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 Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2 |
thanks for all the pictures and information so far.. I checked out instagram as well and there was more snow than I expected for sure!! I have an overnight permit for the 15th so hoping the snow clears up a bit or at least that somebody makes a trail to the summit 
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 12
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 12 |
Me and 3 others will be taking the mountaneers route to mount russell early monday morning. You can tag along with us if you were planning on doing that!
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 12
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 12 |
Anyone planning on doing the mountaineers route and then up to Mount Russell early monday? Hoping most of the snow will melt. Do you all reccomend microspikes or crampons?
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 22
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 22 |
https://instagram.com/p/8og-pmvuZz/Heres a picture i found on instagram of the current status above trail crest. Looks promising! 
Last edited by Steve C; 10/09/15 05:44 PM. Reason: inserted picture
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 28
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 28 |
Awesome! Thank you for posting.
How'd you know I was looking at you if you weren't looking at me?
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2 |
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,509 Likes: 103
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OP
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,509 Likes: 103 |
From the above link:  Text accompanying the picture: Summit of Mt Whitney today at 11am. Completely doable! You'll need spikes and poles, and an early start. Once the sun hits the trail crest, it gets messy.
#mtwhitney #mtwhitneytrail #mtwhitneysummit
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 22
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 22 |
So wheres the 5-8 feet of snow otheres mentioned? Perhaps they meant inches and not feet?
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,509 Likes: 103
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OP
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,509 Likes: 103 |
Here's a picture of the descent from Trail Crest to the junction with the JMT. This would be the deepest snow. Understand that people like to exaggerate, and Visitor Center workers will repeat that information to forewarn the unprepared. posted by eppcamp on Instagram(click for full-size)  eppcamp: Trail crest behind the spines. #mtwhitney #mtwhitneytrail
seymour_glasss: I don't have spikes but I could do a section like this without I think. There are more gnarly areas I'm guessing?
mikes_adventure: @eppcamp what gear did you have to get up to the top? We are trying to summit Sunday. And info that could help us out?
eppcamp: @seymour_glasss @mikes_adventure there are so many people up there right now that it'll probably be a sidewalk by Sunday. But everyone I saw at the summit had micro spikes.
eppcamp: @seymour_glasss at your fitness level, you'll be fine. May make sure you have some poles.
seymour_glasss: @eppcamp sweet. Hope the altitude doesn't get me!
eppcamp: @seymour_glasss nah, you've climb gorgonio a million times and that's all I did for elevation training.
mikes_adventure: Thank you. What was you start time and pace? @eppcamp
eppcamp: Started from Whitney trailhead at 3:30am, summited around 11am. Slooow pace because I expected to have to posthole to the summit. Plus I watched the sunrise for 30 minutes. It'll be easier on Sunday because there won't be ice and snow on the way to Trail camp.
eppcamp: @mikes_adventure sorry, see above.
gentravels: Reading all your info thanks!!!!! I was almost going to head to Yosemite as my plan b😑
mikes_adventure: @eppcamp thank you so much for all the info! You have lifted the spirits of our group.
eppcamp: @mikes_adventure @gentravels there is still a lot of bad information out there. But three guys camped at the summit last night, and 5 other people were on the summit with me with 4 others coming up to the cabin as I started done. It's doable.
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1 |
A group of 6 of us summited during a day trip yesterday. The snow is deep but navigable and melting. There are points where you sink in knee-thigh deep but the trail was blazed by a number of footprints yesterday which packed down some snow. A path was blazed in the snow straight up to the cabling and that gets intense. The from the 1.9 mile marker to the summit, there was roughly 2 feet of snow which has also been packed down by hikers. Be prepared with micro spikes, trekking poles, lots of layers and the usual headlamp etc. gear and you can do it. The summit side was sunny yesterday and is today. There is a lot of snow melting happening. With the current conditions, it's a really strenuous hike but it can be done. My group began at 4am and we returned to the parking lot close to 11pm. If you're determined, you can absolutely summit. Be prepared for a very long day and a lot of time in the dark with decreasing daylight hours. I'd recommend a departure time of 2am rather than the 4am we did, if you plan to summit and return in a day in these conditions. Once I figure out how to post a photo or two, I'll post.
