Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Whitney in June?

Hi -

I had a great climb last year in late July and am considering a return trip this summer in mid- to late June with my teenage son but am concerned about trail conditions at that time. What is the likelihood that the trail is covered in snow/ice at that time? I don't want to have to deal with crampons, etc.

thanks!

Way too early to tell for sure.

A LOT can happen between now and then. It depends on snow storms, rain storms, temperatures, etc.

You need to just keep checking about conditions, especially the nearer it gets.

Most likely you will have to deal with at least some snow and ice...thus you should either change your plans, if you want 100% guarantee of no snow, or take one on Kurt Wedburg's snow travel courses and learn to love these conditions.

A great alternative this time of year is White Mountain. Whatever snow that is around is easily negotiated.

crampons weigh next to nothing these days, the ice ax that may save your life is easiliy stowed when you dont need it.
nothing beats climbing in the empty mountains with a son and no one else

With this being an El Nino year and the snowfall already running above normal, it's more likely that you will have to deal with snow in June. In El Nino years, winter tends to extend itself beyond its normal calendar month limits.

Thanks for the input - so lets say it's some sort of normal-ish year and there's a reasonable amount of snow and ice on the trail. No Mt. Everest or the like, and no foul weather is expected. Does the need for crampons, etc require special training and experience or could a fairly experienced hiker pretty much just strap them on and go?

I know that this is a very vague question but am trying to see how significant of a hurdle some snow and ice would be.

Thx

Not to be overly dramatic, but this mistake has cost many people their lives, in this exact time window. The issue is not actually the crampons, it is the terrain that crampons allow you to get into--which is the terrain above Trail Camp, in particular. Steep, big falloff. The mitigating factor is the knowledge and possession of an ice axe, the mountaineer's tool. This is not something best learned out of a book. I think of it roughly as the equivalent of a parachute. When the need arises, it is an emergency, and you have only moments to act. One needs to have the skills and knowledge and experience to have the reflexes to make the moves, and even then, the outcome is not certain. There have been many discussions on the subject on this forum, and I encourage you to use the search function to look around for more in-depth discussions and viewpoints.

g'luck!

We now are exactly one-half way through the snow season in the sierras (considered to end April 1). While we are ahead of the average for the date, we are actually slightly behind last year, which was considered a drought year. A lot can happen in the next two months, but the first two months of this season is history, and it is not particularly promising:

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/products/PLOT_SWC.2010.pdf

Crampons are strap'em on a go depending on where you are going. On the Main Mt. Whitney Trail it gets complicated by exposure.

Many will go up the MMWT next spring utilizing an axe and crampons for the first time in their lives and 99.9% will not have a problem. However, if you are a part of the .1% that do, it can be life threatening.

I would suggest you pick up a copy of Freedom of the Hills, read the section about snow travel. If still interested, get yourself some gear and practice...where the kids sled are usually the best places. Finally, contact Sierra Mountaineering International in Bishop and take their one-day snow travel course. It will be the best money you have ever spend.

Bruce b - Since you have already done Whitney from the Portal, why not consider a trek starting at Onion Valley? Yes, there will be some snow - time your approaches to Forester Pass and Whitney early when the white stuff is tight - post-holin isn't much fun.