Mt Whitney Zone
Posted By: Bulldog34 Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 01:36 AM
Gonna be out there in February for my annual winter Death Valley hiking trip, and the idea occurred to me about possibly taking a day to snowshoe up the Portal Road to . . . the Portal. I think I've read some brief accounts of folks doing this in the winter, but I can't recall the specifics. Seems like a cool thing to do for those of us woefully lacking in serious winter skills (i.e., crampon and ice axe). Anyone done this before and have feedback?

Looking at the map, it appears to be something on the order of 7 miles each way and about 2000 feet of gain - does this sound right? That's measured from the road's first right turn at about 6600 feet, heading up to the first switchback, which is where I recall seeing the Road Closed signs a couple of winters ago.

I realize it's 5 months away, but I'm funny that way. Cogitating on what I'll do in Death Valley in February and the Sierra in summer gets me through the boring winters.
Posted By: KevinR Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 02:07 AM
Doug arranged a couple of hikes thru the Alabama Hills last winter. On the first one we car-pooled from the Hostel to about the 5K' point - the road above that was mostly impassable - and then snowshoed/hiked down to the Hostel thru the hills. I think it was about 13 miles.

The second was in early spring - we started just below the first switchback - maybe 6,500'? - then hiked up to the Portal and back to the vehicles. We then drove down to about 4K', and hiked back into town thru the hills.

You might check with Doug - I have a hunch he'll arrange these outings again this year. If he does, maybe you can coordinate the timing with your DV trip.
Posted By: bobpickering Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 05:29 AM
I once skied up to Trail Camp in January. We got 6"-12" of snow that night. Soloing Muir the next morning was a bit dicey with all that fresh snow on it. Later that year (March 7), we skied from the Whitney summit all the way down to where they close the road for winter. Yes, you can hike up as far as you like.

Gary, it's becoming increasingly obvious that you are addicted. You need to move out west so you can play up high every weekend without buying a plane ticket or taking a day off from work. You can always fly back to Atlanta to watch the annual UGA pounding of GT on Thanksgiving weekend. Are you working on this?
Posted By: Bulldog34 Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 12:21 PM
How I wish, Bob! Let's just say long-term plans, at least for a permanent summer getaway. Seven more years of middle and high school left for our daughter, so we have time to figure this out. But hell, by then I'll be closing in on 60 and might as well hang up the hiking boots. Oh, wait - someone just did a MR double in their 60s, so maybe not . . . smile

This past summer was my wife's first visit to the Eastern Sierra and the Portal. She was smitten, and finally understood my fascination with the area. As we were driving down from the Portal the last day there, she pointed to the cabin homes on the mountainside above the campgrounds and said, "Honey, what do you think those go for . . . ?"

My reply: "A decent lottery win." Guess what she's done religiously since we've been back?
Posted By: Steve C Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 04:11 PM
> But hell, by then I'll be closing in on 60 and might as well hang up the hiking boots.

I've got news for you Gary.... 60 ( mad ) is no reason to hang em up.
Posted By: Bulldog34 Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 04:32 PM
That's the problem with some old farts - can't take a joke . . . grin

Someone remind me again how old Bob Rockwell is? Around 20 years my senior and could run circles around me in the Sierra . . .
Posted By: bobpickering Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 04:36 PM
Gary:

The Sierra has great climbing on high peaks from Horseshoe Meadow all the way to Sonora Pass. Then there is a whole different kind of climbing on Mt. Shasta. Reno is the place to be, if the jobs ever come back. It's about 3.5 hours to Mt. Shasta City, 3 hours to Yosemite, 3.5 hours to Bishop, and maybe 5 hours to Whitney Portal. Oh, yeah, it's 40 minutes to Mt. Rose, where I can breathe some thin air any time I have two gallons of gas and a few hours to kill.

Whitney is the high-profile prize because it's the highest peak in the 48 states, but there are hundreds of other worthy peaks in California. Even ordinary mortals can reach many of them as a day trip with no heavy pack, no bear canister, no permit, no fees, no quota BS, and no crowds. I once signed a register that had fewer than ten entries in it, and one of them was Norman Clyde from the mid 1930's.

My point is that you shouldn't tie yourself to Whitney by buying an overpriced cabin. See it all. It sounds like the bug has bitten your daughter too. She might decide that living near the mountains outweighs the hassle of moving and changing schools. You should take her climbing as much as possible before she discovers boys and heads off to some party school to further her education.
Posted By: Bulldog34 Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 04:54 PM
Originally Posted By: bobpickering
You should take her climbing as much as possible before she discovers boys and heads off to some party school to further her education.


Hmmm . . . and which "party school" did you have in mind, Bob? Nothing but the best for my little girl!

Nah, we'd never lock into a single summer getaway. It was really just an illustration of how quickly my wife went from, "What the hell are you thinking?!" regarding my multiple solo Sierra/DV hiking trips to, "Oh, I get it now! I'm coming with from now on!"

