Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Hiking at end of May-need info!

3 of us plan on hiking whitney on may 28th. 2 of us are in fairly good shape (regularly do cardio, strength training and hiking), one is in excellent shape. The highest mountain I've summited is Mt. Tallac. One of our friends has been on several 26 mile hikes, though not at a high altitude. The most experience we have with crampons and ice axes are glacier hiking and ice climbing we did in Iceland this past January, so we're not exactly experts with the equipment. I know there is snow present year round and definitely in May, but I also read this has been a fairly low snow year. Although I'd love to summit I know there's a chance we won't be able to given our lack of experience with snow climbing. Safety and respect for nature > summit fever. Is there a chance we can make it to a decent place even if we don't summit, or is this a lost cause altogether? I know mentally and physically we can handle it, but as far as technical skill goes I'm feeling confused. Some people say even if you don't have the experience there's a high chance you can make it to the top, others make it seem like a death trap to attempt in late May. Need some input.

Lisylu, read the topic just below yours. Some think it was not a serious post, and maybe I'm getting pranked here, but this thread has the info you need covered very well.

http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/topics/23212/1

Yes, there might be snow in places year-round, but the trail opens up at some point in time - usually June. This year was a lower than average snow year, but late May is still early season. You will be on a snow trail in places, but there should be lots of clear trail - but probably wet. If an ice ax is needed, it would be due to the 97 switchbacks being snowed in. If that's the case, then you should either have an ice ax & crampons and know how to use them, or turn around there at Trail Camp (12,000 ft). Coming down the chute from Trail Crest to Trail Camp can be dicey, people have gotten out of control and died there.

HA! No this is definitely not a prank (at least my post isn't). Thanks for the information. My main concern is about the switchbacks and chute. I read that if there's too much snow on the switchbacks to use the chute. The chute is not something we would even want to try without experience, correct?

There will more than likely be a boot track, which can be deceptively easy on the ascent, not so on the descent. Also, in the afternoon hours, when the sun drops below the crest, the boot track can get icy in a hurry (as can the trail in isolated sections). YMMV, and experience can be both a good and a bad thing in these sorts of situations.

Go as far as you feel comfortable, within your own acceptable limits. Don't fall prey to group think. Keep your eyes open and check out what's going on around you.

No matter what your summit is that day, you'll enjoy one of the prettiest drainages around.

-L

MoosTracks,

How do you know that this is a serious thread and that another one was just a prank?

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

You need experience when you screw up. If nothing goes wrong, you don't need to know anything about an axe or crampons.

999 out 1,000 will not have a problem going up this mountain. However, if you screw up at the wrong time, it will not be pretty.

Hmmm...it's been winter since November in SoCal. How come many who want to do Whitney early have not taken the time to take a basic snow skills course and practice?

Thank you all for your input so far!

because that would require snow!

yes, we don't really seem to experience the seasons here in santa barbara . So just to be clear, if the switchbacks are covered in too much snow, the only way up is the chute, which means the only way back is to glissade down?

> So just to be clear, if the switchbacks are covered in too much snow, the only way up is the chute

Yes.

> which means the only way back is to glissade down?

No. If you are wearing crampons and have an ice axe, you can walk down the slope, with the ice axe ready to self-arrest if you fall and begin to slide.

However, this being a low-snow year, we can compare it to 2007. Here are Bob R's pictures of the trail from 2007-05-23 Whitney, Muir, etc. Look at the pictures starting especially at "38 Trail Camp".

great thank you. this has been so helpful

We don't get any snow at 1,600' south of the Traverse Ranges, either. However, I seem to go out every weekend with folks that travel upwards 300 miles RT to get ice axe and crampon experience. I have personally traveled in excess of 300 miles one way to take a basic snow skills course and had a few years of experience with ice axe and crampons before attempting the chute...which wasn't difficult. I found the pucker moment at the slanted ice on Mt. Whitney. If you screwed up there, there are some tarns at 11,700' you'd be visiting rather quickly.

If the trail is blocked at the cables, the only way up if you are using the MMWT as your route is the chute. This also means you have to come down the same chute but it does not mean you have to glissade the chute. Conditions may prevent a safe glissade. That is something you have to determine on your hike day.