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Trip Report to Summit and back || 6/24/17
#50341 06/26/17 09:29 AM
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Hello All-

This post might be relevant to people, who like me, are rookies on ice / snow. I will try to be as methodical and analytical as possible, so apologies for the length of this missive. Also please note this is my personal experience only!

I will start with my skill set so you can calibrate your expectations:
1. I have done a decent amount of trail running at high altitudes, so I am not a rookie when it comes to mountains.
2. I went up Mt. Whitney on 6/22/14 and it took me 9h15m (as a reference)
3. I had no altitude sickness this time, unlike in 2014 (so that was not a debilitating factor)
4. I have very little experience skiing or snowboarding or glissading (if you do, you may be much more 'at home' on the trip than I was).

Given above my observations on this trip below:
1. This was one of the MOST difficult and honestly terrifying 'treks' I have ever done. I did cactus to clouds in a few hours (you can check it out on google) but this was a totally different ball game. why? the terrain and my lack of familiarity with snow and ice. I have enough experience on trails to know when one is NOT in control and on this trip I felt 'situation was out of control' more than a few times. Why? My lack of familiarity with snowy and icy terrain. I met a few people on the trail, who like me were using and Ice-axe & crampons for the first time. Please note, if you are new to this, do not waste your time and money trying to 'trek' up without these 2 pieces of equipment. The margin for error is SMALL and the risk-reward ratio is totally skewed against you, i.e. 'I made it to the summit' vs a major injury.
2. Second error on my part given the new terrain was my going solo! it was dumb luck that i ran into 4 angels right at the start, who not only paced me but had excellent snow / ice skills. Two of the guys had only micro-spikes but they have had extensive experience snow boarding and skiing, so 'glissading standing up' was walk in the park for them, which was absolutely terrifying for me given the declivity coming down.
3. The very first 'stream' we pass (I dont know the name) which is barely a mile from the start is a raging 'river'! This was at 3am in the morning. Which means it gets non-linearly worse as sun comes out. The guys tried to step on rocks to avoid getting wet but the rocks are at the edge of the stream, which means if you slip you fall deep, which is a risk i did not want to take given the water velocity. There i just 'waded' in with my 'gore-tex' boots and gaiters. Too bad, that 'gore-tex' equipment does not work if you walk into shin deep water. So now I had another 19miles to go with wet shoes and socks. My suggestion? Get sandals. Wear them till mirror lake (where you will have another set of obstacles to deal with but NOT shin deep water)
4. I trudged along with wet shoes and water (= both weight a LOT more by the way since I use heavy hiking socks) since I had only one more pair of thick hiking socks (another mistake. keep atleast 4-5 pairs or best start with, sandals)
5. You will come across a LOT more water including the 'log bridge' which is NO longer intact given one log has rolled off. I had sort of given up on walking in wet socks and shoes by then so just walked the whole stream!
6. Excluding water at all sorts of random places it was uneventful, the way I like it, till you get past outpost camp / mirror lake. Post mirror lake the trail is under snow / ice. We ran into guys who were lost. They had a GPS which unfortunately is not updating real-time (i.e. 200% snow pack for 2017)! I used alltrails pro and downloaded a route some guy had take. This was vital given we had no one else around and would have wasted valuable time 'exploring'.
7. After a climb through a snowy section, out came the crampons AND ice-axe (which is not an option for first timers, in my view). Now, one of the guys in our 'group' (remember I was super lucky to meet these guys) had done classes on ice skills and knew exactly when to take crampons out! We 'cramponed' up to Trail camp and there one could see the so called 'chute'! It scared the living daylights out of me to be honest. Its a serpentine path which shoots straight up, then left, straight and then sharp left, straight to Trail Crest. Mind you, you look down from Crest below it is almost a VERTICAL drop (closer to 70degree decline I would guess)
8. While going on this 'path' with rookie ice-axe and crampon skills (which somehow came intuitively to me, maybe will, for most, I have no idea) even though I was with the group we had some distance between us. 2 were in front of me and 2 behind. About 600 feet below the Crest, where it starts feeling 'vertical' I realized than I had made a sharper left climb up than I should have. People were using 'steps' which others had used before, further to my right! Now I had 2 options go back down (which anyone who has spent time on mountains knows is WAY MORE difficult than going up) or try to traverse laterally to my right! This entailed me making 'steps' using my crampons (kick, kick, kick till you get a foot hold) and move laterally, while NOT looking down. This was simply the most 'out of control' situation I have been in. There only 2 guys above me and 2 below. So not a lot of people. Luckily the snow was firm and my process worked. This also means post 8am it will get exponentially more complex to try to make your way up especially for rookies (since ice will crumble under your weight).
9. The last 50 feet people were using the 'spike' side of the ice-axe! That tells you how steep the final section is. (if you dont know what 'spike' is on an axe you want to re-think this). The whole section when one turns left to go UP the chute is like a vertical stair master climb. It is relentless on your legs and nothing like what I am used to (orthogonal to trail running to put it mildly)
10. post Trail crest 'walk in the park' BUT I was MORE exhausted than I remember in 2014 even though I did NOT have AMS this time unlike last! This was ALL stress due to the climb up the chute. Also I had finished my 3L bladder of water by Trail camp! This is again exceptional and clearly I was drinking way more water than last time (or my usual consumption).
11. The last 200 feet to summit are again snowed out. So had to scramble but now we ran into a number of people, so just followed them (otherwise you NEED a GPX where someone has gone recently)
12. At the top ALL I could think of was how the heck will I get down the Chute! eek
13. Came back to Trail crest quickly. There was a group of 4 who chose to 'crampon' down the chute! God bless them and others who were doing it. Simple physics tells me, going down my center of gravity is the WRONG WAY compared to going up! Everyone in my group (who were snow Gods to me) decided going down on their 'bottom' i.e. glissading which was music to me.
14. This came with its own issues! There is a 'glissade tube' (I am calling it that) that looks like a bobsled track where people go down. I let them go since I knew I am going to take A LOT of time on this. Again what I thought I knew on using an ice-axe (which is ABSOLUTE CRITICAL for your cranium while glissading down a 65degree decline) was utter rubbish. Simple rule: ALWAYS keep the pick facing back! The tube has been used (I am guessing) for the last couple of months. Since then snow has been melting. Hence the 'entrance' to the tube is good 5feet below where once stands on the Crest! eek So I had to somehow, relying on my axe get down into the tube, making sure I dont slip down! Incredible! Coming down was, again part fun and part sheer terror. Ex-post not sure which feeling dominated. Its almost vertical for 1200 feet (13.6k to 12.4k in altitude). Though you dont do the whole distance in one step, you get up, crampon and then I chose to glissade to Trail camp while others just walked down. Another point to note on 'glissading': you will gain extremely HIGH velocity in NO time going down on steep ice! There were sections where despite my attempts at excessive control using the axe I gained excessively high speeds. There was a brief moment where I was literally hanging by my axe! Then I had to make a 'step' and then let go of the axe. eek Also if you think you are wearing crampons while glissading down and will use them for resistance please re-think this 'adventure'!
15. Note: above is my personal experience. For reference: there was one guy going up in trail runners and 2 bottles of water! He made it to the top and assuming back! There were people simply 'walking down', taking giant steps, down the 'chute'! shocked So if you have tons of experience on ice and snow, I don't think your frame of reference will match mine and feel free to discard these data points! I had a guy behind me in the 'glissade tube' whom I was 'slowing down a LOT!' I apologized but I am too risk-averse to go down at 40mph out of control!
16. Coming down was no drama for a change and again I got more wet at all the expected and un-expected places. Note, the streams bulge up big time with rising sun and we had dark clouds gathering while we were leaving Trail Camp. So guessing they had rainfall which would have meant even more water. I did change my socks at the summit but shoes weighed a ton by then, so did not matter.
17. We reached back to our cars at 4:30pm! That means the whole trip took us 13h30m (we started at 3am on a new moon night)! shocked This was almost 4h30m MORE than last time!
Body now feels fine, so clearly the lack of experience on the terrain was the main fatigue factor.
I am not a meteorologist but given the snow I would be surprised if switchbacks open till August if not September.
Overall: If you are a 'fair weather hiker / runner' like me then wait for switchbacks to open up and snow to melt. Our beautiful Mt. Whitney is not going anywhere.
ps: I do NOW know how to use crampons and ice-axe! But how would I react if I slip on ice? I have no idea.

