Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Got any tips about heading down the first chute above the notch?

Fellow lug souls,

Last month I did the Mountaineer’s Route for the first time, spending the night at Upper Boy Scout Lake (had a blast), and I’d like to do it again as a day hike on Sunday, Sept. 6. While I’m very confident about climbing up the FIRST chute to the left past the notch (it tops out nearest the “Toilet in the Sky,”) I’m a bit unsure about getting back down the same chute.

We descended the rocky area that ran down the left side (this is on the left side while facing *down* from the summit). However, about two-thirds of the way down to the notch, the guy leading our group crossed over to the right side. I’m somewhat concerned about getting into a jamb on the way down. Does anyone have any tried-and-true pointers or marks I can look for? Is there anything I should clearly avoid, other than the obvious (ice and big drops)? Or does the "any-way-that-works/play-it-by-ear" method apply here?

Come to think of it, is anyone going up the MR that Sunday?

(Bob R: Doug Sr. introduced me to you in the WP store after you came back from Mts. Mallory and Irvine the last weekend in July. I’m the guy from AAA; it was nice to meet you!)

Thanks,
L

A popular alternative is to hike back down the main trail. If you have some extra time you can bag Muir on the way by.

I thought of that, spinefxr, but don't I need a hike permit to head back down the main trail?

L

I'll be doing the MR on Sunday, the 5th, with CaT. I'm letting him make all the decisions on this climb (After all, he is coming across the country for this.), so if you want, you can run it past him as to whether you can join us.

As far as descending to the Notch from the summit: I do it the same way your leader did. On the way up, I start right (unless there is still snow in the jamb crack at the left); traverse left to a bunch of "steps;" then traverse right on an obvious ledge. After this, there are a bunch of different ways up to the summit ridge. (Come to think of it, there are a bunch of ways up all over that slope.)

Edit: I call it a jamb crack, rather than a jam crack, because it reminds me of the hinge side of a door. :-)

Richard, Law & spine,

Since this is my first time up the MR, and given Richard's significant hiking/climbing experience, once we're on the trail, I'll be defering to his experience, particularly in the more difficult spots, should that become an issue.

Richard, as long as you're game for others joining us, so am I; lawaneke, you're welcome to join us if OK with Richard. Richard, have you heard whether Bob and/or Bill might be joining us (I noticed your post elsewhere here inviting Bill to join us)?

Lawaneke - Sunday is the 5th.

As to the route, as long as it can be safely done without any technical roping, it's OK with me. We can play all that by ear as the spirit leads while on the way. And, at some point in the future, I would enjoy learning how to do the technical roping stuff.

Just now, I reconfirmed with Inyo yet again (just to be safe) the following: To round-trip dayhike the MR, no permit is needed (we all knew this). Even better, to dayhike up the MR and back down the Main Trail via Trail Crest, *no permit is needed*! The Trail Crest exit permit is only required for overnighting. Rangers we run into should agree with this, I was told.

Our plan at the moment is to start up the MR from the Portal at 0500. Although we could begin earlier, I'm not sure how enthusiastic we are about trying to negotiate the E-ledges in the dark with only a headlamp! If time, weather and post-summit bodies allow, I would love to descend via the Main Trail and bag at least Muir and perhaps one of the Needles along the way. (Richard, I know I hadn't mentioned this so far, but I had been thinking about it, and spinefxr's post above reminded me of this -- it is an appealing idea if we're up to it). Again, all this can be played by ear depending on how everyone feels at the time.

I'm really getting wired for this trip! I keep looking at trip report photos of Whitney, the MR, etc., and then remind myself that, in about one week, if all goes well, we'll be up there experiencing all of it for real!!

CaT

Cal-Trailwalker,
If it's okay with Richard and anyone else who winds up going, I'd love to join the group. Last month, we roped up to do the final chute above the notch, but I really don't think it was all that necessary.

I'll be arriving mid-morning on Saturday the 4th, and will head up to Lone Pine Lake or the E-Ledges while acclimating. (Look for the blue Sierra Designs tent in the Portal's drop-in campsite. The site is easy to find after you arrive at the Portal.)