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 4
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 4 |
I'm going solo on Friday the 16th, and I have a couple of questions. During the summer I often start around midnight, but I don't think I will now due to icy conditions and the late sunrise.
Are there any other members on this board who will be going on this date also?
At what point does the snow line begin? I often have difficulty finding the trail in the rocky area above Mirror Lake.
Is the icy area at the Cables doable with just Micro spikes?
Thanks,
Randy
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 3
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 3 |
We a group of 8 members doing the hike on 16th (starting at 2AM on 15th night). I did this hike last year and doing it again this year. All the other 7 folks are new to this hike.
You can join us at the trail entrance by around 2AM. Hope there won't be new snow by that time.
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1 |
Wife and I made the grueling hike up yesterday 10-9-15.
We started at 4:00am and got back to our car at 8:20pm
It is totally doable but grueling with the snow.
We made great time to Mirror Lake. Snow was all around us but the path was clear and easy to follow.
From Mirror Lake to Trail Camp: Mostly clear of snow. The closer you get to Trail Camp the more snow there is covering the trail. When we came down alot of it was melting. (Going up we were slipping on the slush but it wasn't to bad. On the way down it was melted away.)
From Trail Camp to Cables : (We put on our Crampons at Trail Camp) Its was all snow from here on. We followed what looked like the main trail and came to a spot with two maybe three options. Option 1 was a straight shot to the cables. Option 2 looked like a straight sho1 to Trail Crest. We went with Option 1 and made it to the cables. Thanks to some other hikers most of it was packed, but every 10 steps or so I would sink in a foot or more.
From Cables to Trail Crest: Not to bad because we were back on a trail but every so often your foot would sink and mess up your rhythm.
Trail Crest to Almost Summit: This part was BRUTAL. This 2.5 mile leg took us 2hours 45mins. Certain parts I would lose a leg and the snow easily went past my knee. A few times I sank up to my thigh (i'm 5'8.) Once you get past all the other peaks and its just the last shot to the summit it is clear of snow. We took off our crampons and just bouldered/hiked to the top.
** Coming down the snow got a lot softer. From Almost summit to Trail Camp I kept sinking every 3rd step or so. I was miserable, especially because my wife was flying and had no problems with the soft snow.
Amazing hike, I'm sure a lot of the snow will be gone in the next few days.
On the log book at the house there were 5 people who made it before us for Oct 9th. And only 1 person Oct 8th.
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 22
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 22 |
Thank you very much for the update! I know many of us going up in the coming days appreciate the info!
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 4
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 4 |
Hi Randy,
I am in a party of 3 whitney newbies. Our summit day is Friday the 16 we were originally planning tent camping at Trail Camp Thurs night but... camping in snow... ewe.... We might start between midnight and 2AM Friday from trail head but would prefer to get to Trail Camp no later than sunrise. Can you lead us in the dark to Trail Camp?. We might try and tag along with the party of 8 in this thread that leaves at 2:00AM but would prefer to leave earlier. There is a lot of good info in this thread. Thanks to those who posted after their summmit!
Jean, Joe, and John
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 22
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 22 |
Can anyone report on the conditions at trail camp in the past 24 hrs? Heading up on the 13th to camp at trail camp and summit on the next day. Ive heard a lot of snow has melted and would like an idea of what the conditions are like in the past 24 hrs. Thanks everyone!
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 7
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 7 |
I was, unfortunately, unable to summit yesterday. For my first time I was happy with what I was able to accomplish. The reports that I heard from people coming down the mountain is that the mountaineer's route up from trail camp is about 1-2 hours faster, even though it is a bit steeper most people had better success with that. 2 dozen people were on the summit at one point in time on Saturday 10/10.
