Hobbes, I think "sunny days are here again!" Please get some pictures on your trip and share. There are a lot of people wondering how long the recent snows will last.
Here is a YouTube video posted today from a May 23 climb. These guys day hiked to Trail Crest then turned around.
Quote:
A recap of our arduous climb of Mount Whitney. We started our ascent at 3:30AM, and made it to the top of Trail Crest through a hefty amount of snow - especially up the chute since the switchbacks were not passable!
I have an overnight permit for this Friday so I'm hoping that some of the snow melts if the high everyday between now and then is above 50 degrees but at the moment I'm leaning towards cancelling the trip, especially based on the video Steve just posted. We are a group of experienced hikers and have been up Whitney before but have no mountaineering experience.
I checked several weather forecasts (mountain-forecast.com excluded), and they all point to an above-normal heat wave on Saturday and Sunday. Temps on both side of the Sierra will be in the mid-upper 90s. So I am thinking the predictions are consistent. The snow will be melting fast!
I would go for the planned trip. Take extra socks, and maybe gators to help keep the feet warm and dry. It could turn out to be a beautiful hike. Even if you don't make the summit, being up there will be fun.
We started at 3:30am on Memorial Day weekend from the Whitney Portal. A storm had passed through during the night which left the entire mountain covered in snow.
We made it to the bottom of the shoot at 12,500ft above sea level. The 99 switchbacks were covered in 8ft of snow and ice. Nobody had made the summit in 10 days including us.
Lone Pine is now expected to hit 94 on Saturday. Using the 4 degrees/1k feet rule-of-thumb (for clear conditions), that would put the peak at around 52-54 degrees.
Guess what the models now project: - crest 58 degrees - upper Boyscout lake 62 degrees
I had been cancelling, rescheduling and re-cancelling a previously planned trip for the last two weeks. The 5/30 MR guided trip was literally a last minute decision. I jumped on it once the weather models were all in agreement that high pressure was finally building after 4 storms came through during the last 6 weeks.
Warm conditions softened the snow considerably and there were a lot of small point release avalanches.
There was a snowstorm Saturday night, a few inches fell. Due to the fresh snow, conditions weren't good for Williamson and the other campers in the area were bailing on their attempt as well.
I hiked NAP to Mt. Langley yesterday. It is passable with only microspikes and hiking poles. The snow starts around 12,000ft but there was a clear foot path in the snow all the way to the summit. When I reached the summit it was in a cloud so I wasn’t able to get a good view but the conditions were good.
Thank you for the great advice. We have decided that we are going to go for it and see how far we can get. Keeping our fingers crossed that enough of the snow melts. We will be camping at trail camp on Friday night and making an attempt to summit on Saturday.
I will be sure to post a trail report with some photos.
We made it to the summit on Memorial Day. A fair amount of snow on the backside of the mountain but there should be a boot path for you to follow. The best part is the weather appears to have scared everybody away. There were only three other tents at Trail Camp and only came across a handful of people making an attempt at the summit. Most turned around at Trail Crest without even giving it a look.
On Memorial Day my group of 4 made it to the summit of Mt. Whitney. I think we were 4 of 10 to make it. It was a very long day, we started at 4am, summitted at 2pm, and made it out at 8pm. Luckily the conditions were mostly sunny with a few clouds, but no visibility issues. We were moving slowly partially due to the snow, and partially due to some members getting altitude sickness. A decent number of people made it to trail crest before us so there were tracks in the snow that were easy to follow making the "trail" up the 97 switch backs very steep but passable. Since a few people had summited before us there was a somewhat packed down trail to follow after trail crest. There were a few parts that were sketchy, and most of the trail has a steep drop off to one side. We took it very slow, and never felt too endangered. However, there were others who did turn around because they felt uncomfortable, which is a perfectly good choice. Don't do anything that makes a member of your group feel unsafe, you can always summit another day.
Basically weather conditions have gotten better and it is possible to summit. However, you should plan for it to be a long day. We learned our lesson about the importance of acclimation. Good luck on all your trips! No matter how far you get, the views are beautiful. Mt. Whitney was an amazing experience. Thanks to all the posts before this, it was very helpful to read before the trip and know what to expect.
We were using crampons and a combination of trekking poles and ice axe. I found the axe very helpful for gaining purchase on some of the narrower sections on the backside of the mountain where trekking poles seemed more of a hindrance.
Steve, in early June conditions, what things do you usually bring past trail camp and what do you carry them with? I have a small daypack, which i'm hoping can hold crampons/ice axe on the outside + 3L of water and some snacks inside (plus sun screen, a few first aid things, etc)
Jbabs, your list is good. Make sure you pay attention to weather forecasts just before you leave for the hike, especially the chances of rain. Take necessary clothing to be prepared for whatever is predicted.
Do most hikers leave their heavy packs at Trail Camp to summit and then pick them up on the way down?
Hi Blake95,
I did not notice if you mentioned if you are doing a day hike, or an overnight hike (guessing overnight). Most hikers doing the overnight leave their tents/sleeping bags/etc.. where ever they spent the night, and only take a day pack to the top. As Steve mentions be sure not to leave any food in your tent/backpack/etc.. as the critters will find a way in. Also, it is advised that you make sure to secure your items such that they do not get blown away. If you leave your tent up, make sure the lines are secured, and perhaps even put some rocks in the tent.
If you are doing a day hike, you should be able to get by with a day pack from the start. Most doing a day hike can keep their day pack under 15 pounds (including ice axe and crampons if needed).
