Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board 14 Year Old on Mountaineers Route

I summited via the Mountaineers route last July, I am bringing my son to do Whitney in June. He is only 14 years old. I was going to bring him up the normal trail, but I thought the Mountaineers route is so much better, yet harder. Has anyone here brought a 14 year old or similar up the Mountaineers route? Or do you suggest it or think he is too young? We are from Louisiana and he has limited experience with mountains, he has only been to Colorado last winter and we walked around the mountains there. I could take him the least dangerous routes I can, but I still kind of worry. WDYT?

The mountaineers route is totally doable for a 14 year old, but based on what you said, I would stick to the trail. The MR is most difficult in the gully and then the final 400. Doing those with sea level cardio and no experience with exposure sounds like a bad intro to the high sierra.