Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Summit July 31 You Can't Control Weather

Hello All. Great Message Board. I enjoyed reading as I prepared for my first Whitney experience. Kudos to Doug, Doug, Earlene and the Portal Crew for the store and this board.

The key to success on this mountain is preparation.

Yes, we summited Thursday, July 31. We spent Tue July 29 at the Portal campground. Slight rain during the early evening. A very typical Sierra burst. Wed. July 30 we entered the trail at 9am, enjoyed a leisurely walk up with a pleasant and extended break above Mirror Lake. Arrived at Trail Camp at 2:15. Set up the tents in a high mountain welcoming, but again brief, rain/hail burst. Explored Trail Camp and the Consultation Lake area. Dinner by 6PM. In the tent at 8:30 preparing for the ascent in the morning.

11:30 PM Wednesday night the rain started. It was persistent and unrelenting (even fierce at times) finally ending at 5:30 am. Trail camp was awash in puddles of standing water. A pair of hikers who started out at the portal in the downpour strolled through around 6:30. My 3 hiking partners and I assessed the skies, downed some warm fluids and started up the switchbacks at 7am.

Reached Trail Crest at 8:30. A light dusting of snow at the 13,400' level with an ever-increasing amount on the backside up to Whitney. The snow was a delight to see and walk through. Just a few fresh footsteps in front of us. We were passed by the "rabbit" in yellow top who had started from the portal. Later, during a conversation at the summit, he commented that many folks had started out from the portal only to turn around after the unrelenting downpour in the early morning hours. The "yellow top rabbit" persevered and earned 2nd honors to reach the summit on this snowy and cloudy day.

The first up was already on his way down when he passed us at the first window, which by the way afforded no view due to the cloud cover.

Still no rain at this point and most importantly no sign of electrical activity so we continued on. Our party reached the summit just prior to 10am. Just under 3 hours from Trail Camp.

As posted earlier by “Whitney” member #377, with response by Scott M., the view was severely "clouded" but I have since learned to answer those who ask that the views were "simply as spectacular as you can imagine."

I met whom I assume to be Scott M. member #85 and friend in jogging shorts and trails shoes (3 hours 45 minutes up from the portal if I remember correctly) and left the summit at 11AM, not having noticed that so many more people had arrived while I was taking in this spectacular place and moment.

On the way down, the snow on the trail had cleared due to all of the footprints. It started to rain pretty hard just prior to the junction down to Crabtree and Guitar Lakes.

My heart went out to this couple who entered from the Portal only to anguish at the first (loud) crack of thunder. The man exclaimed, "that's it, were going down!" They came a long way and were so very close. I really felt for them and the many others who were unable to summit due to the weather and threat of more thunder and lightning.

At trail crest I counted the switchbacks down. There has been a lot written about the switchbacks. Be assured, I faithfully and with great attention, counted them on the way down. There are 98. Of course, I do not count the couple of slight direction changes that move the hiker down the slope (or "up" depending on direction of travel) but are not "switches". I was very careful of my counting. Even to the point that the cables appear on switchback #53 counting from the top, that would be #45 counting from the bottom up. It was quite clear to me just where the switchbacks begin as one leaves trail camp. The lower switchbacks were awash in runoff water from the heavy rain from the night and morning.

We passed many hikers on the 98 switchbacks (this is now after noon) and cautioned to be attentive to the clouds and thunder and consequently the lightning. Some looked ill prepared for the rain and light snow, but they continued up.

It stopped raining at Trail Camp around 1:00 or so. We talked to others who spent the night at trail camp and missed the opportunity to summit during the break in rain. “Whitney” member #377, apparently being one of them. Still more people trudging up in now rainless but still cloudy skies.

Packed up our wet tent and reached the portal just prior to 5pm when more rain started.

I am honored to have spent a night on this magnificent mountain and to have met so many wonderful hikers. I was especially touched by the multi generational hiking groups that I spoke with during my two days on the mountain.

