Mt. Whitney 04-22-2006

Whitney Portal Road is full with rocks and other debris this time of the year.

Checking the road. Thor Peak and The Needles in the background.

Somebody is camping at Whitney Portal.

Naim is taking skis to go faster. He will ski Mountaineer's Route down.

On the part of the Main Trail, loaded.

Entering North Fork Lone Pine Creek drainage. Still a lot of snow.

Some people in front of us.

Balancing between boulders.

Nice weather.

Snow is melting and bridges braking down, but we are going through.

It's not easy with melting snow. We are little bit late. Best time to go is early in the morning, before sun heat.

The Sfing

Almost on the top of drainage.

Posing with Whitney Portal Road in the background.

The top of drainage is there. Clouds are coming in. Getting colder.

Mt. Whitney in the sight.

Here is windy, jacket is required. In the background Alabama Hills and Inyo Mountains.Whitney Portal Road still visible in the valley.

Nice.

On the skis, ready to go. I will slog on the snowshoes.

Lower Boy Scout Lake area. It looks nice from here, but it started being pretty cold.

I like this area. It's kind protected from wind with the trees and boulders. I used to camp here before.

Almost above tree line. Needles on the back. Clyde Meadows ice area visible on the left.

He is leaving me now. Whitney and Needles looking good.

Many tracks everywhere. In the center last trees by Upper Boy Scout Lake.

We took upper left side of the slopes under Thor Peak. It is easier to gain elevation.

Some people going down. Girl and boy.

Clouds are cleared again. Nice view to Lower Boy Scout Lake.

I am following Naim's tracks. Group of three people is in front of us. Naim is almost with them. He is fast on the skis.

Frozen waterfalls above Clyde Meadows. Good place for ice climbing practice.

"Frozen desert".

The rocky slabs are somewhere under the snow. Now it is easy to go up. Just go strait.

Closer to Upper Boy Scout Lake.

Three guys and Naim going towards Iceberg Lake. Clouds coming in again. It is getting more cold.

Sun again. It's April. Constant changing of the weather is normal for this time of the year.

I couldn't sleep, it was very windy and snowing for a while. I woke up around four AM. Started getting lighter around five. It looks strange, kind spooky. It is still dark but mountain is glowing with special light. Like warning us to pay attention to Her Majesty. The Queen.

The Moon is up, the Sun is coming after the Moon. I am walking around. Naim is sleeping. Very interesting.

Naim is up, too. Preparing for ascent. We made camp under the boulder, just below the Iceberg Lake.