How To Climb Mt Whitney In A Day - Part 1

On August 4th, 2009, I made a successful summit of Mt.Whitney in a day. My intent with this post is to provide advice to help others from the east coast successfully climb Mt.Whitney in a day. Because there is already a lot of good information available on many aspects of planning your Mt. Whitney hike, there is no need for me to duplicate what's available elsewhere. I will however, link to the resources I found most useful and that should save you a lot of time.

I should really title this post, "What Someone From The East Needs To Know To Climb Mount Whitney In A Day". So what is the difference between someone for the Eastern US climbing Mt. Whitney and someone from the Western US? In a word, ALTITUDE! Read carefully, that is altitude and NOT attitude!

Before we head up the mountain, let's get a few facts out of the way. Mount Whitney is the highest mountain in the lower 48 (aka . . . continental US.) I'd like to give you the exact height, but that fact is still in dispute. Personally, I like to use the figure of 14,505 ft., which is listed on wikipedia. However, the official USGS benchmark on the peak has 14,494 ft. Regardless, there is no dispute about it Mount Whitney being THE highest.

For the adventurer living in the eastern US planning a Mount Whitney summit attempt, it's impossible to find a location to train the body for that kind of altitude. The highest mountain east of the Rocky's, Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina, is only 6,684 ft. and that's nearly 2000 ft. lower than the trail head for Mt.Whitney.

Although there are many routes to the summit of Mt. Whitney, the most popular route begins at the Mt. Whitney Portal. The Mt. Whitney Trail begins at an elevation of 8,371 ft. and continues 11 miles up the mountain to the summit at elevation 14,505 ft. That's a whopping 22 miles round trip with an elevation gain of around 6,100 ft. In fact, 10 out of the 22 miles are above 12,000 ft! The extreme altitude is usually what prevents hikers from successfully making it to the summit.

Why Climb Mount Whitney In A Day?

Now that we no this hike is going to be a challenge, let's address the question of why attempt it in a single day. I would guess that most choose the day option simple for the challenge. If you choose this option, know that it is going to be long and difficult, but when it's over you'll have an amazing sense of accomplishment. Aside from the challenge aspect, here are a few practical reasons to choose to climb Mt Whitney in a day:

• You won't have to bother with carrying a bear canister
• Most likely, you won't have to carry out your poop (more on this later)
• Day use permits are easier to get than overnight permits
• You'll need less gear (tent, bag, stove, etc . . . ), which means less weight to carry

So if you've read this far and you're still interested in climbing Mt Whitney in a day, here are some of the information covered in future parts

• What time of year is best to climb Mt. Whitney
• Gear selection and tips
• How to acclimate your body to the altitude
• What to eat and drink
• and much more!

Birding At Bernheim Forest

 Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)

Thought I'd write a short post about the excellent opportunities for birding at Bernheim Forest Arboretum and Research Forest located in Nelson County, Kentucky, which is about 25 miles south of Louisville, Ky and 17 miles west of Bardstown, Ky. Birding at Bernheim Forest is perfect for all levels of bird watchers. Beginners will appreciate the many areas designed specifically for bird watching.

Winter Birding
During the winter months, there is an indoor room located in the Education Center with floor-to-ceiling windows providing great views of feeders placed just outside. The setting is very natural and there is interpretive information on display to help you identify the more common birds. A walk on one of the many hiking trails or fire roads offer views of the many woodpeckers frequently seen here, as well as other year-round  birds. Geese and ducks can be seen near lakes within Bernheim Forest.

Even though many birds have migrated south for the winter, it is possibly the best time of year to begin learning to birdwatch. For one thing, there is practically no foliage and without all the leaves blocking your view, spotting birds is much easier. Plus, the many birds that are present are year-round residents, which means when the spring migration occurs you'll be able to quickly recognize the more commonly seen birds and focus your attention on the amazing migratory birds.

In winter, expect to see:

• Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
• Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
• Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
• Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
• White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
• Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
• Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) - recently, a wake of consisting of more than 150 was seen riding the currents in the clear blue sky.
• and many more! 

Spring Migration
During the spring, summer and fall, birding at Bernheim Forest is simply amazing. Believe it or not, all those tiny birds have flown thousands of miles to return to Bernheim Forest. Don't miss the opportunity to witness one of the most amazing displays of nature. I recommend you set a goal to accomplish all of the following:

Purple Martin Colonies
Huge colonies of Purple Martins can be seen through late July near Lake Nevin and also around the Education Center where special Purple Martin habitats have been established. To really appreciate this bird learn about its dependence on man.

Acrobatic Barn Swallows
An entertaining display of Barn Swallows can be seen each summer at the Garden Pavilion located next to Lake Nevin. Be sure to keep visiting until you see the babies crowded in the nest.

Lake Nevin Loop
Walk the loop trail around Lake Nevin and your practically guaranteed to see (and hear!) the brilliantly colored Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Canada Geese (Branta canadensis)  and various types of ducks. Look for the Indigo Buntings just after you cross the second bridge (walking clockwise)

Native Kentucky Prairie
An elevated observation platform stands in the Big Prairie making it easy to spot birds of a native Kentucky prairie habitat, possibly including the recently re-introduced Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). You'll know this one when you hear it . . . it actually calls out its name!

Song Birds
Even when the foliage is thick as a blanket, and spotting birds is difficult, a short trail walk or hike will get you serenaded with songs of the seasons top performers such as the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) (Click here to hear song) and Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) (Click here to hear song).

In this post, I've only mentioned a few of the many birds that are possible to see while birding in Bernheim Forest. To learn more, visit the Bernheim Forest website and click here for an official list of birds at Bernheim.

Be sure to call Bernheim Forest to find out about their bird related programs presented by knowledgeable interpreters. All programs are reasonably priced and can jump start your connecting with nature!

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)