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

This isn't Whitney, but a lot of people here are clearly interested in other mountain objectives.

Mt. Alice is 11630', just over 1.5 air miles from Glacier Lodge. Secor says: "This is the biggest pile of rubble in the High Sierra." No wonder not too many people climb it: only about one party a year. Without my friends and me, it would hardly see a soul.

But if you are looking for a fun day climb in snow, the drive is only about 40 miles longer than to Whitney Portal. The chute that rises from the SF of BP Creek trail is over 2500' long, and most of it can be glissaded back down. The whole climb is about 4100' vertical, and 6 miles round trip. You can descend the other side to the NF BP Creek trail, making it a loop trip, but we went back the way we came to take advantage of nice glissades.

Pictures from last Sunday are <a href=http://members12.clubphoto.com/robert634908/2150087>here</a>, and I used board member GaryM's web site generosity again to post a couple of <a href=http://bobr.mggm.net/>AVI video clips</a> of the glissade. The speck in the first clip is the guy ahead of me; he's much clearer in the second clip.

There are hidden gems all over the place.

Thanks for the ride down! I enjoyed it.

Wow, what a difference a season makes. I did this peak about 25 years ago in the summer time, and it was one brutal scree slog. Much better with snow!

Nice pics and vids! Looks like a fun glissade.

How did you carry the video camera?

I get a page not found on the video?

Both in NS and IE. Both last night and again tonight. Seems others can get it????

No problem with both.

I can see the pictures, but not the video.

Get a "The page cannot be displayed" error, same as Fred.

Go figure!

I won't make a separate post, but last Sunday my friend "Tiger" Dan and I climbed Kid Mtn., which is directly across the valley from Mt. Alice. He took <a href=http://members25.clubphoto.com/d830263/2170007>pictures</a>, I didn't. Basically, you go up the SF BP Creek trail about a mile. Then, instead of turning right to go up the couloir to Alice, go a little farther and turn left to go up the couloir to Kid.

The climb is very similar to Alice, but the snow couloir is quite a bit longer, making the glissade even nicer. It faces north, so there is more snow and it doesn't get so soft in the afternoon.

We found the snow very good. Took snowshoes and never used them. Did use crampons quite a bit, though. Only sunk in a couple of inches most of the time.

Another nice day climb in winter.

Bob - I have been looking for a north facing couloir I have not skied in that area and the pictures of your hike to Kid looked like it may be a good choice. On your hike a week ago, was the snow skiable and approx. how long was the vertical? Also how far was it from trailhead to consistent snow?

Bob - As always, thanks for the info. If I end up going, I will post some pictures.