Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Conditions on the East Side - Access Roads?????

Hey was wondering if any of you guys know about access to any of the mountains on the eastside? We are wondering what kinds of approaches we could be looking at for Whitney/Russell, Palisades, etc. areas.

Thanks for any help!!!

Today we drove up to about Meysan Trailhead.
Went up the North Fork - right side of the willows - but the snow bridges are dangerously melting away. Came down the ledges and did not have any problem with them at all - no prior recent tracks on the ledges.

Thanks for posting your info.

I know people have been able to drive up to Meysan Lakes but I'm hoping to cycle up there this upcoming weekend. So I'm trying to get an idea of how far down the snow comes and if the Portal Road (or Horseshoe Meadow Road) is entirely covered with snow or are they clear for majority of the way?

Perhaps it's too early in the season but it's worth a shot while I'll be in the area.


Thanks Everyone!
Happy Hiking/Cycling

For the Palisades, you can drive all the way to Glacier Lodge. Snow level is around 8K'.

Whitney Portal Road is being cleared. Most of the rock fall had been plowed off of the road and the big boulder ( http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/58797/page/2#Post58797 ) has been tagged. (I guess for drill points for the explosives.) There was a snow berm built up to prevent vehicles from heading all the way to the Portal.

When's the first WPS Burger Plate going to be served?

This morning I was turned around at the site of that errant boulder by about 15 workers with trucks and equipment. They were getting ready to blast it and said the road would be closed the rest of the day. I commented that it was good I had not driven up earlier, and the guy told me that the people belonging to four cars up ahead will not be happy campers if they had intended to come out today. He said I was unlucky to have picked the only day of the year when they "really" close the road.

Interestingly, the ranger at the visitors center in Lone Pine was unaware of this work, and had issued me a day permit. Also interestingly, she told me of a rescue just starting. Two people had headed up Tuttle Creek yesterday, with the intention of climbing over into Meysan Canyon and out, but had gotten stuck somewhere. They used a cell phone to call for help.

Pictures

As an aside, I learned that the Onion Valley road is now open to the parking lot. But there is a lot of snow in the parking lot circle, and the gate to the campground is closed. Also, the Horseshoe Meadows road is still closed and the gate is locked.

I really wanna see that rock blow up!!!  

Yeah, it wasn't that impressive last year...

Today might have been a good day for a stroll up the NRT.

Hi First off could we call the three drivers parked in the middle of the road chithead and not bother anyone?


THE ROAD CREW REMOVED THE ROCK YESTERDAY but they still have work to do above the campground ,where the road washed out last July , so driving and parking in the area above the rock slide area will stop the work and may cause them to berm the road at the road closed sign at the bottom of the hill, .

Also it would be a good time to call the Inyo County Public Works Dept. and Thank them for going the extra mile working on the road this early 760 878 0201 Thanks Doug

I was really, really surprised to see the road being worked on. It's still Winter! They must have looked at the long-range weather forecast and not seen anything that scares them.

Bummer if Winter is over. This will definitely qualify as a crappy snow season in the Whitney Zone.

What it looked like yesterday:







Not getting greedy... how about the rest of the road up to the Store?

Anybody been up to Onion Valley since the last storm??
Is it still open to the parking lot??

Thanks

The road is clear up to the Onion valley parking lot. Drove to the end of the road Sunday night, 29 March with fat summer tires. No sweat.

You may have to move some rocks off of one of the upper switchbacks, but otherwise, it's clear.

I was up at big pine creek monday/tuesday and there's zero snow to the parking areas and also zero snow on the north fork big pine creek trail until after second falls. I would imagine the story is the same at most trailheads at this point... it was really warm out during the day. My girlfriend and I totally exhausted ourselves trying to build an igloo out of very refrozen spring slush at "first lake" too late in the day. We gave up at 10pm about 2/3 done and just slept under the stars. I had a 10 degree bag and was just fine. So, there's a poor excuse for an igloo but a fine wind shelter on the east side of first lake if anyone wants to use it. Photos coming later today.

Big Pine: Clear all the way to the trailhead

South Lake: CLear all the way to the lake, big piles of snow in the center of the parking lot.

Rock Creek: clear all the way to Mosquito Flat

Would assume road to Sabrina is open: fishing opener is this weekend. If I get a chance I'll dance up there and report back.

        Laura, this might be of some help for your issues:  


       

Steve C that is really really funny!!! I love the "ways to feel sh!tty naturaly"...just eat junk food made with corn syrup....LOL
Just what is needed for all you annoying feel good all the time types that are "insufferably cheery".Laura!

"DON'T LET YOUR HAPPINESS MAKE OTHER PEOPLE SAD! BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT DOES!" ~Chris Rock