Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Winter Access Forum Can Mt Whitney be done in a day in early November?

I am researching the possibility of doing this day trip in mild winter conditions as early as Nov 6th and as late as the 10th. So far it's being planned as a solo trip for no other reason than I have no climbing partner. Any experienced climbers are welcome to lead or give beta.

My initial plan was to arrive at the Whitney portal, spend a night or two acclimatizing and practicing the approach during the day. Then if I can get some good weather and the right vibe go for the summit. What do you guys think mother nature will have in store for me? How alpine will it be?

Cheers,
Joe

do a search over the last few seasons - both with early snows and and dry seasons; evaluate your personal skills and gear selection ; watch the weather and then make a plan - if not a Whitney summit - many other great options available in the Sierras and surrounding

You did not indicate why you want to do it as a day trip or which route (Main Trail or North Fork) that you plan to take. As noted earlier, every year is different, so you best source of information is previous year's posts in the main forum.

Reasons I have for a day trip so far:
1) Old mountaineering saying concerning altitude sickness: Climb high, sleep low. I plan on acclimatizing at 9-10 thousand feet since that's fairly convenient at the Whitney Portal and to avoid sleeping too high.
2) I don't have a full set of Alpine climbing gear plus 4th season overnight equipment. I'm out in Logan, UT on a business trip for another week, then off to Victorville, CA for a couple weeks so I haven't brought all my gear from home (Columbus, OH). With me I have a 3 season tent, a 20 degree F bag, stove, 55L North Face scareb pack, and rock climbing gear. The rest I'll need to buy if I intend on using it there.
3) Less chance of the weather going sour the less time I'm ascending.
4) The less I bring, the lighter the pack and gear, the faster I can finish.

I've been trolling through the weather station data and have had a slow going at it for the ranges of dates I'd like to see. I will post my findings once I've got the data all together and readable.

If I can find someone with experience (preferable) to lead me up the North Fork, that's what I'd want. Otherwise if I'm still solo I'd stick to the Main Trail, hope for the best, and if things look sketch I'll bail. I'm not one for forcing things. If mother nature gives me an opportunity I'm going to take it, otherwise no hard feelings, right? There's always next year.

I'll start going through last years main forums soon. I've just finished all the interesting links/stories off the FAQs under Featured Topics. This place is a gold mine! Hopefully the cautious wisdom of those experienced mountaineers on this site will seep into my thick head. Thanks much, in advance.

Cheers,
Joe

Joe,

The answer to your question is a definite maybe. My buddies and I just attempted to summit this weekend and had to turn back for time reasons just beyond trail crest.

Doing the whole trail during the day is a LONG trip, altitude not withstanding, you must be VERY fit. Since overnight permits are not an issue in November, I recommend doing what we did and establishing a campsite at Outpost Camp at 10.6K', four miles into the trail, (established area, water source, sheltered). This is a good compromise from either camping at the portal (LONG HARD hike) or camping at trail camp which will be a cold and windy campsite in the open at about 12K'.

The trail beyond Trail camp is currently snowpacked. It's a northfacing slope, so aside from the narrow window between 1100-1400, it's hard, icy and slick. You can't do the whole climb to the summit within this window, so you'll have to face those conditions. This trail tracks right along some steep dropoffs, a bad fall could be your last. Crampons and some basic skill with an ice-axe (i.e. self arrest before you slide off the trail and down the rock face) are an absolute necessity.

Be prepared for some bitter cold. We found ourselves at trail camp on saturday morning facing an air temperature of about 5-10 below freezing, with 35 kts of wind. That works out with windchill to about 30 or 40 below...yeah, CHILLY. At Outpost camp, it'll probably be 10 below or so overnight, but relatively protected from the wind. So, I'll tentatively say you'll be ok with a 3-season tent and a 25 degree bag.

We're planning another attempt in the same time frame around Veteran's Day Weekend. Our plan is to head in to outpost camp midday. Make camp and stay the night to acclimatize. Push for the summit around 0500. We're planning to be using crampons and ice axes for pretty much everything beyond 12K'. Summit around noon and be back to Outpost camp by dark. Then we have the option to remain overnight, or head all the way down. That's how we're looking at doing it right now.

We're going to have to watch the weather in the coming weeks, if too much more snow falls, the trail may become too difficult.

I just came off the mountain, so feel free to message me for more details or questions.

jhg,

If you have not already headed out from Ohio, jump on a flight and come out now. The current fall conditions on Mt Whitney are near ideal for your proposed day hike. The weather forecast (see WPS link for summit weather) remains favorable for several more days at least.

I went up the Main Trail (safely) in old running shoes (without crampons) on Friday 11/2. A couple inches of new powder from a dusting on Monday and Tuesday made for good footing on the snow on the trail from Trail Camp to Trail Crest. (A walking stick was helpful.)Snow below Trail Camp and above Trail Crest is minimal. See the nice photo gallery posted by Sierra Snail and GigaMike in their Trip Report (in the main forum) of the MR and MT for Saturday 11/3.

I like your idea of a day hike with a light pack (assuming age, conditioning, and acclimitization permit). I think it gives you a better chance of making the summit. I met a couple of young Austrians who brought a bunch of gear to camp Thursday night at Trail Camp. They did not enjoy their exposed experience there by the frozen pound. They wished they had done the trip in a day.

Addendum to Bob R's 10/28 update on current water sources: As of 11/2-
(1) Usual sources up to Mirror Lake.(Spring at Bighorn Park in splendid form!)
(2) Scant water at Trailside Meadow at the 5 mile marker. But look down the steam bed a ways (perhaps a 100 yards) and you will see the water flow resurfaces in good supply.
(3) The pond at Trail Camp is frozen. (Use rock.)
(4) Spring on switchbacks is not flowing.

If you go up the Mountain between 11/6 and 11/10 as you are considering, please post a conditions update here. I think with these excellent conditions others are also considering a hike up the Mountain.

Jim

PS As always, great to run into Doug and Earlene in town and to see their Eastern Sierra Mountain Center taking splendid form.

My guess is that if you are asking, then you are willing and, thus, you can definitely do the route in a day. Just plan to do the approach and descent in the dark. You'll probably looking at a huge 14-20 hour day, and have to start hiking at 2AM (literally)...

Here are some approximate times that may help you in planning your trip:
Trailhead to Iceberg Lake - 6-8 hours
Route - not sure which route you're taking... 4 - 8 hours, depending on route and style (solo, simul, or regular belays).
Summit to back to Iceberg Lake - 2 - 3 hours
Back to trailhead - 4 hours.

Just plan it out and make sure that you have enough daylight to do what you are comfortable with.

Oh, and go extremely light.

Good luck
Darshan

Do you have experience doing long days? Because thats the main challenge in doing this climb in a day...its just a long long approach, a long climb at altitude, and a long long descent. If you're good with hiking and huffing and puffing for 20 hours straight, then you'll be fine...

BTW, last summer my friend Kia and I did Regular NW Face of Half Dome. We planned on doing it in 20 hours, starting at midnight and finishing at 8PM, just enough time to descend. It actually took us 26 hours climbing through it all. I was surprised myself that we didn't stop to bivy because I would have thought that we would have needed to after 24 hours (we bivvied on top). If your mind really wants the summit, you're body will get you there.

peace
Darshan

From the trailhead?

Just noticed this thread...

Yes, Mike (GigaMike) and I did it a few weeks ago in a day. It's looking like "winter" is coming late again this year, so it may be highly likely into December also.

Joe, did you end up doing it??