Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Trip Report up MR & East Face Climb on 8/21 & 8/22

Went up the MR with some buddies on the 21st. We climbed a variation of the East Face/Direct East Face Routes on the 22nd. Got a little bit of weather (some snow flurries and steady rain all day long). Here are a few pics:

angry post about rockfall removed.

Great trip report with photos - keep them coming.

Rocks in the MR chute usually come from climbers of the Buttress Route - that is why it is recommended to wear a helmet for the MR

regarding rockfall:

there were a total of four to five parties that climbed the east buttress that day, we were the only ones to climb the east face since the buttress had a huge line at 5am in the morning since everyone was trying to beat the storm rolling in. The east face does not traverse above the MR, and therefore impossible for any rockfall from the east face enter the MR.

Thank you Steve.

My bad, yes this was the folks on the East Buttress.

There was one young man who went up the East Face sans ropes on the 21st; he passed us just below Iceberg Lake at about 6:30, and was back down in the Portal by 4.

steelfrog,

It sounds like you learned rock fall from above is a big issue when climbing on the Mountaineer's Route. I cringe every time I see people climbing in that chute without a helmet on. It is one reason I like to get an early start on that route. I like to get up there before climbers get too high on the East Buttress.

As dangerous and frustrating as it is to have to dodge rocks that are kicked loose by parties from above chances are Leo and his partner were not the source of the rocks and packs you had to dodge. I hope you and the others didn't get hurt by any falling rock.

This is a very rough drawing taken during the winter from Iceberg Lake showing the routes and their locations.

Thanks for the above pic showing the routes and their locations, Kurt... very interesting for me.

Congrats, Leo! Great climb and excellent photographs.

MC