Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Glacier Lodge trailhead

I had a question if someone can help me. Are any of the 14-ers that are accessible from Glacier Lodge reachable in a day hike?
I am referring to Mt. Sill and Middle Palisades, or whatever is most easily accessible without wearing a helmet and carrying ropes.

Also, what is Whitney like in late September? I have been up in July and twice in August, but not in September.

Thank you for your help!!!

SShhhh... Don't tell anyone, but late September is the best time on Whitney. No bugs, few (if any) thunderstorms, but a little chilly.

Thanks for the tip! Now, about that name ... Is that the Cal Bears, or Chi-town's finest?

Yes, Sill and Middle Palisade are doable as day hikes depending on your own capabilities.

The sturdy Golden Bears of the University of California!

Thanks, Scott. Do you have an estimate on distance, time and elevation gain?

If you can dayhike Whitney you can probably dayhike Middle P. But, Middle P. requires cross country travel, route finding, extensive 3rd class climbing, a little 4th class and because the snow/glacier melts away from the rock this time of year, it probably will require a couple 5th class moves to get on the upper mountain. It did when I climbed it last Sept. If you have those skills I highly recommend the climb, it was a lot of fun.

Sill is a lot longer, it could be done as a dayhike, but I wouldn’t try it. This time of year you’d need to plan on hiking a lot of it in the dark. I was up it in July. Most likely you’ll need an ice ax and crampons. The route has a very scary 4th class section near the top. If don’t have 5th class skills you probably won’t be able to get past it. The other peaks in the area of Sill are more technical.

Summitpost.org is a great place to check-out the routes.

Hope I didn’t rain on your parade.

i made ten trips last year into the high sierra's from the very end of August to the end of October. i want to keep it under the radar. it really sucked if you know what i am saying.

Wow. I am doing Mt. Sill next week and had not planned on any ice gear at all. Going to circle around from the back, either Bishop Pass or Scimitar Pass and go up the SW chutes. Do you think I'll need crampons? I understand why you might need them coming in from the north.

Did it decades ago. Needed the crampons to get up the glacier to the base of the mountain.

I don't recall any 4th or 5th class, though. We had no ropes or climbing gear. But I do remember some intimidating exposure, and moving past slings, etc. left by others.

You'll be fine coming from the west. Approaching from the east crampons may/should be needed to cross the Palisade glacier and the L shaped coulior .

mt sill. if you are taking north fork trail to palisade glacier. take ice ax and crampons. there is class 3 up glacier notch to the gayley sill saddle. taking the north col. route, then right after the apex you cross a class 3 ledge, and then there is 40 ft. of what is rated class 4. then class 2 and 3 ridge scramble to the summit.
you are going to need the ice ax and crampons to cross the glacier to the notch, and the north col probably still has snow in it.

Sounds more like I'm going to bring my fishing rod and admire these peaks from afar. Thanks to all for the info!