Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Winter Access Forum MR between 12/25/08 and 1/1/09

I went in July, and I got seriously hailed on unrelentingly and with no warning for over an hour. I cannot imagine what it would be like to climb up the MR for that last 400 feet in a snowstorm which is certainly a risk at this time of year. Personally, I was very happy that the snowstorm hit after we got to the summit.

I don't think it is safe in a snow storm, and I wouldn't attempt it. If I was to plan a trip, I would attempt to do it in a window that was between storms. If a storm was in the forecast, I wouldn't go. I would think that is a pretty standard way to do Whitney in winter. I know expeditions to Denali and other peaks which have storm threats usually build in days to weather a storm, but I'd think that with most peaks in the lower 48 you can plan around them, or turn back.

I wrote that before I knew you had authored the SP MR description, and I didn't mean to imply anything negative about your description. I used your write up and felt it was excellent.

Now, I have found other descriptions on Sp and when using them in the field I found them to be lacking. The one in particular which I'm thinking of was in Colorado. My chief complaint would be its vagueness, though I was still able to summit using its rudimentary information.

Mostly, I just meant it as a dry joke. I think I lot of people might rely too heavily on SP and think they can use it as their only source of information. I thought by mentioning this I would make light of it and illustrate that I don't subscribe to this philosophy. Though, I did not mean to imply this on your write-up, as it was the only source I used for my trip this summer.

J, earlier you wrote:
"Set snow" as I refer to it, is how I have always heard of the crust that forms on top of the snow referred to. We get it on the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff pretty much as soon as the snow comes down. Its just a layer of a few inches of dense melted and refrozen snow. Its not always, but is very typically dense enough to walk on with no snowshoe, though I alway keep them on for the areas that the "set snow" is thin.

If you don't have those conditions around Whitney until spring I'm really surprised.

I think, then, that you would be particularly surprised. The high elevations of Whitney do NOT get that set crust nearly as quickly as you are accustomed. It stays cold up high, so there is not the melting/freezing process that is required for the solidification.

I think you would find much more wading through deeper snow much longer after a storm.

I guess I would be.
With the lack of sun on the final 400 it comes as no real surprise that a crust would not form there until later in the season. I would be a little surprised that the 1500 feet or so from the notch to below Iceberg would not have any crust. I would think that the lower 1/2to 2/3 might have it, but not necessarily the upper part, since that is more shaded. The main gully is east facing, so it gets morning sun which may or may not be warm enough to produce a crust. Doesn't Iceberg gets full sun for most of the day? I'm really just speculating here.

It appears that for a number of reasons spring, or after mid February is probably the best time to do a snow climb on Whitney, and that likely accounts for the trip logs being grouped in around that time.

I'd say there is no reason not to plan a trip for any month of the year. Having a weather window is important, but you really can't predict that too far in advance. This board can provide some useful first-hand information, as a lot of people who post here are active in the winter months. Another worthwhile resource is the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center. I don't know if they have the resources yet to provide Whitney-specific forecasts this year, but even if they don't their reports, which come out 2-3 times per week, are valuable inputs to trip planning.

I've done a lot of winter climbing in the Sierra, including most of the 14ers and several times up the Mountaineer's Route. I plan 4/3, and am successful almost every time. 5/4 has never been necessary.

But it often happens that 3/2 is the way it turns out. Either (1) summit day went so well we were able to pack up and come all the way out the same day, or (2) we got sufficiently high the first day that we could go for the summit on day two, out on day three. So we bring back a day's food uneaten and some extra fuel, about two pounds worth.

By the way, I think the guides do 5/4 because they want extra time to teach and practice ice axe use, avalanche awareness and rescue, and other specialized winter skills, as well as for the reasons that Steve and Ken point out.

I've never done MR in winter. I attempted once and due to the unfavorable snow conditions and avalanche activities I turned back and did MT instead. I do Whitney for the winter experience, not for the technicality of climb.

However, based on my previous experiences, I always consider 3-5 full days for such an attempt. If the weather is good, the snow firmed (perhaps with the nice snow path), the car access is up to Portal, and I am feeling great, I don't need more than 2 days to get to the top and 1 back to the car. However, if due to the snow amount I have to walk up additional 4 miles, the snow is powdered without any footprints, and the weather is challenging, (depend on my physical and mental strength) I still can spend only three days and run away or would need up to 5 days to get to the top (or wherever) and back. However, regardless of the current weather conditions and the forecast, I am always prepared to survive for at least 7 days. I love winter storms high in the mountains; they give a very exciting time but only if such conditions are anticipated…

So my conclusion would be 3/2 (with summiting) is feasible if all odds are very favorable. There are too many variables that may change the trip outcome dramatically, especially if not anticipated. I believe guides allocate more days because they are smart (e.g. ice ax training, altitude acclimatization, increasing chances of summiting, etc.)
I agree with Bob R that "4/3… [are] successful almost every time".

I recall during the space race this small country wanted to go to the sun everyone laughed until they said they would do it at night .