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 Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 2
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Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 2 |
I have a day hike permit on 8/1, and today I went from the TH to Lone Pine Lake just to check that portion of the trail out. I had no problem with the creek crossing -- if you are careful and have a good sense of balance you should be able to get across and keep your feet dry. If you have GTX hiking boots you could just walk across in the water and not worry about stepping on the rocks to keep your feet dry.
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 19
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Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 19 |
I think someone already shared this site but here it is again. Seems to have new photo's almost daily. Not the best resolution but good enough for snow. I been watching it melt around Lake Tulainyo. https://apps.sentinel-hub.com/sentinel-p...showDates=falseClick the satellite icon (upper-left) to switch between trails and the sat. view. I think you need Firefox to run it.
Last edited by Steve C; 08/06/19 10:28 AM. Reason: improve the URL, etc.
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 55
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 55 |
Yeah I forgot to mention that it had rained for 3 days right before I went. Usually I have no prob crossing Lone Pine Creek. It was higher than I had ever seen on Sat. The water was rushing over the rocks that I use to cross. Didn't feel like taking off my boots!
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 654 Likes: 54
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 654 Likes: 54 |
The Sentinel images are available as "Weekly High-Res" on CalTopo.
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,524 Likes: 105
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OP
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,524 Likes: 105 |
View of the cables, July 29, 2019, posted on FB by Scott BHis summary: My wife and I, along with another couple, successfully reached the summit of Mount Whitney on July 29, 2019. We were so happy with the accomplishment as we are all first-timers and felt lucky to get a permit the first time applying.
Had microspikes but didn't use them. The worst part was the snow crossing just before the summit. Climbing up w/o spikes but with trekking poles wasn't bad. Coming down was sketchy since the snow was slushy and slippery - would use the spikes going down if I did it over again. The 99 switchbacks only had 2 that were abbreviated by snow and they weren't too icy in the morning. Be prepared for high winds and the wind chill that comes with it.  This posted on FB by James H Summited Monday 8/5 after 2 days from Cottonwood Pass.
...The snow patch below the summit was dicier than I expected, and we regretted leaving our spikes at the junction.
...Dicier than anticipated. It's not long, but there is some pucker factor for a scaredy cat like me. 
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,524 Likes: 105
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OP
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,524 Likes: 105 |
This posted Sept 4 on FB by Renée KWe just summited yesterday.
It was clear skies at the summit at 8:45 am. (We started our hike at 10:15pm due to a forecast of 0.1” rain at 11am)
Be prepared for all. We got an hour of pea sized hail (it was like getting hit by a BB gun for an hour) and the trail turned into a river of hail. It then rained for the next 5 hours.
Since we started our hike at 10:15pm we missed the update to thunderstorms. The weather said nothing about an hour of hail. 
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,524 Likes: 105
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OP
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,524 Likes: 105 |
Here's a picture of ice at the cables, about 9/14/19 Posted on FB by Kim O
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 55
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 55 |
Summited on Friday the 13th. Set up camp at Cottonwood Lakes TH on Thursday. Tore down camp at dusk and left because the other campers were so loud I couldn't sleep. Drove to Portal and slept in car around 8:30PM. Started hike at 3:00AM. Trail was in excellent condition, the ice was there at the cables but there was room using the rock steps next to the cables. Small uphill snow patch still there near the summit, but no prob. Mountain Forecast said low 30's wind chill so I lugged my warm winter jacket and gloves and beanie up there for nothing.. summit temps were so warm I didn't need gloves or fleece. Beautiful, clear cloudless day; watched a surprise B-day party with hats and a cake, we all sang.. then right after that a woman put on an inflatable T-Rex costume that was about 7 feet tall and we all took pictures with it. A very surreal day on the summit for Friday the 13th! On the way down the cables were oozing with ice flow, it had even reached the rock steps next to the cables, had to pick steps very carefully to get past it. Otherwise a perfect day, I set a personal record going up (7hrs 50min) and going down (4hrs 30 min) with almost 2 hrs on the summit. Zero AMS once again. All of those San Gorgonio trips really made a difference!
Cheers,
Dan
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 7
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Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 7 |
10/4/19 Clear skies. Temps at Whitney Portal in the morning between 35-40. Temps at summit midday, about 35. However, winds make it feel much colder. Winds about 15 mph at Trail Crest, gusts to 25 mph at summit.
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,524 Likes: 105
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OP
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,524 Likes: 105 |
Dylan J cycled from Death Valley, then climbed Whitney via the Mountaineers Route all in one day. Here are the cables from Oct. 12, 2019. 
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,524 Likes: 105
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OP
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,524 Likes: 105 |
Posted on FB by Kayla BHiked on 10/28/19. Left at 4 am. There was fresh snow on the route from the night before. A light powder about 3 miles in that melted later in the day. There was more snow and ice on the 97 switchbacks. I used microspikes on the way down just to be safe. Some snow and ice along the trail behind the peaks by guitar lake; I used microspikes going to the summit at this part. You could do the trail without spikes if you wanted. The last lake had a thick layer of ice that required me to use a rock to smash a hole through the ice to filter water. Temps were 0-20 degrees F with 5-20 mph winds. I had two bottom layers and four on top, two pairs of gloves with hand warmers, and a hat and an ear band. My first Whitney summit and my second 14er. The road to the trailhead was clear of ice. The trail was very clean; the only trash I saw was one wag bag closer to the summit. Thank you to everyone in the group for the information. It was very helpful! The snow is light for the end of October. Here at the cables:  The top switchback:  Snow on the west side, JMT:  Trail Camp pond is freezing over 
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 40 Likes: 6
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 40 Likes: 6 |
FYI, A Winter Storm Warning has been issued, likely impacting the Whitney Zone. Be safe and be prepared! Text from the NWS copied below:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Las Vegas NV
144 PM PST Mon Nov 18 2019
.Expect a rapid change from unseasonably warm weather Tuesday to
significant snowfall Wednesday into Thursday.
CAZ519-521-NVZ018-019-191200-
/O.UPG.KVEF.WS.A.0010.191120T1200Z-191122T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KVEF.WS.W.0008.191120T1200Z-191122T0000Z/
Eastern Sierra Slopes-White Mountains of Inyo County-Sheep Range-
Spring Mountains-Red Rock Canyon-
144 PM PST Mon Nov 18 2019
...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM WEDNESDAY TO 4 PM PST
THURSDAY ABOVE 6000 FEET...
* WHAT...Heavy snow expected above 6000 feet. Total snow
accumulations of 10 to 20 inches, with the heaviest amounts
above 7500 feet. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph.
* WHERE...In Nevada, Sheep Range and Spring Mountains-Red Rock
Canyon. In California, Eastern Sierra Slopes and White
Mountains of Inyo County.
* WHEN...From 4 AM Wednesday to 4 PM PST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Anyone
hiking or engaging in other outdoor mountain recreation will be
at risk of being trapped by the sudden change in weather.
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Re: Current Conditions: Mt Whitney Trail
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Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 19
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Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 19 |
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