_JFR_:
0004 We drove up to the Horseshoe Meadows Campground the first night, to begin our elevation acclimation at 10k feet
_JFR_:
0018 Driving back down Horseshoe Meadows Road on the way to the Ranger Station in Lone Pine
_JFR_:
0033 The boys got out and pretended to Tip Cows that were walking along Lubken Canyon Road - of course it was a joke
_JFR_:
0037 We arrived at the Inyo National Forest Ranger Station in Lone Pine to get our day-hiking permit for Mount Whitney
_JFR_:
0550 We couldn't help but notice a Toyota Prius that had been pried open by a hungry bear - Yikes!
_JFR_:
0581 Life is good as we munch down on Portal Burgers at the Whitney Portal Store - we needed the calories for tomorrow
_JFR_:
0612 Packing up our tent at 1am in the Walk-In Camp at Whitney Portal as we get ready to hike up Mount Whitney
_JFR_:
0614 It's just before 2am and we're starting our day-hike to the summit at the Mount Whitney Trail head
_JFR_:
0615 The boys are weighing their daypacks on the official pack scale at the Whitney Portal Trailhead
_JFR_:
0633 Crossing Lone Pine Creek on the log bridges in the pre-dawn darkness on the Mount Whitney Trail
_JFR_:
0638 Trail sign as we enter the Whitney Zone on the Mount Whitney Trail - good thing we had our permit!
_JFR_:
0643 An hour later we hopped on the rocks across Lone Pine Creek at Outpost Camp on the Mount Whitney Trail
_JFR_:
0649 Dawn finally began to light up at about 5am, but it was still dark enough for headlamps, on the Mount Whitney Trail
_JFR_:
0653 The faintest dawn alpenglow began to appear on the Sierra Crest as we kept hiking uphill on the Mount Whitney Trail
_JFR_:
0656 After three solid hours of hiking in the dark on the Mount Whitney Trail, it was time to eat some breakfast
_JFR_:
0659 The dawn clouds to the east were beginning to light up, just after 5am on the Mount Whitney Trail
_JFR_:
0662 We met a number of other day-hikers on the trail that morning, and we all agreed that it was too cold and windy
_JFR_:
0664 Portrait of two cold hikers hiding their faces from the wind, on the Mount Whitney Trail at dawn
_JFR_:
0677 We made it to Trailside Meadow as the dawn alpenglow really began shining, on the Mount Whitney Trail
