Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board main trail conditions thread 5/1/12 - 11/1/12

I want to start a new thread regarding main trail conditions throughout the 5/12-11/12 (quota) climbing season
game on!

Trail is essentially dry to Mirror Lake right now. Obviously, there are some patches of snow.

Above still requires some snow skills. Firm in the morning. Soft in the afternoon.

The storm that passed thru did almost nothing except knock a few more trees down.

Post holing through the moraines on your way out can break a leg. Go slow! Snowshoes from trail camp to the snow line until the snow melts/consolidates may be a good idea.

Hi Stagger I can place a sticky on this and it will stay at the top if you want , The thread should stay on the first page because of the post updates but will be in different locations unless we make it a sticky. Thanks for doing this. It will be very helpful for all that are planning trips .Thanks Doug

Photos from the 27th (in case you didn't look at the Andrew thread):

http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/Whats-New-1/Mt-Whitney-April-27-2012/22677749_xBvwrq#!i=1817078329&k=mjD5Qgj

Hi I made this a sticky topic and it will stay at the top , also the mountaineers route is a sticky also so both are in the same location . Thanks Doug

Spent the last three days putzing around the mountain. Didn't see a soul for 3 days...possibly starved for human interaction, I met a number of chatty folks on my way out today interested in conditions. With the first weekend of the quota season upon us...a few random thoughts

HOT. Good grief, it was a beautiful few days of weather though...reflection from the snow is a killer. Lots of rockfall with the warm weather.

That said, snow conditions (what is left) are more mid June than early May. The slope/chute/snowfield conditions are best early and deteriorate quickly in mid day. Late afternoon shadows and winds can refreeze quickly. I found conditions quite different descending at 4p the last day compared to 2-3 on prior days.

The switchbacks are being used and should open up far sooner than is typical, I still prefer the slope/chute/snowfield but to each their own. There are a few telltale tracks traversing over from the cables which I wouldn't particularly want to do.

Use caution in the moraine as well as traversing any of the drainages. Late afternoon on either is an unavoidable postholing hell, take her easy. Snowfields in the Consultation Lake drainage can still offer a quick descent early in the day, just avoid the sound of running water :-)

The backside has a couple nifty spots with piled snow to be aware of. There were two spots in particular just after Muir that are no fall areas...particularly as they get icy in the afternoon.

Postholing the summit snowfield in May was an unexpected 'pleasure'. Nothing like added effort at 14k+.

The summit register could use some pens Richard when you go up for 24 (or is it 25?)

The backside is already littered with WAG bags. WTF.

The final 400' looks much like it has.

Plenty of water available up to Trail Camp.

I think the snow has reached the tipping point.

It is amazing the change from week-to-week and even from morning to afternoon.

I would use the trail up to Trail Camp now unless you are familiar with the shortcuts. We don't want to read about someone dropping thru a collapsed snow bridge.

The slope up to Trail Crest is starting to show the ground in spots. It won't be long until it is out of shape.

I'll post some photos later.

Photos from Cinco de Mayo:

http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/Whats-New-1/Mt-Whitney-Cinco-de-Mayo-2012/22828644_wxQLcN#!i=1832047553&k=6bPHM3M

A couple of observations I made on Cinco de Mayo...

I met more people on the slope that had no idea how to hold an ice ax, let alone how to self arrest because they asked me if I could show them. I guess not a big deal as long as there is no ice to deal with The slope was icy in the afternoon, especially in the glissade tracks. I'm sure conditions have already changed since Saturday, for the worse.

One guy did not have a hat or sunglasses, on the slope. As GreenMountain Boy said, the sun is brutal up there and you can get literally blinded.

Pack out your wag bags. Leaving them up there along the trail is disgusting and disrespectful. You can bring along a stuff sack to pack your used wag bag in and hang it from the outside of your pack.

pics from Cinco de Mayo

"Pack out your wag bags. Leaving them up there along the trail is disgusting and disrespectful. You can bring along a stuff sack to pack your used wag bag in and hang it from the outside of your pack. "

A HD trash bag or large ZIP Loc bag is cheaper and disposible if there's a leak.

Doug- Any chance you could start an 'education' campaign of "LEAVE THE MOUNTAIN CLEANER THAN YOU FOUND IT- PACK IT OUT" at the store? If you think its worthwhile, I'll write the VC Supervisor about the same idea. I posted on the WHA site about helping clean the mountain; and started a 's-- storm'; but few offering an immediate solution to the existing situation. If more folks pick up a little, they become an army of volunteers making the mountain a lot cleaner to enjoy.

