Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board White Mountain Peak and Mt. Conness

Last Tuesday, 5/11, I was able to drive White Mtn Road up to about 2 miles from the Barcroft gate before snow blocked the road. I think I was just east of Sheep Mountain, so I summitted that (about 12,400 I think) at around 7 PM. The wind was blowing and it felt like about -5 to +5 degrees and it was snowing tiny pieces of ice while it was probably about 70 something degrees in Bishop down below. Saw a bighorn sheep near Silver Canyon Road (beautiful animal - I understand that there are only about 150 in all the Sierra and White Mountain Ranges combined). Then on Friday on my way back to North Fork from a week's work in Bishop, they opened Tioga Pass, so I thought I'd attempt Mt. Conness. Walked from Tioga Pass Road maybe 5 or 6 miles to a ridge or notch east-by-southeast of the Conness peak; thought I was maybe at a little over 11,000 feet. It was 6 PM so I thought I'd better turn back. As soon as I stepped from granite onto a patch of snow I stopped abruptly at the sight fresh, recent, big, mountain lion tracks - and I imagined it had walked past behind me considering the culinary possibilities as I took in the view. After a brief moment of intense fear, I turned the situation into a positive by devloping a new hiking stride which I aptly named “spin-tripping” or “jumpy spin-tripping.” On steep downward sections, I discovered it could be more appropriately called the “half-spin-slip-roll-grab onto big rock before cliff” stride. It was spectacular and I plan to return and summit with 2 friends this Saturday.

Thanks for the report, I'm hoping to get to White Mtn Peak some time this summer.

Talus Scree,

Thanks for the update on the road to Barcroft Station. I will be up there during Memorial Day Weekend and curious to what conditions I'll find. My ultimate plan is to bike to the summit but it appears that there's too much snow up there.

gosc

As of May 17, 2004, the road to the gate 2 miles below Barcroft is open. It is all plowed and with a 4WD you ought to have no problem. In fact, I hiked up on May 17, 2004 to the Observatory about a half mile past Barcroft station. There is some snow there-patchy. I spoke with a guy that was planning on summiting White Mtn~today.. (May 18). He was acclimatizing at the gate below Barcroft. So apparently people are summiting White Mtn by way of the road already this year.

Thanks for info. We're thinking of heading up this weekend. Not sure whether its brave or overly adventuresome: gonna make a try over the road with a 2-wheel drive Explorer (cables for just-in-case). Assuming plans don't change, I'll post conditions early next week.

You ought to be okay. The only stretch where you might need 4WD (where I used 4WD) is on Silver Canyon Rd. This is the "shortcut" that passes Wyman Canyon Rd. I think that you probably will be okay on this road in 2WD (as long as your traction is okay???). The shortcut is necessary, or at least was on the 17th because the other way was covered with snow.

Trying to ask a question without sounding like a total moron can be hard for me sometimes but is a wilderness permit needed to hike along the access road to White Mountain Peak?I'm thinking about going up this Friday night for an early Saturday morning hike to the peak than get the heck out of there and drive home Saturday afternoon.I'm trying to avoid the Memorial Day crush but don't have much choice.

fish395,

No wilderness permit is required. I will be up there this weekend (on a bike), so maybe we'll see you around. Good luck!

gosc

gosc- question:

Did you cycle over the weekend to WMP? And, I wanted to do same next weekend - are you sure bicycles are allowed? For some reason, I thought they were not, but I'm probably just thinking about rules for trails in general since, after all, the WMP trail is a road - thanks in advance for clarifying, Talus

We took bikes into White Mountain last summer. Checked with the rangers station first and they said no problem. Just remember to take enough water with you (~15 miles round trip)none on the trail. I personally found most of the road unridable except for the section between the gate to Barcroft then beyond the observitory to the drop into the saddle to White Mtn.. Next time is will just walk the trail. Have fun, great mountain!

thanks sprig - I think I may walk - but first if I could here how gosc's cycling turned out ...

I've tried to ride to the top of White Mountain twice. Both times were unsuccessful, but a fitter, more experienced trail rider could probably make it. The first time, I wasn't acclimatized properly and gave up riding about 400-500 feet below the summit. (I had also done some hike-a-bike down lower.) The second time, I had spent quite a bit of time at altitude before the ride. I was within about 200 feet of the summit when the terrain became more than my skills could handle (a LOT of loose rock to ride across), so I dropped the bike and walked up.

Again, if you're acclimatized, fit and have really good bike handling skills it shouldn't be a problem to ride all the way to the top.

Regarding bikes to White Mtn., about three years ago I saw two guys ride unicycles to the top and they then carried them up to the roof of the hut and then rode around the roof on them.