Mt. Whitney Mountaineer route options

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Palmyra J
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Re: Mt. Whitney Mountaineer route options

Post by Palmyra J »

Yes, applying on the first day would be helpful. Also, having several friends also apply, even if they are not planning on going will improve your odds (not completely honest, but it may help get you a permit). You can return permits if you get too many.

As far as training, it depends on which route you wish to do. The standard route is a day trip, and is considered a pedestrian option in good weather.

The East Mountaineer's route is difficult, and I would recommend camping at Lower or Upper Boy Scout lake to break up the length. I would not recommend doing that route solo unless you have great route finding skills and are a speedster with lots of experience.

By the by, weather there is different with it seeming to have the ability for dramatic change very quickly. I don't know if it is due to being so close to the Pacific or its greater vertical rise out of the desert to the East and temperature contrast, but we were very glad to have a barometer around. Even with a 3am start from the lake, early summit (10:30-11:00) we still were slammed with severe weather and lightening on the descent.
Last edited by Palmyra J on Sat May 19, 2012 8:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ClimbandMine
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Re: Mt. Whitney Mountaineer route options

Post by ClimbandMine »

From the "saddle" on the mountaineers route, the upper class 3 section looks like this. The photo was in June and there was still ice in the chute:

Image
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Steve C
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Re: Mt. Whitney Mountaineer route options

Post by Steve C »

djkest wrote:sorry to hijack: How hard is it to win the Whitney lottery? If I want to climb whitney next year, and enter on the first day, do I have a pretty good shot of getting in?
There is about a 50% success rate in the Whitney Lottery. You can enter a number of alternate dates (15, I think) in a lottery application. And you can submit multiple applications. However, each app costs $6 (not each of the 15 alternate dates). If you are successful in any or all applications, then you are ALSO charged a non-refundable $15 per hiker in the group on each successful application (only one of the 15 alternate dates is filled). There is NO benefit in entering the first day -- the lottery is run by computer in a single operation, sometime after the entry period deadline March 15, but before April 1.

The Mountaineers Route is actually quicker than the Main Trail, since it is more direct, but you need to know the route to be successful. If you will register on the Mt Whitney Hikers Association forum at WhitneyZone.com and ask, I can direct you to plenty of information, both on the permit situation and routes. Here's the link to most of the MR info: Mountaineers Route info links within...
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