Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Trail Report Sep 29/30

Sep 29: Left Whitney Portal just before sunrise with 35 lb packs. Arrived at trail camp about 2 hours before the sun dipped below the ridge. Gorgeous day, clear skies, great temperatures to be hiking up the trail. A few patches of snow over the trail up. Hiking up, we passed many people: some made no summit attempt, some turned around before trail crest, some turned around before summit, some made the summit with or without crampons. The stories were really all over the place, so we decided to play it by ear. As we settled in for the night at trail camp, we noticed head lights coming down the switchbacks. At one point a group of 4 headlights were stopped on the switchbacks for about 10 minutes, looking like they were stuck. We figured our best shot was to make it up and down the switchbacks while there was loose snow/slush so that we could kick into the foot holds.

Sep 30: Up at sunrise. Gave the switchbacks an hour or two to loosen up. Left around 9 am with 20 lb packs. On the way up, passed many people turning around. Made it to trail crest at 10:30 am, hung around and enjoyed the view for a bit. Windy, but not nearly as bad as expected. After trail crest, we encountered no one turning around before summit. Made summit around 12:30 pm. I was wasted for the last 1/2 mile, but pushed to make it. Absolutely beautiful conditions at the top. Left summit around 1:00 pm. The entire trail back down was slushy, very easy to get foot holds. Quick food break and picked up our remaining gear at trail camp. Made it back to Whitney Portal around 7:30 pm.

Exhilarating trip, I'm glad we weren't put off by the doom and gloom from people coming down the trail. The trail was sketchy in parts, you just have to go as far as you feel comfortable with. We did the entire trail in regular hiking shoes. Where the consequences for failure were much greater, I slowed down and made much more careful steps. Many people had crampons, and they would certainly help. But we did not need crampons.

thanks for the report! congrats on making the summit! Sounds promising and I can't wait to hit the trail on Saturday!

Thanks for the info JC. Do you have any photos to post?
Did you need or bring an ice axe?

Thanks for the trip report. We are leaving for the portal tomorrow and up the MWT early Fri am. I heard 20% snow on Fruday morning though...

Excellent report and details on timing, conditions, durations. We are sitting down in our hotel in Lone Pine, going to do one more day of altitudes and set off tomorrow AM (now earlier thanks to your info) and give it a go.
Thanks for your help.

No ice axes. My summit partner had 1 walking pole on the way up and down. I had nothing on the way up, a stick on the way down. I only imagined using it if I fell, so that I could jam it into the snow to keep from sliding further.

As far as the times, as I understand it the 1:30 it took us to get up the switchbacks is really fast. I was budgeting 2:30 to get up the switchbacks (2:00 + 0:30 reserve). We were hoofing it hard the entire time and only made a couple 2 minute breather stops.

I have pictures, might post them.