Day 20 - Mount Whitney!

[@mtbikermike]

Goosebumps and then tears. Congratulations and thank you for sharing your epic journey with us. Truly the adventure of a lifetime!

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

YOU made the experience special from the minute you joined me in Mammoth!! So glad we got to share those first miles on the JMT together!!

[@sablerubycocoa]

Congratulations on submitting Mt. Whitney!!! What a beautiful sunrise. The JMT was beautiful!!!

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

Thanks so much. I appreciate it!

[@landongarland8116]

KK - SIERRA HOTEL (sh*t hot) !!! When the going got tough the tough got going. 47000' elevation gain ... 38000' loss - all on a bad ankle. Thanks a lot for the great story and the spectacular footage. You are THE Top Gun !!!

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

Oh my gosh that’s the nicest comment. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

[@landongarland8116]

@@sunrisesummitadventures5637 Move over Maverick. There's a new GUN in town !

[@paulbergstrom2758]

Congratulations. Thanks for the nice series of videos.

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

Thank you very much for watching!

[@jasonsadler7020]

Congrats on completing the JMT and summiting Whitney. I’ve enjoyed following your video series, and hope to one day complete the JMT myself. Thanks for sharing!

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

Thanks for following along Jason. I hope you get your chance to complete the JMT. You will love it.

[@tomtools5318]

Awesome congrats. PCT 2023!

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

Thank you!! I appreciate you following along!

[@nancyheydinger9378]

CONGRATULATIONS KEVIN!!!!!

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

Thanks Nancy!!!!!!

[@CzyzAdventures]

Congratulations! Such a beautiful sunrise on top of Whitney. An unforgettable experience Im sure. Way to bring your video to a close in recognizing those that helped make the memories. 1st class all the way!

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

That’s so nice of you. I know you will have a wonderful adventure of your own on the JMT!!!

[@CzyzAdventures]

@@sunrisesummitadventures5637 I’ll be vlogging too. If you’re interested in the outcome I’ll be posting on my channel. Hopefully we avoid any wildfires. kzbin.info

[@tallethnic1431]

Congratulations! I really enjoyed your videos, you made the hike seem so easy. I started thru hiking the JMT in 2019. Started from devils postpile in Mammoth and ended at Happy Isles in Yosemite. In 2020 started another section but got aborted after 3 days due to fire and thunderstorms. I will continue next year could not make it this year.

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

Thank you for watching the videos. Keep up the good work as you navigate through the JMT. Great job with the sections you’ve already completed!!!

[@vicmyers431]

Thank you so much for taking the time to document your journey. Congratulations! Your introduction video inspired my daughter and I to do a Pemi loop as a shakedown hike for our upcoming JMT hike. I do have a few questions though. 1. How did you keep your hat so white? 2. How much weight did you lose? 3. What was your favorite meal on trail? 4. Did you end up with a trail name?

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

Hi Vic - thank you for following along with my videos. So glad to hear that you and your daughter will be hiking the Pemi Loop and the JMT. You will love them both! My responses to your questions are: 1. If you look closely at my last video, you will see that my hat got especially dirty by the end! 2. I lost 15 pounds. 3. My favorite meal was Good To Go's Chicken Gumbo. 4. Many trail names were suggested - and rejected - so I just went with Kevin - hahaha.

[@vicmyers431]

@@sunrisesummitadventures5637 Thanks for your honest answers. I'm not looking to lose any weight. We are packing so much food for this trip. The resupply buckets are packed and ready for shipping. We are resupplying at Red's meadows, Muir Trail Ranch and Mt. Williamson Hotel, just like you. It is amazing how much planning goes into a trip like this when you're not from California. We did the Pemi loop last week. We did the entire trip in 3 days including the drive to and from New Jersey. Those were some big miles on some tough terrain, with heavy packs. I know elevation is going to be a huge issue. This is my last question....Is the terrain itself more difficult in New Hampshire, or more difficult in the Sierras?

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

@@vicmyers431 there was no terrain on the JMT tougher than the stretch of terrain on the Pemi Loop from Galhead Hut to South Twin. However, I was surprised by how much tough terrain there was on the JMT. I would say a good portion of the JMT is a fairly smooth path, but there are many portions where there are softball sized, sharp rocks to walk on that make it difficult and the slope of the downhills certainly is tough on feet. If I had to do the JMT over again, I would do my resupplies at Red's Meadow and VVR only. I would skip MTR (it was not great at all) and would not log the extra miles to Onion Valley/Independence. Of course, that would mean a big food carry but the off-trail miles to Onion Valley were difficult and discouraging.

[@MrDrDemento]

Kevin, you're my Hero! I've been eagerly awaiting each video. I begin my 2nd JMT hike on Aug.19 - anticipated summit on Sept.7. But you did it with a sprained ankle. WELL DONE! P.S. what camera did you use? P.P.S: I'll be 71

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

You are incredibly kind! Thank you!!! I really appreciate you following along and your support throughout the hike. I am so glad you will back out there for a second time next month. Have a blast!! PS - I filmed everything with my iPhone 12.

[@MrDrDemento]

@@sunrisesummitadventures5637 You had a big "Why" Kevin. Would love to talk to you about it sometime. Chris.

[@Mountian-Zen]

Hi, it’s Chris, (1963pa28180) we met on Mather, I have only the opportunity to watch a few of your videos. The initial video announcement and a couple that followed and this one👍. Looking fwd. to catching up on the others now that I am home. Congratulations !!

[@sunrisesummitadventures5637]

Hi Chris! It was great meeting you on Mather. I hope the rest of your hike was terrific!