Starting the side trip

Whitney Creek flows through Crabtree Meadow in the foreground as the sharp, snowy crags of Mount Hitchcock, just south of Whitney, loom in the distance.

The panorama forward (1/2)

Mount Whitney, to left, stands silent watch over Timberline Lake, about 2 miles into the 8.5-mile trek from the PCT to the peak.

The panorama forward (2/2)

The south approach to Mount Whitney, left, and the steep cliffs of Mount Hitchcock, right, stand silent watch over Timberline Lake, about 2 miles into the 8.5-mile trek from the PCT to the peak.

The view back down

From 13,000 feet -- which was already higher than I'd ever climbed in my life, my previous record being Yosemite's Mount Matterhorn at 12,000-something -- the Hitchcock Lakes, left, and Guitar Lake, right, point back down the valley at the distant forest surrounding Crabtree Meadows, my starting point for the ascent.

Trail Crest Junction

At 13,484 feet, this trail intersection is one of the nation's highest, and possibly one of the most well-traveled. The westbound climb from Whitney Portal rounds the back of that cliff to meet the eastbound climb from Crabtree Meadows (lower trail), and both merge into the Whitney summit trail (upper left) for the final 1,000 feet of ascent along the mountain's stark and viewful south ridge.

The final approach

The mountain was unbelievably crowded. Well, believably crowded, considering it was Saturday of the July 4 long weekend. At least 30 people passed me on their way down from the peak, and I cruised by 8 more heading upward. Not to mention the 20 or more at the summit. The beautiful weather was a factor too, I'm sure.

Top of the world

14,496 feet. Seven torturous hours of ascent. One happy hiker.

A lightning rod is me

The summit hut looked so fashionable bedecked in its tiny little lightning rods. I couldn't help but try to join in the fun.

Where's the high-altitude directions?

I cooked lunch atop Whitney. Two packages of Lipton teriyaki noodles. That was the fastest I've ever seen water boil. Here I am kicking back with the meal at the summit rock.

A logbook observation

I can't imagine my future plans will ever take me to a higher mountain, as I'm not much of a world traveller. However, I will quite gladly eat my words if I ever bag Olympus Mons during a journey to Mars.

The nation's highest port-a-potty

At about 14,450 feet, this pathetic little thing is the United States' highest maintained commode. It's also got to be one of the nation's most expensive, because the only way they can empty it out is by helicopter. I can also personally attest that it's rather precarious and not particularly comfortable.

What, behind the marmot?

"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice marmots come." -- Matt Groening, adapted.

Thru-hikers at the summit

From left: Redtail, Kuhrt, Trippin' Ant, Ben, Odessa, and Running Moon. Not shown: Lion King, TDS, Green Bean, Doug and Heidi were among those who bagged the summit earlier in the day; Mojave and Muse later followed our group up. After weeks of solitary desert walking, it was amazing to see such a tremendous clump of hikers all at once.

Whitney's east face

Seen from the summit, the nearly vertical cliffs of the eastern face of Whitney's south ridge loom forbiddingly. The summit trail traverses the slightly less imposing western side.

The aptly-named Iceberg Lake

Just northeast of Mount Whitney, the water under that mass of ice was one of the many frozen-over lakes I saw in the high Sierra. Such a change from the desert!