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Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
#30059 03/01/13 04:20 PM
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Looking to get up to the portal near the end of the month. Last I read (Feb 14-16 time frame) the road was drivable with 4 wheel drive up to the Meysen Lakes TH about a mile below the portal.

Anyone taken a drive up since? How far did you get? In 4X4? Chains?

Thanks

Dave

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Nookshneer #30061 03/01/13 04:23 PM
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Group of folks going up next week so we'll have a report the week after....

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Nookshneer #30238 03/11/13 06:25 PM
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Anyone have an outlook on the road conditions?

Thanks

Dave

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Nookshneer #30242 03/11/13 08:18 PM
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Clear to road closed sign. Largely clear but with patches of ice, patches of snow, random rocks after that. Technically driveable with 4wd. Presumably current warming trend may further reduce the patches (but increase rockfall?). Not opining on safety or legality.

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Akichow #30441 03/20/13 09:24 PM
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a group of us are headed up on saturday early morning - any idea how the road is? we'll have a 2WD ford f150...

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
scott1120 #30443 03/20/13 09:27 PM
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I've been told one can drive to the Portal. There is uncleared rockfall on the road past the closed sign.

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Akichow #30455 03/21/13 12:28 PM
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Originally Posted By: Akichow
Clear to road closed sign. Largely clear but with patches of ice, patches of snow, random rocks after that. Technically drive-able with 4wd. Presumably current warming trend may further reduce the patches (but increase rockfall?). Not opining on safety or legality.


Akichow - Was there significant rockfall on the portal road when you went up earlier this month? Did you get shuttled up the road with gear to some point? If so how far?

Also driving up early Sat morning I may be able to help out with a ride up as far as I can make it. Have a full car so it may get interesting.

Dave

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Nookshneer #30470 03/21/13 09:55 PM
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We where shuttled up the whole way to the TH in 4WD vehicles.

Based on recent TRs by others, sounds like conditions have changed (improved). My info is already out of date.

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Akichow #30477 03/22/13 04:05 PM
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Elevation, the great outdoor gear shop in Lone Pine (make sure to say hi to Jon and Kastle when you stop in!), posted this update today:

"Onion Valley and Whitney Portal Road Info:

Inyo County Roads Department asked if we would post a reminder to our hikers, skiers, & Etc.

The roads maybe mostly snow free, but are not maintained until the official opening of fishing season, the last weekend of April. Until then, the roads are "Officially Closed."

Any travel on these roads is at your own risk; snow, ice, pot holes, rock fall & slides, and random road closures (Actually blocking the roadway) due to maintenance crews should all be expected.

Between now and the road opening, crews can be expected anytime Monday-Friday, 6:30 am - 4:30 pm with large road maintenance equipment left roadside overnight. As these crews are working to get us access to the places we play, please be conscious and considerate of them.

As always please travel safely and call us for the latest."

So, bottom line, road is closed, travel up at your own risk, and if you get a ticket, don't whine.


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Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
MooseTracks #30479 03/22/13 09:57 PM
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We drove up today in a 2wd. 20 minutes from Lone Pine to the portal! Not a drop of snow or ice on the road. A few tiny rocks. No boulders. Easy driving.

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
scott1120 #34147 12/02/13 12:49 PM
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bump

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Dave Alden #34150 12/02/13 09:50 PM
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I saw a report from Sierra Elevation on Nov 24 that the recent snow had been cleared. However, read MooseTracks' post above. If the "Road Closed" sign is there, you are on your own if you drive beyond it.

The main points from above:
Originally Posted By: MooseTracks
The roads maybe mostly snow free, but are not maintained until the official opening of fishing season, the last weekend of April. Until then, the roads are "Officially Closed."

Any travel on these roads is at your own risk; snow, ice, pot holes, rock fall & slides, and random road closures (Actually blocking the roadway) due to maintenance crews should all be expected....

So, bottom line, road is closed, travel up at your own risk, and if you get a ticket, don't whine.

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Steve C #34209 12/10/13 09:41 AM
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The Forest Service website says that the Portal rd is currently closed 4 mi before Whitney Portal.
Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of the condition of the road beyond the Road Closed sign?

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Dave Alden #34210 12/10/13 10:15 AM
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I saw Doug from the Whitney Portal Hostel wrote yesterday that fire crews were burning piles of wood this week. That probably means they are using the road at least up to the campground area.

Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
Steve C #34272 12/17/13 10:33 AM
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Here's the exact road conditions as of Saturday. Christine and I went up there for a short trip, hoping to get to the Portal, but way too icy, and there is a road closed sign at the first trun up the hill. Lots of deer though!







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Re: Current Whitney Portal Road Conditions
quillansculpture #34273 12/17/13 11:03 AM
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Road conditions look pretty nice to me. wink
cool

Originally Posted By: quillansculpture




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