Fall Conditions on the Mt. Whitney Trail
For those of you interested in trying to climb Mt. Whitney this fall you should be aware of current conditions, and more importantly how to interpret those conditions to help you decide how to make decisions with safety in mind to prevent a fatal "fall."
Snow is now present on Mt. Whitney and it will not melt away until late spring or early summer. You can count on negotiating a snow covered trail from, at minimum, somewhere above Trail Camp until Trail Crest.
From the cables until Trail Crest there are hazardous areas where a slip can turn into a fall, that can lead to an injury or fatality. This section is part of most of us refer to as the “99 Switchbacks.”
When the area receives more storms, you can count on snow lower and higher on the route.
Given these conditions there are certain things to keep in mind if you decide to attempt climbing Mt. Whitney via the Main Trail. This list is not exhaustive but is a good place to start:
(1) Recognize that your ascent will take longer than it would if the trail was dry. Plan extra time into your itinerary to account for this.
(2a) Realize that current conditions require climbers to have learned and practiced several mountaineering skills, which include self arrest with an ice axe (this is how you would attempt to stop yourself in the event of a slip on the hard snow and ice), how to walk with crampons on, and how to efficiently climb up and down snow slopes.
(2b) This means that ski poles are no substitute for an ice axe. Ski poles are great aids in walking. Going up hill they are like a portable hand rail. On the down hill they help reduce some of the jarring to hiker’s knees. They will do nothing to help stop a person in case of a fall. Yes, some ski poles are made with self arrest grips. This is no substitute for an ice axe.
(3a) The slope between Trail Camp and Trail Crest is north facing. This means it loses sun exposure early in the day. You can be on this slope during a warm sunny day and find the snow comfortable to walk on, but once the sun leaves this slope the snow will become firm, hard, and slick. It will stay that way until the sun hits it again, which might be the next day, or it might take several days if clouds obscure direct rays from the sun. Even with direct sun exposure the conditions could still be firm, hard, and slick.
(3b) Be prepared to climb on firm, hard, and slick snow. If you find yourself on this slope after 2:00 p.m. (when the sun begins leaving this area) you need to be prepared to negotiate increasingly firm, hard, and slick snow conditions.
(4a) Glissading from Trail Crest is not a safe option. It doesn’t matter if you see tracks from people who have previously done it. Among those who contributed to the current track includes one person who lost his life from the decision to glissade there.
(4b) People have tried glissading here for years. Understand that this slope is subtly angled in such a way that it can pull an unsuspecting mountaineer slowly to the left, which can make you end up slamming into the rocks at a high rate of speed. There have been many injuries and fatalities due to people glissading here.
(4c) If you decide to glissade anywhere else on any mountain remove your crampons. Glissading with crampons is NEVER an option. You run a high chance of injuring an ankle, a leg, or worse. It is poor mountaineering technique to do this anywhere and at any time.
(5a) Remember that the summit should not be your primary goal. Your first goal is to get back to the parking lot safely. If you can stay within that margin of safety then the summit is your second goal. This means that just because somebody else decided to ascend in questionable conditions, it should not determine what you decide to do. You need to make your decisions based on known skills and the ability of your group.
Getting to the top is optional...getting down is mandatory.
