Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board January climb via Main Trail or MR.

Hi everyone,

I’ve been following this forum for a while to keep updated on mountain conditions, as my wife and I are planning a visit to Mt. Whitney around Jan 10-13th. We’re both experienced in the winter backcountry, having spent many winters trekking and climbing at home the mountains of New Zealand and – since our move to the US – in the wintery Northeastern US.

Our plan for Whitney is to camp at the Portal for a night (we’ll be arriving in Lone Pine around midday) and then head up either the North Fork or Main Trail with the eventual goal of topping out at the MR notch or Trail Crest. We’re not concerned with summiting, either via the “final 400” on the MR or by trudging through (probably) deep snow along the back-side of the crest. Our goal is to enjoy the winter solitude and scenery and hopefully climb to a high place. As such, we’ll be travelling with snowshoes, poles, crampons/axes/helmets and the necessary winter weather/exposure gear. So, with the usual caveats concerning little prior snowfall and favorable weather forecasts for Jan 10th-14th, I have a couple of specific questions:

1. Given the recent dump of snow, the route conditions that might be expected for early/mid Jan, and an early start from the Portal (~5 am), is it plausible to reach UBSL (on the MR) or Trail Camp (main trail) before nightfall? If not the latter, how far up the Main Trail would one need to camp in order to have a realistic chance of reaching Trail Crest the following day (assuming fairly consolidated snow, a pre-dawn start, returning to same camping site, and travelling “light” i.e. leaving the tents pitched)?

2. After the big dump of snow this week, is it likely that travel over the Eberbacher (sic.?) Ledges will be necessary to ascend to LBSL, or should there be sufficient snow accumulation to allow travel directly up the canyon?

Thanks in advance, and please feel free to chime in with useful tidbits of knowledge or ask questions. In my experience, one can never have enough local information/advice before heading out into the wilds.

“You’re more likely to be wrong than right, if only because there are many more ways of being wrong than there are of being right”

Kiwi we are out 3 weeks. Our storm patterns are about 7-10 days apart so I think we may have another system before you arrive or when you are on the mountain.
This new snow may set if we have a few warm days,then travel on the surface is quick. If it stays cold we have had years of sugar snow ,you just sink.
Trailcamp is 6 miles upper is about 2 ,you could have drifts above outpost and very slow going ,

The North Fork lower canyon can be tricky if we don't get more snow ,with cover you can walk up the bottom very fast .Boulder field around LBSL can be avoided by using the North side and work southerly as the walls pinch you in .You will see the ice flow on your left so stay in the open and this will take you to the saddle near,Upper BSL.Around the corner you will have a view of the Whitney Face.

Since you are not interested in the summit I would set a base camp around the Portal and do day,hikes This will give you light fast travel.so you and your wife could see both canyons.protected from the wind and a chance for a walkout if a storm comes in.


Some years ago the weather forecast said 1 inch at 8000. so this guy moves his car to 7000 the next morning it was under about 5' and was there for 3 weeks.


What ever you decide you will like the Mountain.

Thanks for the quick reply Doug, and for your patience re: my overeagerness to post this far in advance! I certainly expect there'll be much more snow between now and mid Jan, and if it stays soft and powdery no doubt our weekend may turn into a snowy winter camping (and not so much hiking) trip.

Also, I guess our climbing habits in NZ are to carry everything with us alpine-style and plan multiple camps, so the base-camping/day-hiking strategy hadn't even occurred to me! Are you suggesting we base-camp at the Portal Campsite? Or somewhere a bit further along the Main Trail (perhaps near Lone Pine Lake?), to give a head-start on that longer route? It would add a mile or so to a climb up the MR, but I figure that route is much shorter anyway.

Again acknowledging the many "ifs" that come with alpine backcountry planning (if we're travelling light, if the snow is good, if the weather is good, "if your auntie had balls she'd be your uncle" and so on...) do you reckon we could make it to the MR notch/Trail Crest and back in a day? The latter sounds like a very long day!

Ah, I'm probably overthinking all this while daydreaming in a very boring office. As you said, whatever we decide, it'll be a fun adventure. Just being in a high place surrounded by snowy rocky gnarly peaks is usually enough for me.

Hi Kiwiommo, I'm headed out to Whitney in early Feb to climb the mountaineers route. I would love to hear what kind of conditions you encounter up there during your Jan climb.
Hope you have a great trip!

-Dan

Well we have had a few storms since the first report, and raining/snowing now. As always the wind is the beast the new snow on the upper elevation will blow and drift in the 11000-12500 elevation .I watched the spin off the ridge all day after the last storm, this storm will pass with high winds.
May head up on Friday or Saturday and give you a shout.

Thanks Doug. I've been watching the mountain forecasts closely and it's touch and go at the moment... will see what the weekend brings then decide on Monday.

Hey clear sky about 10 AM took a drive to check snow level about 6 inches at 6000' road solid from the gate area , very wet snow and 43 degrees that was then this is NOW wind started about 6:30 PM temps dropped fast say low 30's so the slush on the road will ice. Heading out in the morning to hike in the Hills . Give you another update over the weekend as another system moves in/out

Awesome Doug. Thanks for the info. Looks like we'll be parking at the gate then! Keep me posted on what you find up in them thar hills. Looking at the forecast, our arrival might be pushed back to wed/thur after these systems have passed through.