Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Mt Whitney Hiking Dates Calendar

I was thinking, as I Youtube Whitney Hikes and Badwater Marathon videos, that it would be great if people could post their Whitney hiking dates on this forum, dayhikes and overnights. Possibly just your username and dates for privacy. You don't want trollers finding out you are not home. If you are at Whitney, I'm sure people would love to know and possibly visit, etc.

Maybe Steve could just hijack and erase this page and put up a list of who and when if the person wants. Just a thought.

Any thoughts?

Hi Steve, Then should people just give the dates for you to post or post them on a calendar setup you provide?

There isn't a mechanism to allow everyone to input entries to a single calendar. So just send them my way or post them here, and I'll manually update a calendar.

...or would you like to take on the task?

I vote Joe to be your friendly neighborhood cruise director!

it would be easy enough to self-maintain so as to avoid putting more work on steve's desktop.

just start a thread where only dates are posted. When you are posting your date, just cut and past the list and add your name and date to the bottom:

Example:

SteveC's Message:
SteveC - July 1, 2 days MMWT

Joe's Message
SteveC - July 1, 2 days MMWT
Joe - August 10, 3 days MMWT

Gary's Message
SteveC - July 1, 2 days MMWT
Joe - August 10, 3 days MMWT
Gary - July 15, 1 day MMWT

Tom's Message
SteveC - July 1, 2 days MMWT
Joe - August 10, 3 days MMWT
Gary - July 15, 1 day MMWT
Tom - July 23, 4 day MMWT

etc etc etc....

(note: these dates are complete fiction)

Thanks Tom.....yea, I thought you knew something I didn't! August 10th for 3 days.
Cruise director.....no.

Joe,
I want the list to be put together since I don't have a date and I figured that I would plan some trips around when people are going to be doing their hike.

My son's school is out for spring break next week and I think we are going to head up to do a dayhike up to LPL....assuming the trail is semi-passable and we can park at the portal.

Tom "Don't call me Julie" (loveboat reference)

Well, I'll start.

Two years ago I attempted to summit Mt Whitney. I was a "newbie", did all my research, got my gear, worked out, hiked and thought I had a good chance of making it. I had already conquered cancer and had a brand new hip that was just a few months old. A lot of people on the other board wished me luck, but one guy, Gary, Bulldog34, not only wished me luck, he said he would be with me the whole way in spirit from Atlanta. He wasn't just saying it either. Turns out, he woke up the morning of my hike and said he tried to figure where I might be at that hour. He thought about me during the day and would say to himself, "go Joe". He checked his watch and just kept hoping I had made it. Well, that first time, I hadn't. I wrote my TR and he wrote me quickly saying how disappointed he was for me. Now he did understand as I commented on his unsuccessful hike a few months earlier. One thing we knew was that we would both make it the next time.

I told him immediately that I was going again within the month. Gary was really happy I had chosen to do that and he knew I would get up the second time. I did make it and the first person I wrote was Gary. I did feel if I could do it, he could do it. After a couple of conversations, Gary and I decided to try again on his next trip in July 2010. I had never met Gary, just knew him from the boards, e-mails and calls. In the months before the trip, Gary helped me know what gear I would need. We decided what each of us would carry, what the dates would be approximately (since we didn't have permits yet) and where we would get together. I slept in my car at the Portal the night before I met Gary, his wonderful wife Barb and my favorite girl, his daughter Bri. I was a bit nervous because what if I didn't get along with this guy from Atlanta. But, his family was so warm and friendly, they made me feel like I was already a family member. Gary and I did hike Whitney. We spent the night at Consultation Lake and we summited together the next day. Gary made it, yes he did, but more than that, he became a buddy, a friend and found a place in my heart that I will always treasure. I know he's become friends with so many of you and you know how he just attracts good people and makes them all so comfortable.

