Approach:
Friday 6/23/17
5PM - Dinner at Whitney Portal (we brought food from home)
530PM - Leave Whitney Portal
8PM - Arrived at Outpost Camp/Set up camp
9PM - "Sleep"
Saturday 6/24/17
2AM - Wake Up/Get Ready
3AM - Leave camp
5AM - Arrive at Trail Camp
530AM - Leave Trail Camp to climb the Chute
740AM - Top off the Chute/Arrive at Trail Crest
8AM - Leave Trail Crest
10AM - Arrive at the Summit !!
1030AM - Leave the summit
1145AM - Arrive at Trail Crest
12PM - Glissade down the Chute
1230PM - Reach bottom of Chute
2PM - Arrive at Outpost Camp
3PM - Leave Trail Camp
440PM - Arrive at Whitney Portal
Our pace was about 1mph going up.
I drank 2 liters of water going from Outpost Camp to the summit and back, 2 liters for 12 miles of hiking. (I tend to not drink that much water when hiking).
The water crossing at the junction with the North Fork Trial is intense. Prepare to walk in knee-high water to get across.
The wooden bridge crossing prior to Lone Pine Lake is washed out in the middle so you will walk in water again (about 15 ft long).
We used crampons and ice axes going up the chute. Early in the morning the snow was nice and it was easy to get grip with each step. There is significant amount of snow just above Mirror Lake. I would suggest at least using micro-spikes from that point on. Although crampons would work too. We only had crampons so we used them.
From Trail Crest to the summit it is mostly clear of snow except for the last section prior to the summit. However, there is a use trail to the right of the major snow patches where you can bypass the snow.
I always had on my base layer but switched between a down jacket and wind-jacket over that. It would get hot and up the chute it was warm with the reflection of the sun off the snow.
It was my 6th time on Whitney. 4th on top via the Whitney Trail and two other times via the Mountaineer's route (though I did not summit those times)
I hope this trip report is of use.
Best of luck!
-Christian
