June 30th - Mt Whitney (or) "Day of the Marmots"

The day of the Marmots.  Lots of deer again in Crabtree meadow this morning and again at night.  Met up with Tuscan Raider and Smiles who went up Whitney yesterday.  Saw at least 10-12 marmots.  They are everywhere and what to get in your food.  Lots of climbers on Whitney and JMT hikers on there last leg of their adventure which slows me down because I always end up talking to everyone.  The views climbing above Guitar Lake and up the ridge line of Whitney were stellar!  Orders of magnitude better then I remember from our first climb years ago and that's why I went - because I remember how nice it was.  Spent over three hours on the summit in the sunshine and another hour sitting in the window of the spires emailing and texting down to the cell tower in Lone Pine.  The climb was fun but somehow I ending up being on the mountain from 7am-6:30pm despite climbing very fast.  Too much talking and enjoying the mountain!  The Crabtree meadow was filled with deer, marmots, chipmunks, and picas.

Sunrise over Crabtree Meadows

Traverse by Trail Crest on Mt Whitney

Mt. Whitney Summit -Highest point in lower 48
 

Lower Crabtree Meadows