Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Some making it

Hi Some are reaching the summit on the main trail but still many are turning back around Trail Camp. Cable area still snowed in and most are going up the chute, Storm moving in the week with cold air mass so watch summit temps and wind .Be safe. This early part of the season is when we see accidents and injury, due to conditions and people not understanding the changing condition by the hour.

Sun Glasses!!!!!SUNSCREEN!!!!! Extra DRY SOCKS and be ready to turn back, make this early trip a recon and return when the trail is dry and the weather is warm.

Thanks Doug

Thanks Doug; question--what is the outlook for this Fri and Sat? I saw the TR above from May 3 and it looks pretty good; weather report looks good too.

One final dumb question--are we still at the point in the season where no permit is required?

Thanks.

Hi Permits are required , but very few hikes are showing up so a walk in permit could work.
Most are staying at Outpost on the overnight trips and making Trailcrest the Summit.

You are correct about the weather, but still we just had fresh snow on the upper section of the Mountain and this will require new track to pack down before it is easy to find to trail camp.

Thanks Doug.

In addition to cold weather gear, ice axe and crampons, but no snow shoes necessary?

Any reason not to go over to Muir while up there?

I got overnight permit reserved.

steelfrog,

My observation from the Mountain on Sat May 3 was:

(1) The East Buttress Route of Muir had snow on it.

(2) From the west, the short scramble up Muir from the Main Mt Whitney Trail to the summit was completely free of snow.

At 0800 on May 3 at Trail Crest, I met two men who were planning to head up Muir and then return directly to the Portal. They were likely back at the Store well before it closed and might have left the Portal Crew an account of their experience.

Of course, it has snowed on the Mountain since, so the game has changed some.

Jim F