Atlanta will always be our permanent residence, regardless of what we do for summer fun. The roots are far too deep, the local school system is exceptional, the climate is great 9 months out of the year, and (no small matter) the house is paid for. It would take an H-bomb to pry us loose. Our philosophy is that God invented the airplane for the sole purpose of getting us west several times a year.

Also, one of the benefits for me as a newly-minted Quarter Century Club employee of Marriott is free lodging for the remainder of my life. Lots of options there, but just not anywhere along the good parts of 395. I've been trying to talk Doug into building a Lone Pine Marriott.

A lottery win would be nice though . . .
Posted By: Tomcat_rc Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 04:56 PM
Originally Posted By: bobpickering
Gary:


Whitney is the high-profile prize because it's the highest peak in the 48 states, but there are hundreds of other worthy peaks in California.


Now you know why we call her the blonde.
Posted By: tdtz Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 05:12 PM
I saw a youtube video of a guy skiing down Whitney and it definitely piqued my interest. When I was a kid growing up in Tahoe we would regularly hike up a mountain with skis attached to an external frame backpack and then ski down. The first hike-up/ski-down was the peak on the north shore of Emerald bay.

Of note, we did cause a little avalanche that closed hwy 89...and our cars were on the wrong side of the avalanche. We had to drive all the way around the lake to get home. (shh, don't tell...never did get caught for that little stunt).



I'm very interested in hiking up Whitney as far as I can in a day with some skis strapped to my back and then skiing down.....
Posted By: Steve C Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 05:40 PM
There are some very hardy ski-animals who have come around to Whitney and over from Cottonwood Pass in February or March and skied down.

They have way better downhill abilities than I! I've sworn off even heading into the Pear Lake Hut in Sequoia NP in winter because I value my knees. Just haven't mastered those telemark turns. eek
Posted By: tdtz Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 06:21 PM
I'm a straight downhill skier....no telemarking here. I was very aggressive when I was younger, but one blown up knee (Mt Rose) and one dislocated shoulder (Mammoth) and I've slowed down a little bit. Still...I'd like the little feather in my cap "I skied Mt Whitney"
Posted By: quillansculpture Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 09:09 PM
Gary....here's a home in Lone Pine Barb might like!!! Maybe I should just tell her :-)


Listing in Lone Pine for Gary :-)
Posted By: Bulldog34 Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 09:40 PM
Yeah, that's just what we need Joe - a summer home in the Owens Valley. Let's get away from hot-as-hell in the summer to more hot-as-hell in the summer, just minus the humidity. I think you're missing the point of what a summer getaway means to us Atlantans. Now, Mammoth I could live happily in during the summer!
Posted By: Steve C Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 10:06 PM
Gary, you would really like that house... it has a swamp cooler but no AC! grin
Posted By: + @ti2d Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 10:10 PM
Originally Posted By: Steve C
...swamp cooler...

Hey, maybe I should change my name from positive to "swamp cooler." Freeze them Gators for the Dogs to chomp!

SCORE!!!!!!! Get up off that! Who let the dogs out?
Posted By: + @ti2d Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 10:13 PM
Originally Posted By: quillansculpture
Gary....here's a home in Lone Pine Barb might like!!! Maybe I should just tell her :-)


Listing in Lone Pine for Gary :-)


I believe my wife and I saw this house during out trip to the holy city in June. I believe it is in the "Beverly Hills" district of Lone Pine.

It is within staggering distance of Jakes and the Double L...no cab required. Just gotta watch fer the semis if going home from Jakes! crazy

B Double E Double R U N...Beer run...
Posted By: Bulldog34 Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 10:13 PM
After the no-show for the Dogs in Columbia this weekend, my optimism is gone. I hate seeing Steve Spurrier smile at our expense. Jim (sierragator) is probably gonna have a field day with me come late October.


Originally Posted By: + @ti2d
I believe my wife and I saw this house during out trip to the holy city in June. I believe it is in the "Beverly Hills" district of Lone Pine.


Uh, yeah - I believe it . . . at least till the new homes get built near the Alabama Hills.
Posted By: tdtz Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 10:25 PM
I kinda like that house....quaint.

If I can get a good internet connection there.....hmmmmm

although the wife might not approve of the new digs.
Posted By: + @ti2d Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 10:27 PM
Originally Posted By: Bulldog34
...Alabama...

Don't think no Bulldog want to live in the Bama Hills! whistle

Okay, now back to snowshoeing portion of our regularly scheduled thread...

Have fun...
Posted By: Tomcat_rc Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/14/10 10:37 PM
And now - for your viewing pleasure(or just a big tease)

snowshoe trip
Posted By: Bulldog34 Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/15/10 12:57 AM
Cool album Tom - I don't think I've ever seen a photo of Laura having fallen on her kiester! So for a long time I've wondered: what does the "_rc" stand for? Rock climber? Radical communist? What?

