Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board My experience on Mt Whitney mountaineer's route 9/5/03

This is a little old now, so the conditions have obviously changed. Nevertheless, a very famous member suggested I post it for the value of sharing my erperience. So here it is.
On September 5, 2003, I climbed Mt Whitney via the mountaineer’s route. Being very experienced on this route by having done it twice before with two different leaders, I was very confident there would be no problem with my doing it solo.
I only got lost twice. Once on the lower ledges early going up the north fork of Lone Pine Creek. Here again my vast experience included a total of six other trips up this part of the route, 4 of which went up the ledges. It sure makes a difference when you are following versus when you are leading (if only leading yourself). The second lost route was after Clyde Meadow going past the waterfalls on the right, a good watering place. Here I was too high too soon on the hill and got on some ledges and pretty soon there was a 3 foot gap in the ledge. But I could see the probable route below me and climbed back down. I only lost about 20 minutes total in these missteps.
Going up the chute went normally (based on the sample of 2). I started pretty far left of the actual chute and went up with some folks who were going for the East Face route. They stayed further left and I stayed right and dropped over into the real chute half way up to the notch. All was fine until after the notch.
My plan was to go up the first chute after the notch, starting on the left side and transitioning to the right side half way up. (My previous experience included only one climb in this chute, all up the left side to the top. The other experience was up the third chute.) Getting started up the first chute has been described as “difficult”. With my short legs, “difficult” became either “very difficult” or “next to impossible”. But it was possible. With tenuous hand holds and lots of grunting and clawing with the boots, that first step was accomplished. But, could I down climb that? I believed that I probably could not. So what now? Up seemed the only way. I noticed that the thick ice was still there in places, but supposedly it could be avoided. Up I went. No problem for the first 50 feet of elevation. But then I discovered that my footing was not so good in places. My boots are old, but was that the problem? Nope. The day before my climb Whitney had gotten a rain. Apparently the rocks were colder than 32 degrees because the ones that were still in the shade had a very thin film of ice coating them. I could not see any difference between dry rocks, wet rocks and ice covered rocks. But I sure could feel the difference. Suddenly this easy face became a treacherous face. I instantly recalled Bob Rockwell words describing winter climbing on this route. “A slip on those rocks and you end up in Fresno.” I really did not want to go to Fresno.
So I probably should have down climbed to that first step and taken either the little tumble or safe exit, whichever might occur. But instead I kept going. On went the gloves because the rocks were cold and some were icy. Good solid hand holds became my primary goal as I tentatively felt for solid footing. I used pinch holds, jams in cracks, everything I could think of for solid holds. Meanwhile, the adrenaline pumped. I worked my way right. It was no better there. I worked my way left. There were those solid ice covered rocks and no way across them. Up a little ways. Right again. Left again. Nothing was getting better. On the right the ridge between the first and second chute looked attractive. On it now, but it was no better itself. Yet it looked like, if I could get across the second chute, at least near the top there were sloping ledges that just might get me out of this mess. So that is where I went. Very slowly. Very cautiously. Very scared. But it worked! On top after an hour and a half from the notch. (I think this was 40 minutes the other time.)
So I’m on top. Now what. Certainly down climbing the chutes was out of the question. I remembered hearing of a class 2 route somewhere beyond the third chute. That sounded like a reasonable possibility. So I started looking for it. It is not obvious; at least from the top, to me. But I tried some possibilities. They quickly became class 3, leading down faces with pretty good cracks to work in, but still a little icy in places and definitely not class 2. I worked my way down perhaps 500 feet, definitely below the notch, but nowhere could I see a way to get back to the notch across the bottom of the three chutes. After an hour I gave up and headed back up. Another 50 minutes and I’m on top again. My only option now is down the main trail and face the music with the Ranger for not having a permit.
I’m almost done; patience. Going down the trail I notice that my energy level is really low. I’m sure that the icy climbing with its stress (read fear) used up a lot of my reserve. I’m dragging. I’ve had some experience with others low on energy using Goo with amazing success. I ask a couple of hikers if they had any Goo. I traded a power bar for a pack of Goo and downed it all. Within 15 minutes I am reasonably back to feeling like I may be able to make it back to the trail head. That feeling lasted for an hour or so, but then I forced myself to eat some of my snacks and I actually got down the trail in 5 hours. I did get stopped by a Ranger at Trail Camp and I told her my story of ice and “discretion being the better part of valor” which she bought and wished me well on the hike out.
So what did I learn? a) Even when the weather is fine, the results of previous weather can be disastrous. Most often this is pretty obvious; like snow. But very thin ice was not obvious - until I was on it. b) An early retreat may be the best policy. c) Maybe it is best to down climb something that was doubtful just to be sure that you can do it. Blindly pressing on may get you into an untenable situation. d) Goo really does work when energy sags badly. e) some Rangers can be pretty nice.

