The winter storm hit the Whitney area on monday, lots of powder above 9k, and a significant amount all the way to 5.5k. The lowest I've seen the snowline in years.
Darren and I got a decent two-snowshoe wide trail in as far as the slope above Mirror Lake. After that, it's more likely knee deep pushing with occasional thigh deep points. This last front put over a foot of fresh overnight at Mirror, and I'd bet there's the same or more above.
With luck, the trail will be faint, but still followable. There's a great pad at Outpost near the Solar, and a 4ft pit near Mirror, enjoy!
**Darren doesn't ski, so I left the AT's in the car...big mistake! If you like sticks, bring 'em the conditions are truely nirvana!
Temps at 10k ish, high 20's day, low teens pm's, on monday/tues wicked gusts of winds were picking up to 30-40mph blowing spindrift at the exact height of your sunglasses (didn't matter how tall you were) fairly steady breezes of 5mph otherwise.
**Darren and I heard a HUGE air displacement at 2pm on saturday, looked for the slope, but found no signs of shift. A pit above Mirror showed two weakness points, with unconsolidated underneath, and powder above...no biggy, but we brought beacons anyway.
Climb safe, and keep the pink-parts warm,
Michael
