Hey all, I conducted a poll over on the Whitney FB group about starting times and I thought the results were interesting:
These results were captured after the first 100 votes. I was surprised to see so many starting before midnight (15%). This does not take into consideration the season nor hiking speed, which could be an interesting follow-up.
Common arguments in favor of the alpine start:
- get off summit & switchbacks before afternoon thunderstorms
- long day on trail, early start gives you more time
- allows for more leisurely ascent which may help with AMS
- hike in the cooler/less sunny parts of the day
Common arguments in favor of a later start (minority):
- see more of your surroundings on your ascent
- more sleep = more energy = more enjoyment
- if you are reasonably certain you can finish the hike in ~12hrs, spend more of your time hiking with good visibility
- safer water crossings in the morning
- thunderstorms are less of a risk in late-season trips
