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Here are a few pics of the Mountaineers Route conditions from Wednesday (6/15/2016). The day was mostly sunny and windy, heading up the chute was pretty good on firm snow, but on the descent the lower portion became very soft as it warmed up - hence much post holing. The final 400 needed a little closer attention, a mixture of ice lower down on the rock ledges with snow the rest of the way up. I scrambled over the rock to the left side and then headed straight up on the snow before traversing right to the summit. I returned the same way going down with firm ice axe placement essential. Another alternative would be to climb the dry rock on the right side of the 400 but I was more comfortable with the line I took. Either way in these conditions care and concentration are needed. Hopefully the weather will warm up soon and melt some of the ice and snow. The Chute.  Snow in the final 400.  Top of the Final 400.  Looking up at the Final 400 there is ice on the rock ledges at first and then snow above creating an interesting mixture.  Cheers Phil
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Hey Great shots glad to see you pop in this week and Thanks for the report I am sure many will use the photos.
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Any update if this has melted out with the warm weather the last couple weeks? Looking to see if I still need ax and microspikes. Going up Wednesday. Thanks
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I will be on the route in a couple of weeks and have the same question. Interested in any info recent climbers might have.
climbSTRONG
"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" -Helen Keller
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All the snow is avoidable other than getting onto or off of the blocks. 7/6/16 
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Conditions were outstanding. Still some snow in the lower section of the chute above iceberg lake. My preferred route is to the left on the rocks to get around the scree here anyway so that route keeps you off of that snow and then there was nothing of significance above that. Chute above the notch is completely clear of snow. I should have some pictures ready in a couple of days and will post them. My only other observation was thousand of mosquito larva getting ready to hatch in the marshes around lower boyscout lake. I would expect to encounter significant mosquitos in the next few weeks.
Richard
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I also posted this question on the other Mountaineers Route section, but just in case people come to this thread more:
What is the collective wisdom about how long it takes to get from the Portal store to the E-ledges for an average group carrying ~35-40 pound packs? I'm thinking about what is the latest time to start in the afternoon in order to complete the ledges before it gets dark in mid September (~7 pm sunset).
Thanks.
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We took a short trip up the North fork the other day, looks like some are missing the traveled way , the quickest easy way is to follow the climbers route. Well established over the last 25 years.
Off the ledges climb north'ly up about 75 to the wall and this will be the trail very easy to follow after that to LBSL.
Follow the lower trail after LBSL and travel just left/south along the brush line NEVER GO ABOVE THE LARGE ROCK the trail will be just below the 2 smaller car sized boulders below the very big rock.
If you can find these land marks you will do well the rest of the way.
I did notice some damage in the lower canyon from hikers marking wrong directions. Also the sign marking the canyon is missing.
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Does anyone know the recent conditions of the MR route and Main trail? I am planning a trip this Friday/Sat. I climbed up this MR route in early June with soft snow abound and went down the chute (the main trail) so wanted to get an update from anyone who's been up in the past week or so. Thanks.
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Does anyone have info on current mountaineers route conditions?
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About 4' at the Portal so as you go above the snow will be very soft and drifted .Conditions need to settle a few days and it may or may not crust , If it packs and you can stay on top , perfect conditions , that is rare but we have enough snow now we just need sun and very cold nights and no new snow. Also as of Monday you could not get to the road closed sign , Road is a mess from just above Lone Pine Campground many stuck over the weekend.
Watch the web cam for shine on the area above the Portal and check the chute above Iceberg the large rock in the middle of the chute is about gone so that indicates about 15' in that area, but at times the snow will not firm in the chute and is a real stopper.
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Excellent thank you for the update Doug. We are headed out there this coming week and hoping conditions firm up for us. Will keep an eye on the webcam and weather.
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skinned up to ubsl on 3/23.
here's the conditions i encountered:
*continuous snow from the car (lower whitney portal campground) except for .5 miles of south facing trail before the north fork trail intersection.
*really nice bootpack in up to lbsl
*super supportable on or off the bootpack in the morning
*seems like really favorable climbing conditions
-b
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We spent a week in the basin, starting on the 11th. On the 11th, snow was firm, temps in the teens and twenties, no bugs, lots of wind. Knee deep suncups on most aspects above lower Boy scout. We climbed Thor Peak and Carillon from lower Boy Scout, and attempted the East ridge of Russell, finding it more ice and snow covered than we liked after the first big hump on the ridge. It warmed up over the next few days, and there was a lot of water running under the snow and lots of voids under the snow in the boulder fields... careful walking...
We moved up to Iceberg, and then ascended the mountaineer's route starting about 6:00 am, finding the snow firm but not icy. Lots of suncups there too. Snow was melted out of the last 200 feet below the notch. There was a small amount of ice at the bottom of the final 400. Little enough ice that it would probably disappear towards the end of the day. but probably re-freezes as the snow field above releases water. Top 100 feet are snowy. Our group split, with half climbing the ridge to the right, and half climbing the edge on the left. Left was a little tricky within 50 feet of teh summit.
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We spent a week in the basin, starting on the 11th. On the 11th, snow was firm, temps in the teens and twenties, no bugs, lots of wind. Knee deep suncups on most aspects above lower Boy scout. We climbed Thor Peak and Carillon from lower Boy Scout, and attempted the East ridge of Russell, finding it more ice and snow covered than we liked after the first big hump on the ridge. It warmed up over the next few days, and there was a lot of water running under the snow and lots of voids under the snow in the boulder fields... careful walking...
We moved up to Iceberg, and then ascended the mountaineer's route starting about 6:00 am, finding the snow firm but not icy. Lots of suncups there too. Snow was melted out of the last 200 feet below the notch. There was a small amount of ice at the bottom of the final 400. Little enough ice that it would probably disappear towards the end of the day. but probably re-freezes as the snow field above releases water. Top 100 feet are snowy. Our group split, with half climbing the ridge to the right, and half climbing the edge on the left. Left was a little tricky within 50 feet of teh summit. How was the creek crossing when starting up the North Fork below LBSL? I heard it was impassible...
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Went up with Jessica Monday to check stream crossings,easy climber options,non event really ,but if you are not comfortable with the options going higher will be a challenge.
I posted a clip on Facebook Doug Thompson of the crossing before the ledges,side note found party in the willows that missed the route .
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I did the Mountaineer's Route car-to-car on Tuesday (6/27). The creek crossings are absolutely passable, but not without having to wade through calf to thigh deep water. The main crossing at the outlet of Lower Boy Scout is wide and deep! There's an alternate crossing up a little higher by the large boulder, but you're still gonna get wet. Snow starts above Upper Boy Scout Lake. There are two traversing boot packs below the headwall of Iceberg Lake, I'd suggest taking the lower. I ended up on the upper in the dark, and it deposits you just below the seeps/waterfalls and will require some front pointing on the snow slope above. No big deal, but the lower is easier. Deep sun cups are a pain to walk in! If you make your way up the snow slope from Iceberg to the Notch in the early AM, it's nice and firm and you'll get softer conditions for the descent. The final 400 feet to the summit after the Notch still has a steep snow field towards the top with ice and verglass below, but can be climbed sans crampons and ice axe if you class 3/4 the rock band to the right all the way up (and down).
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Party in the willows and I wasn't invited???
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