Right around mirror lake is where we hit the first on trail snow/ice. After that it was on and off sections of snow and dirt, only a few slippy parts. Trail camp had 6"-12" of snow, but again the pathway is packed down and blazed quite well. My buddy and I took the switchbacks route. After a couple hours in the sun the conditions got real sloppy, temps in the 50s. The trail is blazed 1-2' wide going up, but yes on the upside of the trail the snow is 3' deep, but you're walking in 3' deep snow. At most there are footprints 6"+ deep in the snow if you the footprints. Bring some spikes, a set of poles, and take your time going up. If at all possible start your ascent from trail camp when the snow is still crunchy to allow your spikes to dig in and give you a good grip. My buddy and I hit our drop dead time and turned back within a mile of trail crest because we didn't want to come back down in all that crap after dark, if we pushed though to the summit. On the way down all the snow below the meadows was now melted which made things a bit wet and some of the rocks were a little slick.
Lots of people, including myself, were able to wear trail runners and microspikes. I was able to hold off until the cables before throwing on the spikes.
Overall it is very doable if you can summit with the snow and ice still crunchy.
Trail camp is the last spot to get water, but more than half of the lake had a thin frozen surface, no issue though.
Overall did 15.5 miles or so, made it above 13,000 feet.
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 7
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 7 |
Can anyone report on the conditions at trail camp in the past 24 hrs? Heading up on the 13th to camp at trail camp and summit on the next day. Ive heard a lot of snow has melted and would like an idea of what the conditions are like in the past 24 hrs. Thanks everyone! still a decent amount of snow at trail camp, most were camped on the rocks before trail camp. Try and start you ascent just after sunrise, unless your comfortable using a headlamp, the snow gets too soft otherwise and the conditions get sloppy. Be cautious of holes and soft snow along the trail that your poles uncover for you. Some sections my poles went down into the snow a few inches, at most, before anchoring while other spots half or more of the pole (120mm setting) went down before anchoring because of the melting and soft snow.
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 28
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 28 |
I was, unfortunately, unable to summit yesterday. For my first time I was happy with what I was able to accomplish. The reports that I heard from people coming down the mountain is that the mountaineer's route up from trail camp is about 1-2 hours faster, even though it is a bit steeper most people had better success with that. 2 dozen people were on the summit at one point in time on Saturday 10/10.
Right around mirror lake is where we hit the first on trail snow/ice. After that it was on and off sections of snow and dirt, only a few slippy parts. Trail camp had 6"-12" of snow, but again the pathway is packed down and blazed quite well. My buddy and I took the switchbacks route. After a couple hours in the sun the conditions got real sloppy, temps in the 50s. The trail is blazed 1-2' wide going up, but yes on the upside of the trail the snow is 3' deep, but you're walking in 3' deep snow. At most there are footprints 6"+ deep in the snow if you the footprints. Bring some spikes, a set of poles, and take your time going up. If at all possible start your ascent from trail camp when the snow is still crunchy to allow your spikes to dig in and give you a good grip. My buddy and I hit our drop dead time and turned back within a mile of trail crest because we didn't want to come back down in all that crap after dark, if we pushed though to the summit. On the way down all the snow below the meadows was now melted which made things a bit wet and some of the rocks were a little slick.
Lots of people, including myself, were able to wear trail runners and microspikes. I was able to hold off until the cables before throwing on the spikes.
Overall it is very doable if you can summit with the snow and ice still crunchy.
Trail camp is the last spot to get water, but more than half of the lake had a thin frozen surface, no issue though.
Overall did 15.5 miles or so, made it above 13,000 feet.
Thank you for the info. Abbott. I plant to start Wednesday morning, camp at Trail Camp, then summit Thursday. Just bought micro spikes for this trip. Looks like we're neighbors.
Last edited by Brett Dean; 10/11/15 07:18 PM.
How'd you know I was looking at you if you weren't looking at me?
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Re: Whitney Main Trail Conditions 2015 (Out-of-Date)
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,509 Likes: 103
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OP
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,509 Likes: 103 |
we were originally planning tent camping at Trail Camp Thurs night but... camping in snow... ewe.... We might start between midnight and 2AM Friday from trail head but would prefer to get to Trail Camp no later than sunrise...
...Thanks to those who posted after their summmit!
Jean, Joe, and John YOUJ: Consider camping at Outpost Camp. Read the report from GraceDavis -- that is what she did. It works, and makes the backpack easier than going to Trail Camp, and it makes your day hike a lot easier than going up from Whitney Portal. There shouldn't be any snow at Outpost. Good luck!
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