Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Scree gaiters on the Main Trail?

Are scree gaiters helpful on the MT?

I have searched the Orientation Notes and previous posts and found nothing on this topic, so I hope I am not asking anyone to reanswer a familiar question.

Thanks for the help.

Brent N

Once you don't need gaiters for snow, you won't need 'em for scree. The trail is sandy to rocky but not gravelly. Maybe a few spots between the boulders up top but not worth carrying gaiters.

Thanks. That's one less item in my pack for my summer trip (assuming the summer weather behaves).

Brent

Depends on what type of boot you're wearing (high or low) and how you careful you are with your foot placements. Most of my friends wear lightweight scree gaiters all summer long because it's easier than having to stop for frequent "boot dumps". Even on the main trail, there are unlimited amounts of debris just waitng to hop in for a ride. It continues to amaze me how the tiniest pebble can feel like a boulder when it's under your foot. Kinda like "The Princess and the Pea"

Dave