Well, Gary called me today and told me he had good news and bad news. I said okay...... what's up. He told me the good news was he had gotten 4 one day reservations for permits for Mt Whitney for July 5th. He said the bad news was he couldn't make it. I wasn't sure what to say, but before I could say anything he said, "Joe, I made you the alternate leader for the hike and I'm sending these to you". I was kind of stunned. I mean it's going to be July and that's when I planned on going with Gary!!! I asked him what he was going to do. He said he IS COMING in July to summit Whitney with his family, just a couple of weeks later. I told him I would be there for him and his family and I was going to hike it with Gary, Barb and Bri. Those have been our plans for a year. Not just Gary's, but Barbs and Bri's plans. I really want to be there for Bri.

So, that is the Gary we have come to know. When he say's he's your buddy, he takes it serious and is as good as it gets.

Now, back to the good and bad news. Maybe Gary was telling me that the bad news was I'm gonna have to do Whitney TWICE in July.

Thanks again Gary, Barb and Bri. I know it was a tough night and you have some dates to pick.

Because of Gary....Put me down for July 5th, Dayhike.

I put down:
July 5 day hike for quillansculpture

See the calendar above.

Dennis
August 26-31
6 days
Horseshoe Meadow, Cottonwood Lakes, New Army Pass to Mt. Whitney then exit Whitney Portal.

My first post after registering This will be an epic hike for my friend and I. Can't wait!

The Whitney Hike Calendar, 2011

Dayhike/
Overnight
July

5 D QuillanSculpture



August

26-31 O Dennis68 Start at Horseshoe Meadow
31-3 O wazzu Enter Aug, Exit Sept.

This weekend? Mountaineering route.
June 21 main trail
August 15-16 Main trail

July 23-25 Akichow (Main Trail)

July 23-24, HST, maybe down the WMT, maybe the MR, maybe a yo-yo, but definitely going for the summit around Friday.

Permit for July 12 but I'm now meant to be in Vegas that night. So either I hit the trail at 12.01am, summit and return for a burger and fries at 2pm, then leave for Vegas at 3pm arriving at the Wynn around 8.30pm .... or I try to get an unused permit for July 9,10 or 11. Sounds like there is so much snow up there so no guarantee I'll even make it past the cables on those dates.

B777: Since July 11 is a Monday, it is quite likely there will be plenty of no-show/cancellations available for you to pick up. Just be at the Visitor Center at 2 PM on July 10.

Last year's Unused Permits numbers show there were always day hike permits available on every Monday. Sundays were mostly ok, too.

July 7th, day trip, party of 5.

September 12th, day trip, party of 3.

How did you make it pretty, SteveC? I tried to copy/edit but the formatting is different

HTML!  Copious use of the <pre></pre> preformat tags (where the monospaced text is).  Extra spacing (like     this) in the variable-spaced font provided by many &nbsp; &nbsp; sequences.

Oh, and one more thing: The "Markup" choice, just below the text composition window, is set to "using HTML and UBBCode".

Well, thank you for that, Joe, but there was no real sacrifice in parting with the permits. I knew when I filled out the app back in February, using a blanket "any type hike, any available date in July" strategy, that a really early July date would probably not work. Listing you on the app as the alternate group leader, and therefore capable of utilizing the permits if we couldn't, was the plan all along.

What Joe didn't mention in his narrative was that, after my first attempt at Whitney in the summer of 2009, he was the first person from the WPS board to contact me and offer his regrets (and his desire to meet Tucker some day!). That's really how we first became friends, and I'm very glad he took the time and effort to make that initial gesture.

Looking back, that was the spark that eventually led to my sticking with Whitney summit plans, and ultimately to making so many friends among the fine folks on these Whitney-centric boards (I'd never participated in a message board of any kind prior to deciding to try Whitney). My winter Death Valley getaways, and first Whitney attempt, were all solo before this happened. Now, these twice-yearly trips to Cali are as much about hooking up with the wonderful, mountain-mided people on the boards as they are about the mountains themselves. I've had the great pleasure to meet and/or hike with many of the board members, and that generates a unique sense of community I've never quite experienced before. I can't begin to express how cool it was a few weeks ago to start up Corkscrew Peak in Death Valley with so many great folks from the boards. Overnighting on and summitting Whitney with Joe last year was the first of what I hope are many such climbs with my bud from Murrieta, CA (I live in Marietta, GA - go figure).

