Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Crampons

Yes, REI Tempe rents crampons, but not ice axes.

If in the bind, there is small and cool store Sierra Elevation at Lone Pine that rents crampons and ice ax. Here is the link...

http://www.sierraelevation.com/

Thanks for all the info, I just picked up two ice axes at the Hiking Shack in Phoenix that they are renting me for 8.00 per week each. They also had some instep crampons that I purchased which hopefully will be good enough. The plan now is to get up to TC early enough and do some practicing with the axes.

Do you think it will be faster this year going up the chute as compared to the switchbacks or should it be about the same time? I never timed my-self on the switch backs. We are heading up on the 4th of July.

Kevin: I wouldn't rely on the instep crampons: I had them on the chute one spring and wished I hadn't. You need grip on your toes going up and heels coming down. Trying to maintain traction on the instep makes you walk funny. Look for Yak Trax, at least: about 20 bucks and way better for the money than the insteps and they will grip in a boot track or cut step.

I saw some people using insteps on the west glacier route up Banner Peak once. They seemed to be no faster that us with none. Some of that was the awkward slowness of negotiating up hard suncups in the AM. (Slushier PM descent was simple). As stated, if you want/need aid, get something better.