I've tackled 5 tame summits with my wife, who has MS. Guadalupe peak, the highest point in Texas and two other 8000ft peaks the same week were the first 3. Then just a couple weeks ago, we tacked Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico as well as stoping by Mt Walter on the way. Wheeler peak showed me that she was capable of more than I gave her credit for. It was a 100% alpine environment, we didn't see a single other person on the mountain and even took a small steep slope making kick steps with trail runners while using trekking poles as you would an ice ax!

So proud of her and she absolutely loves it. On July 11, we'll be heading up Mt. Whitney (assuming we get a walkin permit) and spending 5 days instead of the usual two (we have the time and she enjoys the slow acclimation)

I have no doubt she'll succeed on Whitney since it's such a cakewalk compared to her time on Wheeler (especially given 5 days!). My question is this. What would be a good summit to tackle after Whitney? Heat exacerbates MS, so trekking in 90+ is usually out of the question although we've had some success with a spray bottle for constant evaporative cooling along with a soaked cotton shirt. She would like another altitude milestone, which means it will be outside of the contiguous US (since Whitney is the highest). She would like to avoid crampons/ice ax and snow shoes if possible, but not a deal breaker. Scramnling for short stretches is fine, but any technical rock or ice climbing is a no go.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

IF you're going to be in California's Owens Valley in July, and depending on how much time you have while in California, why not nearby 14,200ft White Mountain in the neighboring Inyo/White Monutains (the range east of, and parallel to, the Sierra Nevada Mtns). Its a nice drive to get to the trailhead, and you can stop along the way at the Bristlecone Pine Natl Monument groves (Shulman and/or Patriarch), then contiune on the the trailhead. The hike is seven mile (each way) on a deteriorating jeep road to the top, and you'll get nice views of the Sierra Nevada crest.

How important is the elevation milestone aspect? Whose elevation (or other list) appeals to y'all? How much do human drawn borders matter? How often can you do trips? Can you move to somewhere like California, Utah, Washington, or the Rockies and get out on adventures all the time? I can think of many mountains and canyons around the world that I'd like to visit someday for sake of adventure and beauty, but there are plenty of scenic places to keep me busy close to home. There are all kinds of highpoint, prominence, and other types of lists to get into if that sort of motivation remains central to planning. Here are a couple of lists with a high prominence and high elevation (by U.S. standards) emphasis:

http://www.summitpost.org/ultra-prominence-peaks-of-the-48-states/174556

http://www.summitpost.org/contiguous-14ers-with-2-000-ft-of-prominence/572537

SeanReedy wrote:How important is the elevation milestone aspect? Whose elevation (or other list) appeals to y'all? How much do human drawn borders matter? How often can you do trips? Can you move to somewhere like California, Utah, Washington, or the Rockies and get out on adventures all the time? I can think of many mountains and canyons around the world that I'd like to visit someday for sake of adventure and beauty, but there are plenty of scenic places to keep me busy close to home. There are all kinds of highpoint, prominence, and other types of lists to get into if that sort of motivation remains central to planning. Here are a couple of lists with a high prominence and high elevation (by U.S. standards) emphasis:

http://www.summitpost.org/ultra-prominence-peaks-of-the-48-states/174556

http://www.summitpost.org/contiguous-14ers-with-2-000-ft-of-prominence/572537

Thanks for the lists! The milestones are fairly important. She was inspired by a woman who climbed the seven summits with MS. Mt. Rainier may be a possibility due to its prominence being a milestone, but she may not be up for crampon/ax just yet. Need another high altitude trek style mountain first.

Well, in case nobody chimes in, there are past threads to search regarding the easiest of the seven summits, mountains that are good experiences building toward the seven summits, and the easiest high altitude summits in general. I salute her ambition. Personally, I have stopped paying much mind to lists and numbers besides getting ideas from lists and ranges known for scenery, adventure, and solitude. I have been known to return to places that previously thwarted or injured me in order to complete what I had envisioned. She should hike her own hike and do whatever inspires her. If that ends up being the seven summits or whatever else, post a note about it here for us as it progresses.

Shasta via Avalanche Gulch in spring or early summer is generally a great experience and a good introduction to similar mountains like Rainier. There are also glacier and ridge routes that get more technical. Clear Creek Route on Shasta sometimes is nothing more than a scree slog in early autumn. Rainier and Shasta both have reputable guided trips available.