It captivated my wife and daughter as well when they experienced it last year, and we now consider the Eastern Sierra our "second home" because of this. We greatly value these relationships, and are eager to get back out there this summer to reunite with existing friends and make new ones. Oh yeah - and climb a mountain or two! And gorge on pancakes, moose burgers, twice-fried fries . . .

So Steve, put us down for a targeted entry date of July 20th for the MWMT, preferably overnight, if we can snag the walk-in permits. We'll be in the area between roughly 7/13 and 7/25, so we're pretty flexible with what we can get from a permit standpoint. I hope these dates work well in order to get together with as many Zone and WPS members as possible.

Looks like Brianne's "Uncle Joe" will just have to make peace with the fact that he'll be doing Whitney twice in a two-week span. Get the Snickers ready, my friend!

SOrry, my bad for leaving a garbled message. My summit date should be Friday July 22. Thanks for doing this

I met with wagga and + @ti2d last night for pizza.  Wagga brought up the situation of people here ending up with spare slots due to friends dropping out.

He suggested that, you find yourself in that situation, and might be willing to share the slots with others, you might post here and invite people to join in with your group.  The decision to do that is entirely up to you.

The other alternative, and of course is quite commendable, is to call the Wilderness Permit number (760-873-2483) and release the empty slots from your reservation. That allows others to call in and reserve the permits for themselves.

along those lines....since I didn't win the lottery this year..

I would love to fill

1-Slot (me) overnight or dayhike...anytime in July/August
2-Slots (me and my 11yo son)....overnight, anytime July/mid-august
4-Slots (me, my son and two friends)....overnight, anytime july/mid-august

We are self sufficient, have all of our own gear. Don't need guidance.

How about two more columns... Spare slots & origin (like Bullet777 from Oz, etc). Good work!

add Lankford party, Aug 7 from Kearsarge/JMT

Thanks for the hard work, David! I took what you did, added some months, and borrowed a trick from Versatile Fred to eliminate the left column. Looking better all the time!

June 28-29. Likely overnight Whitney Portal. Hope snow isn't bad at switchbacks! First Time, by myself.

Add me for a Sept 14 day hike. I'll be hiking alone on the Whitney Trail, with a goal to summit.

One year ago I had never heard of this mountain. Then I got a bottle of iced tea out of the vending machine and read about Mount Whtney on the "Snapple Fact" under the lid. Ever since then I've felt an unexplainable calling to take this challenge. I'm new to Whitney but I've climbed in CO and AZ. So all winter I read the books, learned the red tape, studied the odds, and just this month I was fortunate to get a permit for right after the September full moon. I even have my campsite resserved at the Portal. My gear is almost ready and I just need to prepare physically.

The mountains are calling, and I must go.

Congratulations getting your permit reservations, passion2explore and Kokopelli! Kokopelli, mid-september is a nice time to go, only the days are getting shorter.

Passion2... is your permit for overnight or day hike? Watch the conditions others report here, and you will see, closer to your time, just how bad the snow is. If you want to "go for it", and there is still lots of snow, come several days early, rent crampons, try them out, even walking around on dirt!

Both of you: read the Orientation Notes, and learn about acclimating.
____________

The calendar is here.

June 28 for 2 nights whitney portal

hi passion2explore,

I will be hiking up whitney the same 2 days as you. It's my first time and I saw your comment about snow on switchbacks. I haven't really given that idea much thought. Do you know if it is possible that crampons would be needed? My thought was that by the end of June many others will have broken through anything tough???

My last trip was on June 20 of an average year. Most of The 97 were buried under several feet, and nobody was on them. The clear route was up the snowfield directly below T-Cr with crampons and ice axe. Switching back until the crust softened, then straight up cut steps. That was only 10 days earlier than you are going and in an average year.

