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Jack McBroom Sweeps California 14er's
Beats previous speed record by more than a day and a half
August 28, 2002
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Photos
California 14er's

Paul & Jack

I summit John Muir peak at 8:10 a.m., Whitney at 9 a.m., descend the Mountaineers Route, cross Whitney-Russell Pass and ascend the south face of Russell to summit at 10:45 a.m. Then it's down the East Ridge, and run scree and ledges back down the North Fork to the car by 12:57 p.m. It's taken me nine hours and four minutes to do the loop. Among the many people I met and visited with was Richard, a mailman from my hometown of Hemet, California. What a crack up.

Paul had a hot pepper steak and fried chicken waiting for me. On the drive to Langley I drank a 44-ounce cold Coke. Only two summits to go. It was starting to look like maybe I might finish....if my luck only holds.

" The trail is deserted. Tons of horse poop but no people. This is quite a contrast to the party on Whitney. "
At 2:12 p.m. I am off and running for the summit of Langley. I'm wearing running shoes and carrying almost nothing in my little pack. A windbreaker and a bit of food. The trail is deserted. Tons of horse poop but no people. This is quite a contrast to the party on Whitney. I don't like it. It's almost creepy.

The summit is deserted and I look for two minutes before I finally locate the register. I see one person on the descent, a fisherman who ignores me. I get back to the car after dark. It's 8:35 p.m. and I've taken six hours and 23 minutes round-trip.

Paul is excited. He is insistent that we calculate the car-to-car time for the Owens Valley 14er's. It's three days, 18 hours and 25 minutes. He believes that after Mt. Shasta blows up, this will be an important time to know. I am in hysterics. The twinkle in his eye betrays his straight man humor. Meanwhile we are booking north. It takes us over 10 hours from Langley to reach Shasta.

I am asleep in the back of the truck being bounced around. My legs are tweaking with little periodic spasms; electric shocks run along my toes. It is several hours before they settle down and I sleep deeply.

Continued on PAGE 7 »

Jack McBroom, MountainZone.com Contributor