Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Trail Crest to Summit

I've never been able to make it all the way to trail crest. I was wondering if it was more difficult descending from the summit to trail crest or from trail crest to trail camp.

thanks for any insight

Both times I've done it, I found the Summit to Trail Crest segment slightly more difficult because of the short uphill section (about 300 feet vertical, if I recall correctly) that you need to climb just before getting to Trail Crest. The section from Trail Crest is all down hill.

I suspect that the answer might change depending on the trail conditions, especially the amount of snow and ice.

I'm headed up June 2nd for a day trip. I went memorial day weekend last year and stopped at trail camp last year b/c I didn't have crampons w/ me. Most people last year were headed up the chute, I just assume it will be the same this year. I hope to at least get to trail crest this time and get a view over the ridge.

Ok...thanks. Have a fun trek

I've been to the summit....and down again, 14 times. For me, the section between the summit & Trail Crest is more difficult. The trail is a little more rugged, with ups & downs, & the previously mentioned 300 ft. before the Crest is a real bear when you're already tired! I'm not a mountain climber..just a 63 yr old grandmother who likes to hike Whitney. I hope to be on top for my 15th time in mid-July. By the way, the view down the other side at Trail Crest is awesome... definitely worth the hike up!

I have to agree with Randuf, the sections where you have to climb AFTER you've summited are the toughest - for me, of the entire day. I seem to have dual hiking gas tanks. One for uphill and one for downhill. After summiting a peak like Whitney, my uphill tank seems to be utterly depleted and going up even a little is torturous. I recently read an article in "Backpacker" that says it takes far more energy to descend than to ascend. That may be true, but it never feels that way to me.

I agree with Randuf for additional reasons. The altitude does have a toll and if you've been up all day already, exhaustion is exhaustion. Slogging the somewhat downhill and sometimes up hill along trail crest can be emotionally trying.

The quick descent to trail camp actually has been revitalizing to me as the altitude change actually seems to reinvigorate.

The last mile or so near the portal is the worst though. You can see the store most of the way. It's usually sun baked in the afternoons, you see fresh faces full of energy and excitement come ascend and pass you and worse of all, the aromas of freshly cooked hamburgers wafting through the trees and an occasional laughter echoes up the trail. It is far too long to endure and remain sane.

Oh, Yeah!! You hear the voices, smell the food, & look right down at your car parked in the lot. Seems you can almost reach out & touch it, but the trail just keeps going, and going, and going! I think that last mile is actually 4 miles!

I was more wondering the level of danger as opposed to the difficulty. From pictures I've seen it looks like the back of the mountain drops off pretty sharply.

"I was more wondering the level of danger as opposed to the difficulty. From pictures I've seen it looks like the back of the mountain drops off pretty sharply." RK500

RK, there are generally just two things on the backside - TC to summit - that make it more of a challenge than the front. They are snow and wind. With the snow you just want to remain focused and be deliberate with each step. The snow actually makes the trail much narrower and you don't want to make a mistake. Even when the trail is dry the wind can be brutal around the "windows". There are a few places where the trail sits on a window from the backside to the front side and the wind funnels through it. I never do this section without trekking poles for added stability against the wind.