We had an incredible day to hike - the Sun was bright, the skies crystal clear, them temps cool enough to hike, and the winds - let's just say the winds kept the mosquitos away! Check out our pictures here:     http://gallery.me.com/rciesco#100245

Thanks to all for the support, both financially and in spirit. We are looking forward to another great adventure in 2012.  Rocco

Thursday, after 11 hours of climbing, we had covered 12 miles and ascended over 4000 feet. During the previous two days we spent time on the lower part of Mount Whitney, becoming familiar with the terrain and getting adjusted to the elevation. More important, we keep current with the blogs of climbers on the mountain and talked with them to get the latest conditions. Conditions were changing by the hour as snow melt created flowing stream at lower elevations and snow caving at higher elevations. We learned to jump from rock to rock to cross these flash streams, and managed to stay dry.

Above Outpost camp (10,400 feet) the terrain became mostly snow covered and the elevation rise was steep. Winds of 35+ mph forced us to break out our outer shells to keep protected, occasionally making balancing on the steep open areas a challenge. But the biggest danger came as we watched descending climbers punch through the snow crest up to their thighs. The terrain at this point was open snow fields. The trails were buried under several feet of snow, and climbers were making their own paths. We carefully selected the part of the field that seemed most stable and placed our steps slowly. The last mile up the Trail Camp (12,000 feet) was slow, difficult, and exhausting. We rested at Trail Camp and enjoyed an amazing view in all directions. I'll post more about the details of the climb over the next few days.

Best wishes to climbers on Mount Whitney over the next few weeks, the rapid snow melt is continually changing the characteristics of the mountain and making conditions even more dangerous.

And many thanks to all those checking in our our safety on the day of the climb.

With just two weeks left before the hike, mother nature continues to blanket Mount Whitney with snow. Temperatures at Trail camp (half way) continue to be near freezing at night, high temps in the low 50's. So Ice Axes and Crampons are a must. It's going to be a challenging climb no matter what the weather is the day of the climb, but we continue to be excited as the date approaches.

I am in the Denver area for a week, getting some elevation training in. Chris took me for a wicked 3 hour hike through some pretty rugged (steep and tricky) climbing trails. It felt great! As we rose in elevation, more frequent 'breath stops'. And as usual, the area was stunningly beautiful and inspiring.

Last week we took a ride to check out the Mount Whitney area. We arrived in Lone Pine and spent some time with the locals. Word is that snow pack is at least 150% of average, there will certainly be snow and ice on the trail in June. We ware adding Ice Picks and Crampons to our list of gear to bring. We hit the mountains on a stunningly clear day, you could see every detail even from a distance. We are even more excited about the climb in June after seeing the beauty of the mountains!

Today we received the permits from the National Forest Service for the climb up Mount Whitney. The date is set for June 16. We will travel to Lone Pine, CA a few days early to get adjusted to the elevation and take some practice hikes. We are meeting quite a few people who have climbed Whitney, each giving us a bit of advice. Every week we are increasing our training to get ready for the big climb.

With three months to go, we are getting serious about preparing for the hike to the summit of Mount Whitney. As we share our plans for the climb, it surprising how many people we know have climbed, or have friends that have climbed. And all are ready with good advice. The most common advice is conditioning, conditioning, conditioning. Beyond being in shape, the biggest concern we hear is getting elevation trained. Finally, bringing the proper supplies for any situation that might arise is common sense. As the weeks go on, the excitement is growing. And contributions to the Michale J Fox Foundation continue to build. Thanks to all of our supporters.

Thanks to all of those that have contributed to the Michael J Fox Foundation through our website! Research for Parkinson's is a great cause and will make a difference in people's lives.

I have added a 'Meet the Climbers' Page and will have entries in the next week or so. We have our team of six and now we turn to the task of raising awareness and getting ourselves ready for the June climb.

The Link to become an individual sponsor is now working. Donations will be made directly to the Michael J Fox Foundation on the Vista Adventures Team page.

http://www.teamfox.org/siteapps/personalpage/ShowPage.aspx?c=bkIUJbNQKoLaG&b=6376247&sid=gvKSKaPUIjIZIbMXJyF

Follow the progress of the Vista Adventures Team as we plan, train for, and Climb Mout Whitney in June 2011.