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Re: [pct-l] Mt. Whitney conditions ??



>Does anyone know the snow conditions at Trail Pass, Mt. Whitney, and 
>beyond?  Helen is switching back to a warmer bag and heavier tent, >and
ice-axe and crampons, but uncertain about what to expect.
>Any info about trail conditions ahead would be very welcome.

   Last week when I was up at Whitney - last non-quota week, make sure
you have a Whitney Zone sticker - there was pleasant spring weather:
hottish in full sun, 30-40 F nights; nights above 11,000' were nippier.
The sky was unusually threatening each afternoon, but no real
precipitation fell.

   There are snow patches in places from K. Mdws to Cottonwood Pass and
beyond, but nothing you can't walk on (or _in_ on a hot afternoon <g>;
meadows very soggy) in regular footgear. I didn't use crampons for the
final steep part to Trail Crest/Whitney summit, but I really, really
wanted them, and had to make a late start to get boot-purchasable snow.
Ice axe/ability to self-arrest mandatory going up that part - the
eastside summer switchbacks were buried and icy and not usable yet.

Didn't go north to Forrester, but it's gotta be the same, and the north
side near the top (above the tarn) will be deep total snow for another
month at least (altho there should be a half-as*ed bootprint "trail"
then, and you can generally walk on crust); there's a small snowpatch
there quite late-season almost year round. BTW, by "crampons" I don't
mean those little instep crampons made for walking on slick driveways. If
you felt at all uncomfortable with the San J's couple inches of snow in
March, you might not be happy on Whitney until July...

The higher lakes are starting to seriously thaw, and streams are running
full;

The Horseshoe Meadow Road/Onion Valley Rd are open, but the county's
clearing debris on them, so they may not be officially 100% until a bit
after Memorial Day.       bj

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