What a beautiful time of year to do this trip! I enjoyed my second Whitney Summit on Sunday (along with a first-timer friend), and met many folks along the way and at the portal (Doug Sr., Wazzu, Bulldog, Lady Bulldog, Bulldog Pup, Quillansculpture)
SNOW FIELDS: Others have written about this exhaustively (I know because I read every single report compulsively before heading out). My friend, first timer on Whitney, with no snow skills, zipped confidently across all the fields using hiking poles and good boots. Me, I took out my ice ax at the last two snow fields on the switchbacks, and again at the summit field, because I liked the extra stability and safety measure. The footing is relatively easy (at least after the fields have been warmed by the sun), but as others have said, the drop off is significant, especially on that third snowfield on the switchbacks. By the way, I did see three men come up the chute using ice axes and crampons, and I believe they glissaded down after summitting (we saw fresh glissade tracks from the last snowfield on the switchbacks).
CONGRATULATIONS on your summit!!! Next year you will be one of those glissading down the snow chute after your summit!!!!
It was a pleasure meeting you before you headed out for your adventure. Glad to hear that everything went well!
Blessings,
Lady Bulldawg
