[pct-l] Summit Mt Whitney

[Paul Bodnar]

> Special gear needed or can I just "walk up the mountain" with my pack and
> trail runner shoes?  
This depends on snow and weather conditions.  This year (2012) thru-hiking season it was a walk in the park... no ice-ax or crampons needed.  I walked the trail to the summit of Mt. Whitney on June 17 and it was EASY, I was wearing trail runner shoes.  I hiked from Guitar Lake so it was only a few miles to the summit, most people hiked out of Crabtree Meadows area adding a few more miles. People camping at Crabtree Meadows, near the PCT and JMT junction easily made it back to camp the same day if they left early in the morning....   I experienced no snow this year, except a 100 foot patch on a safe slightly sloping area right before the summit.  A nice channel was carved through the 100 feet of snow so you couldn't even fall if you wanted to.  However in 2010 when I thru-hiked it was a different experience.. a lot of people had problems climbing Whitney, the trail wasn't easy to follow because of snow and the weather was much colder, below freezing etc..  I'm sure in 2011 it was even worse.  So in summary it depends on the conditions.  You will have a better idea of the snow conditions in the Sierras by early April.  When you are in Kennedy Meadows in mid June you will be about 3-4 days away from Whitney junction (JMT and PCT), and you'll even know more... So my advice, sit back and relax and plan according to the conditions that are presented to you.
Paul