Whitney Tech Routes?

[dmuja]

 

 

Seeking advice on the best book with the best beta/topos for technical routes on Mt Whitney?

 

Mainly interested in the East Face for now but...

 

Thanks

[jared_j]

Check the Supertopo High Sierra guides.

[dmuja]

 

 

Thanks for the tip jared!

[iluka]

R.J. Secor The High Sierra: Peaks, passes and Trails devote 5 pages to Whitney.

 

You might also get some beta here: http://www.mt-whitney.info/index.php

 

If you go down there... don't forget to get permits. Even if you're going in as a day trip you need a permit to go up the Whitney Portal trailhead or be in the Whitney zone if you enter from another trailhead and move into that area.

[dmuja]

 

 

Thanks iluka, we'll definitely take your advice.

 

BTW, I really enjoyed your "to the point" and very informative lecture on high altitude travel last year - great stuff and well presented!

 

D

[chris]

My information may be outdated, but as of the end of the climbing season last year, a day use permit was not required to ascend the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, which is a climber's trail used to gain Iceberg Lake and the East Face, East Buttress, and Mountaineers' Routes on Whitney. That is a big day - most people go ahead and camp at Upper Boy Scout Lake or Iceberg Lake. An overnight permit is required to do so, but they are easier to gain than on the hiker's trail along the South Fork of Lone Pine Creek. The South Fork also requires permits for day use.

However last year climbers were also being asked to voluntarily "register" if they were accessing the North Fork for day use activity, which sounds ominously like the beginnings of another quota to me.

[iluka]

Here's a link to the Inyo National Forest website with information about Mt. Whitney Permits:

 

Whitney Permit Link

 

Looks like permits are needed year round to go into the Whitney Zone, which includes the north fork of Lone Pine Creek. Quotas in place May 1 to November 1.

[chris_stolz]

The East Buttress (5.6?) and mountaineers route (5.2? this is really a descent route) aren't that good, despite what Croft writes. I would do Keeler Needle (get up early-- the entrance starts getting bombed not long after the sun hits it). A much, much better moderate route than the Whitney ones is the Fishhook on Russell (5.8 or so) which is only 200 feet or so lower than Whitney and only about 30 more minutes of walking. Plus when you top out on Russell there won't be 35 idiots yelling "HEY YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE WHERE I AM!" into their cell phones.

 

If you are going in there for one route, it would be a massive day-- it's a loong and steep approach and the altitude would be very challenging. I would go in for 2-3 days-- camp at Lower Boy Scout if you have altitude issues-- do Fishook, Keeler and maybe Whitney.