Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Full-Moon Hike -- July 21st

Anyone else hiking up that day?

We're scheduled to day-hike the Main Trail on the morning of July 21st, departing under the full moon, after acclimating for a few days. Despite being first-timers, our training hikes are putting us in a good position to make it without too many surprises (altitude sickness always being the variable, but one we are preparing for) -- however, one "surprise" we are not prepared for or knowledgable about is the use of crampons or ice axes. Deferring to those with far more Whitney-experience and knowledge than we, and considering the amount of snow that's still up on the mountain, is it foolish to think we'll be able to head up the Main Trail without encountering situations requiring crampons or axes at that point in July?

We're monitoring the water-content charts to see when the Trail, especially The Switchbacks and Trail Crest, would likely be snow-free, but it looks like it'll be close. If crampons/axes are not necessary, are there other products (YakTrax?) that are good ideas to be prepared to use in icy sections, especially on the Switchbacks? Suggestions?

Also, as run-off continues over the next month or so, and the Lone Pine Creek levels stay high (or even increase), what helpful suggestions do you folks have re the stream-crossings (and will it mostly be rock-hopping?)? Thanks.

BruinDave - my daughter and I will be there at the same time, probably heading up the hill around 3:00 AM.

To answer your question about ice axes and crampons, based upon the research I've done on this message board (trip reports around June / July time frame, back as many years as possible) it is extremely unlikely these would be needed at the end of July. Current trip reports indicate that some people are up there without crampons and ice axes even now.

I'm tracking the hydrologic tables as you seem to be, but I'm convinced the best input is just to keep checking in on this message board for current trip reports.

You can rent crampons and ice axes locally (just do a search, above) but all the old hands say "...Whitney is not the place to learn..." unless you have instructors with you. I guess I take this to heart - I went off researching 'crampons' and they are angry-looking buggers --- like something Steven King would dream up --- it doesn't take much imagination to see how a novice could do himself more harm than good with those things.

Hope to run into you on the 21st - gregf

I would suspect that by 2nd half of July the need for crampons and ice axe would seem minimal, provided you don't cross the remaining snow at high elevations during the night while it is still frozen.

California Snow Water content graph

<a href="http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/current/PLOT_SWC">snow graph</a>

is dropping so fast, it should hit baseline within about one more week. Pictures coming online this week, however, still show significant snow above about 10,500 feet. So the two don't match well right now.

Excellent post BruinDave. My group (3 out of 4 to head for summit) will leave Outpost Camp very early a.m. on July 21st. I share all the thoughts you expressed, especially about not having to combat the snow/ice conditions, weather assisting. I'm also a first timer (have done lesser peaks in Arizona and Nevada) leading two others with no outdoors history, so there'll be nothing questionable in what we attempt. It'll be the Main Trail only. Hopefully, melt continues and accelerates and we'll all be good to go. When do you plan to leave Portal? also would welcome replies to Dave's queries about the stream levels and crossings to be encountered.

I will probably head up again about this time. I'll watch the posts and perhaps time my trip to coincide with yours.

Don't give a thought to stream crossings on the main trail any time of year. Always easily rock hop across the North Fork, and the logs over the outlet from Bighorn Park take care of the only other significant crossing.

Ice will not be an issue by then. Of course water on the trail high up can freeze at night, but melts in the morning--this occurs all summer any year.

And snow should not be an issue, either. You will have to go out of your way to find some to step on. There will be a couple of patches left on the trail, but by then there is a trench through them, worn down by thousands of feet that have passed by. <a href=http://members12.clubphoto.com/robert634908/3354947>Here</a> are some pictures taken July 9, 2002, and <a href=http://members12.clubphoto.com/robert634908/1484962>others</a> taken July 26, 2003. Less snow those years, but it shouldn't make much difference a month from now.

The picture below from July 9:

<img src="http://a1.cpimg.com/image/31/96/49001521-79fd-027901DB-.jpg"width=480>

We will climb up from Guitar Lake that night to finish our N to S JMT trip. Should be four of us. We finished out HST trip this way last year. Left Guitar Lake at about 1 AM and got the top of Whitney at 4 AM. Shared the top with about a dozen other troopers and also witnessed a magnificant sunrise. Some pics of what it was like last year at this time at my <a href="http://scottm.smugmug.com/gallery/345432">photo album</a> site.

My wife and a friend will be leaving trial head around 3am for a one day hike. I'm leaving from Lone Pine around 9pm on the 20th to meet them on the trail somewhere. Looking forward to hiking under the moonlight. Hope there are no clouds and the snow is gone as Bob R has predicted. If you see me hiking down the road back to Lone Pine give me a honk and tell me I look good because I know I won't. See you on the trail.

Jack

Great Pictures!!

Dave, although it's been a heavy snow year, by 7/21 snow probably won't be a problem to the point of needing crampons. You'll cross a snow field at the summit but most likely will not need crampons. Sometimes the switchbacks can have a little ice but by the time you start up the sun will probably have done its job.

That being said: if you really will need crampons, DO NOT wait until Whitney to get familiar with them. In introductory mountaineering courses you usually devote around a day just practicing walking with them (like everything else, there's a technique to doing it right).

