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#105704 - 08/10/23 04:23 PM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: Marmot John]
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Member
Registered: 04/01/13
Posts: 2
Loc: North Carolina
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Yeah, I had a similar question to Marmot John. I was surprised that the cable section wasn't on your list of differences from normal summer conditions. If I had to guess from my past experience, that would be the spot I was most worried about.
I know the weather is always a wild card this time of year, especially in the afternoon. Will watch that closely and try to manage as early a start as possible.
Good luck to everyone planning for hikes in the coming days.
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#105705 - 08/10/23 04:37 PM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: Marmot John]
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Member
Registered: 12/22/02
Posts: 550
Loc: California
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Marmot John,
If you follow the Main Trail, no snow bridges will be encountered.
The area you are always most uncomfortable about above the meadow is likely the steep snow patch one crosses currently hovering above the west end of Trailside Meadow (which I mention in my recent post today). It bothered me too, and it was the only place I put my micro spikes on during the Aug 6 hike. The snow there was rock solid on the ascent and slushy and slippery on the descent. The runout looked nasty. I would guess it will be a non-issue when you descend in two weeks.
On August 6, passing by the Cables predominantly involved walking on a well-designed dry rock path inside the cables. But future snowfall and water seeping from the wall and melting snow turning to ice at night can be game changers. Also I noted a small recent partial collapse (exfoliation?) of the wall at the beginning of Cable passage on ascent. Hopefully, the area remains stable.
BTW, from the west the Trail up from Crabtree looked great! I hope to be coming up that way myself soon.
Jim
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#105712 - 08/15/23 01:16 PM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: Doug Sr]
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Member
Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 250
Loc: Aptos, California, USA
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I'm looking for any beta from climbers who went up over the weekend. Especially information on the condition of the switchbacks Good to go without traction devices and an ice axe? Thanks!!
_________________________
climbSTRONG "Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" -Helen Keller
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#105720 - 08/17/23 04:38 PM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: ClimbSTRONG]
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Member
Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 250
Loc: Aptos, California, USA
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As time goes on, in regards to our overnight climb Tuesday & Wednesday, it's going to be more about what the storm brings on Sunday & Monday than what conditions were like last weekend!
_________________________
climbSTRONG "Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" -Helen Keller
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#105724 - 08/18/23 10:47 AM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: ClimbSTRONG]
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Member
Registered: 09/30/21
Posts: 6
Loc: CA
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Hi, can someone post info on what the trail conditions on Whitney (main trail) are like following the storm next week which is supposed to bring in more snow? How are the switchbacks and snow crossings? Are crampons needed or microspikes sufficient?
Thanks, Janet
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#105727 - 08/18/23 01:03 PM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: Doug Sr]
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Member
Registered: 08/02/23
Posts: 2
Loc: California
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Very interested to see what this storm brings for Whitney. Lone Pine is currently forecasted to be directly hit by the remnants of the hurricane, and Mountain Forecast has the freezing and could see 4+ inches of precip, and Mountain Forecast has the freezing level at 14-15k feet during the storm. If it's a direct hit and freezing levels are low enough, we could see feet of snow near the summit.
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#105734 - 08/21/23 08:48 AM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: mmouser]
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Member
Registered: 05/04/23
Posts: 5
Loc: Massachusetts
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Yes I'm also very curiuos to see how much the summit actually recieved.
There was much disagreement between NOAA and Mountain Forecast, with MF showing as much as 14-18" on Sunday night at 14k, but NOAA forecasted all rain.
I suspect the snowline was very high and that the accumulation was sharply different between 12k and 14.5k. Curious to know if the summit actually had a foot or more, or if it was all slush.
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#105736 - 08/21/23 10:00 AM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: Matt Z]
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Member
Registered: 09/30/21
Posts: 6
Loc: CA
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Hi, I actually want to hike Whitney very soon despite the recent storm/snow. My husband is concerned about avalanche risk due to the new snowfall.
