Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Main Trail compared to Rim to Rim

Can anyone compare the main train in a day to the Grand Canyon's south rim to north rim in a day in September?

We did South to North rim 3 years ago, but it was on July 5th. VERY HOT! My wife and I took 11 hours to complete it and were very exhausted. We had planned on staying at the North rim and hiking back the next day, but chickened out and took a shuttle. On July 15th of this year we went up Whitney for the 16th time. She took 3:59 and I took 4:10 to get to the top in a dayhike. I'm 61 years old and she's 49. We both find Whitney to be easier because it's cooler.

Holy moly, you guys are racers! 3:59 that's incroiable but the 4:10 even more at the age. did R2R2R in 16 hours in 2005 May 16th.

I think Whitney is harder because of the altitude.

Berne Mettenleiter

I have hiked the Whitney trail as a day hike 6 times over 40 years, with a record of 3 summits and 3 turning backs before the summit. I have hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim as a day hike 3 times, twice S. to N., once N. to S. I think if you do the canyon in late September it is probably easier than Whitney but even then it depends on your tolerance for heat. Heat doesn't bother me very much. Even though there's a lot of elevation gain and loss in the GC if you go S. to N. you start going gradually uphill not far past the river and it's only the last few miles that are steep and they're mostly in a shaded canyon. In the other direction the climb out has less elevation gain but it is very steep and you're going up the face of a wall in full sunlight at the end of the afternoon. That's why I prefer the the S. to N. hike.

i have done R2R2R (i.e. S to N to S) 3 times in 48 hours. just this past june i did it in 23 hours. i think R2R is easier than Whitney. don't have to deal with as big of elevation gains. i've done most of my R2R2Rs in october. the weather is just ideal then. it's somewhat hard for me to decide which i like better, they're both so spectacular. however, i think i side with the GC. the North Rim is just so spectacular. keep in mind the the lodge at the North Rim is closed mid-October to mid-May.

The biggest difference between the two is the difference between an inny and an outy. On Whitney you do the hard part first, you go to the summit or as high as you're going to go and then you come downhill. Unless you've gotten altitude sick, dehydrated, or twisted an ankle you're probably OK coming down. In the GC you do the easier part first and then you're committed to getting your butt out of there. The only alternative to hiking to the top is to pay big bucks to stay at the Ranch and ride a mule out the next day. You don't even have that alternative if you're going S to N and pass the point where mules aren't allowed.

These comments help a bunch. We would do it (R to R) the first week of October.

Jackalopes: Are you still planning to do the R2R hike? I would love to hear a trip report and see pics...

I think the biggest difference between the two (Main Trail Whitney)and the Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim is that the canyon hike takes you about 1 1/2 times the time to complete and you finish going uphill. Heat is also a main factor.

Did Whitney 9/13/09 the temp at the top was 52 degrees. (12 hours total time)
When I did the R2R2R in '05 the temp at the bottom was 96 (relatively cool)

(Was down at the river before on hikes and it was 112)

My next hike will be the MR to Whitney end of April before permits are required!!

Berne the "Mountaingoat"

Howdy Jackalopes,

First of all, hello from a fellow Riversider

I've done R2R2R twice -- over two days with an overnight stay at the North Rim Lodge. My trip reports are here:

(2008) www.mtsanjacinto.info/viewtopic.php?t=10798highlight=
(2007) www.mtsanjacinto.info/viewtopic.php?t=48888highlight=

For reference, my total time on the Mt. Whitney main trail is about 12 hours -- my ascent time is generally 5 1/2 hours.

Unlike Berne the "Mountaingoat," I do not tolerate heat well. I enjoyed the Grand Canyon trip in 2007 much more due to cooler weather. For me, Mt. Whitney is easier than R2R (south to north) because it is cooler.

Howdy Berne,

Would love to meet you on a hike -- I'll bring a bungee cord so I can catch a ride as you fly by

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

Hello Ellen,

Likewise, it might happen one of these days. Due to having my own business, my hikes are very spontaneous. (Decide Saturday, hike Sunday kind of deals)

Some of the local hikes I do are Vivian to San G, Marion to San J.and also the C2C

Would certainly recognize you and introduce myself, If I'd run into you, given the pictures I have seen over the years of ("lurking on these boards")


Berne Mettenleiter

Yes, R-to-R more committing, because you have to get yourself out. But the altitude issues, and the cable area on Whitney are more daunting. My climbing buddy, Mike, and I took our wives on the S->N R-to-R last June 2008, and both the women made it with just a few practice day-hikes... We haven't convinced them to try Whitney yet!

Good luck on and enjoy your hike, Jackalopes. It was a pleasure meeting you and hiking that last push to the summit of Baldy with you earlier this summer (your first via Bear Canyon). You're in good hands with probably the best guide out there.

BruinDave

I plan to do R2R2R on Friday October 9. It's been a goal for having turned 65. I've done South to North, spent the night and then back the next day a couple of times. Much easier than Whitney, I believe. Everyone is right about the Grand Canyon in that the return out is the main issue. I feel comfortable getting to the North Rim and back to the river. From there, we will see what happens.

I'm doing R2R2R on Oct 17. It will be interesting to see how that compares to doing Whitney twice in the same day. Same elevation gain, more mileage, but lower elevation. I'm expecting the R2R2R hike to be a little bit easier. This will be my first time below the rim.

My brother, Paul told me about you, Rick. I don't think that you'll have any problem. I'll post something when I return for your use.

Having hiked the Grand Canyon three times (south to bottom and back out the same way), I actually prefer doing the down hill portion first.

My legs (and knees) handle up hill with little problem. It's the down hill (after a somewhat long hike) that is difficult.

I wish all hikes went down hill from the start - and up hill at the end. Seriously!

Try Onion Valley to Roads End and back. It's almost all uphill to get home. .........................DUG

Dear Rick,

Curious, what you think after doing R2R2R, but after I read your report on doing a double on Whitney a few days ago (you are an animal!) I think I know the answer! Let me know after you do the double R on Oct. 17th
(Hope the weather is good for you!)

Are you taking the long or the short route? I did North to South via the South Kaibab and back the same (only 42 miles total)

Thx Berne Mettenleiter "the Goat"

I hope you do post your report of your rim to rim hike.

I've done it the past two weekends, rim-to-rim-to-rim with one overnight at the South Rim. 24 miles from the N-S, then the next morning at 2:00 am, 24 miles back from the S-N.

To me, there's no comparison, hiking in the Grand Canyon is far more challenging than Whitney. This is especially true if you go South to North. The elevation gain is only 200 feet less than Whitney, it's three miles longer and the steepness of the last 5.5 miles is far steeper than the gentle grade of Whitney.

Despite the unique challenges of the Grand Canyon, I still think rim to rim is the greatest day hike in America, hands down.