Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Williamson Bowl: stay low or go high?

As I read more and more descriptions of climbs on the West Face of Williamson, one point stands out: everyone seems to hate trying to get across the bowl. So, here I appeal to the experience of the forum. When crossing the Williamson Bowl, most descriptions suggest to stay high, but at least one image on Summit Post displays a route that skirts the shores of the lakes. http://www.summitpost.org/williamson-bowl/307219
If you have been either of these ways, I would appreciate any feedback that you can offer that will partially alleviate the suffering that I am about to encounter.

Thanks for the beta. It'll be my first time up Shepherd's Pass, so I'm just looking to conserve any strength that I'll have left at that point.

Zach and I were just there Monday (day hike), on the way across the bowl going in we stayed somewhat down the center right and it wasted time on the way back we stayed lower(closer to the shore of both lakes closer to the east face of Tyndal)IMHO it was easier coming back that way, less up and down. You cannot avoid a good portion of boulder hopping but right of center will minimize a good portion of it - have fun Lee it's a great climb you can view pictures here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2332258230179.137491.1361475703&type=1 and ask any questions you like

That's pretty much what the Burchmeister and I did--were you following our tracks, Patrick?
Have a great hike Lee and good luck trying to minimize the suffering!

my 2 cents... Phil (lik2hik) and I kinda just stayed in the middle. Is that what you say Phil??? And it seemed like a pretty straight forward route. We stayed higher and west of the lakes in the east side of the bowl. It never felt that were gaining or loosing too much and appeared to be the path of least resistance. A guided group from SMC followed our tracks so it seemed we were on the best known route and the cairns we encountered signaled someone before felt the same. The one thing i will always remember is that it's up and down and up and down and up and down...

From where we dropped in to the black stain looked like it was gonna' take forever in my eyes, but in reality it was under two hours and that included negotiating some of it pre-dawn.

Impossible! Willy must be earned and at a "painful" price. But it is sooo worth it!

Thanks to all. Perhaps the next time I hike with Sam I will share the trail with some of you as well. Would look forward to it.