Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Bear Canisters @ Iceberg Lake?

I searched for a while and got lazy so if this is already discussed, my bad. I am heading up the MR early Sept. The plan is, day one, hike in, camp at Iceberg Lake, day two, summit, Trail Crest exit and out Main Trail. Has anyone who has more or less followed a similar plan not hauled their bear canister up that high if that's the only camp? For a change, I would love to leave it at home. The NF permit does not have the "requirement" stamped on it. I use it religiously every summer for all my longer trips including my previous summit via the Main Trail, but for this over-nighter, if I can lighten the load, I would love it. Thanks in advance for any advice, warnings, laughter in my direction, etc. you all could provide.

Do yourself a favor.....leave the bear canister home and skip coming down the Mt. Whitney trail via trail crest exit.

Why carry your stuff all the way to the top if you don't need to. (I have done it....a long 4 hour haul from Iceberg Lake to the summit). Leave your overnight gear at Iceberg Lake and just pick it back up on the way down.

We have gone up the MR twice and come down the trail..It is hardly worth the long walk down....unless your intention is to climb Mt. Muir or some of the Needles on the way down.

I like that advice. Thanks. I have been on the fence for a while whether to do what you said or get (hopefully) a walk in for Trail Crest exit. If that didn't happen, then I would definitely be coming back down. Now switching gears a bit, since this is my first time up the NF and the MR, when coming down, what's your recommendation on back down the chute to Iceberg?, or down to Whitney-Russell pass and back to the lake?

Don't even consider descending any route other than to Iceberg! Only a few of the most experienced hikers have climbed Whitney from the Whitney Russell pass.

People descend the MR all the time.

After doing the MR I considered exiting out the Main to be easier on the knees. However, the Main being so much longer that idea was iffy, so I didn't (plus I'd already been there before).

Bears aren't the only critters on the NF - our food got ransacked by mice. A half size BearVault or other mice-proofer isn't so bad. Depending on size of group, it can hold plenty for the short trip.

Your biggest animal problem at Iceberg is going to be ravens

I'd caution you about the Whitney-Russell pass option. It isn't entirely obvious how to descend the north side of Whitney from above while avoiding cliffs. We ended up going too far to the west and had to downclimb some 4th-class cracks that were a little too spicy for my taste.

In retrospect from Secor's description you should be fine if you descend close to Whitney's north ridge.

It's almost certainly easiest to descend the MR, especially if you climb up that way.

Advice well taken, back down the MR it is. I am not sure why I had it mind that descending the MR was problematic. Thanks.