Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board How light to go?

I have experience hiking other 14'er's (Rainier and Long's) but am going lighter as a day-hiker on August 3. 1) Any recommendations on style of daypack and what to take? I've talked to some that go light with a hippack and minimal extra clothing. 2) Any experience with Camelback vs. carrying water bottles? 3) Are trekking poles used by most? I'm not accustomed to using them. Thanks for the input.

I go as light as possible. A CamelBak (100oz), a windshell, and a couple of energy bars. Poles are un-necessary (hinderance in my opinion).

Have Fun,
Frank

I am starting to believe that hiking poles are something I need, after years of scoffing at getting some. I have always used a fanny pack, or a small day pack, until I got my son a camelpack. I gave up using the fanny packs with water bottles built in, since it drags down on your hips quite a bit. I have also used a fanny pack and a water botta with a neck strap. However, once my son got his camelback, he likes it so much better I got one for myself. The weight balance is better, especially for off trail stuff. You also can sip water continously which is a lot better then drinking more at one time. The only down side with a camelback is the size, limiting what you can take. Maybe that isn't so bad. I always carry more then I should.

i've noticed the older crowds really dig the hiking poles. I'm still a young lad and they only get in the way i think. Their main use is for downhill support right? So going uphill your just carrying the added weight. And doesn't the down hill stress on your knee joints strengthen them just like the stress of lifting weights builds muscle?

I agree with mtn_climbr001 and vhinse. Pack light and then you can travel fast. I would dread carrying poles up the hill. That seems like wasted energy and I'm 55 so not all older people use poles. 100 ounces is the most water I've ever used in 10 Whitney dayhikes.

Given your experience with other 14ers You probably have a good idea of what to expect and ultimately this should be your guide as to what equipment to bring.

I am a big fan of using a hydration system. I own a couple of different bladders and have found that I like the Nalgene bladder because it has a wide mouth opening that makes it easier to clean, works with my water filter, and is easier to add ice to. I like the Platypus bite valve better, but the Platypus is harder to fill, especially from my water filter. This is really a matter of personal choice. I would recommend that you try one out a few times before your hike as they can take some getting used to. You will probably find that you are drinking more water because the bite valve is so easy to access compared to when you used bottles. The downside to hyrdration systems, if there is one, is that you need to be slightly more vigilent to check your water level. If the bladder is in your backpack you may not always know how much water you are carrying.

There are are number of daypacks that are compatible with various hydration systems. The Camelpack bags tend to be slightly smaller and better suited towards lighter loads. Your decision as to which daypack to get will likely hinge on a couple of factors including how much you want to spend, how versatile a bag do you want, and how much you want to carry. Daypacks range from $20 to $130 or more. If you don't have the budget to by a daypack for specific trip requirements then you will want to look for one that will meet most of your needs in most conditions. I recently replaced a North Face pack that had served me well for 10 years (it just wore out). I replaced it with a Kelty Red Wing 2400 from REI. The Red Wing is compatible with most hydration systems and has plenty of lash points for flyrods, ice axes, etc., and at 2,400 cubic inches it has plenty of room for extra clothing, wading boots, etc. The pack has has a decent set of compression straps, but they could be improved. Compression straps are critical if you are not carrying a full load as they help to keep the weight high and over your hips. My old North Face pack had straps on the bottom as well as the sides. The bottom straps were great to keep a partial load high in the pack and better positioned on my hips. The two biggest drawbacks with the Kelty Red Wing is that it weighs about three pounds empty and the side pockets are poorly designed thus making it hard to get things in and out of them and they interfere with some of my arm swing.

As to the use of trekking poles, I am a recent convert. I'm in my 40's and played indoor and beach volleyball at a very competitive level for more than 20 years. My joints have been battered and bruised a bit and the trekking poles seem to really help minimize joint pain after a long trip. It takes a few miles at most to get comfortable with them the first time you try using them. They are useful on uphill stretches as you can get some upper body assistance (think cross country skiing where you push off your poles) and downhill stretches where they can ease some of the downhill jarring from your knees. Make sure you get adjustable height poles. I tend to set my poles slightly shorter on the uphill stretches and slightly longer on the downhill sections. A set of decent poles will set you back about $100 bucks and weigh about 20 ounces a pair (fairly light). Poles range in price from $30 to $150 per pair depending upon quality and features. There are some other good threads here that talk about them and where to buy them.

this may be usefull.I recently summited Whitney and here is a partial list of the the gear that I carried that I found was useful: camelbak mule (100 oz of h2o, 300 cu in storage), contents: windbreaker, hat, gloves, water filter, first aide kit, food (granola,****ey, etc); fanny pack (for easy access of items),contents (snacks, camera, headlamp, chapstick, sunscreen,notepad,pen)
these are just some items i like to have with me and i find i have ample room to accomadate an enjoyable day hike. I do use a hiking pole, but only one. I like to have one hand free. I think the pole is good for balance and relieving stress on your joints.

