Into "the best stretch of hiking in the country"

Didn't enjoy rushing yesterday so I spent another night and took my time sorting gear and food. Pack feels a lot heavier an ice axe, cold weather gear, a bear resistant food canister and 9 days of food... I managed to fit in all inside though and it doesn't feel tooooo bad. Once a couple of days of food is gone I won't notice it anymore. New shoes are feeling pretty good, I replaced a twice broken pole, got snow baskets, and found a free waterproof stuff sack in a hiker box! I wouldn't let myself buy the stuff sack because I dropped to much money on the other shit I needed, and as soon as I got back to check for free food hikers left behind at the hostel there was the exact thing I wanted to buy in perfect shape.

It rained in Lone Pine this morning and it looks like a bit of snow above about 10,000 feet, but overall the weather isn't looking too bad for the next little while: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?site=rev&smap=1&textField1=36.55&textField2=-118.35&TextType=2 I'll probably take my time getting to Crabtree Meadows where the report is from, then climb up Whitney early Thursday before heading on up the trial. This is going to be a 135 mile stretch (plus 16 for Whitney) before my resupply at Vermillion Valley Resort. Lots of snowy passes to cross, so going will be a little slower than usual but I'm planning to do some big days. It's tough to fit enough food into a bear can, and I don't want to pack two, so I guess I'd better just walk lots or go hungry when my 9 days of food runs out... If needed I can hike off trial 2 days before my resupply for about 9 miles to a trailhead, so if I'm short on food there is an easy bailout option.

I'm just backing up some photos at an Internet Cafe now, then I'll try the difficult hitch up to the trailhead waaaaay up there. Lone Pine is at 3700 feet elevation, and we look immediately up to multiple 14,000 foot peaks. The Trail Pass Trailhead is around 10,000 feet. Can't wait!

Oh, the DVD just popped out finished. Off I go!