Upper Whitney Glacier TR

[jjd]

Two partners and I climbed Cascade Gulch to Shastina/Shasta saddle. Got a little late start (about 3:30-3:45). Decent wind packed snow most of the way. Breakable crust in some spots. We reached the saddle a little before 6 am. By then, the wind was blowing a steady 40 mph with gusts of 60+. Turned around before entering the glacier. Climbers on West Face Gully appeared to turn around and then climbed back up. Wind seemed to die quite a bit by 9:30, too late for us. Heard reports of climbers on other routes summiting by 5-6 am to avoid winds. Overall, conditions are still good on the west side routes, although snow becomes slushy by mid-morning with the recent heat.

[Alex_Mineev]

Where did you start from? Parking lot or Lake Helen?

[jjd]

Saturday, we started from the Bunny Flat trailhead and hiked up and over to Hidden Valley. We ended up camping a little above Hidden Valley at about 10,000 feet. Sunday morning we took off for the summit up Cascade Gulch. Climbing from the parking lot to the summit on the Cascade Gulch - Upper Whitney Glacier route would be a LONG day.

[Alex_Mineev]

Climbed Cascade gulch on the 7th of July.

3 hrs from Bunny Flats to Hidden Valley, 9 1/2 hours from Hidden Valley to the summit.

We started to the summit too late I think - at 4.30 (ideally would be 1.30 - 2am) ... Reached the summit about 2pm. Winds were 10-15mph, light clouds below Misery hill. During both days we've spent on the mountain we've seen the same pattern - clouds cover summit at about 3-4 pm and disappear at 7-8pm. Did not see and rockfall. Snow caps are developing below Misery hill. Bergschrund looks great and still has strong snow bridges.

Hidden valley bivy site is 5-stars scenic view during sunset. Snow is melting fast - front vesibule of our tent lost both stakes when we returned at 6pm because of few inches of snow melted around the plastic stakes.

Regret a little bit that we did not have enoungh time to scramble Shastina - we saw a couple of sky-blue lakes on its shoulder.