Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board 2024

I spent a while looking for a photo of the "route" to Consultation Lake...couldn't find one.

Ehen you leave Trail Camp (past the siogn a ways down), look at the gully to the right...it's rocky for a while, but then you'll see a "use trail." Follow it down to the lake.

The problem is: the route down to Trailside Meadow is a bit of a navigation puzzle and if you don't go this way, you have to climb back up to the Main Trail...

Thanks so much for the info. I will have a bear canister w me. So helpful and really looking forward to this adventure. Have a great day.

Thanks for looking and the info. I'll prob just stay Trail Camp if i'm too tired to route find. Have great day. thanks

Well, this looks like I made the right decision...
I have a permit for today...
Decided not to get out of bed...
Wevcam looks like there is a nice new blaket of snow...

I also have a Sunday Yosemite permit...weather looks good for at least the start of next week...may go drop a bike off at Happy Isle...assuming they don't close Tioga Pass...and do Duck Pass to HI...

Cell service is amazing on this section of the JMT…camped just below Donohue Pass…

Summer like weather with no fear clouds in the afternoon/evening…

Only 17 people today….

Richard,

I have made calls on my cell phone from Donohue Pass and was not too surprised, as from there the June Mountain Ski Area was directly visualized just 9 miles to the east.

Sounds like you are having an enjoyable outing.

Jim

I'd have to say this is my favorite section of the JMT...lots of soft, fluffy, forest trail (easy on the feet) and plenty of outrageous scenery...

TR in a separate thread...

https://www.latimes.com/california/...-life-amid-eastern-sierra-housing-crunch

Haven't read the full article yet...
Caught a youtube ad that actually held my interest from Jack Dolan of the LA Times...

Oh, BTW, I contacted Inyo Roads because I was concerned about the "stale" road conditions PDF...
The woman assured me that the closures are accurate...they only update the PDF when conditions acutally change...
Horseshoe Meadows Rd is still open...;-)

Whitney Recon - 11.10.2024
========================

Here are a few screen grabs from a GoPro video of the hike up to Trail Camp:





Outpost Camp.



Mirror lake with Thor Peak above.



The view from Trail Camp.


Won't mean much if the current storm dumps more than a few inches of snow...

A slight system moved throught Monday afternoon/night not much more than a dribble held on the north facing slopes above 12000'.
This next system looks north but you can never tell how far south it will drop watch for the pressure drop to be below the bay area before we get a decent coverage

Hey great day at the Heroes hike I like the new route
I think it gave many more people the chance to reach the top and cut some hours off of the day that could be spent at the notch. A big shout out to Patrick for getting us registered and all his help with the event
Great to see Mike Bob Ed and all the Whitney hikers we have met over the years Thank you

Oh well, it looks like '24 is coming to an end...
(weather forecast view)

Life (chores) got in the way again and (I don't use alarms very often anymore) I woke up late this morning...

BTW: if you've never made the turn to Trona Pinnacles on the way out, or back, from Death Valley, it's well worth the 15 minutes of ***t roads...
Here's 10 minutes of (mostly) raw drone (very inexpensive Neo) footage:
https://piotrowski.smugmug.com/Drone-Footage/n-bBvJNT/Trona-Pinnacles/i-CSJWjXQ/A

Upper gate closed yesterday , we have had some rain and snow with this new system but the last one a few days ago was very light rained in the Portal but more loke a drizzle.

Watch the web cam for snow coverage , Also don't trust weather reports about the amount of moisture they are often wrong , temp and wind seems to be close , not the wind gust but just that we will have wind during the system . I use town and just before Lower Boyscout lake as the best indicator if it is windy in either location expect wind on the mountain. Thence DRIFTS big drifts above Outpost camp and Lower Boyscout Lake Temps Take a jacket !

Have a great winter

Looked at the Inyo Roads PDF...
HM Rd is closed...not going to complain...means it's mine for the next few months...
It said Upper WP Rd closed below the Switchbacks...go to hear it's farther up...

BTW, I've seen that the gov't is now prosecuting based on videos...I guess I won't be posting any incriminating evidence anytime soon...

From what I understand, the Horseshoe Meadows Road currently passes through a large active fire zone, with debris and snow on the road.

Jim

Yes at 98% containment having burned a little over 4500 acres.

So, are they treating this thing as a Controlled Burn...?
Weeks ago, it was nothing...in fact, as I was heading down, there was no visible sign of remaining fire...