Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion San Gorgonio Conditions

I'm wondering the current conditions of San Gorgonio on the Vivian Creek trail. I know it was closed due to a fire a few weeks back. I also heard there was so much snow it was impassable. I just haven't heard anything recently. I'm training for my first attempt at Whitney on 6/18. I just summited Mt. Baldy on Saturday. It was a glorious day!

try

www.sgwa.org

for updates.

ej,
Vivian Creek is open. I was there last Saturday. I went up with Microspikes, but would advise you wear crampons. The Microspikes were worthless. I'm not quite sure, but I believe the trail disappears at around 9,000 ft. There is at least two very big slopes you will have to slog up, and it's steep. I suppose you can do it with just your boots, but it is very laborious. Trust me, with the Microspikes, I took five steps, slid a few feet...rinse and repeat.

It can also be very dangerous. Depending on how you decide to summit, whether make a direct line up or traverse over, a fall/slide can be disastrous without an ice axe. I don't know what it's like this week. I don't mean to be dramatic, it was a tough hike, but not a killer. I still had a big smile at the end of the day. I saw a few guys around the 8,000 foot level coming up in tennis shoes and laughed.

Also, you might want to bring Deet or some bug spray. A lot of water and mud at the start, and the bugs were out in force when we were coming back.

2600,
Thanks so much for your detailed response! This was a huge help for me and I'll be avoiding San Gorgonio for a while. I really appreciate you taking the time to fill me in and not directing me to a website.

I was in Palm Desert over the weekend. I could see Mt. San Gorgonio from where I was and could see that it still has a considerable amount of snow. Even Mt. San Jacinto has some snow.

I wouldn't want to climb to the summit of San G. in snow. Too bad you won't be able to climb San G. before you do Mt. Whitney. You would find Mt. Whitney so much easier than San G., except for the altitude (thin air) near or above trail camp.

ej,
If you're doing Whitney on the 18th, I strongly suggest you give Gorgonio a shot. I'm just being conservative and giving you the full disclosure. It is doable without crampons, just not easy. More than half your hike will be without snow.

It will give you a very good indication as to whether you're ready for Whitney. Remember that you're gaining about a 1,000 more feet for Whitney via the main trail, and also covering about another 4-6 miles.

If you're not comfortable with the snow level on Gorgonio at 11,500, don't even attempt Whitney and go up that main chute or the traverse from the backside.

Oh, there's a few big fallen trees that you'll have to climb over or crawl under...it'll make your trip feel more adventurous.

Thanks for the insight Lynn and 2600. I would like to try G before Whitney but i do not have a partner for that hike. I don't feel comfortable going that far alone. Has anyone tried Mt. Baden Powell? That one seems do-able alone. Plus it's closer from OC.

Whitney will be tricky this time of year but I'm setting the bar low. Reaching trail camp is my goal. I might try the slope to trail crest if conditions permit but I won't be heart broken to not reach the summit. The mountain will always be there.

Actually, I heard on 760KFMB this morning that Whitney is thinking about moving to Texas because of that new tax on online retail purchases they're trying to pass for CA right now. Might want to act fast.

ejsurfs,

Your WZ name sounds like you could tell all of us about some great beach locations to catch some waves.

You might want to read some trip reports on the Whitney Zone to help you decide if you need more training or if you should go for the summit this month.

Below are some of my favorite trip reports, starting with my own which will let you know all the things NOT TO DO and ending with Tom (tdtz) and Steve C.'s which will tell you everything TO DO CORRECTLY and then there is Wazzu's which will let you know that you should expect THE UNEXPECTED. The trip reports on the Whitney Zone have a wealth of knowledge from novices (knuckleheads "me" ) to the pros. Below is a short list you might want to check out.


(Lynn-a-roo) #7230 - 09/12/10 04:37 PM Three Angels and One Angel In Training

(Lynn-a-roo) #8154 - 10/06/10 03:54 PM 2005 TR: Three Ladies Lost & One Man (3 Angels & Simon)

(wazzu) #7757 - 09/24/10 06:26 PM Best laid plans....


(tdtz) #7208 - 09/11/10 09:49 PM Whitney Summit - Sept 8th

(Steve C.) #7969 - 10/01/10 06:52 PM Sunrise, Sunset -- 80 years after Norman Clyde

I appreciate your help in preparation but I always get the same feeling from a lot of posting on here regarding first timers. Is anyone really ready for Whitney? The conditions change so fast and no one really knows how they will feel when they get that high up until their there. My hiking partner posted a question on the whitney portal message board and people left horrible stories of people dying from glissading. The stories really were not useful because it dealt with a person without an ice ax who was glissading in October when the snow level was minimal. Now she has bailed out.

If I had a choice about time of year to climb whitney I would choose no snow. Since I only have a permit for 6/18 that is my only chance to try it out. All the things I learn that first time will help me in future trips. I've read all the trip note, do's and don't, etc. However I still don't know what I'm in for until that day.

I really was just looking for notes on recent San G trips or other mountains that are good training grounds to prep.

Still looking for a hiking partner.

RE: 2600fromatari's remark: I strongly suggest you give Gorgonio a shot......It will give you a very good indication as to whether you're ready for Whitney

ejsurfs,

I agree with 2600fromatari's advice. Mt. San Gorgonio is an excellent mountain to hike in preparation for Mt. Whitney. Also, 2600fromatari is an experienced hiker who can give you good advice on which you can rely.

I've personally hiked Mt. Whitney three times, the last time being last summer. I have never hiked to the summit of Mt. Whitney without taking diamox, but I have hiked to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio twice without diamox and many times I have hiked nearly to the summit of San Gorgonio without diamox. I firmly believe if you hike San Gorgonio to the summit or even near the summit, you'll do fine on Mt. Whitney if you don't get altitude sickness.

