Thank you for your detailed update. We are going on Friday and I am like you, hiked shorter trails and work out but nothing like Whitney. My biggest fear is the icy and slippery parts. So you would say crampons or microspikes? I just got my permit this morning for Friday and running around trying to get all my gear. Microspikes were expensive at REI and they only had one kind at my REI. Can't order online because we are leaving Thursday morning.
