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MOUNT WHITNEY

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An ascent of the Mountaineer's route (class 3) and the East Buttress (III, 5.8) of Mount Whitney,

with Robert Zeithammer, May 13-14, 2008

(Click image for larger view)

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Timeline:

May 11, 2008 – Alabama Hills sport climbing and (in the afternoon) approach hike to Lower Boyscout Lake

May 12, 2008 – Approach hike to Iceberg Lake

May 13, 2008 – We hiked to the base of Fishhook Arête, but decided not to climb it due to extremely low temps and high winds. We did a leisurely ascent of the Mountaineer’s Route instead. We left camp around 10:40 am, were on the summit at 1:30 pm and back in camp around 4 pm.

May 14, 2008 – Ascent of the East Buttress of Mount Whitney, III 5.7 (5.8 variation on P1). We left camp at 7:20 am, and started climbing at 8:20 am. We were on the summit at 2:15 pm, and back down in camp at 3:30 pm after glissading almost the entire Mountaineer’s Route. We left camp at 4:40 pm and were back at Whitney Portal at 7:40 pm.

Photos:

Please check here.

Pitch	Rating	Length	On lead	Observations
1	5.8	55m	Robert	Left side 5.8 variation. Blocks to stout 5.8 runout dihedral with only one piton. Belay on top of Second Tower.
2	5.7	30m	Robert	Face with flakes with one piton to a ledge belay. Less steep than it seems from below.
3	5.6	45m	Romain	Blocky 4^th and low 5^th to a belay at the base of a red corner.
4	5.6	45m	Robert	Red corner to 5.6 cracks on face and a ledge belay.
5	5.4	30m	Romain	4^th and easy 5^th to a ledge right of the Peewee.
6	5.5	45m	Robert	5.5 on the face to the right of the Peewee, to 5.5 climbing above and a big ledge.
7	5.7	40m	Romain	Crack on face to a left-slanting traverse and a belay just above a flake.
8	5.6	55m	Robert	Combined pitches 8 and 9 of Supertopo, to a large ledge belay.
9	5.5	30m	Romain	Hike 3^rd class across talus to when it gets steeper, then up blocks.
10	5.5	30m	Robert	Broke up the pitch because of rope drag. More blocky climbing to the top.

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