Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board MR on Sunday July 1

I'm planning on doing the MR solo this Sunday, leaving Whitney Portal around 4:30 am. If anyone is interested in joining me you are more than welcome. I've summitted the main trail three times already and am looking forward to checking out the new route.

I've also been up as high as LBSL before turning around the first time.

I've been up to the top of the slabs is all myself, I am soooo tempted! But, gotta be at work on Monday and I have July 16 Monday main trail permits, can't make any excuses to miss work the next couple weeks!

Hi Stallspeed,

We'll be on the trail too, we'll keep an eye out for you. We've done the MT, it'll be our first time on the MR too.

-lance

Thanks Lance,

I'm doing what I can to prepare (weather considerations, reading trail reports, and of course studying the photos from hikers who have done the route very recently). It should be a blast! I'll keep an eye out for you as well.

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Let us know how it works as far as route-finding, and whether the route is fairly obvious using the reports and photos, etc. I've considered doing this route instead of the main trail, but since it would possibly be a solo hike and I'd be finding the route using the tips, reports, and photos, I'm still unsure of whether to do that, or just stick to the main trail and hope for a permit to be available. Since the route is new to you and you're using a similar strategy, it would be helpful to know how it worked out.

Roger wilco! I'll post our trip report when we get back. We're all MR newbies but have been searching the board here and talking to other folks who've done it. Some of the pictures here look extremely helpful - esp the notch noodle pic and the ledges diagram. (Almost too helpful actually... )

-lance

I did the same as you last Wed. after have done the main trail 3 times. Left the parking lot at 4:15 a.m. and got back down with sore feet at 8:45 p.m. (I'm 49 not 29). We blazed up the gully in 90 minutes and did the upper portion of the MR route in 55 minutes. It is spectactular up top. I went to the left of the big snowfield and my friend went right. Since there is no snow at the bottom of the bottom of the "final 400" you will need to pull yourself up to get to the start of that section. A little tricky but hey I did it. When you get to the top you will be shocked to see how close the summit hut actually is. Best to you...