Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board 2025

Last few days of the systems put a fresh layer over the area , So the track that was in on the 99 switchbacks and above will be gone , Portal road was closed last week and this system should lay a base down from the campground up (tree shaded area).
From the road closed sign to the campground area will hold snow for a few days in the shaded areas and melt out where the road gets south exposure.
Still doesn't look like enough coverage and settlement to cover the brush and large boulder.


Webcam and time lapse option gives a good over view of the coverage and hours of sun hitting the area.

Summer is over .

Looking at the snow coverage in Webcams Owens Valley North and Owens Valley South really emphasizes "Summer is over." Also, as always, one is impressed by the massive size of the Eastern Sierra escapement.

Looking ahead at the 2026 season, note that Whitney Portal campsites are filling up for the Memorial Day weekend in May. Many of the same folks are seen there year after year on Memorial Day.

A couple weeks ago I received in the mail a perfectly fitting T shirt (medal, etc) from the Nov 8 Climb for Heroes on Mt Baldy. The virtual entry selection was selected and on that day my family joined me on a 14 mile hilly outing in Pittsburgh, PA. We enjoyed beautiful Fall colors.

Happy Thanksgiving to All.

Jim

Went up main trail and the chute for a day hike from the road on the 11th. No summit but great day. Was watching the weather and waiting for the wind to drop. It was so silent.

I turned around along the base of Mt Muir. No one had cut tracks yet across a couple of the chutes there and instead people were climbing over one of Muir's shoulders to get around. Looked tedious, wasn't interested in adding extra climbing and time and deep snow shenanigans. Fantastic day though.

Main trail chute had good snow. The crust was set if you stayed on footpath. Straight up for most then softer up top with a nicely defined switchbacking boot pack wide enough for snowshoes. That footpath stayed quite south and topped out almost up at Discovery pinnacle. Had to climb down the snowy ridge to Trail Crest.

On the chute I thought I saw a group bivy dugout site marked with sticks but now I'm thinking it was maybe a search and recovery site looking for Joseph?


Up where the footpath topped out above Trail Crest


Trail Crest


Buried JMT junction sign


Where I stopped. Tried going in, it hadn't set though. I was post holing deep. Felt like I'd get half way across and full body post hole through the deep steep powder and slide down the chute.


Picnic on the way back enjoying the silence


Back by Discovery Pinnacle ready to go back down main trail chute to the left


Back down at Trail Camp

It's already 26 over here...couldn't resist the urge for one more post...




Summary of what I've been doing...some of it was actually Hiking/Climbing...that's about a month's worth of activity...I've put quite a few new lines on the map..I think it was Jeff who at one time said "it isn't difficult to find FAs..." although these aren't Firsts becuase I'm following (at Least) faint tracks...


Here's to a Good, Healthy 2026!!!