Bump:
Pardon the verbose OP, my excitement to climb Whitney may have got the best of me. I would greatly appreciate the feedback on the few questions below and have been unable to find information from other sources:
1: If we obtain an overnight permit and camp outpost>trail camp>summit over three days (less ground that I personally like to cover, but its a trade off with the elevation gain), what things can you do to kill time? Explore constitution lake? Fish?
Seriously?
2: Can you get an walk-in overnight permit, say on Sat, but camp at LPL (lower elevate) that night and enter the WP on Sunday to camp at TC?
No. Although LPL is not in the WZ, it is in the Wilderness and you need a permit
3: If we do Langly (no permit contingency), Old Army pass vs New Army pass? Which one has less class 3 scrambling? Or go up OAP and down NAP? Or leave basecamp at cottonwood lakes and summit with daypack up OAP? Is there currently snow on OAP due to the heavy winter?
4. Reviewing the trail and SAR info, it appears that people tend to get into trouble around Mirror lake? Why is that? I understand there are switchbacks up/down a granite face, it is easy to lose the trail? Tips for navigating this section? Any other particular trouble spots to be aware of? (Trail crest to the windows?)
There are a number of switchers above Trailside Meadow and Mirror where it is easy to miss a turn in the dark, especially when fatigue is also a factor
5. What is/where is the "alternative trail" to get around the snow field on main trail? Where is the snow field relative to the switchbacks?
I do not believe the snow will be a factor come 9/9
6. Asked about Diamox in the Diamox thread. Thank you for the responses.
Thanks everyone for your time and advice.
SD
