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Up and down Mt Whitney today from the portal. Started at 3:30 am with a surprising number of folks. Beautiful day, definitely cool first thing. Summited just before noon. Smoke from fires made for less than epic long distance views.
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This is looking SW towards the Sequoia NF. Smoke is from the Lions Fire.
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View looking East out over the Inyos with Saline Valley behind it.
Camped out for the night out by the lower Owens River. I hurt all over.
We did the same thing about a thousand years ago. Started at 6 and back at the car at 6. Bummer about the smoke. We caught Golden’s at the cottonwood lakes the next day.
I did that once, and once is enough. Great hike, but too many people. Mountaineers route is a better day hike (I've done it, but not in a day.) Only 9 mile RT, but an ass kicking 9 miles.
Yeah, as I recall we did it on a weekday, and it wasn’t that crowded, plus we were scared of the mountaineers route.
Did the overnight version this year. Had a great time, fairly easy. Saw all the day hikers.... Seems to me, the hassel of spending the night at 12k is a worth splitting the hike up and going at a more casual pace.
It was crazy to watch how many day hikers were coming down the switchbacks in the dark at like 8pm, knowing they had 6 more miles... in the dark...
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Friends and i once came in from west and got to the summit after the sunrise crew and before those coming up from the east. We got to hot box the hut and hang on the summit with just our (nameless) crew for a few hours. We lounged on the summit for most of the day and descended to one of the east side lakes in the late afternoon. The weather was gorgeous. I highly recommend that method.
A friend once approached whitney as a mountain run. He and a friend did it round trip from their car in 6hrs via the east face.
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Bivy on the peak n bring your dog too
The kid and his girlfriend did it in a day this summer from WP--East Face up, Mountaineer's down, finished in daylight.
Did they solo the techie pitches? That's what my friend did.Quote:
Originally Posted by old goat
Years ago a friend and I bivied at the base of the East Face, climbed it, and descended the Mountaineeers route. It was May, did not see a soul on the mountain that day. We did collect a couple cams on the East Face that had been left by Japanese climbers who bailed. The tech pitches were iced up and sketchy. At one point my buddy slipped out of an icy stem and was dangling by a Stopper. I vividly recall the look on his face--like are we going to make it up this? We hugged on the summit in relief. Memorable climb that's for sure.
We did the mountaineers route over three days. Carried entirely too much food and wine, but we did have a very nice time. On day two we dud the climb from upper boy scout lake and back. Conditions weren't ideal, ice covered rock and snow, etc, plus I took a bunch of first timers. 22 hours camp to camp. Mean while a 20 something couple flashes it car to car in much less time, and we're no doubt banging in the back of their Subaru while we were still thrashing it out. Of course they had the advantage of a full rope rappel since they tied into our anchor and I sent their rope down when they reach the bottom.Quote:
Originally Posted by old goat
Ah!!! to be young.
Pitched out the harder pitches, simulclimbed the rest, descent aided by a quick glissade down mountaineers.Quote:
Originally Posted by bodywhomper
I've done the walk up, the Mountaineers route, and the east face. A couple of variations to think of. Muir is a fun scramble off the walk up and in an extra 45 min you can bag another 14er. A good multi day is to make a loop over the Whitney Russel Col, and take the trail back to Whitney Portal. You probably won't see anyone between Iceberg Lake and the JMT. The East Ridge of Russel is an incredible 3rd class day hike from WP - way more exciting than any third class route on Whitney, and way less people. What a beautiful zone!
I just have to second this - the East Ridge is spectacular, about as good as a ridge scramble gets. The mountaineer's route is cool and all, but hands down do the East Ridge of Russell if you can only do one.Quote:
Originally Posted by harpo-the-skier
The last time I was there my partner and I hiked up to the lake, set up camp, did the E. ridge of Russel as a sunset romp, slept well and did the E. Butt of Whitney the next morning descending the mountaineers route and then back to camp for a nip and back down to the car. I didn't think it was all that strenuous, but it was a full outing.
Ive done it in 1 day before. Wouldnt do it again. Would love to get it from the back and come through crabtree lakes area..
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Thirded. The east ridge is awesome and a ton of fun. Did a two day linkup of Carrilon, Russel, Whitney, and Muir, sleeping at Upper Boyscout in between the East Ridge of Russel and the mountaineer's route. The East Ridge was easily the highlight of the trip - easy enough that most people should have no problems but exposed enough to keep your heart beating!Quote:
Originally Posted by WhetherMan
Do it. When I was in high school, me and a couple of my uncle's did a 4 day trip from Cottonwood Lakes, over Old Army Pass, up the Miter Basin to upper Crabtree. Camped at trail crest the last night. Super great trip. My uncle really wanted us to descend to Upper boy Scout and get the East Ridge of Russell the next day, but I was being a tired, hungry bitch. Goddamn teenagers!Quote:
Originally Posted by trex_9
I did a similar trip ^^ (cottonwood lakes TH, one of the army passes, etc.), but we took longer and explored more. It was awesome and a great way to approach Whitney.
Yeah, great area. I did the Cottonwood, New Army Pass, Miter Basin, Crabtree Lakes, and wanted to finish on Whitney, but couldn't get the permit, so headed down through Crabtree Meadows and back Old Amy Pass.
Bumping this to see if anyone has done Carl Heller. Looks like a pretty epic place to take non-technical folks. The approach from George Creek sounds very type 2 fun-ish, is it really that bad? I think you can also approach from the North Fork - besides the permit hassle maybe this is the better option? Just trying to keep my mind off of skiing for another week...
Went up to Carl Heller last summer. Didn't end up doing it as my partner got a bit freaked out on the first part getting up to the ridge. And yes, the George Creek approach is really that bad, but apparently not THAT bad since I still want to go back and actually climb Carl Heller. Selective memory I guess. Some pics of the approach....
The trail...
https://photos.smugmug.com/Adventure...%2017-7-X2.jpg
Standard creek crossing...
https://photos.smugmug.com/Adventure...%2017-9-X2.jpg
More of the same...
https://photos.smugmug.com/Adventure...2017-18-X2.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/Adventure...2017-92-X2.jpg
Once out of the main drainage, then the talus fun begins...
https://photos.smugmug.com/Adventure...2017-28-X2.jpg
And feels like it never ends...
https://photos.smugmug.com/Adventure...2017-31-X2.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/Adventure...2017-33-X2.jpg
Until finally, it does...
https://photos.smugmug.com/Adventure...2017-41-X2.jpg
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"My ankles are broken!"