(Ah the good old days. There were exactly 4 parties above Trail Camp by 6 AM that day, and the only guy ahead of me was headed for Muir first, so I had the incredible experience of having the summit all to myself for about 1/2 hour on a warm, perfectly clear morning within hours of the solstice. A Sunday, no less. But I digress.)

Beta may differ come June, but I would be prepared with spikes and axe. Given this years snow pack, I am packing them to California mid July, and will decide whether to carry them in after I get there.

I'll be doing it twice, most likely early June and late September, but won't make a decision until a few days before as it depends upon my schedule & weather. I'll post a conditions report for the June hike unless someone else has posted similar info recently.

I know it's a ways off, but if passion2explore, DolbyBear, onehotchili and anyone else going up in June could give TR's about trail conditions.....it would be appreciated by all.

Thanks Steve C. Knowing the days will be getting shorter in September is what prompted me to shoot for dates close to the full moon. I know I'll be up early and hiking long before the sun rises.

As far as the acclimation, that does concern me. I'll be spending almost a week in the upper meadows and peaks of Yosemite before finally camping at the Portal. Hopefully that helps because I live in Ohio at 1175 feet above sea level.

The only other concern I have is the bears. I've read what I can on dealing with bears, but haven't seen much about aggressive bears at Whitney. Do people carry bear spray? What are the odds that I'll be eaten at any point on the trail? I would have to rank that as a highly undesirable outcome.

KevinR, if you could make the trip mid June and make a report, it would be a most appreciated contribution!

Kokopelli, the only thing you need to worry about with the Whitney Portal bears is one sneaking up while you are getting ready to go, and grabbing your backpack and running with it. They're notorious grab-and-run thieves, and have never even touched anyone. If you are starting your hike in the pre-dawn darkness, assume they are close by and waiting for you to step away from your pack. Here's a quote from the North American Black Bear Center website, page title "How dangerous are black bears?":
Thanks to Ken for posting links to this site.

I didn't get in on the lotto for a permit but will try to get a walk-in permit for a hike on 8/5 using the main trail.

I have an experienced friend, and dependent on his schedule, we'll try to go up the Mountaineer's Route if conditions allow for the main trail late May or early June.

I carried bear mace the first time I went, but not the second time. If nothing else, it'll give you peace of mind and let you enjoy your hike more. Honestly, I'm more worried about deers. I pulled my mace out at Yosemite on a buck that looked like it wanted to charge me. Some people might laugh, but after that guy got gored to death by the goat in Washington, I'm not taking any chances.

Anyone who is interested in Sierra Bears, there is a good, comprehensive discussion on the matter over here (easier than repeating the information):

http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=83770#Post83770

Thanks for the link Bee. Good information that makes me feel a lot better about the wildlife risks. Didn't mean to stray so far off topic!

Put me down -
5/21 day hike, whitney trail, EJ and husband
6/18 day hike, whitney trail, EJ and husband

Wow, EJ! You will certainly see lots of snow on both those hikes.

Hiya Steve... I'll be up in the area visiting to say howdy to Bulldawg and family while they're out.. but not hiking (too much)....

1st week of August or so though I plan on a party of 4.. I'll be calling in for permits or grabbing walk-ins... probably calling in advance though. I've had good luck so far with that method...

Looking forward to it Chris! As I recall, you owe me a beer

Maybe we can snag a 5th permit, and you can dance on the summit with Joe while I videotape . . .

I'll be bringing the girl child with me for some much needed Mommy/Daughter time.... as for dancing on the summit, I'll settle with just being able to breath! ;-)

And yes, I owe you a beer!

So Chris, does that mean I'll have to wait on the Dolphin Shorts from eBay?

oooops, my bad......Gary will appreciate them :-) (p.s. He has no idea what I'm talking about)

Thanks for info. I was wondering about crampons. Glad I can rent them. It's gonna be a hot June this year and most snow will be gone.

