Mt Whitney Zone
Posted By: Bernie Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/10/10 04:24 PM
Whitney Won! My team got to 13,600 ft and turned around. Zero Visibility and -25 wind chill and 12" of new snow beat us.

Anyway, here is what I can tell:

Road closed at 6550 ft we drove up to 6700 then hiked to portal. 3.5 miles 2000 ft gain. I don't see you being able to get much further than that for a while.

Once we left main trail there was no track, snow at times up to my knees with 30" snow shoes. The Gully by Ebersbacher Ledges is a rough go, we stayed left of the stream on the way up, stayed off the ledges.

Made camp at Lower boy scout lake. With weather moving in we adjusted our plan and just went to Upper Boy Scout and went light and fast for the summit on third day. (the plan was great) We left tent at 4:30 Am and by 6:00 we made Iceburg and by 8 we were 13,600 ft. With zero vis it was time to turn around.

We had snow about 8" to 10" deep with breaking trail all the way with snow shoes. Never need crampons during our try just too much snow.

At one point coming down I took off snow shoes and dropped to my waist in snow.

Over all a great time in the portal area!
Posted By: Rod Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/10/10 04:35 PM
Good job. I would have taken the hike up the road to the portal and upon seeing the WPS closed and no chance for a pancake or Burger turned around.The rest of the trail will have to wait until there is no snow for me.
Posted By: Steve C Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/10/10 05:04 PM
Thanks for posting, Bernie. Congratulations on a successful trip -- it sounds like a very memorable experience.

Do you have any pictures?

And how many were in your group?
Posted By: Bernie Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/11/10 03:42 PM
There were 3 of us and I have several photos and will try to post them when i figure out how to.
Posted By: CaT Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/11/10 06:57 PM
Quote:
I have several photos and will try to post them when i figure out how to

If you have an account with a photo hosting website such as Flickr, SmugMug, Webshots, Picassa (and a couple of others that I'm sure I'm forgetting about), then all you have to do is upload them to an online photo album on that site, and then post a link to that album here.

CaT
Posted By: Rod Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/12/10 12:48 AM
Actually Bernie you won. You came back alive with another opportunity to conquer the summit another time.There is no winning or losing when you are in the Sierras.There is only the experience and living in the Moment.
Posted By: Bernie Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/12/10 12:42 PM
Very true, It's all about enjoying the great outdoors with great friends. Not how many summits you bag.
Posted By: wbtravis Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/12/10 04:49 PM
I keep telling folks many of my experience around the MMWT have been when there was not a thought of reaching the summit. You know, like walking on Lone Pine Lake on November day or climbing up the slope from Trailside Meadow to Consultation Lake in the middle of January with not a soul around.
Posted By: Bernie Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/12/10 05:01 PM
http://picasaweb.google.com/101459798150452738418/Whitney#

I think this is the link to the picasa account I just opened. I have 14 pictures up there for viewing. Enjoy
Posted By: Steve C Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/12/10 05:05 PM
Thanks Bernie. Great pictures. Now THAT's a winter camp!

Posted By: CaT Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/12/10 05:18 PM
Excellent, Bernie!
Glad you figured out the picture uploader.

CaT
Posted By: DobeMom Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/12/10 09:00 PM
Congrats on an awesome trip, Bernie! And thanks for sharing the photos, smile
Posted By: Rod Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/12/10 11:20 PM
Fantastic pics. I don't know what ledge that is someone is standing on in the dark but that looks pretty hairy. I would have thought it is the E ledges but you said you avoided them.Very pristine beauty.Thanks for sharing.
Posted By: wbtravis Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/13/10 02:09 AM
Now Doc, doesn't that make you want come out and play with us in the winter?
Posted By: Rod Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/13/10 05:29 PM
It makes me think about it but then the reality of sleeping on the snow. The constant concern about staying warm and dry.Boots on and off. Threats of blizzards make those thoughts go away.
Posted By: wbtravis Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/14/10 02:55 AM
Damn, that's nothing that a -20* F sleeping bag and two pads doesn't solve. I usually sleep in my undies in the middle of winter...just like summer.

Dry = warm...and I always have a lot of dry clothes in the winter.
Posted By: Mike Condron Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/14/10 04:17 AM
Quote:
Dry = warm

The key to winter time camping.
Posted By: Bernie Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/15/10 03:30 PM
That ledge is just the trail we cut into the slope below Iceburg lake. We stayed right of the drainage going up to Iceburg.
Posted By: + @ti2d Re: Whitney Won! March 4th thru 7th - 03/15/10 06:34 PM
Originally Posted By: Steve C
Thanks Bernie. Great pictures. Now THAT's a winter camp!


Definitely a Xmas Card picture, Bernie!
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