I hiked to the summit yesterday (Sat May 12). The weather continued to be excellent. The chute still appeared to be the consensus route to access Trail Crest. Though some appeared to be struggling to make their way along the switchbacks.

The snow chute to Trail Crest was in good condition. I started at the base of the chute at 0645 and had great purchase with my crampons. On descent from Trail Crest at 1145 the snow in the chute had softened enough that I easily walked down it ("plunge step" with use of hiking poles, but ice axe readily available).

Unless there is significant deterioration of the weather, it seems quite possible the switchbacks will be reasonably passable for the Memorial Holiday hikers.

Yesterday was topped off at the Whitney Portal Store with a nice chat with Doug Sr, Amy and Myles and a great double cheeseburger.

Happy 25th season to the Portal Store Crew!

Jim F

Agree with Jim F. I was also on the trail yesterday (Sat 5/12) on my last day in town before coming back to New York. Summit #3 for me and I finally was able to climb up the snow "Chute" which was a great climb and really changes the character of the mountain from that side.

I went up the chute later in the morning after wasting time dealing with some filter trouble and conditions were as Jim mentioned. The weather was really perfect all day! Some snow on the backside, but nothing that careful foot placement couldn't take care of.

I actually had the summit to myself for 25 min. Amazing.

Jim, Perhaps we ran into one another? There weren't all too many people on the morning. Were you wearing those red Sportiva Trango boots by any chance? I might have seen you on your return from the summit as I was rounding the back of Trail Crest. I think you were perhaps the only person I saw going down as I was coming up at that point.

Rob

Putting some photos to the words (I was coming down from a climb up the MR, so they are in reverse order):


Not a lot of snow on the summit plateau.
The West Face traverse has a trench just like this.



The west side Main Trail.
You can see the West Face (summit) snowfield at upper-left.



West and east side Main Trail.
You can see some of what's left of the (west side) steep snow traverses.



Sun cups forming on the snow to Trial Crest.


I didn't care for the conditions on the descent, but then I've probably done it way too many times this year and am getting cranky about it.

I stayed on the trail from a few switchbacks above Trail Camp down. There were only a few annoying patches of snow. The descent to Trailside Meadow required a little off-trail travel.


The album: http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/Whats-New-1/Mt-Whitney-Mountaineers-Rou/22960123_kz5s8h#!i=1845337145&k=bS85CmN

Hi Rob,

Glad to hear you had a great day on Mt Whitney. You certainly deserved a rewarding visit after coming all the way from New York!

Yes, I was indeed wearing red La Sportiva Trango boots as you noted in your May 13 post. Glad to have met you. I would have stopped and chatted a bit if I had known you were also a WPS Board Member.

It seemed that you and I were among only a few to reach the summit by noon. I reached the summit at 0900, was the first to sign in for May 12, and saw no other person during the 70 minutes I stayed at the summit. I got an early start as I figured this would likely give me the most favorable conditions for going up and down the chute. I was also highly motivated to:
(1) get down to the Whitney Portal Store before it closed
(2) at the end of the hike had to immediately drive 6 and 1/2 hours back to Davis (near Sacramento) so I would be home for Mother's Day.

Looks like this year we will have a long summer season to enjoy in the High Sierras. Hope you make it back soon.

Jim F

Yes, we both were wearing the same boots if you recall! Good to see you Jim and congrats on your summit!

For those interested, below is a link to some photos from my Saturday climb: I can't figure how to embed them here.

http://14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=11767&picsize=large

Hello RAC.

Great pictures. Thanks for posting them. I can't wait to get up there May 29 and 30.

May I ask what time you started out of Trail Camp?

Good Morning,

Any idea what the main route conditions will look like by May 28th, 29th, assuming the weather holds? It's my first time, I'm hiking alone and would prefer to stick to the trail if poossible.

Thank you

Hey Gotknee, I was at Trail Camp earlier, but waited around a bit, had a snack, took care of water, some photos, etc; so I think I finally left around 8:30A area ballpark. Doing it again under those same conditions, I'd leave earlier to ensure harder snow. On the day, the forecast was so good, and the skies clear, so I just wasn't in any super rush. The snow was softer but totally doable to climb for those inclined. Good luck over Memorial Day! By then, the switchbacks might be more clear.

I have some permits available for an overnight on Mt. Whitney on Sunday, June 10th. We are planning on camping out at Trail Camp (elevation 12,039) and then working our way to the top the next morning. Please contact me if you are interested in joining our group. I have a total of 15 permits, but currently only about 10 people are able to make it.

Thanks,
Sharif

sharif.shakhshir@gmail.com