Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Whitney Main Trail in April

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to get some info on hiking the whitney main trail in april, and some people at the yosemite forum I frequent suggested I check out this forum. I'm fairly new to winter backpacking. I went on one to Carson Pass with the sierra club (8000 ft, 15 degrees, snow trench), and I'm signed up for about 3 more (Lassen, Yosemite, etc). I'm not trained in climbing or mountaineering, but in order to avoid the half dome-like crowds whitney gets in the summer along the main trail, I'm considering going in april, though I'm aware that there's probably still quite a bit of snow and winter-like activity up there.

I checked out a couple of websites on this. Summitpost states snowshoes for the approach, and possibly crampons/ice axe for the main trail this time of year.

The mountaineer trail looks great, but with my experience level, that's for summer only, and hopefully with others. no one I know will do anything in winter-like conditions.

Thanks

Roland

Welcome, Roland!

April is an interesting time. It certainly can vary from year to year, but is almost certainly a full-on winter climb. You'll probably be able to camp on ground, but you almost certainly will require axe and crampon skills. With the trips you have coming up, that is a chance to practice them!

One thing you can also do, is to go back in the archives of this site, to last April (and it is looking like the snow will be similar to last year), and check out the issues that were going on at that time. Looks like page 46 is a good place to start.

Also, check out the topics in the "Featured Topics" to the right side of this window.

Lastly, you should know that April is a month that is one of the dangerous times on the main trail. The problem is that it looks nice and dry at the Portal, but is still winter at 12,000 feet, and people get themselves over their heads.

Thanks Ken,

I read about the two glissading fatalities from the "What can go wrong" section. Pretty scary that what looks so benign can be so deadly. Actually, never heard the word glissading till now; which tells you my inexperience. But I have been a private pilot since 1985 and have taken advantage of my intrinsic cowardice to avoid bad situations; i.e. one too many clouds, a rough running engine and so on. It's amazing how quickly things can turn bad. I have no problem turning back if I feel even slightly beyond what I can easily handle.

I did get a "mountaineers route" permit for june, but even than the ranger warned me that crampons and ice axe might be needed. I don't know if the main trail prepares you in any way for the mountaineers trail, except maybe what it feels like to hike at higher altitudes. I'm thinking that for the next sierra club camping trip to Lassen with the sierra club, I'll rent some crampons and ice axe and see how they feel. Any recommendation for crampons?

You're doing the right thing by researching this. There's plenty of good info to be found on this site. As Ken said, the main trail in April is a winter climb and you should be familiar with using crampons and ice axe. You have a fair chance of not needed snowshoes by then but if you go right after a storm you won't get too far without them.

In particular you need to know how to self-arrest if you trip/fall. This is best done by taking a training class. In April most people will probably still be avoiding the switchbacks and using the snow slope just to the north and below Trail Crest. The conditions of this slope vary but it's often icy at the bottom. Don't glissade unless you know what you're doing. People start to slide down the slope and it's very easy to quickly accelerate and lose control. This (the slope) is frequently the area where inexperienced climbers get into trouble.

As for crampons the Grivel G10 and G12's are very popular.

So do a little bit more research and get your self-arrest skills dialed in. Winter travel is a completely different animal than hiking in summer. There are a number of skills you need to know to avoid getting killed or seriously injured.

-Rick

Rick,

Grivel has closed down their North American ops; therefore G10 and G12 are difficult to impossible to find. I own the former and was looking for a pair of the latter earlier this winter. I would suggest Black Diamond Contacts or Sabertooths as suitable alternatives.

Another thing about the slope, don't glissade when it is covered in shade. The snow will be hardening making it faster and much more dangerous.

Another recommendation for someone new to this would to go in May or June, depending on the severity of the winter. This way you do not have to haul snowshoes up the mountain. While not guaranteeing a successful summit attempt, it makes the odds of success much higher.

Roland, whereabouts do you live? I may be able to suggest some local people who can help.

By the way, I think your experience as a pilot should be very helpful. One of the ways that people get into trouble, is by abandoning the "checklist" mentality. When they should be thinking "go-no go", they start to think "well, let's see what happens", and "maybe".....and plunge on ahead. A perfect example is people abandoning turnaround times. You probably have the mental discipline to follow a strict strategy that will prevent you from getting in over your head.

Hi Ken,

I live in San Francisco.

Ned Tibbets was running some great programs up in the Donner area, I'll see if he still is, or has a recommendation.

Hi Ken

No need to look up Ned Tibbets, but thanks very, very much for your concern. I certainly don't want to become another sad statistic. I just signed up for a one day crampon/ice axe/self-arrest class with Shasta Mountain Guides in april. From one of the very helpful suggestions on this forum, I found a blog site in which it was pointed out that the odds of getting a lottery permit in may are pretty good because most people don't like the cold. If I get a slot in May there'll be no rush for april, and if I can keep my job till than, I should be up there in april/may a little more confident and a little safer.

Thanks

Don't worry about the lottery for May. If you look at our numbers here:  Unused Whitney Permits - 2008, you can see that there is almost no demand for permits in May, except Memorial weekend, and maybe the weekend before.

Thanks Steve,

It looks like it should be relatively easy not only for may, but for june as well.

There is never much pressure on day hike permits and pressure on backpacking permits is between the 4th and the end of September.

With that said, if you go mid-week during prime time walk in ready to go same day you can most likely obtain a backpacking permit. The downside is if they don't have one, you have to go to some other ugly place in the Sierra.

I haven't reserved a permit in the Sierra since 2004, and have only changed plans once on a 4th of July weekend in '05...including the MMWT.

Umm... Is there an ugly place in the Sierra?? (Ask Moosie)

Hey, maybe THAT's what I'm looking for out here!?!?!?!

As suggested by someone on this forum, I ordered the book "Whitney Lore from the Whitney Store". I'm looking forward to reading it. Are there any other good books that people feel would be essential reading for a first-timer on this mountain?

Hanging around here is better than any book you will find in any store.

took a stroll up to Bighorn Park today - snow conditions already look like April

I agree. The information you get from hanging around a place can't usually be gotten from any book, but since this book is written by those who do hang around/live there, it's the best I can do till I get there myself. Though I might go a day early, and just hang around and see if I can get some good info. Sounds like a friendly group of people there.