Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Why did I buy a guidebook?

Okay, granted a book covering the whole range can't put too much ink towards any one peak... but really:



Thanks a lot. I knew that it was confusing- that's why I bought a new book. My 50 year old copy of "A Climber's Guide to the High Sierra" has as much info as that. I guess I'd better study Supertopo and Summitpost listings.

Maybe you've read this:

http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/16...-trailhead.html

If all else fails, go exploring.

Cheers!

Google yielded this description, with a good picture of the approach to the correct chute.

http://sierramountaineering.com/blog/?p=154

It's not too bad when you're actually up there; Secor's description will steer you right. That said, we weren't entirely sure we were in the correct chute until we actually topped out on the summit plateau. The only hint that we were in the right place was a rappel sling at the top of the chute below the cl. 3 section...

I did it with 4 friends in June of 2006, Based on Secor as well as Porcella & Burns descriptions, and going to the far south side of Williamson Bowl, I thought Secor's west gully route would take us up the south side of the west slope, closer to the Bolton-Brown route. But once we got to the infamous "Black Stain" the chute ran in straight line, diagonaly up and to the north of the summit. I wasn't sure we were on route until we emerged from the chumney onto the summit plateau. I couldn't see the chute from down in the bowl even after having climbed it.

I highly recommend Bob Burd's Trip Reports on his Mount Williamson hike. In general, he has some great BETA.

Here are some links (descriptions and pics to go with it). Glance over both of them:

http://www.snwburd.com/bob/trip_reports/williamson_1.html

http://www.snwburd.com/bob/trip_reports/williamson_2.html

--Amin