Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Mountaineers Route

Tried to summit from the Main Trail this last Sunday. Got chased down from Trail Crest by the same weather that drove most people off the mountain the previous two days. (I complained about the weight of crampons and ice axe, but I'm glad I overcame that nonsense and brought them) It was my first time up there, and though I didn't make it to the top, the weather-related drama this last weekend made it much more memorable than if I just easily walked to the top, took some pictures, and drove home. Got to use my crampons and ice axe in what to my somewhat inexperienced self seemed like some pretty sketchy situations. The guy I hooked up with at Trail Camp probably couldn't wait to get home and talk about tip-toeing across the tops of bottomless snow fields. He was very cool and calming, and I hope to climb with him again.

I have a permit for the Mountaineers Trail on June 20. I'm thinking of camping at Lower Boyscout Lake. I camped at Outpost this last weekend, and find that I like the protection of tree cover. Can you camp at Lower Boyscout lake?

Though I have to admit, the Hostel was so much fun, and Doug such a great host, I might just stay there for both days, and make a couple of daytrips up the mountaineers trail. I have a sneaking suspicion I'll get lost at least once.

You can camp at LBSL.. But it's a long trip to the summit from there! UBSL is the prefered campsite for those who don't want to push all the way to Iceberg Lake.

Agreed Ken. The route is not difficult to find with a good map; you're basically following the path of least resistance up the valley the whole way, and there's really only one way to do it. (Famous last words.) The most notorious spots for getting lost/mixed up are in the first chute, jut after you leave the main trail, and on the Ledges. The book Peaks, Passes, and Trails by RJ Secor has a great photo overview of the Mountaineer's route.

In the summertime I would definitely go to either UBSL or Girl Scout Lake, LBSL is a pretty short trip for the first day and quite long for summit day. I have done both UBSL and Iceberg on day 1 in the winter and both are very doable. You will however get a little better sleep at LBSL if you are not acclimatized.

You'd be a little surprised about the route finding aspect. No it is not hard to find your way eventually, but it i also pretty easy to burn an hour chasing the wrong trail for a bit. Finding when to cross the North Fork to the south side rather than go straight up to the ledges (or elephant ear secret route) and then turning off before UBSL are the two main problem areas for most people. Use your common sense and don't assume just because there are cairns or the people ahead of you go one way, that it is really the correct way.

I have camped at LBSL, we were coming from the ocean and didn't have time to acclimate much so we decided to camp low. It worked out good for us but yes the summit day is a long one. Get up early for sure. We had no problems route finding at all but on the way down we did see some people lose thier way around the granite slabs between LBSL and UBSL, not sure how, we thought it was pretty easy to follow so if you are going to be doing it in the dark just make sure you end up on the right side of the creek which would be the north side I believe.

We used the Whitney Trail Topo from REI it also has the MR on it although I don't think I ever pulled it out of my pack.

When did the Mountaineer's Route become the "Mountaineer's Trail"?

I have changed the title. I know it bothers more than a few. Rruby, the Mountaineer's Route is NOT a trail, and calling it a trail invites inexperienced to wander into trouble.

Avalanch Gulch on Mt Shasta is a "route", and though I titled my post "Mountaineer's Route", it is well marked according to individuals very experienced in the area, and even has a sign "North Fork", so as far as I'm concerned, it can reasonably be considerd a "trail", at least as far Iceberg. Though I do typically refer to it as a "route" that's more as a naming convention rather than by definition, again, at least as far as Iceberg. Even my GPS displays it up to Iceberg.

> Even my GPS displays it up to Iceberg

Is there any way you can display what it shows? I'd be curious, since I have seen some way-off gps routes for the MR. Does it take you up the Ebersbacher Ledges? Where does it go in the Clyde Meadow area -- does it take you up the slabs or through the brush?

I agree Steve. GPS receivers certainly have their shortcomings. As a matter of fact we were sitting on the Main Trail switchbacks the other day, and the damn thing actually had that whole bottom set of switchbacks about 100 ft from where we were. Needless to say, it was dead on when I got lost momentarily down at Mirror Lake.

I can't tell you how accurate it'll be on the MR though without having been there, but I'll find out soon enough. It looks fairly accurate insofar as its similarity to MR mapping that I've gotten off of the internet. But I have to assume it may not be able to direct me across the Ledges. Doug's book gives a pretty good description of that area.

I'm aware of how easy it is to get lost in there, not just from what I've read, but actually from people I met at the hostel who actually got lost in there. As far as being inexperienced. I am certainly that, so I stand corrected. It is the Mountaineer's Route.

And the consensus on where to camp on the MR seems to be Upper Boy Scout Lake. Thanks for the input everyone. Sounds like a plan.

I was on it in October, there is no trail, just cairns. I would also support Upper Boy Scout Lake as the minimum push for base camp, although we are intending to go up to Iceberg Lake June 14th, just to camp at 12,500. I don't know if will be feasible to summit the same day, does anyone have any advice on that?

hey Rruby - I'm new to the forum. What is the name of Doug's book and is it available anywhere or just in the portal store?

Cheers

Mt Whitney Mountain Lore From the Whitney Store by Doug Thompson and Elisabeth Newbold.

Got mine from Amazon.com

Yeah, that's the book. Mt Whitney Mountain Lore From the Whitney Store by Doug Thompson and Elisabeth Newbold. Good read. Actually when I was at the hostel, people came in to ask Doug about the MR, and he copied some pages directly from the book for them. Can't get that kind of detail from a map.

That all depends on your starting time but people do the MR in one day all the time so it is perfectly feasible climb to the summit and down to Iceberg to camp. I would look at the condition of the chute and see how much time it will take you based on snow and ice levels. I wouldn't want to down climb the chute too late it might get icy.