Successful summit, Tuesday July 11th!!! Amazing trip/experience!!!
My son and I (and his buddy) hiked (with 35 pound packs) up to Trail Camp on Monday, July 10th. We spent the night at Trail Camp and summitted on Tuesday July 11th. After summitting, we hiked back down to Trail Camp, packed up our gear, and trekked back down to the Portal.
Our Schedule:
Saturday (7/8):
Drove from Fresno to Whitney Portal. Camped at Whitney Portal campground. Checked out Portal Store.
HUUUUGE shout out to Doug at the Portal Store. Super friendly, and offered invaluable advice!!!
Sunday (7/9):
On the advice of Doug, took it easy. Took a drive up to Horseshoe Meadows (10,000 ft), and spent some time exploring the high country to acclimate to elevation.
Monday (7/10):
Hit the trail at about 8:00 am. Again, on the advice of Doug, we kept a pace of about a mile an hour. Arrived at Trail Camp at about 3:00 p.m. (This was a great pace for us. We experienced no problems with elevation and felt great (surprisingly) after arriving at Trail Camp.)
Tuesday (7/11):
Hit trail at about 8:00 a.m. Arrived at Summit at 12:30. Spent about an hour at the summit. Hiked back down to Trail Camp and ate lunch. We were planning on spending two nights at Trail Camp, but we made a last minute decision to hike back down to the Portal! We left Trail Camp at about 6:00 p.m., and arrived at the Portal at about 8:45 pm!!
Trip Details/Trail Conditions:
We did NOT use either crampons or an ice axe. However, I would NOT recommend doing the trail without Trekking Poles. There are parts of the trail that would be really difficult without them.
We took the Old Trail, which allows you to avoid a fairly substantial water crossing. It is impossible to miss if you wish to take this route. The old trail begins at the top of the driving loop between the waterfall and huge boulder. It is also impossible to miss where the old train connects with the main trail going this way. I talked to people that took the new trail up, and they had no problems crossing. But, when we got down (at 9:00 p.m), the water level was really high. They ended up following us down the old trail.
The trail up to Outpost Camp is in great condition. There is really only one part of the trail that is flooded. This is right before Outpost Camp. My son was able to get by without getting wet. I just took my shoes off and walked through. It’s only about 100 ft. or so. The trail from Outpost to Trail Camp is also in great condition. There are a few places where you have to trek through snow, but it is a relatively easy walk. The snow is pretty well compacted from all the hikers and the route is easy to follow.
The hike from Trail Camp to Trail Crest is without a doubt the most challenging part of the hike. We opted for the switchbacks. (This was recommended by Doug at the Portal Store and a Ranger at Trail Camp. Coincidentally, there was a group that went up the chute. We literally arrived at Trail Crest at the exact same time. Going up the chute seemed to require more energy.) There are about 4 portions of the switchbacks that are covered in snow. It is easy to see where the trail goes. I would have worn crampons here if I had them, but did not feel uneasy going without them. However, I would not have been too comfortable going without trekking poles. You do have to trek up some snow to get from Trail Camp to the switchbacks. You will see snow tracks leading up to them. Follow the tracks, and you will hit the switchbacks.
Trail Crest to summit was an awesome hike. Take it slow, and you’ll make it. The last bit of the trail (right before summit) is covered in snow. There is an “alternate” path that hikers are taking. Also pretty easy to follow, and the trail is marked.
Overall, it was an amazing experience. We met a ton of great people (David from Tennessee, the Reedley College crew, and others….) on the trail. Take your time and be safe!!!
I’ll post a few photos soon.
Stevec edit: Moved this post the the Current Conditions thread. Posting pictures: See the picture gallery for instructions.