I don't use poles and don't want the extra weight from poles as well but I'm curious if the pole users are carrying/wearing too much gear or bodyweight for the knees.

For those of you who don't know this, USA is the only country that doesn't commonly use trekking poles for hiking! Europeans, Australians, Himalayans and Adventure Racers have all used them. Going uphill, you use your upper body to power uphill with your poles pushing off the ground and downhill you use the poles to take the weight off your knees.....

The Camelbak "blowfish" is good because you can unzip this one part and it expands the cargo area a lot. Thanks for the thing about the Nalgene bag for it, been needing such info! The day before doing Whitney 2 weeks ago, my Cambebak's bladder began leaking. Got a new bladder at the sporting goods store in Lone Pine, (don't recall the brand) and while I'n very happy that it fits my filter unlike the camelbak bladder, I have a very hard time getting it's lid tight enough so it doesn't leak! Anyone have any experience & input on MSR's bladder?
Poles...I'm 29 and use them religiously. I hurt my knee coming down 5 years ago, having never even considered using poles. My job is also very very hard on my knees (gymnastics coach...must be ready to catch flying child going never the planned direction on surfaces that give!). I would NOT have made it down Whitney 2 weeks ago without them! My knees simply can't do quick extensions or landings. I may not be 40 but I don't want my knees to be worse when I am! I plan on being the one Doug writes about in the 100th edition of his book, the old lady who goes up every year!

I'm 39 .. very healthy, and would NOT go without trekking poles. Among the other benefits listed above, the poles keep your hands up and moving, which prevents the "hotdog finger" swelling that can occur from hours on the trail.

Hey, what better way to pick up a few stray lizards along the trail for a mid-day snack? Lots easier than fishing and one tool serves two purposes. Seriously though, the "hot dog finger" prevention aspect alone outweighs any negatives.

The person who pointed that trekking poles are more widely used outside the USA had a good point. I first heard about them in an account of Reinhold Messner's solo Everest climb in 1980. It may be coincidence, but I first noticed them in the Alps a couple of years after that.

I was never tempted to use them until I got into my late 40s, but I love them now. They definitely help uphill and down, for different reasons already discussed here. They are definitely not just for old folks, but they certainly get more attractive as one ages.

I would add that I think they are a lot more valuable on steep hikes (~1000'/mile). Whitney is long and high, but not steep. I will take my trekking poles when I do Whitney on Thursday, but not out of a feeling of necessity.

On weight, I don't find myself caring a lot about a too-heavy pack. I don't carry a lot of extraneous stuff, but I certainly don't worry about the weight of a couple of trekking poles.

Two bags of trail mix.

A can of tuna.

3 1-liter water bottles and filter.

Sleeping pad and sleeping bag, in case you need to hunker down. I was recently ridiculed for my bulky back-pack on the way to the top. But when I could roll out the sleeping pad in the hut for sick people, I was re-evaluated as a genius.

Well, for that and my half-liter beer can. More than one joker used that prop: "Hey, son, there's a cooler behind the hut. Grab yourself a beer."

It's worth it. In the thin air, a half-liter packs a six-pack wallop.

if you're not used to poles, don't use them for the first time on a 22-hour or so long hike. if you don't think you need poles, you probably don't. i'm 28 and i messed my knees up about 5 years ago. poles made backpacking possible for me again - i kid you not, they were the difference between me staying home or making it to the bottom of the Grand Canyon & back. i think my knees have mostly recovered by now but i still baby them. on a dayhike i probably wouldn't use poles, but right now i do almost all of my hiking with my 20+ pound son riding on my back so i'm always carrying at least 30 pounds.

in short, don't feel like you need poles just because lots of people use them. if you're curious, borrow a pair from a friend and see how you like them. some people use them now to prevent having knee & ankle joint problems in 20 years. time will tell if they're right.

Light is right!! First time I hiked Whitney in 1998 was a joke. My pack had to be at least 35 to 40 lbs. How about 13 energy bars (I ate one) and enough pharmaceuticals for any army. We were inexperienced and hiking into the unknown. The round trip took somewhere around 17+ hrs and kicked the crud out of me. The next year I cut it down but still had way too much stuff. Hike time about 14 hours. Carrying and switching out water bottles was a joke. A couple of years ago I bought the Camelbak HAWG and it forced me to cut my load way, way down. Fully loaded at the start with 116 ounces of water I come in at 14.5 lbs. At the end of the hike I am at about 5 or 6 lbs. The last two years times have been 8:49 and 8:48. I feel that the faster you hike the less gear you need. If you are really cranking it you can wear way less clothing and bring way less food. Last years hike had a low temp of 40 degrees with probably 25 MPH wind and we did the whole thing in shorts and sleeveless T's. In our packs we have enough emergency gear to survive overnight if we had to. What I am trying to say is that light is great but the longer your day is the heavier you will have to travel and it all might not fit into the small day hike packs. I'm 41 and have never used poles and hope I never do.
Best of luck and thanks to everyone on this board. As my hike draws closer each year this board really pumps me up each day to train my rear off for the grind that is 'Whitney In A Day!!!