Lastly, again, thank you to Doug Sr. It was a pleasure to speak with you Tuesday night. I was so very fortunate to also meet Elisabeth Newbold the co-author (along with Doug Thompson) of the book "Mount Whitney, Mountain Lore from the Whitney Store." They both graciously autographed my purchase.

My very best to all those that I met and to all on this message board for your insightful and helpful postings.

Closing comment:
The Mt. Whitney trail is a magnificent trail. For the most part, gentle and easy going with almost no loss of elevation. A mostly continuous uphill that makes this hike achievable to so many. And thank you to the so many who have passed before me and preserved this beautiful place for others to view and experience.

Happy hiking to all. Be safe.

Friendly Hiker says it all. I was reminded again of what a great group of people are up taking part in the Whitney experience on any given day. My friend and I commented over and over again how many people were offering congratulations or encouragement along the way. We had many nice conversations with so many "friendly hikers" during our trip.

Scott,
This s Matt Irey from socal. Thanks for the training info that you e-mailed me earlier in the month. Good to hear that you made the summit again this summer. Isn't it great that you can running through snow in the middle of summer. Looking at the webcam now it looks very miserable, with dark clouds extending down into the lower areas of the mountains. Dosen't look like I will be able to hit the sierra again this year, because I am leaving for Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff in two weeks to start college, but I am already planning at least two trips for next summer! Can't wait. The high sierra is the most extrordinary mountain range that I have been able to hike.
Take it easy.
Matt in socal

Congratulations, Friendly Hiker on your successful trip. And nice try at your switchback count. I think you got the count right for the cables--between 53 & 52 going down, and between 45 & 46 going up. But you either double counted or miscounted a turn somewhere else. You say "Be assured, I faithfully and with great attention, counted them on the way down." Do you mean you recorded each switchback? Did you measure the elevation of each turn? Did you measure the length of each switchback segment? Did you record the latitude and longitude, or UTM coordinates, for each one? Did you map each switchback? If you answer yes, then we really can "Be assured." I do have all this information, however, and would be glad to send it to you. Just click on my email-button above this post and let me know. I tried emailing you, but apparently you don't have your email activated on your profile.

Friendly Hiker, Just so I'm absolutly sure. It was you and your group who we exchanged picture taking duties with, wasn't it? Congratulations again to you and your friends. Might be fun if you can post one of those summit pics with the snow in the background.

Yes, Scott that was our group of 4. I have pics of the snow dusted summit from the morning of July 31 not sure how to include them in my posting.

Hello fellow hikers and summiteers of 7/31!!!

My partner and I summited about an hour after you at 12:00 noon(we were camping across from you at trail camp in the megamid.) Let me assure you that at high noon the trail was quickly being completely covered by quickly accumulated snow and hail. But the real problem was that the hair on my head was standing straight up from the static!! It was pretty gnarly!!! I think the group of 6 of us or so in the summit hut sharing food and encouragement would all agree it was a feeling of lets get the heck outta here, and quick!All and all it was ok after descending abouit 300 ft in elavation. At trail crest there was alot of cathartic feelings for lots of the lightning runners, goin round. Ahh to be back to the switchbacks was like another world.
Sunshine and a cool breeze followed us back to the portal arriving at 6:30 pm. Even without the tremendous views(at least to the east) It was an unforgettable experience! The mountains always hold challenges of the mental and physical varities! this is why we go.Have fun and be safe...

Ok here it is the right count for the switchbacks,
here you go , there are alot of them.

Friendly Hiker, If you attach a .jpg in an email to me, using my listed email, I'll try to post it for you. You pick the shot.
Scott

This picture was taken by Jerry (aka Friendly Hiker) on the summit July 31. Hoping this displays properly since it is my first try at directly posting a picture. My apologies ahead of time if it does not. <img src="http://home.socal.rr.com/rundirt/whitsnow.jpg"width=640"