Mt. Whitney Current Conditions
Forum rules
- This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
- Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
- Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
- Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
Mt. Whitney Current Conditions
I have a friend who is leaving São Paulo for southern California this weekend and will be heading for Whitney. I looked at the recent trip reports for conditions, but the most recent is a month dated. Has anyone been up the Whitney Portal or Whitney trail recently? The information for her trip would be appreciated.
Peter Aitchison on the risks of rock climbing and mountaineering: "That's life, isn't it? We think the challenge and satisfaction you get from doing this is worth the risks."
"Respect the mountain. Train hard. Hope you can sneak up when it isn't looking."
"The mind is always worried about consequences, but the heart knows no fear. The heart just does what it wants."
"Respect the mountain. Train hard. Hope you can sneak up when it isn't looking."
"The mind is always worried about consequences, but the heart knows no fear. The heart just does what it wants."
-
falcon568
- Posts: 67
- Joined: 7/24/2013
- 14ers: 58 10
- 13ers: 7
- Trip Reports (3)
Re: Mt. Whitney Current Conditions
The whitneyzone and whitneyportal forums are usually the best bet for current conditions/discussions
http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthread ... _#Post4904
http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthread ... #Post33986
http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum ... =1&fpart=3
http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthread ... _#Post4904
http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthread ... #Post33986
http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum ... =1&fpart=3
"Of course, inside each one of us is the ambition to reach the summit, to realize that you are stronger than obstacles, that it is within your power to do something uncommon and indeed impossible for most people. But one must be prepared to face those obstacles..."-Ed Viesturs
"When I was a child, I felt there was something I had to find before I died. I imagined it as some lost, golden country, glittering on the other side of the mist across our neighbor's fields, hidden within the shadows behind our stone wall—some place beyond the fixed patterns of society, the grey chronology that led inexorably to death. In my twenties, on my first free solo, the light seemed to shatter through me, and the sky pour down the rock. Like so many climbers, immersed in that sudden, radiant awareness of now, I've had that brief and total conviction that each moment is both fleeting and eternal"-Katie Ives
"When I was a child, I felt there was something I had to find before I died. I imagined it as some lost, golden country, glittering on the other side of the mist across our neighbor's fields, hidden within the shadows behind our stone wall—some place beyond the fixed patterns of society, the grey chronology that led inexorably to death. In my twenties, on my first free solo, the light seemed to shatter through me, and the sky pour down the rock. Like so many climbers, immersed in that sudden, radiant awareness of now, I've had that brief and total conviction that each moment is both fleeting and eternal"-Katie Ives
Re: Mt. Whitney Current Conditions
You might try Karthik, TheOtherIndian, he was just out there this weekend....it looked pretty dry in his summit shot.
The webcam for Whitney Portal shows very little snow the mountain http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The webcam for Whitney Portal shows very little snow the mountain http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
-
TheOtherIndian
- Posts: 275
- Joined: 6/13/2011
- 14ers: 50 7
- 13ers: 20
- Trip Reports (10)
Re: Mt. Whitney Current Conditions
I was there last Sunday and did the main trail. Patches of snow easily passable up to trail camp. From trail camp to trail crest, continuous snow on the trail. Above trail crest, patches of continuous snow and some snow where the trail is a little exposed. Microspikes helped a lot. I suppose it is possible to get by without them, but it might make the hike a bit miserable, with already a long day.
I spoke to someone else who did some ice climbing on (near?) the mountaineer's route and they too said the conditions were similar and traction was needed.
[PS: Somehow everyone in California has a fetish for crampons. I saw people wearing crampons on the Class 1 trail and everyone mentioning the need for crampons (even if they used spikes!)]
I spoke to someone else who did some ice climbing on (near?) the mountaineer's route and they too said the conditions were similar and traction was needed.
[PS: Somehow everyone in California has a fetish for crampons. I saw people wearing crampons on the Class 1 trail and everyone mentioning the need for crampons (even if they used spikes!)]
Anything less than immortality is a complete waste of time. -Bender 'Bending' Rodriguez
-
jameseroni
- Posts: 171
- Joined: 9/1/2010
- Trip Reports (11)
Re: Mt. Whitney Current Conditions
The reason everyone wears crampons is because most of them are big city mountaineers. Purely recreational in which we can hold nothing against, but often do not have the same expertise as those who make climbing a regular hobby. A lot of folks drive up from San Diego and may have no idea what to expect our what gear is needed so they carry everything.
I witnessed the same thing when Climbing the mountaineers route in spring this year. A lot of folks carrying way too much for just the standard trail.
Nothing against these folks, it's just not as "touch and go" as an activity for them as many who live much closer to the mountains. Also, Whitney is a super popular mountain among weekend enthusiasts as well.
I witnessed the same thing when Climbing the mountaineers route in spring this year. A lot of folks carrying way too much for just the standard trail.
Nothing against these folks, it's just not as "touch and go" as an activity for them as many who live much closer to the mountains. Also, Whitney is a super popular mountain among weekend enthusiasts as well.
-
TheOtherIndian
- Posts: 275
- Joined: 6/13/2011
- 14ers: 50 7
- 13ers: 20
- Trip Reports (10)
Re: Mt. Whitney Current Conditions
Thats a pretty good explanation. And I too was one such big city 'mountaineer' this last weekend. Feels it takes a lot of effort just getting to the TH from coast and a very different environment!
Anything less than immortality is a complete waste of time. -Bender 'Bending' Rodriguez
Re: Mt. Whitney Current Conditions
Thanks for the recent beta. She found it helpful.
Peter Aitchison on the risks of rock climbing and mountaineering: "That's life, isn't it? We think the challenge and satisfaction you get from doing this is worth the risks."
"Respect the mountain. Train hard. Hope you can sneak up when it isn't looking."
"The mind is always worried about consequences, but the heart knows no fear. The heart just does what it wants."
"Respect the mountain. Train hard. Hope you can sneak up when it isn't looking."
"The mind is always worried about consequences, but the heart knows no fear. The heart just does what it wants."
