Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Walking up hill

Many folks wonder how it will be on the Mountain.. Do i need spikes, crampons warm jackets anything???? If you are walking from your car to the store its easy isn't it? I wonder if you think about the weather the cold the elements?? Nope Why on the Mountain do we worry?? Dunno?? Yes you do!! Its not a parking lot.. Is there ice?? When and how high?? Dunno! Really why not, you are aiming to climb up are you not?? Yes i am excited to climb up.. Good ARE you prepared >?? For What?? An accident , ice, rock fall, cold , wind, sun exposure elevation??? Humm i didn't think about that i have my down jacket .. What about your feet?? What about your emergency gear?? What do you mean.. I mean is it icy in the shade ,will the afternoon sun melt the snow? will it freeze when the sun goes behind the mountain??? Will the elevation make me think abnormally?? Humm i dunno .. Well maybe you should know... I mean after all its your life, i can only give advice.. Moral is if your climbing a mountain.. THINK about self preservation. Be responsible, no amount of money can get your ass out of trouble but a little research and self conservation can help you out tremendously .. Be responsible for your climb research your mountain and be prepared.. We here can only make suggestions, and we will always send you out with more than less for safety , since we want your experience to be safe.. Nobody is in charge of you but you so be ready in your own mind!!!!! If a mountain has ice use the gear, if the trail is clear wear a speedo, But keep yourself safe and don't look to blame the guy in the store trying to help you stay out of your own way.. Speedo climbing on the 14,508 not recommended !! But i want to see it:::)))

Sounds like someone had a bad day in paradise.

LOL Davey! You don't have the excuse of being just a cook, but you can always say you're just the janitor....

Tracie I am the Janitor you should see the toilet i had to work on yesterday, i guess the mountain scared the S… out of them…! All kidding aside i had this group of four big muscly type figure guys in asking if they needed spikes.. it was right after the snow and word on the trail was it would be a good idea to have them.. So we sold them and off they went all muscly and happy to go conquer the great one… When they got back a couple of days later they came in the store and as i walked out of the bathroom doing my janitor duties, there was mister muscle head yelling at Tracy calling her a rip off.. So i said ,hey there buddy bud whats your trip.. He then turned and barked like some strange little poodle with is muscles all fluttered and flexed and said you said i needed spikes.. I laughed at first and said well , what i really said was you may want to have some in case it gets icy , it may help you make it up instead of have to turn around… he became e very pissy as i reminded him about our real conversation, and he then tried to drag Doug into it and he got very belligerent, demanding a refund… i did do so, but i also let mr muscle and crew hear some pretty harsh reality facts about the mountain, conditions, and dead bodies, i was clear that he was lucky the Mountain used a soft voice on that day, and maybe next time mr, know it all will hear a different voice from the mountain, and when he or one of his buddies was being hauled off in a body bag, he might use a different tone when being confrontational to some one trying to help.. Mostly pissed me off because he was an inch from Tracy face yelling.. He and crew left with there little poodle tails between there knees as my little scrawny 155 lb frame gave a pice or two of my mind… Backed up with some pretty intense pictures of the helicopter i captured while they were searching for the last missing hiker...

Hi Davey,

It takes all kinds, but can't they be somewhere else.

Quick question... have you had any reports regarding
snow on the HIGH Sierra Trail? We've never done it
before and have a week available starting next Tues.
If the weather looks okay and the trails are clear will
be looking for beer and burgers around the 19th.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in Advance,
Rick

Davey,

How lucky we are to have you at the Hostel and Doug at the Portal. Forget about that piece of CRAP who ran his mouth!! If you have to deal with one idiot out of every 20 hikers you are doing pretty good. I stopped by the Hostel a few months ago, WOW the place looks fantastic. I had a coke and a ice cream while watching you help two guys try on some new boots. Sorry I did not say hello, I do not hear very well. Please save a coke and a ice cream for me, I will see you next year.

THE SILENT HIKER

Rick,

I am familiar with the HST, Kaweah Basin, Picket Basin, etc (having been out there most recently this August). From the summit of Mt Whitney last week (Thurs Oct 2), I could see no significant snow with the naked eye out in that direction. (Of course, there could be snow on the ground on the tree-covered Chagoopa Plateau, for example, which could obscure the trail, but which one might not easily detect from Mt Whitney.) I looked that way carefully, as I am also fantasizing an October trip on the HST. If the weather behaved, I think it would be an awesome experience (as so much of the Sierras can be this time of year).

Of course, this time of year one elevates the level of thinking concerning risk management, and Plans B, C, and D are more thoroughly formulated in advance.

Have a great trip.

Jim F

Davey, I met you at the hostel in early August just after Dan and I finished our Miter Basin to Whitney to Onion Valley trip and Karin had just finished her Mammoth to Whitney.
You talked to us before she drifted off to the land of Nod.

Sorry about the customer from hell. As many know, I like quotes so here is a good one, and a modification. Harvey


original
In no other pursuit is the best or the worst in a man brought out as in mountaineering. An old friend of civilisation may be a useless companion on a mountain.

Frank Smythe, The Kanchenjunga Adventure, in
Frank Smythe. The Six Alpine/Himalayan Climbing Book, p 165


version for you
In no other pursuit is the best or the worst in a man brought out as in mountaineering retail store. A customer of civilisation may be a thankless jerk on a mountain or when he returns.

Wow Davey, I'm sorry that happened. Some people are of the belief that if they have the loudest voice, most intimidating stance, etc. that it makes them the AUTHORITY. I guess you need that sign that says you have the right to refuse service to anyone...Poodle man!