Thanks Hobbes and wbtravis—great points and advice.
Based on your experience wbtravis, would you say Hobbes' suggestion isn't wise? (Get an ice axe and take some time to practice self-arrests on some snow slopes on my way to Forester Pass.)
Obviously having a bombproof self-arrest is far beyond what I could achieve on this hike with a little practice. So it seems like more a question of on-the-ground conditions (e.g. at the Forester Pass south notch) versus newbie ice axe abilities: if snow is minimal/patchy and soft, with a good boot track, maybe the chance of falling is significantly lessened?
I know—a fall is a fall, and being able to stop yourself is the same no matter what. <thumbs up>
I'm not blind and bullheaded—in the sense that I could always choose to just blow off the whole southbound hike entirely, and instead just hike over Kearsarge Pass, then maybe hike north or south a day or two (as far as the trail is clear in either direction) and just come back to Kearsarge and hike out. (I don't HAVE to hike south to Whitney.)
This will be my first-ever backpack in the Sierras...so honestly, just BEING THERE will be a transcendental experience, LOL.
FINALLY: it seems like the critical factor will be getting accurate intel—the day before I start—on precise conditions at Forester and Whitney (maybe in 10 days the snow will be all but gone and the trail 100% snow-free?).
If anyone has suggestions on the best places/sources to get that kind of up-to-the-minute intel, please let me know!
Scott
