Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Narrow Passage on Main Trail

I summited Whitney last September. I remember about half way between the Trail Crest and the summit there was a spot in the trail where I had to squeeze between two high boulders. I'm not a big guy -- 5' 7", 150 lbs, yet I remember I could barely fit through.

My wife wants to summit this year. She's my height, but ~195 lbs.

Has anybody heard of an incident in which someone simply couldn't fit through this spot?

Never heard of such a spot, and don't remember one like that myself when I did the Main Trail a couple of years ago. I'm sure people larger and taller than the two of you have reached the summit with no problem.

CaT

i summited twice last year. i don't recall squeezing through anyplace like you've described - i'm 5'9" and 180# - but i did walk on top of - and over - many places.

August 2006 / 6' 200# - nothing like you describe rings a bell

The only time and place where I've had this problem is in the winter above Trailside Meadow where the snow narrows out the trail, never in the summer.

Even the narrowest "window" is 3'-4' wide.

There is no such spot on the main trail where the trail is any narrower then 3-4 feet. You must have got off the trail on a side trail, which is possible considering the main trail has not always been in its current location.

As long as you can squeeze thru the trailhead structure you'll be fine. Remember that the main trail was designed with pack animals in mind.

Since you deviated from the trail, maybe you should get credit for a new route!

August 2008 my wife and I did the main trail and reached the summit, I recall no such spot, maybe a new more challenging route was found!
Congrats!

Ron

if you look at Learn the layout of the Main Trail, it sounds like you are talking about Section 3 of the paragraph on Trail Crest to the Summit. There are several places where there are vertical slab pillars in the rock. Nonetheless, the passages are at least 3-4 feet wide, as stated earlier. It sounds like you drifted off of the trail or took an alternate route around a pillar.

Okay. Thanks everyone for your replies.

Fred- Yes, I do remember that they were tall pillars.

Paul V.

That's known as altitude sickness and/or having to have privacy (you know what I mean)



(Bigger image here.)

Then again, and upon further examination of photographs, maybe this was you? (larger picture here.)

There appears to be a narrow notch in the foreground.

Another: Whitney from Bighorn Park

I do not believe that your second picture was the area being questioned. It looks like the stretch between Trailside Meadow and Trail Camp that often has snow cover in the spring/early summer. You cannot see the trail behind the person in the picture because there is a short incline in the corner before you begin the traverse in the foreground (note how the trail in the distance is lower). Your first picture is from the area that I was thinking about.

So, in talking with Doug Sr this evening, we would recommend a bottle of olive oil (good for the skin).

Since I'm bigger than your wife, I think I'll stick to the MR.

Actually, Fred, the second photo was taken on the switchbacks just past the cables looking west, the guy in the picture was bypassing the cables area (very icy and/or snow filled) and walking back to the switchbacks. I had to hang onto the cables on the outside like jungle jim to get past.