Mt Whitney Webcam
Mt Williamson Webcam
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 207 guests, and 16 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
High Sierra Trail condition/uncertainty
#57518 06/29/20 05:49 PM
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 3
D
OP Offline
D
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 3
Scheduled to start the high Sierra trail (eastbound) this Thursday, a little uneasy about reaching uncertain trail conditions deep in my hike due to the recent earthquake. Personally have the time off work and the stamina/pack space to accommodate a yo yo back to crescent meadows, though others in my party are more constrained. Would love to hear any updates on conditions or general advice folks may have on the situation...Everyone would love to bag Whitney and hopefully enjoy a meal at the portal store, but my companions can’t afford to find out it’s not doable from the ranger at Crabtree meadow.

Also, due to the recent quake I’m leaning towards leaving my car at lone pine instead of WP...was thinking of stashing a beater bike up at the trailhead to ride down. Never actually been past the lower gate at WP, wondering if there’s a rack or someplace I could lock it for a week, or whether a bike locked next to a random tree might be cut/trashed by the forest service.

Honestly seems like it would be a kickass way to end a tough thru hike, but finding it gone and having to walk the road to lone pine would be pretty disappointing

Re: High Sierra Trail condition/uncertainty
DustyBoots #57519 06/29/20 05:52 PM
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 9
Likes: 1
L
Offline
L
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 9
Likes: 1
check out this post from the Mt Whitney FB Group - might need to join the group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/30962451768/announcements

1 member likes this: DustyBoots
Re: High Sierra Trail condition/uncertainty
DustyBoots #57522 06/29/20 10:49 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,507
Likes: 103
S
Offline
S
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,507
Likes: 103
Lightning doesn't strike the same tree twice. wink

I would park the car and hope for the best. But if you really are worried, park it in Lone Pine and hitch hike down. Hitch hiking from Whitney Portal has always been easy. You need to find a place in Lone Pine to park, though. Call the chamber of commerce -- I think they have a place for a charge.

Re: High Sierra Trail condition/uncertainty
Steve C #57523 06/30/20 12:39 AM
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 3
D
OP Offline
D
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by Steve C
Lightning doesn't strike the same tree twice. wink

I would park the car and hope for the best. But if you really are worried, park it in Lone Pine and hitch hike down. Hitch hiking from Whitney Portal has always been easy. You need to find a place in Lone Pine to park, though. Call the chamber of commerce -- I think they have a place for a charge.

Lol very untrue😂.

I don’t anticipate the lower gate to be open, given that they’re cancelling Whitney permits thru 7/2 right now.

I imagine hitchhiking would be a little more difficult these days, even if they reopen the road by the time we exit

Re: High Sierra Trail condition/uncertainty
DustyBoots #57527 06/30/20 09:05 AM
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 3
P
Offline
P
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 3
We're heading out this Wednesday. I thought of an exit through Cottonwood Lakes to Horseshoe Meadow even though the trailhead is closed and the Horseshoe Meadow road is blocked a mile or so before the campsites at the forest boundary. We're going to check in at Crabtree and either continue on or head south. Good luck!

Re: High Sierra Trail condition/uncertainty
DustyBoots #57647 07/07/20 04:44 PM
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 3
P
Offline
P
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 3
We completed the High Sierra Trail 1-6 July 2020. Great conditions across the entire trail. Mosquitoes are out--so bring a bug headnet and seriously consider a stronger form of deet/similar product. The trail up from Precipice Lake all the way across the Kaweah Gap and down the switchbacks is snow free. Big Arroyo is easy to cross (we crossed on rocks without getting wet at all late in the day at 7pm), and they have repaired the trail damage from 2018 that washed out the first 400m or so of trail up from Big Arroyo Junction. They also added a small switchback about a mile from Big Arroyo Junction as you head towards the Kern to avoid a wash out of the trail, again from 2018.
The weather was mild--about 40 in the mornings, 65-75 throughout the day--though the direct sun does get very hot and will feel like 80 degrees.
Horseshoe Meadows and the Portal are both open, and the roads and trails completely unobstructed. Water sources remain abundant, stream crossings are much easier now (we didn't have to make a single 'wet' crossing this time; in June 2018 there were a couple).

Last edited by PartyBus; 07/07/20 04:45 PM.

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.041s Queries: 27 (0.036s) Memory: 0.5973 MB (Peak: 0.6633 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-03-29 14:23:58 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS