Mt. Whitney June Ascent

[amderr22]

Hi all, I'm headed to California next week to tackle Mt. Whitney on June 6th. I've been reading and researching about the snow conditions on the route, especially along the Chute, but I'm looking for some more details from anyone who has been there during this time period. My biggest questions:

1) I've seen a lot of references to the need for crampons, but I also see people using the term interchangeably with microspikes. I'm well-equipped and will be bringing full crampons, but want to make sure others on my team are well-equipped. Are microspikes and gaiters usually sufficient around June 6, or realistically should they go and rent full mountaineering boots and crampons? I assume ice axes will still be a must.

2) Curious what the most common start time is for those doing the climb in a single day. We are all in good shape, having trained a while, and are acclimated to the elevation (living in Denver helps).

Trying to avoid becoming the next rescue story on this trail... seems like there are a lot of unprepared or under-equipped groups trying for the summit, definitely don't want to put others at risk! Thanks!

[LetsGoMets]

Crampons, axe, knowledge of use for said tools, 12:01 a.m.

Give yourself the best chance to have a safe successful summit.

[seano]

Keep an eye on the Whitney Forum for the latest conditions, but you'll definitely want axes and crampons. You probably don't need to start at 0-dark-30, since the snow should be fairly well consolidated and there will be a boot-pack. It's 6000 feet of gain in about 12 miles, so budget your time accordingly.

[nyker]

You don't mention which route you're planning on doing, there is a "Chute" on both the Mountaineers Route, (two actually)
and at this time of year, there is one on the Main Trail. Nonetheless...

1) Bring real crampons, regardless of which route you're doing, and a mountaineer style axe and as Letsgomets says, importantly knowledge of how to use them. If your teammates never used them before, try to get in some practice in CO or the Sierra before hand.
Gaitors would probably be helpful also, given some of the deeper snow on the routes.

You can probably get by with 3-season boots (ideally with a rear welt) with warm socks and unless your feet run cold or its a colder than
normal day, you shouldn't need plastic or winter mountaineering boots, but there will be folks on the mountain with them.

2) Start time: There will be a lot of snow on either route on the upper reaches of the mountain. In many spots, there will likely be a bootpack,
but if a lot of melting occurs or if any new snow falls, this might disappear, meaning you might have to factor in some time for navigation.

Normal start times for day trips on either route from the parking lot range from 1:00am to 5:00am, depending on your speed and
route conditions. I'd say the bulk of folks start in the 2:00am - 4:00am range.

[amderr22]

Super helpful feedback - I love this forum! Thanks all. We're taking the Main Trail, not the mountaineering route. I'll plan on spending a day with them going over ice axe and self-arrest techniques, thanks for the great advice.

[clairekm]

Definitely use crampons and not microspikes.

Timing wise another thing to keep in mind is that the chute on the standard route does go into the shade in the afternoon. Both times I climbed Whitney in late May I did it as an overnight and upon arriving at trail camp encountered people who got into trouble descending the chute after it had refrozen and fallen and gone for a long slide.

[nyker]

Definitely use crampons and not microspikes.

Timing wise another thing to keep in mind is that the chute on the standard route does go into the shade in the afternoon. Both times I climbed Whitney in late May I did it as an overnight and upon arriving at trail camp encountered people who got into trouble descending the chute after it had refrozen and fallen and gone for a long slide.

Good point...that's not a good glissade area given the steepness of the slope, the rocks below and clairekm's comment on its tendency to ice up, despite that there will be glissade tracks for sure.

[amderr22]

Made it to the summit! Thanks for the advice!

[Wentzl]

Congrats on a successful ascent. Post a blurb about the route you took, the conditions you encountered and the gear you used.