I was in decent cardio shape from mountain biking but climbing-wise, I was pretty much off the couch for 2014. The biggest reason was that for the last several months I was hard at work getting my pilot license, which was a huge mental energy and time commitment. Between that and working full time, it was hard to find the time and desire to climb. Luckily, I passed my checkride just over a month ago!

Hiking up to Iceberg Lake, there is a point on which the trail turns around a corner, and Keeler Needle comes into view - I must admit, it is highly intimidating of a formation, and completely breath-taking! The position and height (over 14,000' tall) make this a sought after Sierra climb. The reputation for quality of the rock is so-so, but from a distance it looks as good as the Hulk (it's not, but it's also not horrible). The afternoon heat was quite draining low down on the trail, but by now it was nice and cool. Iceberg Lake sits at 12,600', more than 4000' higher than the trailhead. Eventually I made it there and found Dow - I showed him our "post-climb" present that I carried up there - a couple of cans of Sierra Nevada pale ale that we stashed in the lake to keep cool. He couldn't believe it... and now that I know how massive the hike up to Iceberg Lake is, I don't know if I'll do this next time. :-)

The next morning we woke up really early (4:30am?), made breakfast, and hustled over to the base of the rock to start the climb. Instead of bringing crampons to go up the snow to the 'start' ledge, we chose to do a "5.4 loose" approach pitch (also marked on the topo). After some brief awkward shenanigans putting on rock shoes while standing on the edge of the ice, I went up to the start. From there, we roughly did:

• Pitch 1-2 - link easily with simul climbing for ~30-40' and a 70m rope (there is a lot of easy climbing on these two pitches to make simul climbing not an issue)
• Pitch 3 - really fun steep double cracks through a roof to more steep fun climbing.
• Pitch 4 - first OW crux, short but awkward one-move wonder
• Pitch 5/6 - low 5th/4th class wandering to the base of the red dihedral
• Pitch 7 - the most pleasant pitch of the route, hand jamming in a beautiful corner for the most part. 230 feet long!
• Pitch 8 - the "sustained" OW. there was a body length of desperate climbing next to the bolts, but it's well protected with small/hand sized gear, and a single #4 at the top. Dow is an offwidth master so he graced up the pitch!
• Pitch 9 - go up a crack right of the chimney. from there, we went left and up, which was the wrong choice, supposedly there is a way to traverse right?
• Pitch 10 - we had to do a horizontal traverse with a brief 5.8 section to go around the corner, where you are supposed to be (the final "headwall"
• Pitch 11 - glorious 5.10 crack (or options for easier climbing around the corner to the right)
• Pitch 12-13 - go more right than you think, and up the easiest way you can find... eventually passing a memorial plaque (see photos). The terrain here is confusing, I was sure we were off route, but we were not...

From there, we slogged up to the Mt Whitney summit, and dragged ourselves down the Mountaineers Route (people go up this horrible thing!? why!?) We were back in camp with plenty of daylight to spare, and enjoy our Sierra Nevada beers prior to making dinner. What an awesome adventure of a climb!

One other interesting piece of beta: we carried too much clothing (I bought an R1 hoody and a nanopuff jacket, one would have been enough), and for the entire climb we were sweating bullets and in fact it made it hard to wear protective clothing through the offwidth... We were both frustrated with how much stuff we brought, as hauling it up there made the climbing harder. Of course, it is hard to know, and the weather could have been different. But in mid-summer, the climb stays in the sun until 2-3pm, so with an early start, it's possible to climb without being in the shade (until perhaps the last pitch or two).

Sunday was another early wake-up, because I was worried about the arriving thunderstorms (part of a big system over the next several days), and flying home. It actually rained a bit in the morning as we were packing up camp... we hustled out of there, and after an awesome breakfast at the Alabama Hills Cafe in town, Dow dropped me off at the airport. I was home in Truckee just after noon!

	Ready to depart Truckee!	Truckee from the air	Flying over Lake Tahoe

	Over Minden, looking at South Lake	Desolate terrain to the east, between Minden and Bridgeport	The Sawtooths

	Twin Lakes and the Sawtooths by Bridgeport	Bridgeport airport (Bryant Field O57)	Lower and Upper Twin lakes

	Off to Mono Lake/Lee Vining next	Mono Lake	June Lake

	June Lake and highway 395		Mammoth Airport with Convict Lake in the background

	Looking north at Mammoth Mountain ski hill		Bishop airport

	Landed in Lone Pine, O26

			Mt Whitney/Keeler Needle in the background

		Lunch at the portal store	What a view on the approach...

		The amazing thing is, you can see Lone Pine downtown the entire way...	The ledges on the approach

	North fork of Lone Pine Creek provides lots of water		Keeler Needle

		Lots of fish in Lower Boyscout Lake (and also apparently in Upper)	Lower Boy Scout Lake

	Upper Boy Scout lake	Breath-taking and intimidating view of Keeler Needle from the trail	Keeler Needle stands proud

	Epic sunset from camp	Our objective at sunset	Sweet sunrise over the Owens valley

	Approaching the start of Keeler Needle	The junky approach pitch	First pitch

		Dow coming up the sweet 3rd pitch	Dow on the 4th pitch

	One of the few easier pitches on the route	Looking at the red dihedral, another great pitch

			It's a long way down to Lone Pine...

	Iceberg Lake where we camped	Dow leading the offwidth pitch like a champ	Camp is down there at Iceberg Lake... a long ways away

	In the offwidth. It's actually not so bad there due to footholds on the right

	5.8 crack to the right of chimney. We got off-route after this, like many other parties it seems

	The last 5.10 pitch, a sweet one

	Sketchy blocks on the last "4th class" section	Story behind the memorial: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/106009337

	The top! Mt Whitney summit in the background	Looking down to the west from Whitney	Threatening clouds

		Hiking to the summit of Whitney

	9 lightning rods on the roof... but apparently not enough

		Summit shot	Lone Pine

			Mt Russell

	Going down the Mountaineers Route... couldn't ask for anything more fun (not!)	How these flowers grow in such an inhospitable place is beyond me..	True survivors

	The last gully back to camp	Icicle! :)	Cool reflection in Iceberg Lake. Calm evening before the storm the next day!

			Sierra Nevada beers I carried up there!

	Selfie attempt with beers and Keeler Needle in the background		Breakfast at the Alabama Hills Cafe

	Dow dropping me off at the airport :)	Dow loving the airplane idea!	Meanwhile, hell is about to break loose over Whitney... our timing was perfect

	Flying north on the east side of the mountains, with thunderstorms brewing to my lift... perfectly calm flying on my side!		Lee Vining airport below with the edge of Mono Lake...

	Lee Vining airport	Lots of smoke from the new Yosemite fire.	The Sawtooths with Twin Lakes in the foreground... smoked in

	So smokey from the Yosemite and Placerville fires...	Walker river canyon	Almost home! Spooner Summit and the east shore of Lake Tahoe

	East Shore	Lake Marlette	Almost home! One hour and 20 minutes, not bad from Lone Pine :-)

	The bird is back in the hangar :)