Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Mountaineer's Route Question.

A group of us have hiked Whitney and summited in July a few years back. On a second trip my son got nervous with the heights at about 13,000 on the switchbacks, so we returned. June of this year my daughter and I climbed up the snow chute and got as far as Keeler Needle. The chute zapped us pretty good and having never used crampons or an ice axe before, we felt good about what we had accomplished. (I'm 60 and she's pregnant).
I am looking for something a bit different and the original group said they would like to do the Mountaineer's Route. What are the dangers and I guess just general advise on how much experience we need?
Thank you very much.

Lynnbern, Last fall I climbed the MR and took a series of videos at all the tighter spots. They are available in three separate threads, starting here: Mountaineers Route videos: North Fork to Upper Boy Scout Lk

Also, the first paragraph in the Orientation Notes (link in the box to the left) has a link to: Mountaineer's Route info links within...

All that info will give you a pretty good idea. The MR is definitely more challenging than the main trail, so if someone was overcome by conditions there, the MR is not a good idea.

If this is the case (and I can't think of any "heights" issues anywhere on the switchbacks, assuming we're talking about the 97 switchbacks), then there is far more significant exposure, regardless of the elevation, at various places on the MR.

Steve's series of videos are excellent.

CaT

My son would not be doing it with me. So, the views and steepness would not be the issue. One of my friends who has switchbacked his way to the summit with me wants to go. A couple of the others are concerned about the risks involved. I guess that is the input I am looking for.
I see posted photos and articles. I just wanted to be a bit more mentally prepared.
Thanks

It's the same 6,100+ feet of elevation gain, but in approx. 4.5 miles rather than 11.2 miles on the MT. So steeper, esp from Iceberg Lake to the summit plateau.

Truly, Steve's videos will give you a very good idea of the nature of the trail, as those videos touch all the highlights from start to finish.

Here's a picture I copied and reposted here from one of the other topics re: the Ebersbacher Ledges (which is a small segment of the Mountaineer's Route earlier in the hike):



CaT