If there is snow for you to hike through on San Gorgonio that's great because you will get a good feeling of what it will be like to hike up the Mt. Whitney trail chute with crampons on. My trip report from my 2005 summit may be good for you to read and I may have a picture posted of us climbing the chute too. With snow, I think it took my friends and I three hours to climb the chute. I've climbed the chute twice in two previous seasons. Only this last summer 2010 was I able to hike the switchbacks. The switchbacks are very nice in comparison to climbing the chute.

If you get altitude sickness on San Gorgonio, you'll most likely get it hiking Mt. Whitney too.

After you hike San Gorgonio and discover whether or not you get altitude sickness, you may want to see your doctor before you hike Mt. Whitney to see what he/she thinks about giving you a prescription for diamox. Two of my friends and I take it for our hike to Mt. Whitney because we want to summit and we don't want a lousy headache standing in our way. Even though we don't get headaches between 11,000 and 12,000 feet, we still take it because it's all about the summit for us. Although, one of our friends never takes diamox, and she always makes the summit at San Gorgonio and Mt. Whitney... she "never" gets the slightest headache.

It's a bummer about your friend backing out on hiking Mt. Whitney with you because of what someone posted on this board. Everyone on the board is quite nice and helpful, but sometimes they like to be funny and they don't realize how their writings come across to first timers hiking Mt. Whitney or first timers posting on the Whitney Zone. It's just like when we send an email to someone, we have to stop and think about what we wrote so our writing is not interpreted incorrectly. Some hikers are just having fun with you, but it may take you a while to catch on to their humor.

You really should try to hike with a partner but if you have to go alone then you may want to read Tom's trip report (tdtz). Tom hiked alone as you may be doing, yet he met other hikers on the trail with whom he became friends and ultimately camped with and hiked to the summit with.

The trip reports I suggested were intentionally chosen for your situation because you'll be climbing the snow packed chute and because you'll be climbing alone. I didn't just choose any random trip report.

I think you should hike the Mt. Whitney trail as far as you feel comfortable. Remember, wherever you're at at 1:00 p.m. the day you head for the summit, turn around if you're not at the summit, don't try to make the summit if you're far from it and it's 1:00 p.m. Night falls fast and it's difficult hiking down the chute in the dark.

WHEN HIKING IN HIGH ALTITUDES, REMEMBER TO EAT AND DRINK OFTEN, YOU WON'T FEEL LIKE EATING BUT YOU HAVE TOO, IN FACT YOU MAY FORGET ABOUT EATING IN HIGH ALTITUDES. EAT SOMETHING AND DRINK SOMETHING EVERY HOUR AT LEAST, THAT'S MY PERSONAL ADVICE.

Take time to stop at the Portal Store to have some food and refreshments and visit with Doug and Earlene and their son who run the store. I'm not certain, but you may meet people in and around the store who post on this board or the Whitney Portal Store Message Board.

Please tell your friend who backed out on you that they should reconsider and not let the jokesters of the Whitney Zone scare them.

ejsurfs, I look forward to reading your Trip Report after you hike on the Mt. Whitney Trail.

Now, I have to hope that the WZ jokesters don't get on my case for writing a book, especially because I'm not in the chat area. This should probably have been a personal message to you. Oh well, I like breaking some rules too.

Have a great hike,
Lynn

Sorry about your friend. I don't know if I posted about glissading, but I often do.

Personally, I think this is the most dangerous time of the year, for the next month....not the time, but the snow.

Glissading down the chute is roughly like jumping out of an airplane, in terms of consequences if things go wrong. People who don't have experience with technical gear sounds to mountaineers like someone saying "and do we need one of those parachute thingys? Where do we rent them?"

I have no idea of your experience, nor of your friend's. As I type this, I am sitting in my room in the Whitney Portal Hostel, looking AT THE CHUTE. There is a lot of snow up there.
From what I've been hearing from TR's it's in great shape for climbing. For those with skill and knowledge, it is the PERFECT time to do it. But it is a winter mountaineering trip, for all intent and purposes. melting snow, camping in snow, shoveling snow. COLD. Fun!

It should be said that if a person is not comfortable with such conditions, it can be truly miserable.

Do a little reading up on the issue of obtaining permits outside the lottery. You may be quite surprised how available they are, and a later date may suit your needs better.

Whatever you decide, good luck and have a fun trip.

Ken, I like your above-response to ejsurfs, I felt your compassion.

ejsurfs,

I and my friends are hiking Mt.Whitney in September, specifically September 17th. Last season we hiked at the same time and found NO mosquitos, lots of water to filter, and very comfortable temperatures during the day and night. If anyone backs out of our group, I'll let you know so you can join us.

You may want to talk to your friend about hiking Mt. Whitney in September when the conditions should be awesome.

Keep the Whitney Zone posted on what you decide. Check the hiking calendar thread Steve C. posted near the beginning of the Discussion Forum so you can see when other Whitney Zone members are hiking and possibly some WZ members you've been chatting have their Whitney dates posted on the calendar. You'll see my trip posted there.

Happy Trails To You,
Lynn-a-Roo

Thanks Lynn,
After watching a video posted on one of these boards that was taken on 6/4 I decided against my 6/18 date. It would be great if there was room in your group for me in September. Please let me know if a spot opens up, and if I decide to try a walk up permit then I'll let you know too. I'm not much of a snow/cold person, after living in Chicago for 26 winters. When I saw the conditions on saturday were 18 degrees with 60 mph winds I shivered. There's no way I would enjoy that let alone feel safe up there no matter who I went with. Climbing Whitney will be most enjoyable in a group on day when the weather is not a factor. There's enough other stuff to worry about.