Hopefully, but don't count on it. I see your entry date is 6/28. Bear in mind that it's been a big snow year. Last year, which wasn't much beyond an average snowpack at the end of the winter, the cables section of the switchbacks didn't really open to regular traffic till the 2nd week of July. People were still going up the snow chute rather than the switchbacks at the end of June. In mid-July we had to negotiate sizeable snow fields at Consultation Lake, on the switchbacks at the cables (a 4-6 inch dry path on the outside precipice of the trail), and near the summit. And conditions had improved dramatically in just the week before we started up (7/14).

Given this year's current pack, I'd come prepared to hike in snow at the higher elevations. If a massive, lingering heat wave comes along and lays on a big melt in late June, so much the better, but I'd rather think/train for snow and be pleasantly surprised by drier conditions than vice versa. Be safe and have a blast!

I'll dance on the summit with you Joe... but not 'til after I grab my first summit with Mom. We're heading up the first week of August to try to grab our Summit House Starbucks ;-)

I'll be coming up to buy Gary a beer and meet the fam when they're out in July... so you're more then welcome to wear the Dolphin Shorts from EBay around camp hehehehe

Just joined the forum, looks like a wealth of knowledge. I am organzing a group me +7 to go out of Horseshoe Meadows and finishing at the Portal on July 14th-17th (put me down). Never done Whitney before but have backpacked in Yosemite and Kings Canyon and do lots of day hikes. I to am curious about the weather but from past trips I will just have to keep an eye on TR to get a real feel.

Done.

CaT

[The lurker comes out of the woods!] Great site here - thanks everyone for a great source of information (I also really appreciate the mature discussions.)

I'll be with a party of 6 total, summiting about the 3rd of August; we'll be leaving from Crescent Meadow (HST) starting July 29. It'll be an overnighter, for sure, as we'll be doing a yo-yo, back to Crescent Meadow.

Can't wait - good luck, all!

SoCalGirl Chris: You didn't say... are you planning overnight or dayhike in that August first-week trip? I'm guessing and putting you down for overnight.

Oops.. sorry Steve... we're planning a couple/few nights on the trail. Driving up on a Saturday to spend a couple days acclimating (which I will also be doing the month previously on several occassions... getting high so I can go higher! ;-) )....

So... 4 of us... looking at pulling permits for entry on 8-1 or 8-2.... anticipated summit day... 8-3ish...

Aaron, we all start off as lurkers. For some, the disease progresses. Welcome to the infirmary!

By the way, love the lid. Lost a similar hiking hat - my favorite - last year somewhere between Outpost Camp and the Portal. I still have a suspicion my hiking partner that trip absconded with it . . .

Rodney51, 2 nights at Whitney Portal June 26-27. Permit for June 28-30. Whitney Trail. Party of 3? Maybe if they don't back out.

Well I, ahem, ah,ah....don't know what to say. I didn't take it :-) If I did, my buddies wouldn't be asking me when I'm washing my old hat!!!

with as much snow as we are expected to have in June/early-July, I'm thinking that a lot of people are going to be backing out.

It seems that this might be the perfect opportunity to pick up walk-in unused permits.

I'm thinking I might be able to get some back-to-back training hikes up to trail camp and then go for the summit when the snow clears later in the summer (since I don't have crampons).

The snow may be a blessing for those of us who didn't get permits this year.

Just seeing if you were paying attention!

Please add the following dates to the calendar.

08/14 - Begin at Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead
08/17 - Summit Mt Whitney
08/18 - Exit Whitney Portal

08/28 - Begin Main Whitney Trailhead
04/29 - Summit Mt Whitney
03/30 - Exit Whitney Portal

Secured permits for both trips. Will be overnighting at High Lake, Rock Creek, Guitar Lake & Consultation Lake. Thanks.

Welcome to WhitneyZone, NYHiker. I've added your trips.

Your second trip looks like an adventure.

tdtz, I have the same issue as far as crampons etc... No experience with snow/ice gear. I don't want to learn at the chute. So if I have to turn around at Trail Camp I'll still have had a good time. Live to hike another day.

Hi NYHiker (and neighbor). You wrote:
08/28 - Begin Main Whitney Trailhead
04/29 - Summit Mt Whitney
03/30 - Exit Whitney Portal

I second what Steve said, but it is more than an adventure: it is an epic spanning several years. Are you doing a particularly horrendous circumnavigation route via Alaska? Or is this a Bilbo Baggins 'adventure'?