Can someone shed light on this as well?
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#105740 - 08/21/23 03:06 PM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: Wedgy]
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Member
Registered: 04/12/23
Posts: 8
Loc: Earth
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I'm going to go with the theory of not much impactful snow falling in this event. I just saw a couple videos of the Whitney Portal parking lot and there's an absolutely insane amount of water flowing down right now, which gives me hope that what happened up there is in mostly liquid form and is going to come down immediately. Hopefully the snow that did fall is going to be the powdery stuff that melts fast. I saw a new trip report of a few hikers that just exited at Kearsarge and just reported hail, I don't recall any mention of snow, so hopefully we are good at least up to 12,000 feet.
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#105746 - 08/22/23 08:36 AM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: Doug Sr]
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Member
Registered: 05/04/23
Posts: 5
Loc: Massachusetts
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Glad to hear that Doug!
Clouds are just starting to clear on the webcam and it's pretty much confirmed - no significant new snowfall at the summit. The MR Couloir looks like old snow to me.
Just trying to calibrate my trust in Mountain Forecast. They were calling for 14+ inches on Sunday at 14k which clearly was off a bit. Not cold enough. Would have been epic if it was a month or two later perhaps.
Overall, good news for the late season permit holders. Best of luck with the roads Doug et. al.!
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#105749 - 08/25/23 11:32 AM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: Doug Sr]
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Member
Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 250
Loc: Aptos, California, USA
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I was up Tuesday/Wednesday, 22nd/23rd and the CCC crews were hard at work. I cannot express my gratitude enough for the work that they do, especially getting the logs back in place basically the day after the storm. And they had to get into the creek to do that. A very high creek. On Tuesday, using creativity in some instances, I was able to make it to Trail Camp with dry feet (and back down again on Wed). The new snow is absolutely no problem now on the Main Trail and I was able to cross the few remaining snowfield without spikes, although a couple in our group opted for the security that they offer. The Mountaineer's Route may be another story. I looked down the Final 400 and it's very steep, all snow. It appears that snow has loaded up at the top, making the final section very close to vertical. I spoke to a guy who climbed the East Buttress, one of 4 groups that he was with to do so. The looked down the Final 400 and opted to take the Main Trail down and return to Iceberg Lake the next day to retrieve their camp! The weather forecast ahead looks great, but as Doug says "prepare for the worst". I predict lots of summits for the foreseeable future! Gary
_________________________
climbSTRONG "Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" -Helen Keller
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#105750 - 08/25/23 11:36 AM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: Matt Z]
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Member
Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 250
Loc: Aptos, California, USA
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I would not be surprised if a foot of snow fell on Sunday and melted/blew/was rained away quickly. I went up Muir on Wednesday and there was easily 5 to 7 inches left in protected places on the slope up to the rock climb.
_________________________
climbSTRONG "Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" -Helen Keller
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#105753 - 08/28/23 05:23 PM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: ClimbSTRONG]
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Member
Registered: 08/02/14
Posts: 24
Loc: Ridgecrest, CA
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On the subject of storms and trail conditions, I saw a picture of the Whitney Portal Road after the Hilary TS rolled through. Some 100 feet of road was badly torn up by the expected flash flood through the lower canyon. Has the road been repaired? Or is vehicle access to the Portal via Lubken Canyon Rd the way to go?
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#105754 - 08/28/23 07:09 PM
Re: Whitney - 2023
[Re: Strider]
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Member
Registered: 06/26/03
Posts: 5276
Loc: Ridgecrest, CA
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There is still a Detour in place...
Looks like there are 2 different routes...Lubken and thru the Alabama Hills.
BTW, Hillary didn't do much damage up at Horseshow Meadows. I did the Trail Pass / Cottonwood Pass Loop again and didn't encounter anything but (real) minor rutting on the PCT and the trails up and down...
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