Getting Ready For Mt. Whitney 2007

Only two days left before we leave for Lone Pine. I thought I had everything I needed last weekend, but I made one more trip to the grocery store for food and another REI visit for last minute items, such as an extra shoe lace for my boots. Yes, that I on the list of items to bring. Some items I didn't get include duct tape, 50 ft. nylon cord and matches with lighter. What I am bringing is a wide variety of food. I must have bought 10 pounds of food for the hike. Now I have to sort it all out into baggies for each leg of the hike. Last year everything I ate was dry and tasteless. This year I'm bringing such items as turkey jerky, strawberry newtons, cheese crackers, clif bars, clif cubes, clif shots, nilla wafers, beef sticks, various dried fruit, protein bars and more. Even with all the stuff I have laid out on the card table, I hope my backpack weighs less than 30 pounds at the start of the hike. Water, of course, will be my biggest concern. There are plenty of places to filter water along the hike, until you reach switchback 24. I'll need at least 5 liters of water to get me to the summit and back. I'll be drinking plenty of water that morning in preparation. We have arranged who is driving, but not when we're leaving on Saturday. I'd like to get there as early as possible so we aren't in a rush to check into the hotel, get our permits, bear canisters and such. Now there are two people who are thinking of camping at the portal that night. I have nothing against camping, but I'd get a better nights sleep in a hotel. It looks like the fires up north are under control, and the weather is looking good this weekend and the monsoonal moisture is dissipating. I'm try to get mentally ready for this hike and I have a good feeling our group will make it to the summit.