Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Mt Whitney Hiking Dates Calendar

Anyone who is interested in Sierra Bears, there is a good, comprehensive discussion on the matter over here (easier than repeating the information):

http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=83770#Post83770

Thanks for the link Bee. Good information that makes me feel a lot better about the wildlife risks. Didn't mean to stray so far off topic!

Put me down -
5/21 day hike, whitney trail, EJ and husband
6/18 day hike, whitney trail, EJ and husband

Wow, EJ! You will certainly see lots of snow on both those hikes.

Hiya Steve... I'll be up in the area visiting to say howdy to Bulldawg and family while they're out.. but not hiking (too much)....

1st week of August or so though I plan on a party of 4.. I'll be calling in for permits or grabbing walk-ins... probably calling in advance though. I've had good luck so far with that method...

Looking forward to it Chris! As I recall, you owe me a beer

Maybe we can snag a 5th permit, and you can dance on the summit with Joe while I videotape . . .

I'll be bringing the girl child with me for some much needed Mommy/Daughter time.... as for dancing on the summit, I'll settle with just being able to breath! ;-)

And yes, I owe you a beer!

So Chris, does that mean I'll have to wait on the Dolphin Shorts from eBay?

oooops, my bad......Gary will appreciate them :-) (p.s. He has no idea what I'm talking about)

Thanks for info. I was wondering about crampons. Glad I can rent them. It's gonna be a hot June this year and most snow will be gone.

Hopefully, but don't count on it. I see your entry date is 6/28. Bear in mind that it's been a big snow year. Last year, which wasn't much beyond an average snowpack at the end of the winter, the cables section of the switchbacks didn't really open to regular traffic till the 2nd week of July. People were still going up the snow chute rather than the switchbacks at the end of June. In mid-July we had to negotiate sizeable snow fields at Consultation Lake, on the switchbacks at the cables (a 4-6 inch dry path on the outside precipice of the trail), and near the summit. And conditions had improved dramatically in just the week before we started up (7/14).

Given this year's current pack, I'd come prepared to hike in snow at the higher elevations. If a massive, lingering heat wave comes along and lays on a big melt in late June, so much the better, but I'd rather think/train for snow and be pleasantly surprised by drier conditions than vice versa. Be safe and have a blast!

I'll dance on the summit with you Joe... but not 'til after I grab my first summit with Mom. We're heading up the first week of August to try to grab our Summit House Starbucks ;-)

I'll be coming up to buy Gary a beer and meet the fam when they're out in July... so you're more then welcome to wear the Dolphin Shorts from EBay around camp hehehehe

Just joined the forum, looks like a wealth of knowledge. I am organzing a group me +7 to go out of Horseshoe Meadows and finishing at the Portal on July 14th-17th (put me down). Never done Whitney before but have backpacked in Yosemite and Kings Canyon and do lots of day hikes. I to am curious about the weather but from past trips I will just have to keep an eye on TR to get a real feel.

Done.

CaT

[The lurker comes out of the woods!] Great site here - thanks everyone for a great source of information (I also really appreciate the mature discussions.)

I'll be with a party of 6 total, summiting about the 3rd of August; we'll be leaving from Crescent Meadow (HST) starting July 29. It'll be an overnighter, for sure, as we'll be doing a yo-yo, back to Crescent Meadow.

Can't wait - good luck, all!

SoCalGirl Chris: You didn't say... are you planning overnight or dayhike in that August first-week trip? I'm guessing and putting you down for overnight.

Oops.. sorry Steve... we're planning a couple/few nights on the trail. Driving up on a Saturday to spend a couple days acclimating (which I will also be doing the month previously on several occassions... getting high so I can go higher! ;-) )....

So... 4 of us... looking at pulling permits for entry on 8-1 or 8-2.... anticipated summit day... 8-3ish...

Aaron, we all start off as lurkers. For some, the disease progresses. Welcome to the infirmary!

By the way, love the lid. Lost a similar hiking hat - my favorite - last year somewhere between Outpost Camp and the Portal. I still have a suspicion my hiking partner that trip absconded with it . . .

Rodney51, 2 nights at Whitney Portal June 26-27. Permit for June 28-30. Whitney Trail. Party of 3? Maybe if they don't back out.

Well I, ahem, ah,ah....don't know what to say. I didn't take it :-) If I did, my buddies wouldn't be asking me when I'm washing my old hat!!!

with as much snow as we are expected to have in June/early-July, I'm thinking that a lot of people are going to be backing out.

It seems that this might be the perfect opportunity to pick up walk-in unused permits.

I'm thinking I might be able to get some back-to-back training hikes up to trail camp and then go for the summit when the snow clears later in the summer (since I don't have crampons).

The snow may be a blessing for those of us who didn't get permits this year.