Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board High Sierra Trail conditions ??

Our group is trekking the High Sierra Trail, from Crescent Meadow to Whitney Portal, during the last two weeks of this month. Crampons and ice axes are packed.

I am utilizing the US National Park Services' HST conditions website. Does anyone out there have additional High Sierra Trail conditions information? Possibly another location for conditions?

Thanks! Happy Trails.

What do you mean by "can be"?

Hi,

We were at Sequoia last week and they had just opened (and paved the road out toward Crescent Meadow.) It was only open as far as Morro Rock, but we could see the snow melting before our eyes. You'll probably have to wait 'til the last minute to get really accurate trail conditions since snow melt is really variable.

We did the HST last 4th of July under very dry conditions and found almost no snow. I've heard reports from folks who've done the trail during snowy years, and they report that the stream crossings can become a very big deal under run-off conditions but hiking on snow was more of a minor issue with care necessary in places where post holing is possible (undercut banks, places with buried shrubs, etc.)

Good Luck

I'm planning on hiking the HST in August. Please do come back and post a trip report...I'd love to hear your take!

Bjammin-

Thanks for the info! I have heard this past winter has been an above average snowfall and early spring has been an above average snow melt. All south facing slopes are melting really fast. Glad to hear the folks up at Crescent Meadow are making the HST trailhead more accessible. I will check last minute conditions before we make the drive.

Also, thanks for the heads up on stream "river" crossings and post holing potential. Run-off conditions will be one of our main obstacles. Mehrton Creek, Big Arroyo, Chagoopa, Whitney, and Wallace Creek will be interesting.

My goal is to experience this wonderful adventure in the early snow-covered spring and in the late summer/early fall. I here the mosquitos in the Kern River Valley are nasty in the summer.


KimS-

Thanks for your reply as well. I will surely post a trip report upon our return. Looking forward to the Ansel Adams-type picture opportunities. August should be a great month to travel from the "big trees to the big hill." Did you have any trouble obtaining backcountry permits?


To all interested in the High Sierra Trail, I recommend the Tom Harrison Mt. Whitney High Country Trail Map.

FYI.... Wright Creek can be problematic also.

My 2 cents: Whitney Creek can be really impressive where the trail and creek meet. I've been there in the spring where it was white water everywhere. If you follow the trail, make sure you use trekking poles or alike to avoid falling into a stream dug hole. In 1998, the river was so bad that we almost turned around, but taking a few minutes and analyzing the situation, I hiked up the stream (paralleling, maybe 100 yards give or take) and found a very large tree to takes us across.

At Wallace creek, there is a log or you can use to cross the stream. If you choose the log, I would place one or 2 people below the log as each crosses in case he falls in (just a safety check).

That log was my nemesis…. It was hard to stay focused on a narrow, maybe 12 inches in diameter with rushing (white) water underneath.

paul

I'm working out the permits as we speak! And I have the Tom Harrison map...it's perfect!

For those planning this trip in the summer time, how long a trip do you anticipate this taking?

Hi,

In response to the request for our trip report on the High Sierra Trail last summer, here it is:

High Sierra Trail Trip Report 2007

Let me just say, it's a fantastic trip. I hiked the JMT many years ago, and I got the same feeling returning to the HST. We saw very few people until we hit the Muir trail at Wallace Creek and along the way saw some incredible scenery and had a great time. My one bit of advice: if you can swing it, I really recommend spending more time than we did in the area between Hamilton Lakes and the Chagoopa Plateau. When we finally stumbled into the camp at Moraine Lake after a 14 mile day from Hamilton Lakes, we realized we should have broken it into two days to really savor the high country. Next Time we will!

We spent 7 days on the trail, but an extra day would have been choice. I should also point out that the shuttle between the Portal and Crescent Meadow was a very full day's trip. We used High Sierra Shuttles. They did a good job and met us at the Portal at 7 AM. We drove north over Tuolomne Pass, down through Yosemite Valley and then got a bit lost. We finally arrived in Sequoia about 10 minutes after the back country office closed. Thankfully, the ranger was still there and issued us our permit. As a consequence of all of the driving, we started hiking at 5 PM, choosing to stop at the first camp about 6 miles from the trailhead. If you can arrange to leave a car at the Portal, you can enjoy a leisurely drive, a nice relaxed camp out in Sequoia the night before, and begin hiking at a decent hour.

Bjammin

Bjammin, what a wonderful report of the HST. Thanks for sharing.

Brent

Great pictures Bjammin.

For more information on shuttling from Lone Pine back to the Crescent Meadow area, check this link out (note, some contacts do not answer and some are no longer shuttling):
http://www.climber.org/data/shuttles.html

One of the above contacts gave me Bob Ennis' business phone number (760) 876-1915; out of Lone Pine. He does have a shuttling permit and gave unbiased general information/options for Sierra shuttling.

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High Sierra Trail/Kaweah Gap conditions report as of 5/4/2008:

From a visitor report: Spotty snow from the trailhead to Mehrten Creek. More solid snow between Mehrten Creek and Buck Creek. Within 100 yards of Buck Creek, avalanche debris has buried the trail. Beyond Buck Creek, snow conditions make the trail past difficult (if not impossible) to follow and steep slopes have extreme exposure.
http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/trailcond.htm#CP_JUMP_115626

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Just spoke with Nicole at the Wilderness Office (559) 565-3766 in Three Rivers. She said recent temps in her town have been in the 70's and 80's, which somewhat reflects temperatures/conditions up at the HST trailhead. Also the road leading to Moro Rock and Crescent Meadow has been closed recently due to some construction but should open fully starting this weekend.