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California here I come!

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 1:52 am
by NW
Well I decided to go for the save money on tickets now idea and take my chances with a Whitney permit. I got 2 roundtrip tickets from Maine to L.A. in early July for...drumroll please... 661.60! How sweet is that?!?

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 3:42 am
by QITNL
If you want to reserve a permit for the MR/N. Fork, call the permit office immediately.

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 5:52 am
by Sierra Ledge Rat
There's plenty for you to do if Mt. Whitney falls through.

How about approaching Whitney from the west via Shepherd's Pass?

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 2:22 pm
by Princess Buttercup
Woohoo!! Fun will definitely ensue!

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 4:17 pm
by goldenhopper
I agree with SLR. If your plans for Whitney go south it might actually be a good thing. Sure you loose the highpoint of the Contiguous US, but you also loose a trip to the zoo.

Renting a car? I'll be driving up the east side quite a bit this summer. Feel free to send me a PM with your exact dates if you like. I'd be happy to offer a ride if it works out I’m heading up when you are.

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 4:28 pm
by drpw
Two words if Whitney don't work out: The Palisades.

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 5:20 pm
by NW
Yea I have got alot of backup plans if Whitney doesn't go through. It's not like it's the only fish in the sea as it were. I just couldn't pass on such cheap tickets. I'm super excited. I want to go everywhere though, lol. We'll be up for about a week so will fit in as much as possible. Yosemites on our must go places as well.

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 3:09 am
by rlshattuck
If you can spend the time you might only have to hang out in Lone Pine for a day or two in order to get a "walk-in" permit . . . best place to wait it out––the hot tub at the DOW VILLA MOTEL. You can get the economy rooms there for about $55-60

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 12:23 pm
by NW
An important question is where's the best place in Lone Pine to get an after long day of hiking meal? The after mountains meal has become quite an important part of our hiking morale after we've reached the trudging along stage. :p

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 4:53 pm
by WML
There is a pizza place on US-395 right near where Whitney Portal Road intersects it, which will do after a few days in the hills (What says 'thank god for civilization' like downing pizza and beer?). If you happen to meander an hour or so North to Bishop, your options become quite plentiful. I have to recommend Las Palmas, a great and friendly Mexican restaurant in Bishop. Cheap food, good service, strong margaritas...ah, what more could you ask for?

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 8:07 pm
by Tom Fralich
NW wrote:An important question is where's the best place in Lone Pine to get an after long day of hiking meal? The after mountains meal has become quite an important part of our hiking morale after we've reached the trudging along stage. :p


Drive up to Independence (about 15-20 min from Lone Pine) and go to the French restaurant (Still Life Cafe). It's really quite an experience. The food is awesome, prepared while you wait...and wait...and wait...by the owner and his wife (who are about as "French" as it is possible to be). Set aside a good chunk of time, order appetizers/salads to combat the hunger pains while you wait for the main course, and enjoy the magazines and books. A place like this on the East Side of the Sierras, and especially in a place like Independence, still confuses me, but that's part of the appeal.

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 10:06 pm
by NW
Haha, I looked at the weather there as compared to here today... hmmm 25 C there -33 C here... slight difference... you can actually go outside without parts of your face freezing... that's kinda nice

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:04 am
by JasonH
NW wrote:Haha, I looked at the weather there as compared to here today... hmmm 25 C there -33 C here... slight difference... you can actually go outside without parts of your face freezing... that's kinda nice


It's kind off rough when the sun gets in my eyes.

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:11 am
by rlshattuck
Don't forget the obvious, assuming you're hungry as soon as your boots hit the end of the trail, there's always a tasty "mooseburger"right there at the Portal Store and the beer's not a bad deal either . . . you can phone the DOW and get a room from the portal and yeah, there's pizza right across from the Dow.

Re: California here I come!

PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:20 pm
by NW
I saw a picture on some website about that store I think. It showed someone trying to eat a pancake that was practically the size of a table! Well maybe I exaggerate but not much. Alot of the time our after mountains food ends up being pizza at some random back street pizza joint. But that's not written in stone or anything, it's just usually all that happens to be open. The beer part is especially important to my husband, I'm more of a rum person myself. Though our last day of 12 hours on the trail I had one drink and it made me so tired I couldn't stay up anymore! Haha, I'm sure it just solidified the all ready there tiredness but we just put out the nice campfire we had built 15 minutes before and went to sleep.

And yes it must be hard getting sun in your eyes, that does hurt. But I'm pretty sure icicles hurt worse! At the bus stop yesterday my daughters eyes were watering from the cold and i kept having to scrap the ice off her glasses. Boy it's so balmy up here I might just take a trip to the beach!