Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Approximate climbing time Mountaineers Route

I'm climbing Whitney for the 1st time, via Mountaineers Route, on Memorial Day w/e. The plan is to camp at Iceberg Lake, then summit Whitney & Muir on day 2, then return to Whitney Portal via MR again. Question: I know climbing times vary, but for a very experienced, average paced, middle-aged climber, can anyone give me an idea of how much time you have experienced from Iceberg Lake to Whitney summit, summit to Muir and back, and from summit back to TH. I'm coming from Colorado, have climbed all the Colorado 14ers, have no issues with altitude, but slowing down a bit at my age (55). I'm trying to roughly plan how much time to allow on day 2, what time to start from Iceberg Lake, what time I can reasonable expect to return to TH, etc. Thanks in advance!

I've made it from Iceberg Lk to summit with a light overnight pack in 2 hours. Since you are day hiking, you might do it in less time. But it IS 2000' of elevation.

I've not made the Whitney - Muir - Whitney round trip, but 2+ hours seems reasonable. Seems like a 10-hour day to me, longer if you linger and enjoy the views.

You are likely partially acclimated if you live in Colorado at the typical 5k elevation. Most people in CA live near sea level, so the altitude difference is greater. When you come, don't spend a week at sea level first before heading to Whitney.

Now that I have a better handle on mileage and elevation gain, I thinking something like 5 hrs to Iceberg Lake w/ full backpack on day 1. Then, on summit day, 2+ hrs to summit, another 2 to Muir and back, 2 hrs descent to Iceberg Lake, rest and pack up camp and return to TH. Maybe 12 hrs max for summit day, so I should comfortably get back before dark, as long as I get started early enough in the a.m.

So ... now I wondering if it's better to camp at UBSL? Slightly lower elevation makes for more comfortable sleep and it looks to be more sheltered from the elements. Also, that's 1,000 ft. less climbing with a full backpack. Any opinions or favorite spots to camp along the MR?

Hi Phill,

I did the Mountaineers Route back in Oct with a very light pack. Trail report here with times both up and down: http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/topics/40804/Re:_Oct_18_Mountaineer%27s_Route

I did it as a day hike, but noticed campers at LBSL; looks like a nice place to camp.

I did the MR in April 2013, with quite a bit of snow. My partners waited while I went down to tag Muir. I think Muir took a bit under two hours, round trip. I didn’t record the time, but I’m going to guess that we took something like 12-14 hours, car to car.

It sounds like altitude won’t be a problem for you. I would camp at Iceberg Lake to make your double summit day easier. The rock climbing isn’t particularly difficult, but there is quite a bit of class 2-3. If you’re confident on class 3, you’ll just scramble up like climbing stairs. Pay attention to the route-finding; there are plenty of opportunities to screw up. Muir itself is a real classic. Too bad it isn’t longer.

You’re going to be very close to Mt. Russell, so you might want to think about what it would take to make this trip a three-fer.

I have also climbed the Colorado 14ers, and I found the ratings in the Roach guide to be a bit higher than in California. Roach might have rated Muir as 3-4, while it’s 3 in all the guides I have. Similarly, I would call the MR chute class 2 with sections of class 3, while Roach might have just said 3.

Be sure to ask about snow conditions just before you go. You will probably want crampons and an axe in the couloir.

Good luck! Have fun!

Thanks, Scott and Bob! Good information.

I'm settling on overnight camp at Iceberg Lake. If I can obtain a permit for a 2nd night out I'm considering Mt Russell as well, as long as conditions look good. I have an overnight permit for Fri/Sat Memorial Day weekend, but could climb on Thurs if I can get a permit, as my business in SF ends on Tuesday evening. Doing a Whitney/Muir/Russell 3-fer would make for a memorable trip!

Bob, I will have axe/crampons/spikes/helmet/climbing shoes!