Hi: From Doug's description of the E-ledges portion of the route:

This is the start of the Ebersbacher Ledges. Look up and to the right, and you will see the “pine tree.” Work your way up the crack to the tree. At the tree, look to the east and the ramp is straight ahead. Stay close to the wall and you should see the path. Walk 150’ east on this narrow ramp (level). At this point you will step up, gaining about three feet of elevation. Follow this ramp, continuing east for 175 feet, staying next to the wall (away from the drop-off). This will get you to a short section of stair steps about 5 feet up and about 5 feet east.

MAKE A MENTAL NOTE OF THIS POINT. This is the turning point on the way down. If you miss this and continue on the upper ledge, you will need a rope and climbing skills to get down.
As you leave the ledge, head straight for the main wall in front of you. At the base of this wall (100’) you will find the path.


Perhaps all this is obvious when one is up there, however, to clarify for those not familiar with the route (me): One goes east for 150 feet, then up 3 feet, then east again another 175 feet, then up and east 5 feet. Is this the point when we turn west to walk off the ledges?

From what I've read there are 2 ways to go west, after going East, one below the trees, which is easier but more exposed, and above the trees. Any preference?

Thanks in advance,

K

Hi I am not sure the statement easier is correct on the lower option but can give the reasoning for the upper choice.
My son watched a person face near death on the lower otion and we lost a friend to a fall off the lower option.

During the North Fork route path selection the main concerns were
resource damage and reducing accidents. Each mountain has certain areas that see the most accidents , making a few minor suggestion these can be avoided or made aware of so people don't blindly walk into the problem area.

Five very direct paths will take you up to Lower Boyscout Lake. Of these options we know most people will be lost or waste many hours without reaching higher than half way up the canyon and do damage creating more false trail that dead end into the willows.

The path most follow now will avoid the wasted time and should reduce the risk of a fall.

Another section that had/has a fatal fall option is the area just past the notch some years ago (25?) a climber wrote about an option that he found during the drought and suggested walking across the slope to join the summit Ridge. This option has recorded several fatal falls, We have a set of photos of accident details and how one could think this option would be "EASIER" than the rock chute.

The mountaineering route is a climbers option and offers a different way to the summit or the many climbing routes in the canyon, it is not a short cut or a fast way up or down and most non climbers will not like the steepness of the route or in many sections the exposure.
Thanks Doug

KMC,
As an alternative to counting your steps, you might want to consider going to YouTube, and searching "E-Ledges Mt. Whitney". There, you will find many videos of the E-Ledges for reference. Keep in mind the trail changes over time. In these videos you will likely see a log wedged against a large rock that requires climbing over. That log is no longer there.
John

If you see this, then you've gone too high...

Slow day in the Portal, so I took a stroll around the North Fork.

I walked down past the overflow lot and then went straight up to join the Main Trail, I like this walk because you see the old phone line and the remains of trails.

I took the standard North fork trail to the ledges ,checking old use trails and can see very little traffic on most and some none.

On the way down I took the old south side route, I call this the John Muir path. This seems to be his route on the summit hike back in the 1800's. We would use this route when we were just going out for a workout somewhat hard to follow and very much like the last 400' after the notch.

On this route I found the 78 triangle shaped rocks that mark the crossing to the north side and always in view was the "TREE" I didn't have time to get lost so just stayed on the climbers trail back down. This crosses the Main trail just south/or north of the John Muir Wilderness sign.Now you can join the main trail down or take the very steep slabs back into the Portal. These slabs are sometimes covered with sheet ice and / or loose gravel. On second thought most opt for the Main trail!

The established North Fork Trail is much faster and little if any chance to end your trip in the willows in the first canyon.

Maybe next week I will go up with Amy/Myles and do the construction workers easy slab route.I did see a sling on the exit of the slabs on my way past today.

Early last Saturday morning (7/9) I left the Main Trail and headed up the North Fork (north side) to hike the Circumnavigation Route. Soon I was in the Tunnel and nearly across the creek when I slipped on a wet rock and crash-landed, leaving me partially on the bank and partially in the water. My glasses were trashed and the right (clear) lens had fallen out, either into the creek (and headed to the Portal Pond) or on the bank. A ten minute search (using back-up glasses) yielded nothing. I continued up the North Fork.

Three days later (yesterday), I learned my glasses are likely salvageable, if I can retrieve the missing lens (thus saving me a couple of hundred dollars). In the unlikely event anyone comes across a lonely glass lens on the south bank of the Tunnel crossing, it would be greatly appreciated if you would PM me.

Incidentally, near the end of the outing (and really tired} I was coming down the Main Trail when I approached a North Fork creek crossing again. It was flowing pretty strong and I saw all those wet rocks I needed to step on to get across. I backtracked forty yards and took the Old Trail back to the Portal. The Old Trail never looked so good!