My son and I are going on Whitney Trail for a Day hike on July 12th and no one knows at this point if the cables will be dicey or if the rocks hops at the North Fork may be under water. I will be camping at Cottonwood the two nights previous to acclimate, so I am wondering what will be the best way to get up to date information as to the hike conditions, specifically in these two areas of concern, before we set out?

Is the best advise at this point to be prepared with Microspikes and Treking poles for the cables section and then ask around at the Whitney Portal Store if the alternate route of taking the old trail to bypass the high water levels that might be in place at that time over the North Fork Crossing.

As I am a first timer armed with the route tracks on GPS, it should not be much trouble to get back on the main Whitney trail after the bypass, should it?

Thanks