Mount Whitney

Mount Whitney was my introduction to climbing mountains and really getting my wits in the mountains. This was my training grounds as I failed my first 3 attempts up the Mountaineers Route on this peak until finally summiting on my 4th attempt. This peak was only 4 hours from my home, and with it being the tallest peak in the lower 48, there are many reports and information on routes and conditions, making it a safer option for me to practice and gain experience on. I have had many highs and very low lows on the mountain 3rd class Mountaineers Route, but I would say that it has contributed heavily to my photography skills in the mountains, and has taught me discipline in the alpine, how to shoot while unmotivated at high altitude, and to always trust your gut while in hazardous terrain. My second Attempt on this peak was on April 28th, 2024. I was solo, however I kind of tagged along with another group I had met at the bottom of the shoot. I had made it up the shoot and began the final 400 feet, the most consequential part of the climb. Being still new to mountaineering, I knew I had to be reserved in my risk tolerance, and I had climbed about 100 feet of the 400, and the snow started to become very hard and icy, I had a weird gut feeling come out of nowhere telling me to turn around, and I did, which was hard since I could see the top only 300 feet away. I made it down safely to my car by the end if that night, and a few days later, I heard on the news that someone had fallen and passed away in the same spot I had turned around. Very sad story, but it did teach me that listening to your gut and having the ability to turn around when necessary isa valuable skill to have while doing activities like mountaineering and climbing.