Mount Whitney, CA over Labor Day Weekend

[Jim]

I'm floating the idea of doing Whitney over labor day weekend via the harder, shorter, quicker, class 3 Mountaineers route. Is anyone interested in this?

[Davis2001r6]

You'll probably like the mountaineers route more anyways. Just watch the weather, they already got some snow in the rockies. Already have plans for the weekend or I would consider it.

[pickelltree]

are you driving there and do you need permits

[Jim]

are you driving there and do you need permits

I have no permits, so I would need them. I would be driving, except no one has responded and I need permits so I'm holding off. I'd still go to the area to see the range, hike or climb a lesser peak and plan for Whitney in the future, but I want someone to come with to share in the expenses. Otherwise its more prudent for me to not go.

When I initially posted this I was working with out-dated info that claimed the MR didn't need permits.

[Davis2001r6]

If for some reason you can't get a Whitney permit, head over to Cottonwood Lakes TH and Climb Mt. Langley (another 14'er) From the TH it's a longer 18-19 miles RT but if you camp at Cottonwood Lake (permit still required) it's only 6 miles RT or so from there. Cottonwood lakes in awesome place to camp.

Yeah they just changed the permit requirement this year for the MR. Before day-hiking it was G2G sans permit, not any more. Still should have no problem getting a permit though.

[pickelltree]

if you do decide to go i will go with, i have to be back for work on tuesday and am coming from tempe after work ~ 3 30 leave time. i drive a jeep so i could drive but the gas milage is not good. let me know

[Jim]

I'm betting that we can't get a Whitney Zone Permit. I have done some fast searching on summit post and come up with Mount Agassiz. Yes, California has both a Humphrey and an Agassiz like we do. Its a 13er, 13,893 to be exact. I don't know about the road getting to the trailhead, but its about 9 hours round trip from there. Its also about 500 miles and 8 hours to Bishop, CA.

I'll send you a PM with links to the trail/climb description and FS permit info.

[Davis2001r6]

Sent you a PM on permits, can't post links in here.

[JimmyLyding]

Looks like you did it. Looks like an awesome trip. Thanks for the pictures. I've already told my roommate that we're doing this next year.

[BobP]

Jhodlof

Great pics. I think this will go on my list for next year.

Bob

[Jim]

Now that winter is approaching, who is up for it then? Do Humphrey in Winter before you decide.

[Jim]

Boo!

[Jim]

This may be back on for the period just after the 25th of December. It will probably not be the MR as originally hoped for, but would be the much easier class 1 Main Trail. While there will be snow it shouldn't add much technical difficulty to the climb. Probably the most it would do is allow us to go directly upslope in the area of the switchbacks. This would make it a "class 2" snow climb, but other than cold weather winter gear the only specialized equipment necessary are crampons, snowshoes, and an ice ax.

[Davis2001r6]

Don't forget you may have to park miles down the road. Is this supposed to be a dayhike or overnight?

[Jim]

It would be a multi day overnighter. Possibly just one night.

[Davis2001r6]

That's what I figured. Why not take the MR though? Isn't that what most do in the winter? Climbing up the slope to avoid the switchbacks won't be too bad, but having to downstep that would be a real pain.

[Jim]

The MR is what I had initially wanted to do, but there hasn't been much snow yet, and until an adequate snow pack develops that means climbing the ledges with snow and a pack on. Also, the final 400 may be difficult/ unsafe if the snow in the gully is powder and not crusted over yet. I still prefer the MR, but the trail is most likely safer early in the winter.

[Davis2001r6]

If lack of snow is the problem I wouldn't want to be trying the main trail then either. Hopefully the get a few good storms before then, I would check the whitney portal store website for the most current info on conditions.

[Jim]

Thin, but existent snow is probably more of a problem on the MR than the trail, since the MR has the ledges and not much more than cairns past Lower Boyscout Lake. I have heard that you could break an ankle or leg on the MR in its current state, and I do not want to head up the ledges when they are covered in snow and ice and with my pack on. In later winter the snow thickens and you can head up the valley on top of the willows, and you don't have to worry about dropping your foot through the snow into a hole in the rocks. The trail should be pretty safe compared to the MR, since you don't have these obstacles. How things will be on the slope with all the switchbacks is a different matter, but other than the length of the slope it may be safer than the MR since those gullies apparently don't get enough sun or its too cold above 14,000' to melt the top and form a crust. The switchback area does, since its got more exposure and it lower. Thats what I read from the experts.