Preparing for The Big One

The time is fast approaching that my husband, my dad, my mom, all of my brothers, my sister, my brother-in-law, and my sister-in-law will hike 60 miles into the the wilderness to climb to the peak of Mt. Whitney. Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the continental U.S. They will be carrying their own 40 lb. packs, eating dehydrated packets of food and sleeping out in the open on a rock mountain each night. Oh, and carrying their own poop out.

It sounds so very fun to me. I wish, wish, wish I could go. If only I had a wet nurse for baby Kate. 

I am excited for Scott to get to go. It will be some grand adventure for sure! He has been preparing for it for awhile now. We now have an official REI card and there have been a number of purchases added to it. He has talked  and discussed with friends all the ins and outs of climbing a mountain. And, he has been hiking with the boy scouts almost every weekend this summer to get conditioned for THE BIG ONE. 

Box Elder Peak: This sounded like the hardest of their hikes. It was hot and steep. The boys were crying and the leaders just kept encouraging. They made it home though and the boys actually went out again with them the next weekend.

P.S. Did I mention he is hiking in a kilt? Hot, right?

Scott and his good friend, Matt, who has lead all of these hikes.

Mount Timpanagos: Scott said this was the most scenic. He loved this hike and I can't wait to do it one day when I can leave home for more than 3 hours. He and the scouts packed their packs with bear canisters, food, tents, sleeping bags, water, etc. and carried them on this overnight hike. They camped the night in a basin on the mountain (where the wolves were howling around them all night). Had a great time and saw a lot of wildlife.

Our two great friends, Matt and Matt, two of the most mountain climbing men you will ever meet. Not too bad to have them training you.

Part of a plane that crashed here in the 1950's.