The snowshoe idea was a wild hair and I think I may need to shelve this idea for the time being. Snowshoing sounded simple and fun, having never done it before, but after researching the concept it appears to be pretty damn expensive gear-wise for a one-time jaunt. To the tune of probably $500-$700 for decent snowshoes, waterproof boots, the right poles/baskets, and the necessary winter/snow shell and pants. That, along with the fact there's nowhere to train in the damn things in my neck of the woods. Guess I'm stuck with what I am - a four-season hiker in the South and a one-season hiker out West (outside of DV).
Posted By: Tomcat_rc Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/15/10 02:03 AM
Ha - a lot simpler that that.
rc = Ridgecrest
Posted By: Bulldog34 Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/15/10 02:17 AM
Got it! So Bob R just forgot the "C", right?
Posted By: Bee Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/15/10 03:19 AM
Originally Posted By: Bulldog34
Got it! So Bob R just forgot the "C", right?

*groan*

BTW, many sporting goods stores rent snowshoes for incredibly cheap daily prices. I used hiking poles with winter baskets (+-$4)and leather hiking boots waterproofed with silicone spray + regular hiking pants sprayed with silicone, too(you do not fall that often, really, in fact I never fell) I went for the first time this last year (on a warm & sunny day after a storm) and found snowshoing to be very enjoyable, abeit strenuous if one is carrying any amount of weight up any sort of incline.
Posted By: + @ti2d Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/15/10 02:48 PM
Originally Posted By: Bulldog34
Cool album Tom - I don't think I've ever seen a photo of Laura having fallen on her kiester! So for a long time I've wondered: what does the "_rc" stand for? Rock climber? Radical communist? What?

The snowshoe idea was a wild hair and I think I may need to shelve this idea for the time being. Snowshoing sounded simple and fun, having never done it before, but after researching the concept it appears to be pretty damn expensive gear-wise for a one-time jaunt. To the tune of probably $500-$700 for decent snowshoes, waterproof boots, the right poles/baskets, and the necessary winter/snow shell and pants. That, along with the fact there's nowhere to train in the damn things in my neck of the woods. Guess I'm stuck with what I am - a four-season hiker in the South and a one-season hiker out West (outside of DV).

Come on out to the holy city of Coarsegold, and we can snowshoe near Badger Pass in Yosemite in March.

I feel there is no need to train for snowshoeing...just get out there and...


HAVE FUN!
Posted By: Ken Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/16/10 05:42 AM
I agree with Bee. While one can take a "high-tech" approach, one can also do a very low tech, inexpensive approach that works just fine.
Posted By: catpappy Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/17/10 12:38 AM
Hold on Gary, you can get into this for a lot less than $500. Also, a bit more close to home. Most years thay shut down parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Smokies when there is a good snow dump. Some years ago in March I think it was, there was a single storm dump of 50". They closed off about 14 miles of parkway near Grandfather Mtn. including the Linn Cove Viaduct. I tried a bit of XC sking and snowshoeing. It was a blast. There are some good pics of the Linn Cove Viaduct on the web.
Posted By: Bulldog34 Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/17/10 01:54 AM
Hey John, 7:00 am Saturday at Kennesaw Mt - my only hiking window this weekend (taking the family to the Falcons game Sunday). Lemme know if you can make it. Just like last weekend, I'll carry 10 pounds, you carry 35. Works fer me dude.

Everyone else, catpappy will be out there to do a multi-nighter on Whitney in less than two weeks - his 3rd or 4th time. Ya'll treat my homeboy good and somebody buy him a Moose Drool or two at the Portal for me.

I'll keep my options open on the whole snowshoeing thing. The way I saw it, though, is:

Snowshoes - $130 to $170
Waterproof boots - $125 to $150
Snow/rain pants - $75 to $100
Snow/winter shell - $100 to $150
Snow trekking poles - $120 to $150

I own none of these, being a 3-season hiker (4 in Georgia). Would all these not be absolutely necessary hiking up the Portal Road in February?
Posted By: Bee Re: Snowshoeing to the Portal . . . - 09/17/10 04:35 AM
Snow Shoes: Rent 'em: $10-20/day

Boots:$10 Silicone Spray. are your hikers not Gore-tex'd? Mine have a Gore-Tex "inner" and I siliconed the outer...no prob for a first time "test".I honestly doubt that you would go farther than 5mi the first time out (its all about technique)

Snow Pants: You will be working your a$$ off sweating! Hiking pants sprayed will do fine -- it is not like X-c skiing; you do not fall much...(famous last words)

Winter Shell: Huh? a VEST at the most! Or whatever shell you carry for backpacking if you are resting too much...I do not have a "winter" designated shell. I have ONE shell -- marmot Precip -- and it covers all bases.

Snow Trekking Poles: You already have these(if not, you should get some) -- they are called hiking poles. Put winter baskets on them and they become "Snow Trekking Poles"...take the baskets off and they become "Ice Axe" (don't axe)

I do not mean to sound like a nag, but "technical" gear for a first time outing is overkill...I always back into any new sport very low on the gear investment (most of my backpacking gear is STILL the same used stuff I started out with...and I still love it)
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