Put me down for June 4th. Not sure which if it's going to be the MT or the MR. No permit, but it looks like there's plenty of space.

July 23 camping at the Portal and July 24-26 up the main trail with my 13 yr old son(his 2nd trip up) and 11 year old (his first)

BSquared

Just received my confirmation letter from Sequoia/Kings. Hitting the HST mid July, exiting by the MT July 23. May cut that a little shorter, but leaves enough time for a significant side trip to Lake South America or even a return over Pants Pass to avoid the shuttle. Current plan is for summit on the 22 and burger on the 23.

Interesting that with my Sequoia/Kings letter, I also received the Inyo Whitney Zone pamphlet, with all the familiar material including photo of happy hiker proudly displaying his (full) wag bag.

Salty, may catch ya on the way down. Quillansculpture, my wife, my 11 YO daughter, and I head up the 20th to TC, summit and back to TC the 21st, and back down the 22nd. No permits in hand, but getting 4 walk-ins on a Wednesday shouldn't be too difficult. Either way, we'll be hanging at the Portal the 23rd and 24th. Hope to run across you.

Bulldog: That would be great. Akichow will be in the hood about the same time, too. I'll be the one with the vintage Kelty Serac and trusty knickers.

SoCalGirl already KNOWS what I'm wearing :-)

p.s. Gary, if I get there early, maybe a look at them e-ledges????

I suspect I won't miss the knickers . . .

I'll be the guy sitting at the picnic table just outside the WPS store with the hot blonde wife (she's also a WZ member - LadyBulldog - and occassionally checks in here; better safe than sorry). If you don't see us, check with the 11 YO, wickedly sassy girl in the store - probably flipping pancakes/burgers with Doug Jr. or pestering Doug Sr. behind the counter. That would be the Bullpup . . .

And the highly-celebrated SoCal sculpture ar-teest with us would be Joe (Quillansculpture). If our daughter isn't with Doug or Doug Jr., she'll be with Uncle Joe. Easy to tell me and Joe apart, even though we're the same age - I have dark hair and his is white and shiny . . .



And God only knows what Joe will be wearing . . .

Actually, Joe, we're driving down from Mammoth early the morning of the 20th, so there won't be time for us to do much other than (hopefully) grab permits and a pancake, cinch up, and start up. That's assuming, of course, that I'm still of sound mind and body after attempting my first 5.6 climb with Mr. Pickering on Cathedral Peak two days earlier. Come the 20th, I may still be halfway up Cathedral gibbering and trembling.

Thanks for the welcome and for noticing the error in my ways. The corrected dates are below:

08/28 - Begin Main Whitney Trailhead
08/29 - Summit Mt Whitney
08/30 - Exit Whitney Portal

But the original dates would have been interesting though.

From Millerja: Here's the current plan. I have an overnight permit for September 4

September 3 - Camping Whitney Portal
September 4 - Enter Whitney Zone, camp Oupost or Trail Camp
September 5 - Summit

From millerja:

I sent a post yesterday but forgot to mention that there will be 2 of us.

Group of 8 from DC, NC and Southern California, first time summit attempt on July 3rd.

Itinerary:
July 1st, some day hiking from Cottonwood Pass/Horseshoe Meadows trailhead to get acclimated, overnight at Whitney Portal
July 2nd, Whitney Portal to Trail Camp
July 3rd, Summit Attempt and return to Portal for overnight

Welcome to the WhitneyZone, JMUFridge. I have added you to the calendar.

You have a good sized group coming from quite a distance. Good luck!

We recently decided to scratch the 5/21 hike and go white water rafting in Three Rivers instead.

Group of 4, Day Hike Summit on June 23. So excited!!!

ejsurfs wrote:
> We recently decided to scratch the 5/21 hike and go white water rafting in Three Rivers instead.

