Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Main Trail on May 1st

Here are pictures of my day hike up the Main Trail yesterday. I wanted to make it to Trail Crest but "wore out". Still, a great day and great vistas. "Why would you be anywhere else when you can be in the mountains?"

Whitney Main Trail on Flickr

great Pics Walter. Question I am planning a day hike up the main Trail on June 6th. My goal will be to reach Trail Crest as well and the summit if time permits. After seeing the snow first hand can you give me any advice at all to improve my chances. I figure the switchbacks will be closed with ice and snow. i plan on leaving the portal at 3am To help acclimate I will be spending time at Lone Pine Lake on the june 5th.

Thanks Steve L

Steve, it's hard for me to predict conditions that far out. Ordinarily the snow level will go up 500 feet a week this time of year. I'm guessing it's around 9000-9500 now. In 5 weeks it could be up to 11500 or even 12000 (Trail Camp). The switchbacks might be partially "open" by then with the exception of the cables. It just depends on the temperatures between now and then and if we get anymore late storms. Also, on how many people go up and down the main trail in May.

I think you're certainly leaving early enough. Being proficient with an ice axe and crampons will be essential for your success. I would count on needing crampons in the morning going up. Count on taking an ice axe too.

Good idea to get all the altitude acclimation you can. Just don't wear yourself out the day before you go up. Try to get some altitude a weekend or two before if possible. Sleep low enough that you get a good nights sleep the night before. I don't know your age or fitness/skill level or if you're coming from Sea Level so I'm trying to generalize here.

Keep watching the message board in the weeks ahead for the latest conditions. Folks are pretty good about posting pictures and trip reports. Hopefully some others have advice for you also. Good Luck!

Nice pic's. Shorts and an ice axe, a classic.

Walter, do you have any idea of what the temp was like up there, especially around Outpost Camp?

I have a group going up in two weeks (5/15). I've hiked Whitney before (in July) but never this early. We were planning on camping at Outpost camp Friday and heading up Saturday to the summit. We will have crampons and axes (used mine today on Mt Baldy in near LA) but your photos were surprising to me. Looks like we may not make it to the peak. What do you think?

By the way thanks for posting such great photos. they were really helpful!

Andy,

The temperature was real nice during the day. I was comfortable in a polypro top, but then I was usually moving. If you want to know the temperatures I recommend you click on "weather" on the Whitney Portal Store page, then click on Whitney Portal Weather under NOAA. Now go to the little map and hit the "+" until it's big enough you can read "Mirror Lake" and "Big Horn Park". You may have to click and drag the picture around to get them centered. You will see a blue lake where Big Horn Park is. It's a mistake. Now double-click on Big Horn Park and you will reset the weather predictions for Big Horn Park. If you look in the upper left corner it should read something like "10 miles West of Lone Pine" and "Elevation 10266 ft". Now you can see what the Highs and Lows are for every day at Big Horn Park. Looks like currently the highs are in the high 40's and the lows are in the 20's.

There may still be a fair amount of snow at BHP on May 15. But if we don't get anymore storms there may be plenty of tracks for you to follow to the summit. All you can do is watch the weather and try it. If you sleep at BHP and get started up by 0600 you should have a good shot. Good climbing! - Walter