As for the hike down the main trail, I could've sworn you needed a permit, even if it's one way only. I'll call the ranger station on Monday and double-check.

Thanks for including me!!
L

Lawaneke - I already called them them this evening and was very specific about how I asked about the permit situation (and this is not the first time I have called and asked this same question this year). For dayhikes only, no permit is needed to ascend the MR and descend the Main Trail. Trailhead entry point is everything.

By any chance, do you have a URL link to a recent picture of you somewhere that I could see? That would help in identifying you. Here's mine:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/179674226/179674752fbVUMh

I'll wait to hear more from Richard on adding to the group. I know that in e-mails we have exchanged, he had suggested the idea of inviting others to go along with us, which is a good idea.

Also, was there someone in your group from last month named Kevin Hawley? Just curious.

CaT

I don't have a problem with others joining us. I just want to point out that this is a climb, not a hike, so anyone who is coming along must feel comfortable with third class rock, with some nasty exposure in spots.

This is what I'm guessing time-wise: 6-7 hours up, if altitude doesn't become a problem. I've never done a descent of the Main Trail faster than 4.5-5 hours. (I'm not very fast down hill.) Adding in a trip up one of the Needles and Muir will add about 2 hours.

This puts us down at the Portal at 19:00, which in September is too late to order food. I'm OK with that; The Pizza Factory is an acceptable alternative for food.

Richard - I forgot that WPS stops doing food an hour before closing and that in Sept, closing is at 2000, so we'd get there just as the kitchen was closing for the evening.

What would you estimate for a down time if we descended the MR the same way we ascended?

Or, would we make it in time to eat at the WPS if we descended the main trail, but didn't do any Needle or Muir side trips?

These questions, of course, assume no altitude or other problems that would cause delays.

Actually, before anything else, I should ask you what your personal preferred descent route is, based on your experience -- MR or main trail?

CaT

Richard, just wondering what area you were calling nasty exposure? I only remember about fifty feet of the EB ledges to be exposed, with a little concern in down climbing the chute above the notch. But I have also noticed everytime I do a peak the trip seems to be a totally new experience.

I actually like the Main Trail for the descent...less risk, but it is a longer trip down. We'd probably be able to descend the North Fork in 3-4 hours (again, assuming no altitude issues). I think we could get Muir in on the way down and still make the kitchen cut-off, if all goes well on the way up.

There are three spots where I've seen people get f.r.e.a.k.e.d (adjusted for the censor) out by the view down: the traverse at the EB ledges; the cliff below Iceberg; the last chute above the Notch.

OK. Sounds like a plan (MR ascent, main trail descent, Muir added in if time and other conditions allow, and to top it all off, dinner at Doug's, er, WPS).

From others' postings, I don't recall a mention of a cliff below Iceberg before. I'm sure it won't be a problem, but is there a picture of it anywhere in one of your photo albums that I might have missed, not knowing what it was? Just curious.

Don't you leave for your cycling trip shortly? I assume that, once you leave for that, I won't be able to contact you again until we meet at WPS for our MR climb?

CaT

This picture shows the cliff in winter. I don't have any summer pictures of it.

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If you recall the discussions of the "waterfall" pitch, maybe it will jog your memory. Like the area above the Notch, there are many ways to climb this, including a steep "use" trail closer to the face of Whitney. If you don't mind the climbing, you can save some time by going up farther "east."

We'll be leaving Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. (Can you tell yet that I like to do things spur-of-the-moment? Other than a couple of Bob's trips, this is the farthest in advance that I've known that I'm doing a climb in quite a while.) I'm still planning on calling, and you can send e-mail anytime (I have access via my mobile phone).

Richard - Imagining the Iceberg cliff without the snow, it shouldn't be a problem.

I'd be spur-of-the-moment like you if I lived in CA. But coming from the summer-rain-forest/winter-netherworld of the Midwest, I have to plan ahead a bit more when traveling out there to God's Country. And all the more so this trip, given the whirlwind nature of the weekend for me.

It's roughly 9:30 a.m. now (your time); I'll be home for the next few hours if you want to call.

Sounds like you have one of those state-of-the-art cell phones. I would imagine e-mails done by phone would have to be pretty short.

Talk to you before long.

David
(CaT)