GRINDER

Thanks for all of the input. As a first-timer on Whitney, I certainly appreciate people taking the time to answer my questions.

I'm curious about Grinder's entry relative to speed up and down the mountain. He must have been jogging some of it. Are most people going with trail running shoes or do the trail conditions require a sturdier hiking shoe? I realize it depends on the size of your load, etc.

The time change is due to several factors beyond the lighter pack. One obviously is training, for about 5 months prior to Whitney I train very hard. Not just for Whitney but life in general as I get older, 41 now, I need to go harder and harder to stay in shape. Hiking Whitney for time is the way I measure my level of fitness each year, its not against what others are doing on the mountain its against myself. I have an occupation that it is important that I be in good physical condition. Another factor was the third time I hiked the mountain I went with a differant hiking partner that was about 34 or so at the time and we really cranked it out. I was hoping for 12 hours expecting 14. We got to the top and he checked his watch and said 'we can break nine'. We walked to whole way down but fast, very quick down the 99. Thats another thing I found is that it a lot easier on the legs coming down moving fast, essentially flowing down the moutain, instead of each step a jaring blow to the body. Try experimenting on a downgrade simular to Whitney, not too steep. Get your chest out in front of your legs and don't stop yourself with each step.
Last year we were shooting for 7:47 and it just did not happen. No matter how hard we pushed going up we could not get ahead of the previous years time. Coming down was a joke. I know it sounds crazy but we got lost.....twice!! Actually we somehow got off the main trail, once at outpost camp and had to backtrack then we did it again, found ourselves halfway to lonepine lake before we figured it out. Lost about 10 or 15 minutes. We were in real danger of posting a slower time than the previous year and ran most of the way from Lone Pine lake to the Portal, came in one minute ahead.
As far as footwear I am using a light hiking boot. For Eric, I also live in San Diego actually way North San Diego. If you are up in this area I can tell you of a killer place to train, 136 stairs really steep with all kinds of other hills around it, it is punishing! In September we are again shooting for 7:47 and if we have a shot at it we will run some if necessary. Whitney is awesome. Its kind of my World Series to to culmination of my workouts during the year. I train on average 30 minutes a day for 150 days prior to Whitney doing everything I can, lifting, biking, swimming, some running, the stairs. I alway throw on a heavy pack the last few weeks of training. We throw in a hike one month before Whit, usually San Jac.

Best of luck to all!
Train Hard
GRINDER

Grinder, you're an animal and an inspiration. I would like to hear of your training spot in North County if you care to share it. I live in North County as well (Carmel Valley).

I've got my day permit for August 3 and am hiking with a buddy who is strong so we're going to push it in order to spend as much time as possible on the summit (and potentially a sidetrip to Muir if we have any energy left).

Thanks for the information.

The spot is in Carlsbad at the mall, Plaza Camino Real. Take 5 North then 78 east for mile or so, get off on El Camino Real and turn right, go about 1/4 mile and turn right on Marron Rd. The mall parking lot will be on your right as you are now heading west on Marron rd. You will travel on this road probably no more than 1/4 mile as you pass both a theater and a real estate office(I think)on your left side. After you pass the last building on the left start looking for the stairs within the next couple of hundred yards. They are almost directly across the street from what I think is the second entrance to the parking area. The stairs are gruelling. You can single, double or triple them. Honest, no matter how many times I do it I am always really sore for a couple of days. I get way more sore in 25 minutes hard on these stairs than I do on the entire Whitney hike. Besides the stairs you will see what looks like a white cement road going up into the eucalyptus trees. Take that up to where it just starts to crest and look for dirt cut off trails that go up to your left, take any of those and they will take you all the way to the top. If you stay on the cement road it will flatten out for about a hundred yards (its a bit over grown and looks like a dead end but its not) then it goes pretty steep down the other side. At the bottom of that you have several options but the two toughest are to go back up the steep cement you came down or look for a real skinny dirt trail to the right of the cement as you stand at the bottom heading up to the top it gets real steep and goes all the way up. Its a great place to train and you have tons of options beside the ones I have stated here. What is great is that besides all the up hill you get a good down hill pounding too. I lived in Carlsbad till a year ago now I am about twenty miles away. Everytime I head that way I try to hit that area known to the locals as May Company Hill.
If you get up that way, only a few minutes from
I-5, I promise it will be worth you time. Hope to see you there sometime. Best to you and if you come across any good work outs I am always looking for variation.

GRINDER