KaskadskyjKozak Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 I'm contemplating a trip down to Whitney in Sep. Is the weather typically stable and warm enough for this route in the 1st two weeks of Sept? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keenwesh Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 it's california, probably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_warfield Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 E. Sierras are notorious for having good weather that time of year. Go get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurel Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 I'm not planning to be there so it'll probably be nice and sunny and totally not thunderstorm on you every afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtveld Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Only downside is the Mountaineers Route descent will be melted out to an endless scree gully. No worse than many Cascade peaks though. Be sure and do Mt Russell too, while you're in the neighborhood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaskadskyjKozak Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Only downside is the Mountaineers Route descent will be melted out to an endless scree gully. No worse than many Cascade peaks though. Be sure and do Mt Russell too, while you're in the neighborhood. ah, then I can leave ice axe and pons home though! can't imagine anything could be worse than the crapcadian couloir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfire Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Did it in September and it was perfect weather and lower crowds. Brisk in the morning. The descent is a piece of cake compared to the Cascadian. Second the Mt Russell comment. Fishhook arete is a mega classic and WAY more interesting than the East face. Not to be missed if you're camping up there for a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I'm contemplating a trip down to Whitney in Sep. Is the weather typically stable and warm enough for this route in the 1st two weeks of Sept? That's when we did it. There was spots of snow in the gully but nothing you couldn't scramble around. We did the East Buttress and descended the Mountaineers route. It was a little chilly, I was wearing one of those thin lightweight puffies. Clear skies and sunshine the whole time. I set the rack down on the summit and forgot to pick it up. Got to the bottom of the Mountaineers route before I realized it. So I climbed both routes in one day. It's actually not that long of a climb either way since the base is so high. Iceberg lake is 12,650' and you hike another 500' or so to the start of the climb. Looking up from above Iceberg, the Mnts gulley is the notch on the right Looking down the East Buttress at Iceberg and all the way down to Lone Pine. If I did it again I would camp at or near the small lake middle right of pic. Upper Boy Scout you can't see Whitney and Iceberg is too high for sleeping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_warfield Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 The Cascades set the bar for suffering. The Sierras may spoil you. Check out Peter Croft's book on E. Sierra moderate alpine classics. It is "Good, Great, and Awesome" from one of the best and will keep you from getting Californicated and is a good read even if you don't do any of the climbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtveld Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 ah, then I can leave ice axe and pons home though! A great trip to travel light on. We took summer bags with bivy sacks. Puffy and gloves essential though. That approach is a GRUNT - 4k of up that starts around 8.5. But it's highly varied (pine forest, mega-boulder fields, exposed ledges, water washed slabs, etc.) and nearly brush free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaskadskyjKozak Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 ah, then I can leave ice axe and pons home though! A great trip to travel light on. We took summer bags with bivy sacks. Puffy and gloves essential though. That approach is a GRUNT - 4k of up that starts around 8.5. But it's highly varied (pine forest, mega-boulder fields, exposed ledges, water washed slabs, etc.) and nearly brush free. Can't be worse than the approach to The Mole was. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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