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Maksim Kalashnikov Premium Fotki Member

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Mount Whitney via Mountaineer's Route 2009/04/24-26

Climbed Mt. Whitney via the moderately technical Mountaineer's Route with Yura Friedman and Sasha Kizler. The peak, at 14,505 ft, is the highest point in the "lower 49" United States.

       
    
    
Slideshow | Invite
A glimpse of the High Sierras
1 A glimpse of the High Sierras
 
A look back onto Owens Valley from Whitney Portal Road
2 A look back onto Owens Valley from W…
 
Just before heading up from Whitney Portal trailhead
3 Just before heading up from Whitney …
 
Whitney trailhead.  Mountaineer's Route splits off from the main trail in 1 mile
4 Whitney trailhead. Mountaineer's Ro…
 
A view up Whitney Portal
5 A view up Whitney Portal
 
Huge granite slabs
6 Huge granite slabs
 
Yura & Sasha after just crossing the falls before climbing E-Ledges
7 Yura & Sasha after just crossing the…
 
At the begging of the E-Ledges climb
8 At the begging of the E-Ledges climb
 
On the Ledges
9 On the Ledges
 
IMG_0153.jpg
10 IMG_0153.jpg
 
At Lower Boy Scout Lake.  Whitney is hidden in the clouds.  Ice wall and Mt. Thor at left.
11 At Lower Boy Scout Lake. Whitney is…
 
You can see Lower Boy Scout Lake and Owens Valley in the background
12 You can see Lower Boy Scout Lake and…
 
Ice wall and Mt. Thor
13 Ice wall and Mt. Thor
 
At Upper Boy Scout Lake.  Storm spilling into the valley over Mt. Russell col
14 At Upper Boy Scout Lake. Storm spil…
 
Tying the tent down tight was the right move!
15 Tying the tent down tight was the ri…
 
Yura's solution to wet socks and food storage
16 Yura's solution to wet socks and foo…
 
Acclimatization hike up UBSL valley.  Mt. Thor in the background
17 Acclimatization hike up UBSL valley.…
 
Yura at Mt. Russell cirque, 700 feet above Upper Boy Scout Lake, during our first acclimatization hike.
18 Yura at Mt. Russell cirque, 700 feet…
 
Descending back to UBSL.  Damn it was windy up in the cirque!
19 Descending back to UBSL. Damn it wa…
 
Receding in the background: UBSL, ice wall, Thor Peak, Lone Pine Peak, clouds over Owens Valley
20 Receding in the background: UBSL, ic…
 
Next morning perfect weather.  UBSL & Mt. Russell
21 Next morning perfect weather. UBSL …
 
Leaving UBSL for high camp at Iceberg Lake
22 Leaving UBSL for high camp at Iceber…
 
First close-up view of Mt. Whitney and the two Needles
23 First close-up view of Mt. Whitney a…
 
Signs of a wet avalanche
24 Signs of a wet avalanche
 
Whitney & the Needles.  Yura crossing a moraine
25 Whitney & the Needles. Yura crossin…
 
Maksim traversing the side of the gully.  Moraines and Thor Peak in the background
26 Maksim traversing the side of the gu…
 
Further up the traverse.  Whitney wall in the background
27 Further up the traverse. Whitney wa…
 
First glimpse of the Couloir (above Yura's backpack)
28 First glimpse of the Couloir (above …
 
Climbing up steep shute toward Iceberg Lake.  My first time on a ~40-degree snow slope
29 Climbing up steep shute toward Icebe…
 
Sasha in the chute just below Iceberg Lake.  Three climbers resting in the gully below
30 Sasha in the chute just below Iceber…
 
Maksim right before reaching Iceberg.  Whitney and Couloir in the background
31 Maksim right before reaching Iceberg…
 
Sasha right below High Camp (Iceberg Lake)
32 Sasha right below High Camp (Iceberg…
 
Yura reached High Camp.  Mt. Russell behind him
33 Yura reached High Camp. Mt. Russell…
 
Melting snow @ high camp
34 Melting snow @ high camp
 
Setting up camp @ high camp (Iceberg Lake)
35 Setting up camp @ high camp (Iceberg…
 
Icebert Lake & Mt. Russell
36 Icebert Lake & Mt. Russell
 
Steve & Zhenya descending down the Couloir after sunset
37 Steve & Zhenya descending down the C…
 
A happy picture with Zhenya & Steve who just returned from the summit.  They're about to head down to camp @ UBSL
38 A happy picture with Zhenya & Steve …
 
Team-mate's body just found by the Korean team's search party.  She died barely 100 m above camp.  Whitney @ sunrise.
39 Team-mate's body just found by the K…
 
A round of photos before summit push
40 A round of photos before summit push
 
IMG_0273.jpg
41 IMG_0273.jpg
 
IMG_0274.jpg
42 IMG_0274.jpg
 
Near where the woman died in the night.  Our yellow tent is next to the big round rock below.
43 Near where the woman died in the nig…
 
At the end of the steep section of the Couloir
44 At the end of the steep section of t…
 
Yura resting midway up the Couloir.  Owens Valley and Lone Pine in the background
45 Yura resting midway up the Couloir. …
 
Maksim approaching the scree section just below the Notch
46 Maksim approaching the scree section…
 
This view's got it all:  the Notch, the Couloir, Iceberg Lake, Whitney Portal, the road, Alabama Hills, and Lone Pine
47 This view's got it all: the Notch, …
 
Sasha in the Notch
48 Sasha in the Notch