Carl Rapp – Climbing Mt. Whitney

Carl tells about our adventure climbing Mt. Whitney at the end of our sophomore year in high school. He was a close friend for over 62 years. Carl was a really good person and gave so much back to his community. Unfortunately we lost Carl this year to Covid-19 complications.

Mt. Whitney, at 14,505 feet, is the highest peak in the contiguous United States. For two high school sophomores from the flatlands, it was an audacious goal — and one that shaped both of our lives in ways we couldn't have imagined at the time.

Carl had a way of making everything seem possible. He was the kind of person who showed up fully — whether it was a mountain climb, a community project, or just being a friend. Over 62 years of friendship, I watched him give back to his community in countless ways, always quietly, always without expectation of recognition.

We lost Carl to Covid-19 complications in 2022. This story is his — told in his own words, about a climb we made together when the world was wide open and the mountains were waiting.