Re: Trip Report to Summit and back || 6/24/17
rdev #50345 06/26/17 11:13 AM
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Nice detailed report.

I went solo as well, two weeks ago but did run into some nice people along the way and tagged along, for bits and portions of the trail, both going up and down.

The river crossing, both the 1st "smaller one" and at the North Fork Crossing, I gave up trying to avoid the water and just basically went in with my shoes and gaiter. My feet/shoes were literally submerged in the water (and this was around 1am in the AM). But yes, the water was raging. Fortunately, my socks never got wet and shoes never felt damp. Kind of surprised it wasn't damped or wet from the amount of water. Some awesome shoes (but, I paid for it going down later).

Got lost for a little bit around the Mirror Lake area and had to climb some smaller chute but once I got over the rocks, found the route again and it was straight forward to Trail Camp. GPS helps (used GAIA GPS and even had to point out to other hikers the right directions in some areas)

As I was approaching Trail Camp, I can see the "chute" LOL and little black specks of people on it. I was intimidated by it. It looks very daunting but I just had to do it. Crampons/Ice Axe out.

Got up in 2.5hrs later. I didn't know I had it in me. It just looked crazy but doable if you take your time. It helped that there was a foot path carved directly into the snow on the chute. In fact, once you're at Trail Crest, if you're looking out, you really can't see the slope - it looks like a vertical drop.

Trail Crest to Summit, clear and dry except for the last bit, but just scramble up the rocks to avoid snow.

On way back to Trail Crest, I didn't even bother doing any hiking downhill. Found the glissade path, or the "glissade tube," as you call it, and just glissaded straight down from the very top of Trail Crest. Didn't do a single hike down the chute or partial hike. Hah!

