A couple of questions/observations:
1. I too am curious about the x-c climbout up Whitney creek from Kern canyon. It sure would cut down on a couple of miles if it wasn't a bushwhacking nightmare.
2. If I had known about his planned route, I would have suggested he head straight up Crabtree meadows from where he joined the PCT, rather than walk over to the JMT/ranger station, then turn around and head up to the lakes. It would have saved him around 1 mile. I've come down from the lakes to the PCT, and it's an easy x-c stroll to the PCT from where the trail veers away towards the ranger station.
3. It looks like he is planning on going up Discovery the way Kent described here:
http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/topics/10807I wonder if he will choose the sand slog from lake 3456 vs the class 3 stuff below McAdie tomorrow when he considers his options. If it was me, I'd just pay the 4 hour price, rather then head up the watershed, find out the route was too technical, then head back down only to have to then go up the sand hill anyway. Yes, I'm a chicken.
