Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Updated weather/MR trail conditions?

Hey!

Does anyone have current condtions for the MR trail, we had a little storm go through Orange County this weekend and was wondering what it was like up there? Did Whitney get much snow, was anyone up on the mountain last weekend (17-18)? Thanks, I am planning a trip for this upcoming weekend and would like to get an idea of what the trail conditions are like. Thanks again in advance.

Lates

J - I was able to get a pretty good idea of the route conditions from some of the other topics on the message board. 3 of us are headed up the MR this weekend as well, and we are expecting snow above LBSL; should be well consolidated on the trail. Fresh powdery conditions in the coulior, with the hope that it has stabilized from the 10+" they got over last weekend. Snowshoes on the trail in are of questionable value, expecting some post-holing as an inevitability. We'll probably camp at either UBSL or Iceberg lake, catch you up there.

see my recent post on MR conditions. We were there 18-19. You'll encounter snow below the ledges but there's boot track to follow. Ledges are snow free. You'll run into little snow just below LBSL and its all snow from LBSL on. We did not take snow shoes b/c the day time temps were pretty low and the snow was very consolidated all the way to our high camp (above UBSL but below Iceberg at about 11,800). Even if things warm up now, I don't think snow shoes would be much help, though post holing may be inevitable as JohnT says.

Use caution on creek crossings! Snow has melted quite a bit and don't be the one to plunge into the creek! Definately use the ledges.

Hopefully, the chute will have stabilized by this weekend. Good luck!

Let me know if anyone wants pics.

Thanks Eiji for the report sounds like it will be a great weekend, if the weather holds up and the snow stabilizes it should be a perfect weekend.

John T, just like your group, we also plan on camping at either UBSL or Iceberg, we'll catch up with you on the ice. Climb safe brudda!