Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board How difficult is the MR?

I understand that it is a class 3 which requires the use of hands and srambling on scree etc. I also understand that it is the last 400 feet or so that is steep and requires some mountaineering skills. If there is not much snow and crampons/iceaxe are not needed, how dificult is it for someone in great physical shape with good balance? Is it scary steep for someone who is afraid of looking over ledges? I am not afraid of heights unless I have to look over a steep ledge that is vertical. 45-50 degree inclines don't scare me in general but anything close to 90 degrees scares the heck out of me. I know that so many of you here take the MR regularly. Can someone without rock climbing experience do the MR under good conditions, safely?

I get the feeling you would be pretty intimidated.

Last time I climbed the MR, I took 4 other guys. One quit at the notch -- too scared to go up the last part, and he crab-crawled down at least half way back down to iceberg.

A second, who had climbed the MR chute before with a full pack, this time was pretty wary, and on the way down to the notch took twice as long as the others. He was obviously scared.

The other three did just fine above the notch.

It seems to me like your "fright level" is a bit more than the second guy.

Who knows I might be more like the 1st guy and crawl back down on my belly. As long as i don't scream like a girl while doing it...lol
I know ,I know the girls here wouldn't scream.

Everyone has their own level of comfort in a place like the MR. Over the years, we have taken many up the MR, mostly without any climbing experience. It helped a lot to know where we were going.

There were a couple of times people felt quite a bit of exposure, which emotionally got to them. Once was on the Ebersbacher ledges (he thought he might be having a heart attack) and another was up on the final 400 foot section (scarred enough we actually returned on the trail)

That being said I have taken all my children up the MR, their first time between the age of 8 and 11 years old. Certainly none of them had any climbing experience. They did fine, with help.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1221325106061435028YYIdzw

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1221325832061435028HPBNhi

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1221327955061435028szhLfd

Take a good look at link...photos and trip reports

http://www.mt-whitney.info/viewtopic.php?t=126

Linked below is a MySpace video that might help illustrate the Class 2-3 elements of a day hike up the MR in mid-summer. Though all three of us hikers were in our mid-sixties with several Main Trail Mt. Whitney ascents among us, it was the first MR trip for all of us, and only one of us had experience in rock-climbing. On the plus side, we were fortunate that none of us tends to be susceptible to altitude sickness (no significant AMS symptoms after sleeping at about 4000 feet in the Alabama Hills the night before), and we had ideal weather all the way. Also we maintained a slow to moderate pace and drank plenty of fluids.

Thus the word "leisurely" in the descriptive caption for the video should be taken to mean "unhurried" rather than "restful" or "easy." We spent almost an hour at Iceberg Lake and again at the top. The Portal-to-Portal trip, including our descent on the Main Trail in the dark, took more than 17 hours.

I hope the images in the video will add a little to Steve C's and Kashcraft's substantive (as always) accounts of the difficulty of the MR.

MR Day Hike 2005

I feel pretty uncomfortable looking over the edge of the Whitney summit and hang back several paces, while I feel equally nervous about my friends getting too close to the edge. Sounds like my psychological sensations are similar. That said, I've never really felt scared at any point on the MR, though I've only done it in summer with at most a little ice in the chute. I relaxed when Doug told me a few years back that even if you lost your balance you'd likely only drop down a few feet to the next little shelf below you - I'm talking on that last 400 feet. Taking the oft-described "start left, cross over halfway and finish right" on the final chute, I found that to be true. While the first few steps going back down over the edge into the chute might seem a little unnerving, I like being able to see my route choices easier from above and that makes me feel in control. I think you'll be fine.

And has been said, there's always the butt-scoot. I've resorted to it more than I care to admit!

Thanks Marc that was what I was hoping to hear. I am not proud. I have no prob butt scooting if that is what it takes.I am with you. I hate when others get too close to a ledge especially my kids which is what caused my psychological fear of ledges.

Nice video JFB. That didn't look scary.I think i could do that.

