Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Mt. Whitney - 3.20.10

Mt. Whitney - 3.20.10


Starting point:
3.25 miles from trailhead at 6,800'

Total miles:
15

Elevation gain:
7,700'

Car to summit:
6.5 hours

Car to Car:
11 hours

Season climb:
Winter

Season descended:
Spring

Board members met on the mountain:
BCBob
Kurt Wedberg
Sierragator
Mescalito345

Food consumed to reach summit:
1 Twinkie
3 Gels
A few Cheetos

Water consumed:
3 Liters (Not quite Rick Kent style)

Items left behind to save weight:
Water Filter (I hope I don't get Giardia)
Guns (except for the two I always carry)
Bear Canister (too heavy)
Wag Bag
Avi Beacon
Richard
Snow shoes
Helmet (I actually forgot it in the car)
Permit (sorry Dave)

Pictures with more details and conditions:
Mt. Whitney - 3.20.10

I slept an extra four hours and forty-one minutes and then climbed up past LBSL to wait for Mike (actually I had been thinking about a late summit, or Thor Peak, but once I started up the drainage, I knew either one would have been foolhardy considering how bad I felt.

Congrats on the summit. It's probably the first and only time you'll have more summits for the year than me.

Here are some photos from my climb.

Here's the POV album and "movie."

Here's Sunday's aborted climb of Thor Peak photos.

Here's Sunday's POV album.


Mike Mellin starring in "The North Fork".

are you guys using crampons or snowshoes up these steep slopes in winter?
Im very new to this and this weekend i was at big pine/south fork trail trying to climb up steep grades in snowshoes and the snow got granular and icy.I also was kicking in with my boots as my snowshoes had no grip in these spots.I also learned fast what the purpose of an ice axe is.It was a comp[lete disaster as i never summtted and was doomed without map.For some reason i felt hypoxic before getting to the steep stuff-maybe only 30mins after snowshoeing on a gradual rise.The sun was pretty intense and maybe i was getting a headache from that.I also only got 4hrs sleep the night before.I was disappointed at my health since last month i kicked ass going up the north fork.

Mike: nice summit, thanks for pictures, cant wait to summit in a few weeks, if I do...mark

Wow Mike, impressive summit, looks like you have the MR dialed in!
Maybe I should start eating Twinkies?

Congrats, Mike!! Nice photos!!! And love the POV, Richard!


I think it's the combo of Twinkies and Cheetos,

Mike, congrats on the equinox summit! "Items left behind..." LOL

Richard, cool documentary shots. I know you've been asked this but can any camera do that? Is there a setting for auto pictures?

Congrats, Mike!!!!! Best TR. And stunning pix...

SpeedyG - Awesome and great TR, POV and Pix! Looks like you had a super day.

The G-Man always makes it look easy. Great pics as always.
Twinkie "nice"
Can't wait until we go up in a few weeks.

No, but it's common in almost all of the Nikons. They call it Interval Timer Shooting.

I bought the Coolpix S560 specifically to do these POV shots. Some of their other models have limitations on how many photos, or how long, you can shoot. The S560 will keep going until the battery runs down.

Awesome job Mike! Congratulations on your ascent. Thanks for the pics too. Good shots of the Ice!! Mmmm nice.

Wes

Thanks everyone. Looking forward to the "M.C. Trip" in a few weeks.

Richard- I forgot to add this in my TR...

Beating Richard to the top of Whitney this year:
Priceless

Wes- I talked to Kurt and he said the ice was good. Hopefully it lasts a few more weeks. We might need more than one ice screw though

Impressive!

Someday, you'll be older and slower and the bones and muscles will creak when you try and get out of "bed" too early...

Some young whipper/snapper will come blazing by, saying to himself "gee, I hope I can still do this when I'm THAT OLD."

Let's see you beat the twenty-two from last year!

Hi 15 miles, Did the math and looks like the 6.7 mile route some books use must be in a different area. I took the .2+.2+.3 +3.25+3.25 -15 and got 7.8/2 = 3.9 . Ok so the .2's are using the old trail and the .3 is the Doug Jr burn your legs straight up from Lower to bypassing Upper. Do I recall the 3.9 number from somewhere?

Mike has the route on the photo section , also study the slide area on the road and then look around Lower Boyscout Lake , notice the same angle of slope and sun hitting the South/ East portion of the slope , causing the one side to go and taking the support away from the north side. ALSO STUDY THE MAP/PHOTOS AND IT should be easy to see ,Stay on the North side of Lower Boyscout and IN the first canyon.

THIS avoids the risk of being caught in a slide. The snow bridges will start breaking soon so watch where you walk on both routes, Main Trail and Mountaineer's. Matter of record I would stay away from the main trail for a while , Last year we had some major rock fall above Outpost to Trailcamp during spring thaw and I would expect the same this year.

Got to thinking and forgot to tell Mike Great Trip Report and Photos !!Doug

Thanks Doug and great info. I looked up a few of my gps tracks from the mountaineers route and the distance is 4-4.5 miles depending on using the old or new trail and a slight difference in the winter and summer route.

Btw, as Richard and I were coming down the North Fork on Sunday, I broke through a snow bridge and into about 1.5 feet of COLD water...

Speedy got caught with wet feet?

You'd think I was fast on my feet and quick with the camera, but this one came from the POV album. Lucky shot of Mike dipping a boot.

Bump….. to celebrate the 80th birthday of the Twinkie
http://healthyliving.freedomblogging.com/2010/04/06/happy-80th-birthday-to-the-twinkie/18485/

Also, congrats Mike on the 1st Whitney dayhike of the year