Hey team,
I've researched a lot of trip reports, etc. COuldn't find exactly what I needed.
I know the weather may keep me from even doing the MR this weekend, but should the snow stay light around Whitney, I'm going to head up. I'll check my time/energy at the summit, and possibly head over to bag Russell as well. Of course, the recent/coming snow may stop my plans.
Does anyone have experience coming off the MR and heading to Russell? Below is my idea of roughly how I'll head, I know my routefinding will be slightly different when I get there and identify the entrance to the south slope, etc. Any input would be much appreciated, I know there are decades of experience on this board.
Plan is day one to Upper Boyscout. Early start day two up steep path to iceberg, summit MR, don't turn right into the chute after the descending final 400, but find route down the Northwest side of Whitney. Find the Whitney/Russell pass-notch to head up the south-rightside approach to Russell. Back down to camp that night at Upper Boyscout. Out to portal day three.
**done a little more reading/picture searching. I know it will appear differently once I'm there - Topo maps and someones pictures can only give you so much. I feel like this would be a more appropriate route based on what I've found online - dotted blue optional ascent, pink traverse and ascent of Russell. I think I might be able to hang to the west side of that ridge instead of traversing above Iceberg Lake, but I'm not sure. Can't find the shots I want online to verify slopes/etc. I do know that people have gone flying off the end of the final 400 to their death on the north face, but they weren't downclimbing. I've also read of summer descents by that way, but this ain't exactly summer.
Does anyone have a decent shot of these chutes? In winter/early spring where there might be snow/ice in them? Probably all rock with my luck.
