I just returned from a hike/climb up the Mountaineer's route on Whitney on June 9, 2012. We left the Whitney Portal trailhead at 4:45 and reached Iceberg Lake by 7:45. We then proceeded to the base of the scree slope (which leads to the notch). It was the worst hiking/climbing experience of my 16 year climbing life! I am a female rock climber, on-sighting 10a trad and 11a sport. I have never been so scared. The scree slope was steep enough that a fall could mean serious injury or death, and it was completely loose. It took 3 1/2 hours for me to get up this death defying slope (about 1800 feet?). We went up the right of the slush filled gully, maybe this was wrong? I wanted to go down after I was half way up, because I was tired of risking my life over this piece of poop climb, but it was impossible, it was simply too loose to down climb. Huge boulders were loose. I made it up this section, and did not get seriously injured, by pure luck. After we reached the notch, we had no choice but to summit by going up the class 3-4 wall to the left, because the traverse was slushy snow that looked like it was ready to blow. Once again, maybe we choose the wrong way up this face (this time up the right side), but I swear I was free soloing a fifth class climb, albeit a 5-6 or 5-7. The thing is, I hate free soloing, especially if a fall means certain death. We summited at 11:45, and I was just so happy to be alive. I recommend only people who enjoy free soloing fifth class climbs do this route, at least in the condition that it is right now. I jogged down the main trail and reached the Portal at around 4:45 PM. I was in a great mood after defying death!
