Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board MR conditions

I'll be hitting the MR in a couple of days and was hoping someone has current conditions (snow/ice) of the chute and the traverse. I called the visitor center and the date on the trail conditions recording was 11 June.
Thanks.

I was on the MR yesterday morning Tuesday 7/22. Fom Iceberg Lake (not much ice remaining) to the notch you will be completely off snow if you take the preferred (in my opinion) route: stay to left on rock until half way up. From half way up to the notch its the usual terrible unrelenting scree and a few small patches of snow (unless you can climb on the wall in some places). If you want snow there is still plenty on the bottom half of the chute to the right. I threw a rock on it and did not appear too hard (at 0845).

From the notch to the top by the first chute on the left, you may gain passage on rock staying to the left or right. The amount of snow in the middle encountered in the upper half is getting smaller steadily. As often is the case there was some ice in the bottom half. No snow on the Traverse.

7/22 was an unusually clear day with outstanding views from the summit.

Hope this helps. Jim

Jim,
Thanks very much for the reply. It came a little late for my trip, but it is much appreciated anyway.

Sounds like you were just two days in front of us - at the Portal the night of the 23rd, at Iceberg Lake Thursday night. We summited Friday (via the chute) and went down the main trail to Mirror Lake, then hiked out Saturday.

Awesome time!

Thanks again for the info. Joe J.

Do you have any pictures of the Notch and the chute? Would we need crampons in the icy section mentioned ?

Anyone else have recent trip reports of the MR?

this is view from midway in chute looking up towards notch - no snow on route:


and view looking up the final 400 - blocks to the left were fun as usual. Photo from last Sunday:

Thank you for the Pictures. That removes all guess work

So the final 400 do you recommend staying to the right of the snow patch? The granite seems more easy to scale.

I think alot of people go right - but I like the left route - but you cannot see where it turns in that picture

this picture shows the final blocks:

Thank you for the pictures! I will be climbing the MR on Monday and Tuesday. I notice the guy in the picture is not wearing a helmet. What are different views on wearing or not wearing a helmet? Thanks!

Sorry for my question. I did a search and found the information I was looking for!

well ,if you don't fall, and if there is no one above you loosening rocks, then you don't need a helmet.

do the math..it's a no brainer (pardon the pun)
Harvey

Just remember to land on your head when you fall! That way you won't get hurt
tomcat,I went left but my assent didn't seem nearly as exposed as your route. Did you go left then left again and summit behind the hut?

Hi Kurt -
Congrats on your MR summit - look forward to some pictures. I think it is decieving due to camera angle shot. Here is view of same area as from atop the bowl(where right hand side tops out)

Thanks!
I'm already planning another trip and my daughter is asking which other mountains we can climb!

We went up to the far left of the snow in your previous post,I guess I went right then? We hugged the face of the left side of that chute, after 13 hours there was no way I was going up where you were!
I wish there was a way to show, with photography, the actual scale of the boulders and distances. Seems like everything becomes very small and inconsequential in photos, no big deal, when it's so much the opposite!