POW! POW!

Well what a day! 18 miles round trip up the tallest mountain the lower 48 states could throw my way! Apparently the new recorded elevation of Mt. Whitney is 14,508 ft tall. Almost 1/2 of the elevation of Mt. Everest...
9 miles straight up from the beautiful place that is Crabtree Meadows, 4 thousand foot elevation gain! It was tough, even with a only a daypack worth of gear. Yesterday I hiked 26 miles to make it to Crabtree, and after the 18 today, I think I am gonna take a half day off in this beautiful meadow to relax and recover a bit....

I can't believe I have hiked 766 miles on the PCT from Mexico now to the tallest mountain in the lower 48! What a trip... This is my second time on top of Mt. Whitney. Almost three years ago I had the privilege of summiting with my brother Casey, my father Keith, and good friend Danny. That was an amazing experience, and tough, but my summit today meant so much! To put a Nor*Cal*Hiker sticker in the highest register was so satisfying, to feel strong and healthy when i am in the middle of a rigorous climb means so much now. I am ashamed of how out of shape I allowed myself become due to pure laziness. I am a really lucky guy to be out here and having these experience and opportunities to learn lessons in such a great way...

I wish I could better describe to you the floods of emotions I feel out here. I cry nearly everyday, mostly good and raw tears. Not because I am sad but because my emotions are so strong, sometimes it is the only way to really release those emotions. Anyone who knows me at all knows how emotional I can be, only now I don't really feel any shame in that, when before I guess it made me feel weak...anyhow, enough rambling...enjoy some pics...

today is the day.....

It's a perfect morning! I am now 100% into the high sierras. I spent most of the 26 miles hiked yesterday between 10k-11.5k ft in elevation and this morning I am going to leave this wonderful place that is Crabtree Meadows, and I will summit Mt. Whitney in just a few hours! It's been 766 miles of hiking to get to this trail junction, only 3 hours, 9 miles, and about 4000 ft elevation gain stand between me and that mountain top, 14,504 ft high!

So many emotions and so entirely ready to feel the raw energy and relief when I finally set foot back atop!

See you on the other side...

K

Milestones...yeah yeah....big deal...

Well, what should I say? I mean, something so deep in me is changing and I can't quite pinpoint it yet. I am excited at the progress I've made, and I am a little behind schedule because I slowed down a bit to start trying to enjoy the finer things of the hike like the days in town, the friendships and the social side of the hike. I have started caring less and less about the milestones, mile markers, the percentage I have finished from some insignificant point. Instead, I am focusing on what I have learned, still need to learn, and what can I do to make each day as awesome as the last. What it is I can do to sustain the level of happiness I find out here. I try to burn those lessons and thoughts into my brain, to make them routine so that after this adventure is over and I am moving on to my next endeavor, that I can maintain a level of happiness even when not everything is in my favor.

So as it is, I have hike 706 miles on the trail, and dozens and dozens more off trail, in towns, and searching for water. I am now DONE with the So*Cal section, out of the desert, the high desert, the sand and the sun. No more constant fear of rattlers, no more cactus and desert rose and yucca and schitzo lizards. I can't say I'll miss it: I passed it's tests, I've respected it in the best way I know. I have shed my blood, sweat and tears to get through with a smile. (well not blood, I haven't bled yet, and nobody makes me bleed my own blood....nobody) Now I have hiked over 25% of the way from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada. 25% is just an arbitrary number though, it really describes nothing but that I am actually making progress. I am happy with myself mentally, and physically for getting stronger. I am the healthiest I have ever been. I no longer hate looking at myself in the mirror, even though my body still looks pretty much the same, it feels so much different. Mentally, I am so proud of my progress. There have been some difficult days. There have been distractions from home, thoughts of the past often lead to getting down on myself, learning to live in the present and look forward to the future rather than worry about the past and dwell on negative thoughts and situations out of my control is becoming easier and easier to do. I have an amazing support crew, I have so many people to thank and I truly appreciate all the support. Knowing that I somehow can inspire other people simply by just trying to live my own life and better myself feels so good and I can't wait until I can sit down with some of you and share some time so I can relay my thanks in person.

In less than 5 days I'll summit Mt. Whitney. For the 2nd time in my life. To stand at the elevation of 14,504 feet with my brother and father was one of the greatest moments of my life, but walking on my own two feet from Mexico back up there should be truly amazing as well!

Thank you all for everything!!

KRISTO

When the sun plays the trump....

Well I am in Lake Isabella resting up with some folks. It was supposed to take me 7 days to get to Kennedy Meadows from Tehachapi, but after 4 days we jumped off at Walker Pass and came down the valley. I have plenty of supplies to make it the whole strech,some others needed supply, but I came for the rest. The first 2 days out of t-hatch messed me up, got me dehydrated and was pretty stressful. It is a seriously hot and waterless section. It routinely has 15-20 miles sections with no water sources and this hot desert area has done a bunch of hikers in. I am back to 110% now but had a tough weekend. As it sits, I should be in Kennedy Meadows late on the 7th, probably spend the 8th prepping my bear canister and food for the push through the high Sierras. I should be standing on the summit Mt. Whitney by late next week no doubt.