Overall, fun. Did Solo but met some cool people on the trail. Tiring for a day trip.

Never had any headaches or illness from altitude - as I've been higher. I just struggled at the top because the thin air pretty much sucked all the energy out of me and the desire to continue to Summit :p but I still made it eventually.



Last edited by WhitneyHiker085; 06/26/17 11:15 AM.
Re: Trip Report to Summit and back || 6/24/17
rdev #50347 06/26/17 06:44 PM
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Thanks for this report rdev! I'm glad to see someone posting a report that is more like me: a "fair weather hiker". It is very refreshing to see something that contrasts the reports of people just walking right up the chute with microspikes and then glissading back down without a care in the world, when these people are either very experienced or very risky (and consequently very lucky).

I have a July 17th day hike reserved, and I am very worried that the switchbacks will not be passable by then. The most winter trekking I am prepared to do is microspikes along any sketchy parts of the trail that still have some snow/ice left. As someone that is day hiking (and is fairly lightweight), I also don't want to have to carry a lot of extra gear to make all of the (normally shallow stream) "river" crossings. I will do that if I have to, but if the chute is the only route up, then there's no point in my going. I was hoping this past week's heat wave would have melted a lot off, but it sounds like that is not the case at all, and with temps cooling back down again for at least the next week, the forecast is not looking good for open switchbacks.

Re: Trip Report to Summit and back || 6/24/17
rdev #50373 06/27/17 12:50 PM
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@rdev - I'm curious what had you making the calculation that:

Rookie + Ice Axe + Solo + Record Winter + Tallest Mountain = "Go for it".

You yourself note the great risks: "The margin for error is SMALL and the risk-reward ratio is totally skewed against you, i.e. 'I made it to the summit' vs a major injury."

Based on the description of your readiness to tackle the chute - and your experience tackling it both up and down, you appear to have dodged a major bullet. It would seem to me that the great lesson of your trip is: do not attempt ice axe terrain where error = major injury or death, until you have excellent skills and a skilled partner.

Re: Trip Report to Summit and back || 6/24/17
Dave F #50379 06/27/17 02:07 PM
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thank you for asking that.

yes, it was a BIG error in judgement. My 'confidence' was based on my 'endurance' on such terrain and the fact I had done it relatively 'easily' in 2014, that's all.

It was further strengthened by the reports I read which in my interpretation made is look very doable, even for rookies on ice.

Finally, I thought (ex-post I know mistakenly) that having read and watched videos on basic ice-skills would be enough. I think it would be in most cases but here we have the 'chute'. The climb becomes highly challenging with the 'chute' and the corresponding incline, which I did NOT realize till, in my view, it was too late.

If someone had told me, what I know NOW, I would never ever go, period. If anything, I am waiting for the switchbacks to open up, so that I can 're-write' my memory of Mt. Whitney!

Re: Trip Report to Summit and back || 6/24/17
rdev #50403 06/28/17 10:04 AM
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Thanks for good write up rdev, how safe is it to just "walk" down the chute? After you experience, do you think that would of been the better option?

thanks

Re: Trip Report to Summit and back || 6/24/17
koredirector #50407 06/28/17 11:41 AM
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Hello-

Not really. I have minimal experience skiing on black or double black diamond slopes, so standing up on that steep decline would have felt very unnatural. If it were ground and not snow it would have been a different matter all together since there I have a lot of experience on that surface.

One thing I could have tried is coming down, facing the mountain, that would have been doable and within my comfort zone but much slower. But after the data I have I would do the following:

1. Avoid being on the chute
2. If I am, going up will be easier, making SURE I am following steps others have used. So go very slow.
3. Coming down, would still sit on bottom and glissade but knowing full well that it requires an ice-axe and ability to 'self-arrest' when speed feels out of control / comfort zone which will happen no matter how hard you try to control.

Another thing people going down in future need to be aware of is what Steve highlights: as snow melts you will expose and potentially hit underlying rocks! eek

Again: being a rookie on ice I would just wait for switchbacks to open. MUCH more fun and enjoyable experience (comparing my 2014 to recent trip)

Re: Trip Report to Summit and back || 6/24/17
rdev #50560 07/03/17 08:06 PM
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hi. i summited whitney on overnite trip solo, june 28 into 29. only had hill sound trail crampons( microspikes), and trek poles. woke up 4am at trail camp. started climbing chute at 5. got halfway up chute and felt totally unsafe without axe, so traversed left to the rocks where some switchbacks were findable. went straight up switchbacks over rocks, scrambling, up way towards the ridge. at the top, traversed back to the right and towards trail crest over snowfield just below ridge, until crest. from there to summit no snow. descent- back to trail crest, and across rocks and snowfield to above the switchbacks. i did this figuring get myself as low as i could, to limit my chances of something bad happening w a slip, less distance to slide. well, found a lot of switchbacks, and cut straight down where snow covered them. was able to get to the cables, which were still under snow but the tops were able to be grabbed. crossed them, and cut more switchbacks down to where i felt comfortable sliding without an axe. FYI if you find yourself at trail crest headed down without axe and real crampons, explore this method.


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