Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Whitney trail conditions - Need info

From any one who had summitted in the last 10 days.
What are the current trail conditions in Mt.Whitney?
Is there ice on the switchbacks?
Are crampons needed or good hiking shoes enough to pass the slippery side of teh route?

Also do the solar toilets exist at 12500'
It used a few years ago.

I went up the main trail with three friends on 9/23/08. We left the Portal campsites at 3:00am with the stronger hikers summiting about 9:00am. Some ice at cables but not a factor,off to the side of the trail against the wall. I used my lightweight hiking boots which worked well for 22 miles. My son used a heavy tennis shoe which did not provide alot of support. He would defintely use better footwear in a future hike. No solar toliets,just disposible ones issued when we picked up our permits. These come complete with toliet paper. Very deluxe compared to what the forest service gave us to use at Mt. Shasta.