The first member of our party finally reached the West summit at a little after 9:30 AM. Just three and a half hours out of base camp. The weather appeared to be holding, but a storm was starting to build over Kings Canyon. We sat down to eat a quick snack, and in less than ten minutes the clouds were all around us. We cut our summit stay short and headed back.

This summit was Santosh's eleventh California fourteener; Sam's not telling how many he's climbed; and Bud has now climbed all fifteen California fourteeners.