Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Shepherd Pass / Mt. Williamson Conditions?

Hi Everyone,

I'm planning to take a shot at Big Willy this Monday, via Shepherd Pass / Williamson bowl. Expecting to spend ~22-24 hours on the trail. Bringing cramp-ons and an ice axe...

Does anyone have any recent info on the trail conditions? How gnarly/dangerous is the Pass with the likely large amount of snow right now? Is it a safe glissade on the way back?

Any info is helpful! Thanks,
mike

Was wondering the same thing. Am headed up on Thursday of this week.

Bump

see my post from just a few mins ago. we were a party of 2+4+2 attempting Willy and Tyndall 2wks ago. One summited T and one summited W; both solo and late in the day from Anvil Camp. No snowshoes req. Crampons needed from 11,500-12,200 to get over Shepherds pass (2 wks ago); and again from 12,500-13,400 and still patches of soft deep powder, although that has probably changed by now. Downhill was massive fun, glissades of over 1000 ft the norm above Shep. Pass (but Shep pass glissade was both too soft at 6pm and after 8pm too steep and icy). Send me PM if you need more info,.
cheers, mark
ps.. oh, I spent 25 hrs hiking! doesn't count lunch or sleeping... also
lots of pix at
http://melville1955.smugmug.com/Mountaineering/Tyndall20100529/12563331_ZsitE#901721746_5mfqp

How are you doing? Read your MDay trip report. Lots of good info and pics. Was wondering about skeeters and if there was any open water over towards Williamson Bowl? Any of the lakes starting to thaw, or close enough when you were there that they may have open areas almost 3 weeks later? We are starting up Thursday night after the Laker game, and have until Tuesday to get back down.Being old and slow, we are taking it easy. 2nd night should be spent up in Williamson Bowl, doing Willy on Sunday and Tyndall and back down to Anval on Monday, spending the night there. Have been over Shepherd Pass 3 or 4 times, so I know what to expect in that regards. Not the easiest pass in the Sierra, that is for sure. Anyway, info on skeeters( if any) and open water up on the pass would be appreciated. Thanks, Bill
P.S. Your PM limit is maxed out.

Just a quick update for anyone interested:

My friend and I went up to Shepherd Pass on Monday. The trail was beautiful and easy to follow up until Anvil Camp. Past AC there are large stretched covered with snow 4ft+. The trail becomes visible again near the Pothole. We lost the route between AC and the Pothole (because the trail was totally buried). If you know the trail, it should be no problem walking on the snow and following the general trail route. But we had never been up that way before, so we ended up about 45min-1hr off route before we spotted the trail again.... So that probably cost us the peak.

The Pass is covered with snow - it's a steep snow field, big incline, but you can power up it with crampons. Some ppl make switchbacks in the snow, others just go straight up.

No Skeeters on MemDay. No open water above Anvil Camp at that time either. sounds like you have a good plan. If I did it again in late spring/ early summer I would camp the second night at the pass, also, rather than trying to summit from AC. Find it hard to believe my PM is maxed out, but I will check it. My EMAIL id is same as my WPSMB handle, at hotmail.com.