Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board newbie wants to sunrise summit BAD IDEA?

Kurt -- I sympathize with your situation. I am used to dealing with temperature in SI units. Anything below around 285 means I wear a coat and minus 10 is...well, illegal.

Seriously, if the guy mentioned in bobcat's post was from anywhere but the USA, he probably did mean Celsius.

This gives me a chance to say that I think that the point of bobcat's post is valid in any case -- it can get cold on the summit in early September.

The adiabatic lapse rate for temp/altitude isn't 3-5 degrees per 1000 feet, but 3.5 degrees per 1000 feet. This can be altered by temperature inversions. mountain upslope winds and other factors.

Lots of good advice here. I say go for it!!

For people new to backpacking, this is a real challenge. One of the things that gives me pause, is that there are a number of decisions to make, that become difficult due to the lack of an experience database.

For example, hiking in the dark with a loaded pack by headlamp, if you've never hiked in the dark, never hiked with a loaded pack, and never hiked by headlamp, is a triple whammy...likely to result in real trouble. I really enjoy hiking in the dark, and I find that hiking poles in that setting are tremendously helpful. If you are not used to hiking poles while backpacking, though, they can be a tremendous tripping hazard.

Add to that a trail that has never been hiked by the participants, and this is very problematic.

I find that beginners NEED to carry significantly heavier loads, as they cannot safely cut the corners that more experienced backpackers can. Additionally, they ALWAYS bring a lot more stuff than needed, food, for example. So...a LOT more work.

So....if you are going to do this, I'd advise that you plan your trip so that all travel occurs during daylight. This has very specific consequences for trip planning, in terms of # of days on the mountain, amount of consumables needed, etc.

There are a lot of issues to be settled before you set foot on the trail, and I personally would advise getting some trail experience before you do this. It appears that you have time to do that, and should. You can do backpacking trips, RIGHT NOW, in the Los Padres National Forest, or along the southern part of the Pacific Crest Trail. You won't get much altitude, but that is less important, right now. Earlier in the summer, you can get the altitude trips in.

I'd seriously try to get everyone on the trip to get 100 backpacking miles under their belts before this trip.

I have no doubt that you can do this trip, but I try to remember that the goal is not to survive a trip, but rather, to enjoy a trip. The real danger is to endure a trip that ends up being the last backpack that any of the participants ever wants to do. I see that happen every year.
The newspaper account of the 16 year-old who did this so many years ago, quoted him as saying "never again". And almost all who say that....never do.

And don't do your hiking in the dark.

WA, your adiabatic lapse rate is 3.5 only for "Standard conditions." Much depends on the humidity.

I stated a range of 3 to 5 which is rounded off from 2.7 to 5.3 degrees F fall in temp with each rise of 1000 ft. For more see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adiabatic_lapse

I stated "mixing of atmospheric layers." This pretty much covers inversions, upslope winds, downslope winds,etc. Yep, on a still night it can be colder down in the valley.

U only live once. Hit grogonio or san jacinto then go for whitney.

Danielle - Another suggestion that I might make, since you have never done the trail before, is to purchase the DVD's from hikealongpete. His six DVD set, which I have, shows the entire 11-mile trail, from Whitney Portal to the summit. He did the hike with his camcorder, and it will give you an excellent view of what to expect. If you're serious about a sunrise hike, then you'll be doing the "Infamous 97 Switchbacks" in the dark. His website is:

http://www.hikealongvideo.com/WhitneyA.html

and those of us who have them think that they are very worthwhile. Pete breaks down the hike by giving elevations and distances, along with key landmarks you will pass along the way.

Michael T.

Seen it many times. Freezing down in Lone Pine and fairly comfortable up at the Portal. I believe that Rick Kent and Tina have documented the fact in recent trip reports. My comment is based on "feelings," as I've never carried a thermometer.

Have to agree with Ken on becoming familiar with the trail before doing it in the dark. Also important that you have some experience before heading up to this altitude. Full moon nights don't qualify as dark, though.

I'll concur on the full moon. I have come up the west side at night during the some phase of the moon once and the full moon twice. We hiked without the headlights on most of the way up those switchbacks to Lower Trail Crest.

hey Danielle my 1st whitney summit was a full moon hike, my 2nd whitney summit was a no moon night. I don't have a favorite of the two I started earlyer on my 2nd hike at 8:30pm arrived at summit at 4:30am had to wait for sunrise so I opened the hut door and said oh sh** the hut was wall to wall with sleeping bags, so I found a wind break and laid down for a hour not sleeping to cold to sleep just waiting for sunrise but it was well worth it. In the summer if I'm solo I don't much like hiking during the day up the hill to many people.

It takes me on average 15 hrs. round trip, on the way down I stop at trail camp for hour and half or two hrs to kick back and rest. for me around mirror lake I start hitting the wall being up for so many hrs. starts taking it's toll just wanting to get back to my truck..

Before any all nite hike I can't sleep before my nite hike because of my adrenaline is going so my last sleep is the night before so were talking being up for 30-33 hrs. I don't get up to mountains often so thats is why it takes me so long. For me I have a system from portal to trail crest when I rest I rest for 1 minute or so from trail crest to summit I stop for no longer than 2 minutes or otherwise at that time of night I get to rested and want to doze off, by the time I get to summit I get a 2nd wind.....

Enjoy the stars and satellites
Remember this works for me...

Good luck and have fun....mark