July 31

Guitar Lake to Wallace Creek, via Mount Whitney – 16.5 miles

On the trail early, just after 6 am, for the summit. Some opt to climb in the dark to see sunrise from the summit, but I wanted to see the climb in the daylight, but to leave early enough to ensure that I could make it to Wallace Creek relatively comfortably in the afternoon after summiting Mt Whitney. I lightened my load by leaving my bear canister with my food in my campsite since I had to pass back through after summiting. It’s a pretty straightforward climb, but made a bit more challenging by the altitude. Past Trail Crest (the summit where the climb from Guitar Lake meets the climb from Whitney Portal) the trail is often more of a rock hop, and the last push to the summit was covered by a snowfield, so the final section was a scramble through loose rocks and boulders.

A wave of emotion came over me as I stood at the summit. Being there was something I’d thought of doing for so many years, and had finally done, and I was now officially starting the JMT as well! Views I’d long seen in pictures I was beholding in person; indelible for a lifetime. After taking in the views and fueling up for almost 45 minutes, I retraced my route back to Guitar Lake where I retrieved my bear canister and then headed down trail past Crabtree Meadows and onward to Wallace Creek. To ensure dry feet in the morning, I first crossed the creek before looking for a campsite for the evening on the north side of creek, upstream from the junction of the High Sierra Trail with the PCT/JMT.