Mt Whitney Zone Forums Trip Reports Mountaineers Route, Final 400 chute videos

I took these videos of Bob Huey and myself climbing parts of the first chute above "The Notch" on the Mount Whitney Mountaineers Route.

Edit: At this point of the Whitney Mountaineers Route, there is a less technical option: Whitney Mountaineers Route: Easy Walk Off from the Notch

Apologies for the heavy breathing. We shot this as one climbing, the other resting and holding the camera. The first six videos were taken over a 25-minute period.

There are two other threads covering the entire route from the Main Trail to the notch: North Fork to Upper Boy Scout Lake,  and  Upper Boy Scout to the Notch.

This first one is taken from the notch, showing Bob starting up the first part. Probably the most difficult part of this section. Bob makes it look so easy ...and he was using low-top trail runners for shoes.
3:29 PM



Part 2: This is myself, going up the center of the chute.
3:41 PM



Part 3: Bob Huey, taking the far left of the chute, then moving onto the blocks above and left of the chute. I preferred going up the middle most of the way. Note: Bob's route is NOT the standard route. Most people stick to the middle, eventually moving to the right, and it is pretty much the same as "Part 2" above.

3:45 PM



Part 4: Bob on the blocks.
3:49 PM



Part 5: Bob tops out.
3:53 PM



Part 6: I top out. I took the center, then moved right above a patch of ice. Moving right was a little sketchy. Maybe could have moved to the right below the ice.
3:54 PM

From here, it was a 5-minute walk to the summit -- 4 PM.

The Easy Button at the register. The register appeared full, but we found some pages that were unused on the back side.

Great video Steve. i thought it all looked doable for a height challenged guy like me until I saw Bob on video #4 and knew I could never do that stretch witout being roped. Was the center section you took easier than that section?

Pics and videos make it look so much worse than it is. I have a decent fear of hieghts and it was no big deal for me. Mike had no problems at all.................................DUG

Bob took his favorite route, which is NOT the standard, and is far more technical than the easiest. I suppose I could go that way, but ...I'd have to get psyched up for it. AND I'd go much slower! Bob is an expert -- he's rescued people off the face of Whitney. He makes it look so smooth and easy.

Part 1 is the most technical of the main route. My part (2) is typical.

Steve, thanks for taking the time to record that Final 400 video and post it. It was some of the best I've seen, and gives a nice perspective of areas that a lot of us pure trail types wonder about. Glad to hear that the route that Bob took is not the standard - that last move he made in # 4 looked just a tad tricky with all the exposure below.

By any chance did you capture video of the "skinny ledge" on the E-ledges, or the Rockwell Shortcut?

Glad you guys had a blast!

> By any chance did you capture video of the "skinny ledge" on the E-ledges, or the Rockwell Shortcut?

Yep. Just have to find the time to put it up!

Edit: You can see them in this post, especially Northside 6 and 7. Mountaineers Route videos: North Fork to Upper Boy Scout

I'm looking into doing the Mountaineers Route the last weekend of March and your videos were extremely helpful, although the one of Bob had me concerned. I appreciated the note that this was not the normal route.

Have you done this section in the winter? Do you by chance have any videos of it? I've read some people rope-up but am trying to gauge if it's necessary. My partner rock climbs but has little experience mountaineering. I'm more concerned about the descent.

Thanks again for the great vids.

> Have you done this section in the winter? Do you by chance have any videos of it? I've read some people rope-up but am trying to gauge if it's necessary. My partner rock climbs but has little experience mountaineering. I'm more concerned about the descent.

I've gone up the route in snow in June, using crampons and ice axe. Sorry, no video. I took some beginners up, but not down (though it wasn't the wisest thing I've done.) Conditions were ideal: A little fresh snow on top of a consolidated snow base provided solid footing.

The commercial guides always rope up with their clients, and some private groups do as well, though many don't. You will definitely need ice axe and crampons. You should know ice-axe self-arrest technique if you aren't roping up.

Be very careful, especially if it is icy. A slip without the proper gear could be you last.

Here are two videos to watch:
    How to ice-axe self arrest, from the British Mountaineering Council
    and this one: Ice Axe Technique from WhittakerMtneering

If the weather cooperates, I will take some upper 400 videos in April.

Anyone else who wants to hook up, let me know - April 12 weekend is the current target date. So far we're a group of 2.

What does Bob's route go at? Class 4? 5?