Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Photos from main route 22/23 June

Hi everyone,

I travelled from the UK and made an attempt to climb Whitney last week on the 22nd and 23rd. I only got to about 13,000ft on the snow chute before turning back. Have a look at my photos at:
http://www.edwardboyle.com/photos41.html

- I had an ice axe and 6-point instep crampons. I do a lot of walking in Scotland (where I live) in thw winter but I found the cabled section of the switchbacks too challenging. I think it will be very difficult to pass for many weeks to come even if the rest of the switchbacks melt.

- The surface of the snow-chute was very uneven with deep snow cups and fear of an ankle injury made me decide not to go any further; however many other people with 12-point crampons and in groups made it to the summit that day (I was solo).

- From reading other posts some people are making the summit with no ice axe or crampons; even allowing for the week of melting there has been since I was on the trail I would consider this much too risky.

- A good alternative route I should have tried (but didn't realise until I was back in the UK reading this message board!) would have been to traverse across the snow chute from the 13,000ft point near the prominent vertical rock band to the switchbacks above the cabled section, and then up the switchbacks to trail crest.

- I didn't get my permit checked and I didn't see a ranger the whole 2 days! Still, it's not worth risking it and going without a permit.

- I camped at Trail Camp which meant hauling camping gear, crampons and ice-axe up nearly 4,000ft. The experience of such a high and remote camp was wonderful but I wouldn't like to do it again in a hurry. If I had a chance to do the trail again I'd wait until late August or early September, get a midweek walk-in permit and do it in one long day.

- I hired a bear cannister from the rangers but this was ridiculously large and heavy for the small amount of food I had - and there's NO way any self-respecting bear would be lurking around trail camp when it's much warmer lower down (and the pickings are a lot easier). It was useful to keep the marmots away I suppose, but I really think it's unnecesary weight if you're camping at Trail Camp.

- Had an awesome time even though I didn't make the summit!

Eddie Boyle

eddie, thanks for the really excellent pictures.
glad you had a good time, and hope to see you out there next time!

Eddie thanks for your photos, they may just help the rest of us. Hope you can make a return trip! Thanks again.

im shocked by the amount of snow starting the whitney zone and evry else at this time of yr, awesome pictures thanks

Eddie,
I believe a friend and I spoke to you while we were sitting on a rock pile just above trailcamp. I recall you saying that the 6 point crampons were holding you back from a solo ascent.
Anyway, just wanted to say "Hello", and thanks for the pictures...
Rob

Walther,

Yes I wish I had had a proper set of crampons - but I felt that carrying a load of mountaineering gear all the way from the UK wasn't really an option so I had to compromise - and I felt that renting equipment whose fit is so vitally important wasn't a good idea, and I carried my venerable ice-axe 7000 miles from Scotland! My trip was always a gamble I guess. Trick about gambling is knowing when to quit :->

Some people are making it to the summit without winter mountaineering gear, but I think the mental and physical toughness required to do this in these exceptional conditions should always be stressed.

I hope your group made it up - although summits aren't everything. The scenery and the physical challenge of the Whitney trail are goals in themselves.

Incidentally, 12 hours after getting off the plane at San Francisco, I was making an acclimatisation hike on Leavitt Peak from the Sonora Pass - the snow conditions there were even harder than Whitney and I didn't make that summit either - but the experience of seeing the incredible snow-capped Sierra peaks made the whole trip a blast...