Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board 2025

Here's Bob's paper on Whitney avalanche areas.

And the original thread is here. (Oh, look, Jim---you were supposed to save a copy! )

No avalanches along the Owens River.

Here's one example of what they're talking about...from 2005...Inyo had already started plowing it away...



I have plenty of others, but don't have the time to search for them now...(planning the Fall Nepal Trip...)

Jeff,

Thanks for retrieving Bob's May 18, 2005 article and the original thread.

Tonight I looked through some old paper folders and found the 2005 article, as well as his update of it on April 10, 2006. The update involves a few word changes and pictures he added for red numbered zones 1 through 7. To see the 2006 update online, refer to the Climbing Articles link on the website of the California Mountaineering Club.

Jim

Thanks Jeff, Jim and Richard for the research . Bob's detail puts the topic on the map and history supports these locations Bob's first climb 1952 so what you are seeing is a very long history for the local area

Up date the Portal Road will be closed just above Lone Pine Campground to Hogback Rd for a culvert repair starting next Monday MARCH 17 and will be closed for several weeks



THE ONLY access is Hogback Rd to the Portal road then about 1/4 mile up to the parking lot at the road closed signs


The road will be closed don't drive up the Portal road to the road closed K rails .
You can take Movie Rd to Hogback or drive north of Lone Pine on 395 and take Moffet Ranch Rd to Hogback


Notice Whitney Portal Rd will be closed , only access is ....


Where is Hogback RD. ?


The depth of the cut will be about 35 feet to get the culvert in and out so massive dirt removal and work activity.

How are things up there on WP road and up higher on the MR? The weather looks pretty nice at the moment, maybe a touch of snow on Wednesday next week and maybe a bit the following weekend but it's looking good. Anyone been up there lately?

No snow until Whitney Portal. Yes it is fairly easy to get up until the Iceberg Lake. There are solid boot tracks.

Looks like Whitney Portal Campgrounds won't open up until May 16 this season(later than usual?)

Does this mean the Whitney Portal area and store won't open up until then? Or will the upper gates be open earlier than May 16th?

Hoping to go end of April before permit season, but not ideal for me to camp below the Whitney Portal elevation.

Any thoughts or info is helpful! Thanks.

I will be on a meeting today with the campground manager and will ask when they plan to open , our plans are as normal mid April we start moving in and repairing any damage from the winter. Permits start on May 1 .

I should add on the first switchback after the lower gate several large sections of rock has slid down onto the road , not that it is the size but the rocks are stacked against each other and the normal use of the loader night cause the others to come down . So going up mid April the hard gate could be locked at the bottom and foot traffic not advised.

Thank you for the information, Doug Sr! I will keep an eye out for further updates.

I bailed on my trip FWIW. The mountain ought to be there next spring too?

Depending on road work and snow removal Campground could open Apr 25, water may be a few days later.

Sounds good. Thanks for the update, Doug Sr!

Cancelled trips seem to be common...
I was going to be up there today, but some scumbag(s) cut the straps holding my e-bike on the carrier and headed off with it...
Slim-to-none that I'll ever see it again...not just my opinion...
Police Report...Insurance Claim (loads of fun in CA...probably going to take weeks to settle this...)
the insurance company wants a photo...this is about the best I have showing what the bike looks like...

Damn, that's awful! Very few things that are more blood-boiling and frustrating than having something stolen. Really sorry to hear.

(I just hope they don't add insult to injury by using your photo as evidence and give you a citation for taking it off road...)

There's actually a 4WD road a few feet away...I think you get 15 feet before you're violating the law...:-)...I"m pretty good at making things look a lot different than they actually are...like those Walk-Ups that look really, really steep...

Thanks. Right now, the sympathy is appreciated...this was one of two bikes in the collection that are favorites...

I suspect Tiburcio Vásquez.

...and he stashed it on Crooks Peak.

I'd check out Robbers Roost first.

Can I get the specieal permission required to fly my drone to check each site?
I'll have to be very careful as a Condor may attack the drone at the Roost...

I told the Deputy that I'm concerned I'm a marked man now (more bikes available to steal) and sure enough...wife comes home last night to some scumbag cruising by the house slowly...
Cameras (and remote controlled guns) are going up soon...

And, to make this relevant...
Don't leave your pack unattended as a bear will probably run off with it...