Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Current Conditions - Main Whitney Trail

Hi,
I haven't seen any good descriptions of the Main Whitney Trail from Memorial Day weekend. I am planning on going up June 5 and would like to hear what the conditions were like last weekend, especially snow/ice conditions around and above the switchbacks and crampon/ice axe requirements.

Thanks in Advance
Bill

Bill,

Below are my observations on the Main Trail on 5/31. (Conditions: Perfect weather. The time when significant snow was encountered was between 6:30 AM and 2:30 PM. Then the snow was easy to walk on in trail running shoes. No significant ice or slush was encountered.)

(1) No significant snow until Trail Camp is reached.

(2) Possible to refill water bottle at Trail Camp.

(3) All snow from Trail Camp to the start of the Switchbacks.

(4) Approximately 85-90% of the switchbacks are free of snow.

(a) When a stretch of snow is encountered, usually following the footprints across it leads to where the trail resumes on the other side.

(b) Carefull attention to Risk Management (at least for me) currently is needed at the short Cable Section. (The Cables are down.) I used an ice axe to self- belay there.

(5) From Trail Crest to the back of Keeler Needle is essentially free of snow.

(6) From Keeler Needle snow is encountered for several hundred yards. The Summit is free of snow.

Those on the Summit Memorial Day were rewarded with a spectacular view of the High Sierras waking up from a long slumber.

However, for me another highlight of the day was on the decent. In the late afternoon I encountered Bob R coming up the trail near Mirror Lake. Was he beginning an adventure to some obscure location, our just out stretching his legs on a gorgeous afternoon in the Sierras? He was gracious enough to stop and answer some of my questions. In retrospect, I feel somewhat embarrassed. Bob was calm and composed, while I was probably babbling somewhat incoherently due to fatigue and being not well acclimated yet. Sorry Bob, if I was somewhat "out of it." But it was a long day at the Office!

Bill, have a great hike. Best wishes, Jim F

Thanks for the detail about the current trail conditions. I was about to ask that question as well. I am planning a trip with my father on June 8th. We are both experienced "hikers" but not "climbers". We would like to be able to complete the hike without the use of crampons and an ice axe. In your opinion, is this possible with the current conditions? Without the cables being up, is it extremely dangerous or just "proceed with caution"? Thanks in advance for any input/advice.

Jim, Thanks for the great info! Just the info I was looking for. It makes me more optimistic that me and my girlfriend will make it to the top. Especially if there is significant snow melt during this week, which is supposed to be quite warm.

Thanks again
Bill

I've seen better photos of the cable area where folks are "tightrope walking" the area. It is pretty sheer in this location with a steep drop off. It is hemmed in by a rock wall on the left (uphill direction) and the cliffs on the right. The trail was blasted out of a cliff. It retains snow and can be pretty firm and then with more walkers can get packed to icy consistency. The cables are removed for winter and not placed back until July (or weather dependent??).

This was last July 16th. You can see snow remnants of snow still along this area. Apparently, the snow covered the area two weeks earlier and the cables were NOT in place.

Have a safe journey.

PS: Now see Bob R's message and his link to photos taken the other day - VERY STEEP snow

Fred,
Those are good pictures of the area. Last year, we hiked the trail on July 4 and the ranger was there putting the cables up. There was still a 20 foot section at that time that you had to walk through some snow and ice but nothing major.

This year we are going on June 25.