Thanks a lot for this report. I'm hoping to hike Whitney later this month, but since I'm relatively unexperienced and making this trip alone, I'm not sure an eastern ascent (via the Mount Whitney Trail) is my best option, given that the switchbacks' status remains unclear.
I'd started looking into western ascents earlier today, focusing on the route from Horseshoe Meadows that cuts across New Army Pass. Then I was turned off by the NPS' description, dated 6/6, of the "100ft vertical wall of ice and snow at the top of New Army Pass." (That description is here:
https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/trailcond.htm.)
But it seems, based on your description, that New Army Pass was actually in pretty decent shape as of 6/9. When you explained that the "path through snow and rocks with minimal exposure..made it easy," were you using an ice axe and crampons? Or were those not even needed?
Thanks in advance for clearing this up-- and again for posting your trip report!