On my next trip I'm considering this route myself. Weren't you a little concerned attempting this route alone even though you've hiked it before? Also, did you wear a helmet? I know there were others on the route but, going solo is an easy way to set yourself up for disaster. Thanx for the report. RVH

My first trip up the MR. was with my father. Even though it was in August it rained on/ off up to Iceberg lake, where the rain turned to snow. Then the storm blew out and it was clear and cold. The next morning early we headed up the Mountaineers route. My father said the chute above the Notch was more icy then he had ever seen it. It was very scary both up and down.

Turns out you can come down the regular trail without a permit, if you go up the MR.

The alternative to the Chute is called the easy traverse. It goes straight across the side from the notch past 3-5 chutes before you come out on the summit a few hundred yards west. It is probably not easy to find if you did not go up that way. I think it sounds like the right thing to eventually go down the trail.

I am glad you showed the courage to make it. What an adventure. The MR is sure different then the trail.

I met a couple on the summit on 9/6 (the day after) and both said the mountaineer's route was much more difficult than they expected this time of year. That is, more ice than they expected. They didn't look too happy about it! And they planned to go down the main trail w/o a permit for it. Don't know what happened in the end.

I have to disagree on the conditions of the Mountaineer's Route. I climbed the E. Face on 9/7 and E. Buttress on 9/9 and came down the Mountaineer's Route both days. There was virtually no ice at all and where there were very small patches of ice, it was easily avoidable. The ice that was present was in the final chute above the notch. I don't think conditions could get any better for the Mountaineer's Route, aside from getting more sunlight ;-) It can get awefully cold in there.

Whitneyaddict-
What chute did you use on your recent trips down the MR? What is generally considered the easiest chute to take? I am heading up there on the 26th and I know conditions can change dramatically by then but what is generally the safest route above the notch other than the traverse? Thanks
Sean

Most people climb the first chute, immediately to your left when you reach the notch. In dry conditions, the most commonly used route is to start on the left side of that chute, then move over to the right side of that chute about halfway up. Temperature, sun, snow, rain and ice and your climbing abilities can change the best route and you just have to read the route at the time you see it. There are times when the best judgement is to decide that the conditions on that route on that day are above your ability. No-one can make that judgement but you and often you can't make it in advance. I suggest that you also check in with Doug at the store before you leave (he can often tell you the current conditions as well as tips for climbing in those conditions) as ask other climbers on your way up or in camp.

If we call the first chute #1, then the picture below shows chutes 1, 2, 3, and part of 4. The ridges between can be called ridges 1/2, 2/3, and 3/4.

Generally speaking, chute 2 is easier than 1, 3 is easier than 2, etc.

As pointed out, most people go up chute 1. It's handy, fun, and straightforward (unless there is ice or snow). After the first 10' or so, it is quite easy climbing on solid rock. Unlike some other people, I prefer to stay left all the way, and turn right on a nice ledge just before the top.

The picture shows routes I have done. I would avoid ridge 1/2 because you can easily find yourself making some 5th class moves, and sections of it are loose. But it's adventuresome and, if you are careful, it's OK; I used to go that way often. Ridge 2/3 is pretty good, but I have forgotten about ridge 3/4; I assume it's good, too.

This time of year chute 1 can have ice in the morning and on cold days, as has already been discovered. You can see a large patch of it near the top (I don't know when the picture was taken, but it could have been as early as September or as late as November.) Usually, that is a problem only in the middle of the chute, another reason for staying left.

<img src="http://a7.cpimg.com/image/B1/89/13368497-4be3-0200018F-.jpg"width=600>

I like the photographs. Thanks.

Thank you Sierra Sam and Dr. Bob

Bob R,

The chutes shown in your picture look frighteningly steep with cliff-like slopes of over 60 degrees. Is that true? Which chute has the most gradual slope? How about the best hand-holds?

No, it's not that steep, although I haven't measured it and I don't remember hearing anyone else making an estimate. Slopes can look scary-steep unless viewed from the side. Some individual moves are, of course, pretty steep.

It's been a long time since I've done chutes other than #1, but I'll repeat my impression that the chutes decrease in difficulty - and angle - as you go west. I'll try to go up next Monday, and take one of the other ones to get a refresher.

Look at the pictures <a href="http://members12.clubphoto.com/robert634908/943486">0 Whitney Miscellany</a> to see quite a few of chute #1, and one of chute #2.

Bearbnz (member 405) posted a picture of Mt. Whitney last May, taken from the west from his airplane. You can see the chutes getting less steep as you go west. His post is at http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000281 , but I don't think he'll mind me repeating his picture here since he has already posted it. It is so neat, one of a kind!

<img src="http://bearbnz.net/homepage/homepage_images/whitney.jpg"width=720)