Mt Whitney Zone Forums Trip Reports July 4th summiting report

I want to give my summit info here from July 3 to 4. I've done Mount Whitney now 6 years in a row. Summit on all. This has been the most difficult and dangerous summit to date for me and my friend who came with 2nd year in a row. So we left portal at 9am on the 3rd. My back pack was 42 pounds which was only bare minimum stuff needed for one overnight. There was a lot of water to cross at the lower end and especially at the meadows. You need water shoes or you will have wet feet for the rest of your journey. Close to trail camp there are 3 snow fields to conquer and with daytime sun it was about 80 . We both had heat exhaustion when we arrived at train camp which was 5pm for me. We got up at 3am and at the chute by 4am. Climbed up the chute which you want to do when snow is hard otherwise during day time it's slush and very hot. I made sure I took about 5 liters up there and trust me you'll need it. Up to summit at 9am. Trail crest has no snow. Now for the really scary part. Getting down. The glissade is very dangerous. My friend is expert with snow and said he almost had fatal slide. Even proper ice ax technique did not work well. To get into the slide you have to climb a 9 foot rock straight down. At tral crest I met an old man who only had one bottle of water and he pleated for water so I gave him half of mine. Please be prepared. I decided on the switch backs. I had to traverse a dangerous 100 foot path to get to it. Very steep and unstable. The switch back is not passable. It stops with snow and ice with dangerous drop of if you slide. At one part you have to scale down the rock face with loose boulders and dangerous drop off to get back on trai. When I got to the cables it was impassable and then had to glissade down to get to lower part of chute. We packed up and got to portal at 9pm. I would not do Whitney unless you have expert mountain experience and do not mind all these hazards. I thanked God for no injuries. Up at the switches a couple was stuck , the woman broke or severely sprained her wrist. I would not go up there till at least August.

thanks for the report man

have any pictures? they can be useful

Couldn't figure how to add them . I'll try tomorrow.

Thanks for your report. MWe are hiking Whitney next Thursday and Friday.

Couple questions re: gear.

Do you need a helmet? Were you using crampons or mircospikes?

Thanks,
Debbie

Here are directions for adding pictures:   Uploading Pictures to the Picture Gallery

Adventuregal: Helmets are extra weight on the Main Mt Whitney Trail. Some people are going without any spikes, but that is more the exception.

I was using micros for lower snow sections with poles. Crampons and axe for chute are a must. Very steep and icy. No helmet. Extra water for sure.

Tried following these directions. Doesn't work for my tab.

Andre, email them. I'll upload.

Ok . I'll email to the whitney zone email address.