East Bay All-Girls Troop Summits Highest Peak In The Contiguous U.S.

FREMONT, CA — A local troop continues to recover and bask in the glow from an impressive feat: summiting Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States at an elevation of 14,505 feet.

Seven members of the all-girls Boy Scouts of America Troop 2468, based in Fremont, braved the trek with family members and troop leaders in late August. The footed venture totaled 22 miles — 11 up and 11 back down.

The girls, ranging from age 12 to 16, met their goal of reaching Mount Whitney’s peak and then descending within 24 hours. They now have not only bragging rights but also a unique experience worth sharing with others.

“It is my hope that our Mt. Whitney climbing story will inspire more girls to participate in outdoor activities, fostering resilience, teamwork, and a lifelong appreciation for nature,” said Joycelyn Gu, a senior scout in Troop 2468.

Gu first learned about Mount Whitney from her dad.

“I was like, ‘Oh, this is a really good challenge. I think my troop and I should do it,” she said.

Gu and her troop became more invested when they encountered adversity from some of the all-boys troops.

“They didn't believe we could do it,” Gu said. “They were like, ‘Oh, a girls troop could not do that.’”

Gu noted that finding evidence of a girls’ troop's summiting of a mountain with high elevation was hard to come by — both supporting the boys’ perspective and incentivizing Troop 2468 even further.

“We were like, ‘Now we have to do it. We have to prove them wrong,’” she said, adding, “Because why would a girl not be able to do that?”

To prep for Mount Whitney, the troop members embarked on shorter hikes with less severe elevation, including a 20-miler in Yosemite and elevations in the 10,000-11,000-feet range.

“We knew that Mount Whitney would have a lot of challenges because of the high elevation, so we did the training,” she said.

A considerable amount of their hike of the Mt. Whitney Trail took place overnight, requiring headlamps and alertness. It's a challenge, as Gu pointed out, when you’re used to sleeping at that time and are physically exhausted from the miles of climbing.

But while the 90-plus switchbacks and the journey back down, post-summit, were challenging, the experience itself — and a gorgeous sunrise — made it worthwhile.

“The sunrise was definitely a standout moment,” Gu said. “We were supposed to keep going up — otherwise, we wouldn't make it up the mountain before the hour where thunderstorms start rolling in. But because it was so pretty, we had to stop and take photos.”

Gu and fellow troop members are currently taking a break from strenuous hikes like the one they just did, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t given thought to their next summit.

“Only a few people from our troop have climbed up Half Dome in Yosemite, and apparently it's really challenging,” Gu said. “I want to get more people from our troop to climb it.”

A video of Troop 2468’s trip to Mount Whitney is available here.