Hi there!
Has anyone done the HST recently (partial or complete) and has an update on the trail conditions? I've already checked the NPS sources but also wanted to see if there were any trip reports in the last couple of weeks.
I am planning to fastpack from Crescent Meadow to Whitney in ~3 days in the first week of August. Thanks!
There is a pretty decent
HST group on Facebook.
It's "closed" so you have to request membership.
They approve requests pretty quick.
The close nature is to boot spammers or Mary Kay sales reps.
thank you! i'll request to join.
I made the mistake of trying to do the HST solo starting in the first week of July. The snow melt had just started in earnest, so the streams were at flood stage. I watched a tall guy wading across Hamilton Creek, and he was saturated to mid-chest. The water was icy, deep, and fast. Since I was out solo, I bailed.
Now, the snow melt has long since peaked, and it is declining now. Still, there are several stream crossings that are treacherous, like all of the tributaries to the Kern. Whitney, Wallace, Wright.
So, I'm not sure what methods you plan to employ to facilitate those crossings without major risk.
I was there two weeks ago and the crossings seemed manageable. However, I had to turn around at Hamilton Lakes (16 miles in) because one of the guys in our group had back issues. Made our way back to Crescent Meadows so still got in about 34 miles in 2 days...I'd love to go back and do the complete trail some day..