There was frost on my tent when I woke up. It would be a sign of things to come and I made some coffee just to hold on my frozen fingers while I started hiking. Near Chicken Spring Lake I met caveman again. He hikes with his arm in a sling due to nerve damage in the arm. The fact he has hiked 8k miles is inspiring. All day I thought about climbing Mt Whitney and being the highest person in the Continental United States. So I decided if I could get the 29 Miles in to Crabtree Meadow by a decent time and the weather looked good I would go up. Everything worked perfectly and after a quick dinner I left the Meadow and climbed over 4K up to the top, where I experienced a happiness and exuberance I can’t begin to describe. A few minutes at the top and a bit of cell service before I raced darkness back down. I was in my tent before 10pm, feeling accomplished and tired from a 45 Miles day!
Miles today:45 (16 bonus miles to climb Mt. Whitney)
#greatwesternloop #JeffGarmireGWL #GreatWesternLoopfinishers #whatdoesGWLstandfor #howmanypeoplehavedonetheGWL #whohasdonetheGreatWesternLoop #Thelongestthruhike #JeffGarmireGreatWesternLoop #whatstatesdoestheGWLgothrough #WhatistheGreatWesternLoop #WheredoestheGreatWesternLoopgo #thelongestbackpackingtrip #whohasdonetheGWL