There have been 30 previous Mount Whitney trip reports from me, so I don't need to repeat my words.

On August 7, three of us hiked up the Whitney Trail. I made the mistake of trying to add in too much camera gear to my pack, and that upset the balance and fit, so that slowed me down for the long uphill march.

The early morning ice was still on the trail at 7 a.m., so we had to tread lightly.
 

The awesome East Face of Whitney kind of glares down on each hiker.

Near the Pinnacles, the Alpine Gold (Hulsea algida) seems to thrive, despite the fact that it is at 14,000 feet.

I'm going to have to study this little red flower to identify it.

Still, at 11 a.m., the summit was cool and breezy. The continuous uphill had depressed my appetite so badly that the entire trip up was done on one pint of Gatorade and no solid food. I was fueled by jelly beans on the way down. The sun was a bit harsh, so all of the major edges of my ears got their share of sunburn. Then a steady trot got us all the way to the bottom by Miller Time.