Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Upper Crabtree to Summit and then Trailcrest to Meysan Lake

Can anyone tell me the feasibility of walking out from Trailcrest (after the summit) via the ridge to Mt McAdie, Mt Mallory and then down into Meysan Lake?

How about going out via Meysan Lake by coming up Sky Blue Lake and over between Mallory and LeConte?

Is it hard to find way?
Too technical?
Have snow (end of July)?

Thanks!
JD

I've never heard of anyone doing that. What is doable is to drop from Discovery Pinnacle down to the upper Crabtree Lake, and over Crabtree Pass to Sky Blue. That is a well-known route.

Here's a link to the gmap4 online map of the area. Switch between Satellite (zooming in) and T4 Topo, to check possible routes. From the satellite view, getting to Mt McAdie from Whitney Pass appears rough and rugged.

Looking at the topo and satellite views, it appears you could get from Sky Blue to Meysan, crossing just south of Mt Mallory. Check the climbers guides for Mt Mallory.

Bottom line: Are you looking at this due to the Trail Crest exit permit requirements? Depending on how early you start your trip, there are walk-in exit permits available. And you might adjust your exit schedule +/- a day for that permit.

Thanks. I will check those out.

This is due to the lack of an exit permit down the portal trail. We will try for that due to aging knees, but this is our backup.

We are planning on coming from Skyblue lake over crabtree pass and climbing up from Upper Crabtree lake to Trailcrest and then suimmitting. But it sure would be nice not to have to return by coming back down to Upper Crabtree, go back up over Crabtree Pass again, down to Sky Blue and then over the Laconte/Mallory Pass to go down into Meysan Lake.

I have Paul Ritchins Whitney book and they describe the route from Meysan over to Sky Blue Lake as doable. We would be going in the opposite direction and I am concerned about finding the right gulley and the snow field conditions.

I am hoping to hear from someone who has done one of these options (Trailcrest to Meysan via the ridge or going down to Sky Blue).

Thanks

The ridge between Discovery Pinnacle and McAdie is blocked by the (unoffically?) named peak Mount Marsh. It's a class 4-5 ridgeline with NO bypass to the east that avoids the WZ.

To head out on your intended route, you would need to do the thing you hate, and that Steve C reccomends by dropping down towards Crabtree Lakes, then up over Crabtree Pass. From there you can head up McAdie's West Chute (and bag an extra summit!) and down to Arc Pass (or head all the way down to Sky Blue Lake and back up to Arc). In my estimation it is far too precarious. Beyond Arc, I have no idea what the route down to Meysan looks like.

I think you might be better off trying to get an extra permit, or lumping the fine.

I have no idea what the fine will be though...

OK, well that kills the Trailcrest ridgeline route...

So, I still do not know what the route down from the Mallory LaConte col would be like. That is still the option possibility. Any one else hav any experience there?

BTW, I DID ask the rangers what the actual penalty is for going out w/o permit. They will not say - just very stern ominous warnings. As we will be midweek we are hoping to get the exit permit. This is all just the backup plan - but I want that to be safe....

Anyone here who actually got penalized for being in the WZ without a permit?

What happens if I don’t use a permit while hiking in the Mt. Whitney Zone?

You will be fined and asked to leave (no joke). The rangers patrol regularly to ensure hiker safety and enforce permit regulations. According to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR 36, Sec. 261.17, the failure to pay recreation fees is punishable by a fine (for a first offense) of not more than $100, as well as being directed to leave the mountain immediately.

Source

And here as well:

Q: What happens if I get caught in the Whitney Zone either with the wrong permit or with no permit?
A: You can be turned around or turned around and fined. The fine is $100 for day hikers caught with an invalid or no permit.