Who Do I Think I Am, Attempting To Climb Mt. Whitney?
As the tallest peak in the lower 48 states, Mt. Whitney is a 22-mile round trip hike with an elevation gain of 6,200 ft, topping out at 14,505 ft at its summit. This ambitious hike is not for the faint of heart. Many people that attempt it, do not complete it. So what makes me think I will? Sheer will and determination, mixed with a little delusion, naivety and stubbornness.
How It All Started
My love for hiking has been a slow burn. As a kid we would go camping a lot. My dad worked for motorcoach and camper companies for most of his life. I grew up in the woods of Oregon, at the base of the Cascade Mountain Range. I was a girl scout. My family were hunters, fishers and crabbers (though I am vegan now). All in all, I spent a lot of time outside.
When I graduated high school, I joined the Army Reserve and moved to California for college. I trained around the country and deployed once. In between classes, my service, and part-time jobs, my friends and I would find ourselves picking our way through the crevices of Topanga Canyon, or rock scrambling along the edges of the San Fernando Valley. Even living in the city, I always found my way into the wilderness.
One Foot In Front of the Other
Slowly I started to attempt bigger and badder feats. Never with the thought in my mind that “I’m a hiker.” To me, they were just grand adventures. Something to do, something to see. I never looked at miles, elevation gain, what the weather was going to be like, or worried about what was in my bag. I just went wherever my feet were taking me. Wherever my friends were inviting me. Or wherever sounded cool.
I was also traveling whenever I could. I explored waterfalls in the jungles of Thailand, I wandered through ancient temples in Cambodia, I climbed to monasteries at the top of Meteora in Greece, I walked along the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland. Still, I never thought, “I am a hiker.” I just wanted to see the world in all its glory.
The Lightbulb Moment
After graduating college, my partner and I planned a little road trip to Zion. We glamped on someone’s property the night before, falling asleep to the sound of howling coyotes, and waking up to horses grazing around our camp. We had only one day, and we wanted to see as much as possible. This would be our first trip as a couple, and the first National Park that we would check off our list together. We trekked up to Angels Landing, made our way to the Emerald Pools, and finished at the Riverside Walk. It was about 14 miles in total. After, I thought, "Hmm, maybe I like this hiking thing?"
Setbacks and Switchbacks
A few years later, I was set to visit Japan and wanted to see Mt. Fuji. It was early 2020. Then the pandemic hit. Everything changed. I hardly left my apartment, started drinking quite a bit, had some tumultuous relationships with friends and family, and was extremely overwhelmed at work. I made a big shift. We moved into a new place, I cut ties with some people, and I started a new job. As the world was starting to even out, things were looking up.
In mid 2021, I got invited to hike Half Dome in Yosemite. Without even thinking about it, I said yes. I’d heard the name, and knew it was something special, but had never researched the trail. Little did I know I would be hiking 17 strenuous miles and ascend a final granite dome using precarious cables and tiny wooden footholds. Nonetheless, adventure was calling, and I was answering. I accepted the challenge, did a little homework, got some new gear, and set out for the trip of a lifetime.
It’s All Downhill From Here
When I returned home from Half Dome, all was well. I felt immensely happy. I wanted more. But in just a few weeks, things would sour. I woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, tossing and turning, with a level of pain I hadn’t felt since my appendix was removed. I tried to make it through the night to no avail. People were still avoiding hospitals at that time, and I was worried I might have covid. I called the nurses hotline and they said go immediately to emergency care. I had to take three covid tests before the hospital would accept me. I spent hours alone behind a glass wall, in agony, not sure what was happening. Eventually, after a bunch of tests, they determined I had a kidney infection. Apparently they’re very serious. I was admitted to the hospital for several days.
My time in the hospital was a shock. But after that, it was rough too. I was put on intense antibiotics and was told I could not exercise for up to six months. I went from standing on top of Half Dome feeling the highest high, to lying in bed feeling my lowest and going lower. I needed a new hobby, so I started reading.
The Next Chapter
Reading gave me a way to see the world, through the eyes of others. One day, I went to the used bookstore with a friend. I came to the end of an aisle and pulled a book off the shelf. It was called Salt to Summit: A Vagabond Journey from Death Valley to Mount Whitney by Daniel Arnold. It piqued my interest. I took it home. I didn’t even know what Mt. Whitney was at the time. As I read it, I fell in love. The way nature writers describe the world is intoxicating and romantic. I needed to hike Mt. Whitney.
Back To The Woods
Life continued on, as it does, and I found myself moving back to Oregon. I wasn’t sure if I would like it. I loved my life near the beach, with the sun always shining on my face. I had forgotten the special things about the place I grew up. Only remembering the cold bitter rain, the wind storms, and the occasional nights without electricity. It was hard at first, facing a place that carried so many memories, so much weight, and some hurt from the past. It took a while to adjust. But eventually, I started to recognize this was a chance for a fresh start. I was grown now. Things were different. So I made a decision. I would let go of my hard feelings, and I would foster new ones. I would give Oregon a chance. I wanted to see Oregon for what it was, not what I thought it was.
Two Roads Converge
At the beginning of 2024, permit season for Mt. Whitney rolled around. My friend and I put in for a handful of days, hoping for the best. And we won. It was on. The race to hike Mt. Whitney began. And I wasn’t ready. Holy shit, I wasn’t ready at all. I needed to get back in shape. Get back to where I was before my stint in the hospital. Back to when I climbed Half Dome, but Mt. Whitney was going to be much harder.
Then I realized, there it was, clear as day. My opportunity. I will see all of Oregon while I prepare for Mt. Whitney. I will put my feet on the trail. I will hike every mountain I can reach. And I will train. I will train and I will succeed. I’m going to climb Mt. Whitney.
So Here We Are
If you’ve been talking to me at all, or reading some of my latest social posts, you know that I’m working on a reels series as I prepare to hike Mt. Whitney. The goal is to show all of the steps it takes to get there, from planning, training, and packing, to actually hiking Mt. Whitney. That will take me to some of Oregon’s most stunning and challenging destinations in the process!
So who do I think I am, attempting to climb Mt. Whitney? I am not an athlete. I am not a seasoned backpacker. I am no one important. Just a girl who eats plants and likes long walks, who has a dream, and the motivation, to see the place she read about in a book once. So if you’re into it, please follow along. Like my posts. Tag your friends. Tell me I’m crazy, I don’t care. But someone out there will see this and go for it, just like I did. To be willing to try is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.
Partnership Opportunities
As a content creator and storyteller, my work is possible in two ways. Either by supporting myself through my freelance marketing business, or by partnering with brands that align with my work. Ultimately, I would love to find some partners to sponsor content throughout this trip and beyond. If that sounds like something you’re interested in discussing, please reach out through my contact page, email me at jess@eatwelllivewild.com or DM me at instagram.com/eatwelllivewild.