The rangers in Lone Pine won't steer you wrong. When you get there, ask them about current conditions and they'll tell you what you need to know re crampons.

Starting by moonlight, what a blast!

Johnny

I'd add one other comment about stream crossings - info learned from this message board. Trekking poles are helpful as you try to pirouette across the rocks, and beware of ice' early in the morning, i.e., rocks that have a bit of an ice crust on them --- they appear like regular rocks but are apparently quite slippery. gregf

Question for all those with such optimistic outlooks for the second week of July.
Who here did the trip from Trail Crest to Trail Camp in '82, '83, '93' '95, and '97 - all drought busting years? Can you compare your predictions with the actual trail conditions those years? Remember, this year we are only 20 inches of water content down from the historical WC figure. We did the hike down during all of those years, but a couple of times it was in late July and a couple of times in late August -like in '95 it was August 28th. We were experienced but it was still enough to scare the pants off a couple of us - especially the mid-July climbs - sans crampons and ice axes - ski poles only.

Of the years mentioned, from late June through July I did the Whitney trail on 8 July '93, 23 July '95, 27 June '97 and 13 July '97. I didn't have a camera along, but my logbook notes that I took neither ice ax or crampons on any of them. I didn't comment on whether I missed them, so it must not have been a big deal.

I guess we will all know in five weeks.

I agree with BOB
I have been up to Whitney 15 times out of the last 20 years.
I havent heard of anyone with snow or ice problems after July 15th
So good luck everyone
I will be there July 27th and climbing that bad dog of a mountain the 29th.
Cant wait

Thanks to all for the input. This Board is without question the best resource for first-timers like myself.

BobR, your pictures are invaluable, especially "the trench" and location of the mid-switchback water source. However, despite your assurance to not give a thought to stream crossings on the main trail any time of year, and that it will always be an easy rock hop across the North Fork with the logs over the outlet from Bighorn Park taking care of the only other significant crossing, I still have a question about whether this season's incredible snow level and resulting run-off can (or may likely) cause the creek to flow over the rocks to be hopped and logs to be crossed. If so, what then?

I have never seen the stream levels on the Whitney trail high enough to hinder crossing them in the usual way (rock hopping, logs). This is steep country, and gravity helps water buildup solve its own problem very well. Streams elsewhere are a different story, and for example the south fork of Big Pine Creek is notorious.

The best teacher is--and this has been noted before--to check this board close to your trip. Conjectures five weeks in advance are useful, but the best information will come from the reports a few days before you start up.

GregF, we'll be looking for you and your daughter on the 21st -- and thanks for your info re the poles stabilizing things, and even bearing the brunt of the load, while stream-crossing over the rocks.

Thanks, BobR, I'll keep checking the posts over the next month or so re the run-off. Must not be much of an issue, as, so far, not many people are mentioning it. Just want to be prepared with extra pairs of socks in the pack in case we need to improvise.

After speaking with the campsite steward a couple of weeks ago (by the way, they are the ones that do a phenomenal job of keeping things looking as great as they do after each site is vacated ... ever wonder about those rake marks?), she informed me that the visibility during a full-moon hike (assuming clear weather) is very, very good -- almost too bright -- in light of the altitude and the reflected moonlight off the granite walls. Headlamps only necessary during stream crossings, if then.

As for Yak-Trax -- recommended? Complaints? At this point I'll have them on hand for use in what I hope by that time to be the few the icy spots (i.e., the cabled section) up the switchbacks ... anyone ever use em?

Should change my name to DoneItTwice or WantToDoItAgain. I am looking for either a day hike permit for 7/21 or someone to let me join them up the Mountaineers Route. If any of you 7/21'rs have an extra...I'd be much appreciative and would promise to make good use of it. I've done the Main Trail ascent twice under the full moon...it is FANTASTIC! Hope to hear from you but it I don't, have a GREAT Hike!!

Don

Bruin Dave - you have the advantage on pre-trip prep since the tallest item on the Gulf Coast is a freeway overpass. Still, finished configuring my pack over the weekend (will be doing only the 4 miles to Outpost) and at 30lb or so it's quite manageable. Wondering how you judge recent posts vis-a-vis switchback snow levels and cables area. Does your group anticipate traversing the tracks around these areas (as many have discussed?) or hoping by 7/21 that more feet will have provided a path through? I was impacted by ScottB's post and what he encountred as a first timer, especially at and around the cables. Surely don't want or intend to subject myself, my 52 yr old brother, or 25 yr old daughter to problem situations. Are you guys bringing the crampons/ice axes? All that said, what should we look for to identify you? I'll be in my old, beat up light green fedora with feathers all around the band from many hiking and fishing trips over the years. Plan to leave Outpost around 4:30 morning of July 21. What about your group? Here's hoping we catch all the breaks and everything goes our way.

A group invited me to go along with them on an overnight, starting in on July 20. So we will be camping in the vicinity of Trail Camp, and heading for the summit on July 21 also. Look for some guy in a Tilley hat, a little older and slower than most.

Going again on August 20, also an overnight. May climb Mt. Marsh or Hitchc0ck on this one, though.