No date yet still waiting for the top gate to open , Doug and Cayden are up there and I will be On Wed with supplies. Still trees down and road work around the pond.

Thanks for the help and advice about Outpost Camp. We talked to you last year along with several hundred others . I have been struggling with energy and dizziness for the past year and just got diagnosed with pre diabetes so hoping that we can get that under control and do a successful summit this year. We did Kilimanjaro and the Inca Trail last summer/fall. We (wife and I) are considering actually camping at Outpost and then Trail Camp the next day before attempting to summit on the third day. That means setting up camp twice but also gives an extra day of elevation adjustment. We are 75 and 76.

Off topic but are Ursacks okay in the Whitney Zone. We called a ranger station last year and they said that Ursacks with odor proof inner bag were allowed but not recommended because there were no trees to hang them on. But a ranger on the trail at Outpost said that they were not okay but he didn't "write us up" as he had heard that others were told that Ursacks were allowed. Ursacks are much lighter than Bear Vaults.

I don't believe Bear Sacks are permitted, nor recommended.

At higher elevations there are no trees and the marmots will surely get to it. At lower elevations, such as Outpost, I wouldn't want to risk bears finding it.

If you planned on going soon and camped up at higher elevation in the snow, you could probably swing it and be fine, but seeing as you mentioned heading in late summer, I would not recommend!

Thanks. We spent two nights at Outpost last summer and had no problems with the Ursack in a tree. But the ranger I talked to over the phone said they were okay. I specifically stated and repeated that we would be in the Whitney Zone. We have a bear vault but it is significantly heavier.

Well, if you've the experience and permission, then sounds like you're all good! Just know your risks.

Gate is now open...many people milling around the Portal as I headed home...

I rode around the gate this morning and parked up on your lot.

Lots of wood down at The Turnout...

Looking forward to hearing about your new water system...

Photos from today later...

Surprised to hear a Marmot whistle at me today at Trail Camp...

Seems a bit early for it to come out of hibernation...

The Base Of The Chute - 04.30.2024
===============================

Things were going better than expected until I got a Humdinger of a Headache just below Trail Camp...Pushed up to The Chute to take a nap and get a good look at it and The Cables...

A tent at Trail Camp...1 climber heading up as I was heading down at Rockwell's Finest Spring (Bighorn Park)...another 3 hikers and a dog lower down on the trail.

(Somewhat controversial comment) If you're fit and acclimatized and know what you're doing on snow, a Day-Climb with the current conditions is possible...boot tracks galore all over the mountain...

I'll repeat what I've been saying in other posts...It is going to be an early Summer...

Headache ain't gone, so ask questions if you have any...

Here are some photos with a few comments:






John Muir Wilderness...



Typical conditions farther up the Main Trail...a mix of snow patches with lots of trail...and lots of running water on the trail...



That's the altitude I'd call the snow continuous...although there were still plenty of dry patches of trail a lot higher up...



The Log Crossing...mostly dry...



Entering the Whitney Zone...



For some reason that is beyond me, the majority of the tracks up to Bighorn Park were WAY LEFT...I just headed straight up, linking sections of dry trail...



Outpost Camp.



Above Outpost Camp.



Contouring off the "trail" to the snowfield up to Consultation Lake / Trail Camp.

Continuing on...


Looking up towards The Switchbacks...



Trailside Meadow area down and across...



Trail Camp...Sign in the center...tent just right...



The Cables...



The Chute...

Some beauty photos:


Bighorn Park, Outpost Camp and beyond...



Mirror Lake.



Consultation Lake / Arc Pass...



No one has skied the "Marsh Couloir."



Trail Crest / Mt. Muir...

What? Already!? That's strange...

Thanks for the photos, Richard!

Richard,

Awesome day hike! Your focused photos reveal much.

Currently, if one hits the snow at the right time, it looks like travel between the ridge above Mirror Lake and Trail Crest should be straight forward.

How was travel between the exit of Outpost Camp (marked by the sign) to the ridge above Mirror Lake?

Wonder how the Backside looks to the Summit.

You are closing in on the Objective. We look forward to your further reports.

Be safe.

Jim

The tracks up above Outpost Camp were another confusing mess. If I wasn't feeling so rotten, I would have put in some effort on the way down to find a track that I'd prefer to follow on future trips up.

It's an area where one needs to pay attention to the bridges over the stream. (Again, in my opinion, the tracks were way left.)

I'd call the postholing on the way down not bad. (Definitely better than brain-rattling, hard-packed snow.) The snow was as close to perfect on the way up as it could be.

I'd imagine permits aren't going to be difficult to get, so I'm looking at going back up in the next few days.

great photos Richard. thank you for sharing.

Looking at your photo of trail camp facing the mountain. I can see "the notch" is the alternate route to trial crest to the left of the notch?

we are prepping for our hike and my unanswered question is: without access to the switchbacks...what is the alternate, "non-mountaineering"route? I assume it's just continuing up the chute and you meet the trail crest? is that accurate?

thank you!

"The Notch" is a feature of the Mountaineer's Route on the north side of the mountain. It's "flat spot" at the top of the Couloir and is the staging area for the Final 400' to the summit on the MR.

As of now, on the Main Trail side of the mountain, it is not possible to get to Trail Crest without some mountaineering skill. Someone like Doug, who is highly skilled, could probably do it with poles and micro-spikes...mere mortals would want an axe and crampons...

Speaking in terms of alternatives to a summit...it is very beautiful up there...you can make it to Trail Camp (and even to where I was yesterday) with micro-spikes relatively safely...I would say that there is probably less than 200' of terrain that requires enough focus to keep from making a stupid mistake...

In the photo of The Chute, Trail Crest is left of the last pinnacle (the area looks like a flat spot in that photo).

In the Trail Camp photo, follow the edge of the snowfield to the skyline to get a rough estimate of where Trail Crest is.

Thanks Richard......

I was planning on coming up on Friday, but just checked the Mammoth Lakes Weather report. They are calling for rain and snow for Saturday in to Sunday. It looks like the chance of rain is in the mid 90 percent or higher. Who knows how it will turn out.

But then again, maybe if I wait a week, Horseshoe Meadows Road might be open, at least to the last gate.

Paul

Following up on if anyone has any recent updates on conditions of the Mountaineer's Route!?

Particularly focused on snow bridges in lower canyon, Melt status of UBSL and/or Iceberg lake, and how the final 400 looks. Any info helps!

Since no one has responded - and pure speculation - based on 1 month ago...

Look up at my photo of the E-ledges...very little snow then, so probably melted out now...you're going to be on the Summer Trail up to close to 10k' with patches of snow in the shade...LBSL will have some exposed water...above, UBSL and Iceberg will still be frozen solid...there may be some water running at Clyde Meadow and there's good camping spot in a group of trees just above it...if you dead-set on camping at Iceberg, bring extra fuel for the snow you're going to have to melt...there was a recent report that climbing in the Couloir was fun...there's going to be a grand staircase leading up the Final 400'...

Don't blame me if any of the speculation is wrong...