Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board What is the degree of slope...

Does anyone have a good guess-timate of what degree the slope is between trail camp and trail crest? I climbed up it last June when it was still snow covered. It was exhausting. Just wondering how steep. Thanks.

Someone else with better knowledge might correct this, but most of the slope where the switchbacks are located is at about 45 degrees. Of course, you don't actually do a 45 degree slope. You can calculate by dividing the vertical (1600') by the official horizontal trail distance (about 2.2 miles, or 11,616'). This gives an average trail slope of 13.8%.

Lambertiana's calculation seems reasonable. Here are some comparisons from other trails (mostly in S. California): Mt. Whitney (the whole 11 miles from Portal to summit): 11%; San Gorgonio via Dollar Lake Saddle: 8%; San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek: 12%; Grand Cyn from Cottonwood Spgs to N. Rim: 12%; Icehouse Cyn to IH Saddle: 14%; Mt. Baldy via Ski Hut trail: 16%; Mt. Baldy via Bear Flats: 17%!

So the switchers aren't extreme as far as grade goes. I think their difficulty seems extreme because they are such a prominent and seemingly endless part of the whole hike. It's just one damn foot in front of the other....

Sorry, I should have clarified it a little better. The slope I'm referring to is to the right of the switchbacks (if you're at trail camp looking up the switchbacks) It's across the snow field and it's a "short cut" to Trail Crest. It goes straight up, no switchbacks ... and it was a mother. Just wondering if that was about 45 or 55 degrees angle. Thanks for the response.

This has been discussed before, but I was unable to locate the post. This is the slope you are referring to.....on the right side of the photo.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockwellb/2459384683/in/set-72157604845354032/

My guess was a little high (45 -50 degrees)...but going up it for a long time...legs burning....makes it feel steeper.

Yep... that's the one. I was trying to "gauge" what a 65 degree slope must feel like. If that trail camp slope is about 45... I don't think I could make a climb that long on a 65 degree slope. Thanks for the info.

No way it is more than about 42° (near ideal for avalanching). It often seems like a slope is steeper when you're on it than it actually is.

Also, 65° is incredibly steep. A slope of that pitch would not be able to support a snowpack of the magnitude that exists on the slope next to the switchbacks. Soft snow does not last long on slopes steeper than about 55°.

I claim it's about 30 deg, with a few areas near the top steepening to 35 degrees.

See this.

I have used National Geographics Topo maps to determine degree of slope for winter and spring ski outings for several years and for average slope angles over 1/4 mile or more I have found it very accurate. Using this method, it looks like Bob R is correct.



Using this route the average slope angle from Trail camp to Trail Crest is 20 degrees with the average slope at the top being 31 degrees. Percent slope/grade and angle of slope are often interchanged and they are not anywhere close to the same. A 45 degree slope is 100% grade.