[pct-l] 1977

[Edward Anderson]

I climbed Whitney three times during the 1950's. The first in 1954. I did two by trail from Whitney Portal.  One of the three was more ambitious. I did the mountaineers route solo (class 4). That is the route that John Muir took - that's why I wanted to do it.  In those days the Climbers Guide described three other, more difficult, routes up the east face: The Direct Crack, The Shakey Leg Crack. and the Fresh Air Traverse. These were Class 5 and 6 and required direct aid.

I ride horses now. You might be interested to know that the FIRST ACCENT of Whitney was when three horsemen rode to the summit from the West. Clarence King hoped to be first up but climbed the wrong peak. A great book, I think still available, is  "Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada" by Clarence King. King and Richard Cotter, during the Brewer expedition, were the first to cross what we now know as the Kings-Kern Divide (which includes Forester Pass) and then crossed the Bighorn Plateau. The wanted to climb the highest peak then and did climb Mt Tyndall - and could see still higher summits to the south. After that King tried approaching from the east - from Lone Pine. And failed again. That book is a great read!

MendoRider 

--- On Tue, 4/6/10, Deems <losthiker at sisqtel.net> wrote:

> From: Deems <losthiker at sisqtel.net>
> Subject: [pct-l] 1977
> To: "pct" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Date: Tuesday, April 6, 2010, 12:07 AM
> I would like to share a photo from
> 1977 shared with me by Monte Dodge. A 
> 1000 words would never come close to defining his epic
> hike, the person, the 
> trials and hardships, or the adventure the rewards he
> experienced that this 
> one portrait can tell. This is one of my favorite photos of
> Monte. Best 
> wishes to the 2010 hikers!
> http://www.pbase.com/losthiker/image/123287366/original
> 
> 
> 
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