Doc, my buddies and I were in your spot last year. Out of our group, only one guy had done MR and he did it 3 years earlier. So let me give you the first impressions from a newbie's POV: FREAKIN STEEP!! Before our trip, I was looking at pictures, trip reports, Doug's book, this site, and anything else I can get my hands on to prepare myself. But absolutely nothing prepared me for the grade of the approach and MR. I have this thing with heights, so I was surprised that it didn’t affect me as much. I think I was concentrating too much on getting good feet and hand placements to be concerned about heights. The only really freaky part for me was at Ebersbacher Ledges. There was a part where I was literally sliding off. With my ghetto boots already falling apart and my huge pack hanging on me like a 12 year old kid, I thought I was gonna plunge off about 30 feet. Luckily my buddy lowered his hiking pole for me to grab unto. Right behind us was a REI guided group. The guide just bounced up those tough spots like a billy goat. He passed us and showed everybody how a veteran climb the Ledges. When we finally made it to Iceberg Lake it was like being on another planet. It was right there that I figured out why the regulars keep coming back to the mountain. You get a new boost of adrenaline and you start climbing like a man possessed. Halfway up you look down at Iceberg Lake and that’s when your family jewels shrink to the size of raisins. You question your self, your friends, your preparation, where all the air went, the reason for getting out of bed that morning, the weather, and the Lakers’ reason for existence. This is when you have to cowboy up and just go for it. Hiking back down and looking at our pics, I realized that it really wasn’t that bad. If you’re in good shape, the fear of the unknown is really the thing that freaks people out...oh yeah and the hordes of invading mice. Definitely check out Kashcraft’s pics. Seeing his kids conquer MR will make you less likely to scream like a little girl…it’ll be more like a whimper.

Dang Mono now I am scared again.Maybe I'll freak out.I think if I was a kid again I wouldn't have any fear.I never had fears as a kid in fact I did some pretty brave yet foolish hikes and "shortcuts".I may just have to hire Kurt and SMI to take me up the MR.

Thanks DocRodneydog,

Given the ideal weather we had and the optimum footing (no ice in the Upper Chute), you'd no doubt have as good a day as we had (and probably a shorter one).

But we were fortunate, and it was only one day's unique experience. Judging by the responses so far, you'll have a wide variety of stories to take into account.

Btw, be sure to notice the event mono describes related to carrying that big ol' back pack. A back pack is a lot more of a burden in the North Fork drainage and on the Ebersbacher Ledges than it would be on the Main Trail. Of course it's just one issue in the question of whether to day-hike or back-pack the MR.

Just don't look down to Artic Lake and you'll be fine.

Rodney, you describe your self as a person who is in good shape, with good balance and one who doesn't mind steepness up to 45 degrees.

I am not sure where you have gotten your apprehension from, but the MR doesn't have steep cliffs and 70 degree inclines. That is unless you are off route or desire such a thing. For example, you don't need to take the ridge route or waterfall pitch up to Iceberg Lake, unless you want to.

The Ebersbacher ledges make people nervous, but we have all seen them traversed with full packs. Just focus and stay away from the edge.

Above Iceberg lake there are actually two climbing sections, the first third up to the main colour and the last 400 foot section. Both are steep rock but you would not fall far if you slip, as long as the rock is dry and you use wisdom where you climb. You are not hanging off a cliff unless you choose to do so.

Above the notch, follow the recommended route. Start on the left side for about 75 to 100 feet. Cross over the middle and climb the rocks to the top. That is the easiest route.

The bottom section, before you cross over.
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1382217881061435028ZVEjsZ

You can see a climber crossing back over. That is where you cross from one side to another. This is looking up from the notch
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1382218187061435028rBipJX

Here is a picture looking down the staircase to the notch, from the summit ridge. You can see the rock ledge going down the left side, the safest way to climb up and down.
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1225915327061435028lwotzK

Copy off the description of the route by Doug Sr, which kashcraft linked to above. Take it with you and it will keep you on route.

It is here at the very end of the post.

http://www.mt-whitney.info/viewtopic.php?t=126

Hi A note about the route we wrote up, It took several years and no less than several hundred people , I WAS TIRED OF THE GO TO THE .... WALK UP THE STREAM FIND THE PINE TREE it wasn't helping the canyon or the hikers , so to add more paper of limited value didn't make sense . The logic was write up the path that did the least damage the least likely to cause injury and less detail the futher up the mountain to allow that element of discovery. Please the credit is to the many that came back and said no that didn't work it should say .... Thank you Doug

Thanks Andrew. I have seen so many pictures from posts here and some have looked scary steep.I realize that photos can look worse that reality. That is why I asked how scary steep is it in actuality. Thanks for all that have replied.

Doug thanks for your imput and the others who contibuted to the MR diections.