13
Nov
inReach message from Robert Danger Byrd
Whitney is very steep climbing. We were exhausted last night after 10 hours & dined on 14deg pizza to avoid cooking. Melting snow for water now & gearing up
Whitney is very steep climbing. We were exhausted last night after 10 hours & dined on 14deg pizza to avoid cooking. Melting snow for water now & gearing up
It was a big day with and we are now in our bags to sleep. Blaine is a strong climber.. View coming up was spectacular. We have a very uneven camp site.
Just completed our first shortcut & yes, it was a bad idea. 18 deg, dark and we have another 600′ to high camp. Excepting shortcut, trail is in great shape!
Took our first break at 2hrs. Moving out and just encountered our first snow, but its well packed and icy, no issue for our micro spikes 42 Deg, Perfect Day!
We are leaving the trailhead now & have 4,000′ of climbing before we reach high camp. Weather demands a lot of heavy gear, so it’s going to be a long day.
The allure of big breakfast & warm bed, won out over benefits of sleeping a few thousand feet higher. We have our gear locked and are driving to trailhead.
Mission accomplished! I’m really hating snow right now.
Access road was restricted so there was no Jeep, not even a little blue truck waiting for me. So now I’m hiking last 2 miles down now to meet Susan
Either Jesus granted me the ability to walk on snow, or its re-freezing. NO POST HOLING for last hour. I was about ready to build a snow cave back
there.
Sunset was breathtaking, but now it’s dark, I have 3.5 miles to go & I’m still post holing. I do have a lamp. Yes I took a shortcut back there, what of it.
I’m going to hike straight to the ranger station and choke the ranger who insisted I didn’t need snowshoes. It’s only 32 miles further, but it’s on PAVEMENT!
Nobody has come this way lately so there is no trail only pristine snow knee deep. Post holing again. $5,000 to the first person to airdrop me
some snowshoes
Now I’m on the 2nd highest mountain in New Mexico. All in a day’s work
Made the summit! Typing this while huddled behind a big rock. 54MPH wind, so it’s not drone weather. It’s not Danger weather so I won’t be staying long.
Taking a PB&J break just below summit ridge to avoid brunt of wind which is already blowing spindrift in my face. It’s not pleasant here.
Pole back in action after quick feild repair w beer can and duct tape. Actually I didn’t need the beer can, it just sounded cool. Trail dicey, cold & windy.
Bummer, just broke a pole, never happened before. Have to travel slower now. Trail deteriorating as I climb. Lots of snow, post holing to knee on trail now
Bummer, just broke a pole, never happened before. Have to travel slower now. Trail deteriorating as I climb. Lots of snow, post holing to knee on trail now
Sun is over the ridge which is not good. It will turn the mountainside to slush. I had hoped to be higher by this time. Otherwise it’s beauty of a day.
Almost took another shortcut, but changed my mind when I stepped off the relatively well packed trail and sank to my waist. I know, I know, I’m hard headed.
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