras. In fact, the trail used to become so crowded that the National Park Service has issued a permit requirement to any hikers that venture beyond the base. Crampons and ice axes may be needed while climbing during the off summer season. The hike to the top is 11 miles, and during the summer month well fit climbers have been known to reach the summit and then come back in a single day. Given that Whitney consists primarily of exposed granite without perils such as glaciers and with an otherwise unimpressive view, many experienced climbers lack interest in this mountain.

First post

Hey,

I am a motivated college student who has always wanted to travel around the world. This blog was created a a tangible way to meet my goals, where I could chronicle the steps to my dreams with the world as an audience and a source of hope at times when the vision of my future seems impossible. My goal right now is to climb Mt. Everest, which has been an object of fascination since my childhood. As an amateur photographer, I intend to photograph my journey, with a lot of side tracks along the way.

My current training consists of lifting weights and running four days a week, which additionally helps in college athletics, where I am vice president of the University Rugby Team. I plan to enroll in a climbing class this school year, although my residence in Florida means that anything that I climb will be artificial. This only gives me more inspiration to transcend the boundaries of my daily world. While I love the area where I go to school, and the options it gives me as a major in marine science, I am constantly irked by the feeling that what I see is only the surface of worldly experience. In addition to taking classes, I am also surrounding myself with literature on Mt. Everest and climbing in general. I was particularly enticed by Into Thin Air, an Everest narrative by Jon Krakauer which--among the immense pain of life's lost on the mountain, and challenges endured to reach the summit--depicts a feeling which cannot be replicated anywhere else.

Anyway, this blog will include everything from personal photographs to book reviews to documentation on my progress. I am trying to live under the mantra that anyone who sets their mind to a goal can accomplish it, but am not so naive to think that I can climb the tallest mountain in the world without outside aid. It is ultimately my audience--family, friends and readers who believe in me--that will push me to the top. This is why I welcome advice and suggestions.

Pictures and progress coming soon.