Sounds fun, ej. There should be LOTS of water coming through when you go. If you get any pictures on that trip, we'd love to see them.


andeo2L wrote:
> Group of 4, Day Hike Summit on June 23. So excited!!!

You're on the calendar, andeo. Good luck!

My other 3 guys bailed on me this morning (it was always a possibility, even though they really wanted to do this). So I deleted my own entry in the calendar, and will be working on trying to put together a "Plan B group" of people I know from out here who might be interested, but later in the summer (my preferred time to do Whitney), and then trying to get the permits switched.

CaT

Re: Dates for the Mt. Whitney Calendar

Steve C.,

Lynn-a-roo and the other Angels' dates are:

Mt. Whitney Main Trail
Portal Store for Pancakes and Coffee: 9/17 early am
Enter Main Trail: 9/17
Exit Main Trail: 9/19
Portal Store: 9/19 for Burgers, Fries and Beer

Oh, I guess I forgot some info in my last email.

Steve,

Party of 4 Angels

Friday, September 16th, Lone Pine - Dow Villa (sweet dreams)

I like the Portal Store Yo-Yo, very fitting.

2 for Main Trail overnight enter on July 25th exit on July 29th

Our lottery dates are June 17-19. We have 4 dads and 8 kids, ages 12 to 16. We're a little overwhelmed about facing the snow challenge. My 12 year-old son plowed up Half Dome last summer, and he has the stamina for a big hike, but none of us has any experience with hiking in snow, and I understand there is going to be a lot of it. I've gotten different advice from different people, but it seems dicey to think about having our first experience with snow shoes or crampons and ice axe be on the trail. Should we just concede that we'll go until we can't go anymore and turn around?

raynrunner, there will definitely be snow above Trailcamp. And there may be a boot track through it going via the switchbacks. If that is the case, then hiking poles may be all you need. Watch the reports and see when the first people start using the switchbacks.

If the cables section of the switchbacks is still impassable, then the alternative is to climb the snow slope just to the west. In that section, crampons would be helpful, but may not be mandatory. Like I said, watch for conditions.

With that many people, you should expect that some will not be in condition to go above Trail Camp anyway. Altitude affects some people more severely, and those more affected will not want to continue. So do have a plan for some to hang back and wait for others to go farther and return.

Be sure to read the Orientation Notes (above on the left), especially about the altitude.

Good luck!

We did have a great time whitewater rafting this weekend on the Kaweah near Sequoia. During the week the weather cooled off though so that slowed the snow melt thus lowering the river levels and making our rafting trip less thrilling. I was hoping for levels 2000+ but got more like 1500-. They say by mid June the water level will be raging.

Had a great time in Sequoia though, snow still hanging out starting at 4500 feet. Saw a momma bear and two cubs, lots of mule deer, a small fox, and a mountain lion!!! The park was deserted by the time we left it around 9pm.

Looking forward to my first attempt at Whitney on 6/18. My husband has wised up and decided not to go with me on the Whitney trip. Any suggestions on how to find a partner? Or is it better to go it alone? since I'm not really alone thanks to everyone else on the mountain hiking.

Hey everyone! I don't know how to post on here properly yet so sorry if I'm doing this wrong! : )

My dates for Whitney are: July 9th and 10th
I have 2 permits, I'm hoping my friend is going to go with me but he is not 100% on it yet. So maybe there other people I can meet up there as well?? This will be my first major hike and I'm a little anxious but confident about it.

Welcome, Rochelle! Looks like your posting is ok.

I've put you into the calendar. I take it you're doing an overnighter.

Make sure you read up on altitude issues. Good place to start is the Orientation Notes (above on the left).

If your friend doesn't go, go by yourself! You will NOT be alone, since there will be at least 200 others hiking the trail that day.

I had a last minute cancellation for my Saturday (tomorrow) plans. I'm going to head up in the morning and get a quick hike in. Since I don't have a permit I'll either go to LPL, LBSL or perhaps even scout out the meysan trail.

I'm canceling my 6/4 trip due to the current forecast. Pushing it back a week to the 11th (and hoping weather will be good). Going solo and will give a report.