Mt Whitney Zone Forums Trip Reports June 15th Glissade

Glissaded down on Sunday 6/15. The snow did not make it all the way to trail crest, so we had to climb down the dirt and rocks to get to the snow line (maybe 50 feet). My friend and I had our ice axes, but had never glissaded or done self arrest before. We felt somewhat comfortable since we knew the technique from research online.

I didn't realize how tall and steep it was until I was a few hundred feet down when I suddenly remembered I was afraid of heights. Holy crap that is a long way down and steep as hell! We just took it slow and kept practicing self arrest all the way down. We got the hang of pretty quickly, and I can now say I am pretty comfortable doing self arrest from that position. The ride was pretty freaky to me, but maybe its just because I'm a wimp. My friend said he would have gone faster if I hadn't have been on top of him to slow down.

I can't imagine doing it without an ice axe. Once you get going, there is no way to stop except arresting. I don't even understand how you could use hiking pole to stop yourself. And this time of year there are big piles of rocks waiting to stop you uncomfortably at the bottom if you are unable to stop yourself.

Does anyone know how steep and tall it is? We were guessing around 2000 feet and 45 degrees.

Also, we had to scramble over rocks for maybe a half mile to find a way to Trail Camp. What is the easiest way to get over there when you get to the bottom of the glissade?

Thanks to all the posters we were somewhat prepared. Thank you!

> there are big piles of rocks waiting to stop you uncomfortably at the bottom if you are unable to stop yourself

That's the understatement of the day. People die when they hit those rocks.

Looking at the late Wayne Pyle's 99 switchbacks diagram, the slope drops about a thousand feet, maybe 1200. Slopes always seem steeper than they really are. I don't think it is 45 degrees. Not sure if anyone has measured it.

Thanks, cool diagram! I need to work on deciphering it, but it looks useful.

Wow! Great diagram! Thanks!

What does the light blue/aqua line that follows the crest represent?

I believe that's the Sequoia Nat'l Park boundary


No problem

I saw the 6-12 pic of the chute. I saw the upper end of the track this morning in the moonlight on the way to the summit. I saw the full track on the way down this morning. I was REALLY bummed I left my ax in the truck! Nicely done!!!

I am extremely conflicted about this response. You'll see why.

Any competent mountaineer will tell what you did was nuts. No, I am sorry but you did NOT "know the technique from research online". You may have had some theoretical understanding of it, but you did not know it. Your comfort was completely illusory. By prudent, professional standards.

Now, the reason I am conflicted is because I have done much worse. Twice. When I was much younger, I hit ideal conditions on the chute twice: soft, deep corn snow in late morning or early afternoon, under a hot sun, and rode my pack down. External frame, so I could use the rails of the frame as both runners and brakes. No Ice axe. No training or experience or online. Not even a Holiday Inn Express.

Worked beautifully.

But only because I, like you, was extremely lucky. I hit the soft snow conditions that you can count on for about 15 minutes a day on this snowfield.

Please folks, don't do like us dogs: both Mastiff and SaltyDog just lucked out here. A sane, reasonable person does NOT glissade and self arrest for the first time on this slope. Some dead people have, but they are not posting here, are they?

As for getting back to TC, after the glissade - if you live - the only way on your feet is to scramble over rocks for maybe a half mile. GIven your approach, its often by Stokes basket.

BTW: it did not get freaky because you are a wimp. It got freaky, because - contrary to the poplar aphorism - you CAN fix stupid. Congratulations.