Coach Weber

Coach Weber's Badwater 2000 Photo Album

Part 6 of 6

Mount Whitney Summit!

(above) 7/30/2000 12:29. I sign in at the summit hut. The official time for the journey from Badwater: 78 hours 29 minutes 30 seconds.

(above) 7/30/2000 12:30. The summit log and my entry.

(above) 7/30/2000 12:30 P.M. I'm happy and tired!

(above) 7/30/2000 12:31. I take the final steps to the summit.

(above) 7/30/2000 12:33 PM. It's not Everest, but for me it feels like it!

(above) 7/30/2000 12:35. Me and Scott Snyder at the summit.

(above) 7/30/2000 12:42. The Team at the Summit.

(above) 7/30/2000 12:46. One last picture at the summit. In front of me is the long and arduous descent from the summit. I find that the descent is dangerous due to the extreme fatigue and the bonking from the inevitable lack of calories and dehydration that occurs. It usually takes me 7 hours to ascend the mountain and 6 hours to descend the mountain. It should also be noted that as I stood at the summit, I had no idea that I would continue on to Badwater, 146 miles away, to complete the Double. I made that decision once I had gotten off the mountain.

(above) 7/30/2000 1:16 PM. On my way down from the summit, I met Rick Nawrocki who was proceeding to the summit. While I have had the pleasure to coach Rick to his first 100-mile run, I must say that he has been more an inspiration to me than a student in the years I have known him. Way to go Rick!

(above) 7/30/2000 4:00 PM. The clouds move in as we look back on the summit ridge. It is always good to be well below the summit at mid-afternoon. There is still almost 6 miles to go to get back to the car parked at Whitney Portal.

(above) 7/30/2000 6:26 PM. Less than a mile to go to Whitney Portal. It is good to make the complete descent in the daylight. We would arrive at the Portals at 6:40 PM. Once back at the car, we drove back down to the town of Lone Pine to stay at the Dow Villa Motel for the night. Sometime during the night, I decided that I wanted to continue back to Badwater to complete a double-crossing. I informed my crew of my intent on Monday morning, July 31. I would do so alone using Marshall Ulrich's rickshaw-like cart to transport my equipment, food, and drinks. The effort was successful. But, that is another story...I will write it down for you some day.

Badwater Photos Part 1: Start to Stovepipe

Badwater Photos Part 2: Stovepipe to Lone Pine

Badwater Photos Part 3: Lone Pine to Whitney Portals

Badwater Photos Part 4: On the Mountain

Badwater Photos Part 5: Higher on the Mountain

Badwater Photos Part 6: The Summit

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