"The highest and grandest culminating peak of the Sierra" was discovered by a California Geological Survey team in 1864. The peak was named after the team's leader, Josiah Whitney. Soon after, the race to summit Mount Whitney began. A member of the orignal team, Clarence King, attempted to climb Mount Whitney in 1871. He successfully made the summit to claim the first ascent. But two years later came a shock. King learned he had summitted the wrong mountain. By then it was too late, as three other parties had already made the ascent. At the end of September 1873 the record of ascents of Mount Whitney stood:
(1) August 18—Charles D. Begole, Albert H. Johnson, John Lucas
(2) late August—William Crapo, Abe Leyda
(3) September 6—William Crapo, William L. Hunter, Tom McDonough, Carl Rabe
(4) September 19—Clarence King, Frank Knowles

Soon after John Muir, made his attempt to the summit. On the morning of October 21st Muir climbed Mount Whitney, only after acheiving a false summit on Mount Langley. Muir established a more direct route up the east side via what is known today as the Mountaineer's Route.

In the summer of 2006, we decided to follow in the footsteps of history and attempt to summit Mount Whitney in one day.