This thread is designed to hold posts displaying pictures and describing the current conditions of the MMWT (Mount Whitney Main Trail).  I hope everyone will contribute.

Please feel free to post pictures of your own or from any source (please post a reference to the original location), so that everyone can come here and easily find/read/see the conditions.

Older posts will be moved as conditions change. (As a result, some posts may appear to answer comments that are no longer in the thread.)

Thanks for everyone's help.

Older posts moved here:
  Main Trail Conditions 2012

In late April I am driving out from Colorado to climb Mt. Whitney. I'll be in the area for up to a week, so I'm also hoping to climb Mt. Russell and Muir. I'm looking for trail conditions and route suggestions. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

BobPickering and Richard P. are hiking the Mountaineers Route as I write this. I am hoping there will be a trip report and possibly pictures of the area when they return.

(You can view Bob's SPOT track here. He provides the link in his profile.)

To view the SPOT track, you'll need to zoom in carefully, dragging the map to center the Mt Whitney area, since his track currently shows also where he was last hiking up near Tahoe. Then click the Terrain button, and you get a pretty good view.

Edit 3/31: Bob posted a trip report, and Richard P posted pictures. Here's the link: 3-30-12 Mountaineers' Route Day Hike

It is a Mountaineers Route report, but there is one picture of the main trail / switchbacks from the summit:

Richard P made his 20th summit this year already (one per week!), and has posted some pictures of the trail from April 7, 2012:

Mt. Whitney - April 7, 2012

He wrote that it looks like people are already trying the switchbacks.

The trail is dry to Lone Pine Lake.

Hi
I should try the MR next weekend (04/22) and I'm still wondering if I take my skis or if I rent snowshoes. My question is : at which elevation can we start using skis?
Thanks
Sylvain

Sylvain77: Bob Pickering and Richard P climbed the Mountaineers Route on March 30.

Here's Bobs' trip report:   3-30-12 Mountaineers' Route Day Hike

And here are Richard P's pictures   Mt. Whitney Mountaineer's Route - March 30, 2012

The recent storms dropped a little more snow, but not that much, so conditions will be similar. There just isn't enough snow to warrant snow shoes. Crampons and ice axe are necessary tools. Skis are probably of marginal value.

Thanks Steve for the links and the update.
Sylvain

First, thanks for the route condition update!
How was down climbing the last 400' chute? Was it particularly icy? Were there routes free of water ice?

Also, I'm new to the MR, do any of the other chutes tend to be easier and/or have less ice this time of year?

> How was down climbing the last 400' chute? Was it particularly icy? Were there routes free of water ice?

Richard's pictures from 3/30, looking up:


The storms a week ago, though added a lot to this area. Here is a shot Richard took April 15, looking down from the top. Note the two climbers.
This is Picture 31 from this set.




> do any of the other chutes tend to be easier and/or have less ice this time of year?
No.

Here's a picture near the top of the switchbacks, taken April 28. These hikers are NOT taking the switchbacks, since they are completely snowed in at this time. Instead, they're going straight up the snow slope, sometimes called the chute, just west of the switchbacks.

This picture from the set posted by gocarine on Flickr here: Whitney 4/27/12



This picture of the first stream crossing (North Fork Lone Pine Creek) where the Mountaineers Route branches off the main trail. Taken by Bob R on April 21. From his 2012 North Fork picture set.




Here's a picture of Outpost Camp, taken by Richard P. on April 27. His album here: Mt. Whitney - April 27, 2012

hey guys! i'm headed there sunday may 6th. thanks for the update and pictures. it's greatly appreciated. any tips regarding the chute/switchbacks and trail crest area? gear wise?

I was on the mountain on the 27th as well and would agree that most of the switchbacks were still covered. Crampons needed for the chute and trekking poles or ice axe are a help. If you end up coming down the chute in the late afternoon, glissading is the fastest way down but will require an axe and the skills to use it.

From Trail Crest to the summit there was minimal coverage so by next weekend it should be better. We left our crampons at Trail Crest and I never missed them to the summit and back.

Have fun!

thanks for the additional info SoCal Hiker! very little glissading skills so will have to feel my way around on the way down. thanks again!

Watch for grouse on the trail -- they have been reported recently, with some spectacular activity. (See this blog from April 29, search for "grouse".)

Please do not hurt them -- it is their habitat, not ours. One was killed by hikers several years ago.

oh jeez! as if i didn't have enough things to worry about. grouse are the honey badgers of birds. they just "don't care". ha ha

We are coming up June 2 so keep the weather update flowing. Thanks for all the great info.

We're headed June 9! We're going the back route (Cottonwood, Army Pass, etc), so any updates on that route would be much appreciated.

I will keep you posted since we are going up first...

They taste like chicken!

But I never hurt or killed an animal on the trail...

No harm no "fowl"...hah, I made funny!

Heading up on May 22, any idea if the switchbacks have opened up yet? Will crampons still be necessary?