Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion June 13, 2014 Mt Whitney hike

Only for experience hikers familiar with Whitney trail....what is your opinion....will there be snow on Whitney by June 13 this year ? ...I live in LA county ....close to Long Beach....do you recommend any good store close to Long Beach where they sell winter gear for hiking Whitney in June ? don't worry ..I wont hold you responsible if I slip and break my neck....lol

Last year was also a dry year, but this year may be even drier. The switchbacks were being used by May 23 last year.

June 13? Hope you are not either paraskavedekatriaphobic or triskaidekaphobic.

Expect snow and ice around the cables on the switchers.

Be extremely careful at the cables...

As for the stores: REI, Adventure 16, Sport Chalet, Sports Authority.

Be safe and have fun! We look forward to a trip report.

The 97 Switchbacks being used does not mean you can go up the trail without traction devices.

When the trail has been beaten in, it usually mean people will have Microspikes or less than equal on their footsies and a trekking pole in each hand. This is usually sufficient.

However, trekking poles do not replace an ice axe for glissading down the chute. Something that some have attempted in the past with disastrous results.

...and, when crossing the snow, especially at the top of the switchbacks, it could be mushy in the morning and fairly easy to cross. Remember later in the afternoon when the sun isn't on the snow, that same mushy snow will be ice and very dangerous.

Steve, I went up Whitney last Memorial Day weekend, which is when Whitney supposedly became "doable" for those without special equipment. While there were plenty of success stories (which is what people tend to remember or focus on), there were also a far number of turn backs, stuck people, minor rescues, major rescues, and injuries both minor and serious. There was a fair amount of snow and ice. This was my first person view.

People ignore the following all the time...never go higher than you can safely descend.

Most of us who go out in the winter see it all the time during the fourth season.

Summit fever...don't catch it.

Joe,

In 2007 we went up the chute in mid-May. The chute was sun drenched, firm but softening. When we got back the first couple hundred feet were in shade and hardening...since the temperature at 13,600' was close to freezing.

We climbed down to where the slope was sunny and glissaded the rest of the way down in virgin soft slush.

You need to be able to recognize what is safe and what is not safe to go up in these conditions.

Here are pictures from last May 26, 2013. We went up the chute, and down the switchbacks, and the pictures are in chronological order. I hear that even though this is a lower snow year overall, there is more snow at higher elevations in the Sierra.

Nice snow chute to climb, instead of the switchbacks. But snow deteriorated quickly (e.g., by 9 a.m.).





Summit snow field. This was relatively trivial to cross.

[img]https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...amp;oe=53EDA5E1[/img]

View of the 99 switchbacks. Doesn't look snowy? Think again. A few switchbacks were totally snowed/iced in.



Here is what the cables looked like last year on May 26. Relatively doable. But the day before, there were a number of rescues here and above the cables on some other switchbacks that were snowed in and iced over.





As we descended, we heard reports of additional rescues and injuries, including one woman who fell at some point on the trail and hit her head.

Not saying don't do it. Just saying that even in a low snow year, Memorial Day can still be technical, and/or that having proper tools and knowing how to use them may still apply. And just because 30 people may say they did it in flip flops and lived doesn't mean it is safe. Two weeks might, or might not, make a difference.

Akichow,

Over the years, here and at WPS message board, I have seen post along the line...I did this way and you can do it, too!

Your 30 doing in flip-flops bring this to mind. I have encountered people going up the places like the chute Microspikes and Trekking poles and have asked them...If you fall, how will you stop sliding? The answer most of the time is I do not fall.

That is essentially how a man died on Mt. Whitney, I glissaded last year with trekking poles as a brake, no problem...so, I'll do it this year. He hit ice and was unable to stop.

Just because someone does something stupid and gets away with it, it does not mean it can be replicated or is safe.

Ed Viesturs had a book titled, "There Are No Short Cuts to the Top". On Mt. Whitney this time of year, there are no short cuts from the top. You go higher than your skills allow, you will be living in interesting times for a bit of time.

May and June are two different animals - I really can't see why one would compare conditions in May to conditions in June. A whole bunch of snow will melt of between the middle to end of May and the middle of June.

Every year is different and there is still plenty of snow out there right now due to late season storms, but this was not a big snow year. You have a good chance of not needing any winter gear in the middle of June this year.

Note that I was responding more to Steve's comments re conditions last May 23, rather than the OP, since I was there just days later. As I noted, the additional two weeks "might" make a difference. The operative word being "might," given that, even though snow is less this year overall, I have heard that there is more snow at the higher elevations.

And I do appreciate all the "reality check" replies and pictures. It's pretty amazing to hear reports of hikers summiting without any snow or ice equipment.

People will eventually report that the minimal snow remaining on the trail caused them no trouble, but that will be sometime in June.

On June 20th, 2012, the only snow encountered was the snow field on the back side. Two deep ruts from boots across 40 yards of snow. Really no problem. No tools needed, although the hiking poles were handy.

This will not happen this year for sure but on 8/2/97, I crossed a similar snow field on Mt. Whitney, this was before the reconstruction of the trail around the mountain.

It is just not the size of the winter...I crossed Cottonwood Pass in early to mid June after the last two big winters. It is when was the last storm and how warm or cool is the spring...lot'sa factors go into this.

I believe if it not totally clear by mid-June there will be well beaten in paths through all the high sheltered north faces at the cables and above.

JC: I am assuming you don't have a ton of experience climbing in snow, which does not necessarily preclude you from doing Whitney on the Main Trail in June, provided you take a couple suggestions:

In short, yes, (i) plan on there being snow in early June at least in higher elevations, (ii) be prepared with crampons, ice axe and poles and (iii) importantly get some instruction and practice how to use them and how to self arrest if you are not familiar with their use. Absent i,ii,iii above, then wait until July/August to climb Whitney without snow in the crucial spots on the route.

Good luck!