Grant Hoag - Nov 12, 2019 3:39 pm Date Climbed: Jan 1, 1977
January Climb
Grant Hoag & Bret Hughes, Aged 23
No Snow due to massive drought, but very cold.
Signed Log Book but heard that it was lost thereafter.
wdimpfl - Dec 22, 2017 2:21 pm Date Climbed: Jul 15, 1968
Fantastic Classic Route
Exact date uncertain. Climbed this route with Kathy Reichardt. We hiked with our friends that were doing the trail to Mirror Lake, where we spent the night. Early the next morning we climbed cross country over Pinnacle Ridge to Iceberg Lake where the climb begins. It started snowing lightly as we reached the Grand Staircase. We hiked back to Mirror Lake on the trail, very tired and with a pounding headache.
I returned in 1987 (I think) and climbed the route again with Steve Beck and Marty. I brought a Beta Max VCR camera and made a movie of the climb, which you can watch on my Youtube page.
I climbed the East Face and East Buttress with John Oliver over a July weekend in 1981. I was entering my junior year and John his senior year at Harvey Mudd College. After finishing another week of summer chemistry research, we left Claremont, California on a Friday evening. We slept in Whitney Portal and then backpacked up to East Face Lake. We quickly gathered our climbing gear and rope, arriving at the notch behind the first tower in the mid-afternoon. We then witnessed a short-haul extraction of an injured climber directly across from us on the lower east face by the China Lake Mountain Rescue Group. There was little margin for error as the helicopter blade tips appeared to be only feet from the vertical rock face. We completed the route in the waning light and then descended the Mountaineer Route back to our lake campsite. The next day we climbed the East Buttress and returned to Claremont Sunday night. We were back in the lab on Monday.
Our climb was almost fifty years to the date of the first ascent by Glen Dawson, Jules Eichorn, Norman Clyde and Robert Underhill on August 16, 1931. I had the pleasure of a lifetime meeting Glen Dawson at 103 years old in December, 2015. Mr. Dawson died a few months later just shy of his 104th birthday.
Kind of dirty. I think East Buttress is a cleaner climb.
oliverkalt - Sep 26, 2013 1:00 am Date Climbed: Sep 20, 2013
Leisurely
After probably 10 years I finally climbed the E-face again. Very enjoyable and leisurely. We had at least a 1.5hr siesta on the big ledge before the Fresh Air Traverse observing a slower party work their way up.
Dow Williams - Aug 25, 2013 1:29 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2013
East Face
Solo climb. Standing on top of Mount Whitney in the morning, then standing in Death Valley in the afternoon on the way home. From the highest point in the lower 48 to the lowest within hours.
Vitaliy M. - Oct 1, 2011 11:46 pm Date Climbed: Sep 29, 2011
Car to Car
Great views and unforgettable day. The route is not that sustained, but fun. Would be more enjoyable if I was able to get more than an hour of sleep before starting to hike. Drive from bay area sucks!!! Down via MR which had water ice perfect for ice climbing on one side. Had to downclimb the rock buttress.
No one there. Everyone was on East Buttress. Left Iceberg lake at 7:30 am, summitted at 2:00 pm, and back at camp at 4:30 pm. Simul climbed much of the route.
Peak Freak - Aug 18, 2009 12:03 am Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2009
East Face
Thanks, Kurt & Andy for an awesome climb! We had the route to ourselves, and were treated like rock stars when we emerged on the summit amidst the hikers. Great weather & super fun day!!!
Climbed the East Face with Kurt Wedberg. Car to car in 19 hrs.
The bear at the Portal is getting pretty bold. While my partner and myself were sitting in his truck with the windows down waiting for Kurt, this bear leans into the bed and sniff around rocking the truck a bit. We turned the light on but didn't see anything. Sat there in the dark for a few more minutes and it happens again. This time we caught him with a flashlight and realized what was happening. Made off with one of my water bottles out of my pack. My pack was in the bed of the truck about 12" behind me. Still can't believe we didn't hear him.
Climbed the East Face as an after thought to Fishhook Arete on Russell with Luis and Dave.
Bivy'ed at the portal Friday. Hiked to Iceberg Lake Saturday. Left camp for E. Face @ 3:30pm. The three of us climbed with double ropes. I had a great time leading the Fresh-Air Traverse. Summited a little after 8pm. Headed down the Mtnrs Route and saw the International Space Station fly by at 9:07pm. Exhausted back at camp at 9:30pm. I was feeling sick and not sure if I could do Russell the next day but agreed to see how I felt in the morning.
Dave woke us 5:07 for Fishhook, I smoked a cig as the sky began to lighten up and I contemplated life...still in my bivy. Finished cig..."Lets do it."
Fishhook was Awesome! Lead 1st, 4th, & 7th pitch. Loved the first.
Back to camp at 3pm. Time to head back to car. 6:30pm, back at car...legs are done!
Great routes, great partners, great exposure, great fun!!!
scottmitch - Jul 22, 2009 10:40 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2009
East Face
fun climb nice exposure
Groundswell - Jul 4, 2009 1:25 am Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2009
East Face
climbed with buddy tyler, climbing partner of 20 yrs. mellow grade. lots of snow and loose rocks. exposure on pitch 1 and Fresh Air. great weather. came down MR and basecamp at Iceberg Lake. did Fishhook the next day since we didnt feel tired after East Face. talked to 2 rangers that did east face next day, sunday 28th
ScottyP - Jun 17, 2009 3:26 pm Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2006
East Face-Mostly
Great route. Missed the pin on the Fresh-Air but found a nice crack that went 5.8 instead.
Grant Hoag - Nov 12, 2019 3:39 pm Date Climbed: Jan 1, 1977
January ClimbGrant Hoag & Bret Hughes, Aged 23
No Snow due to massive drought, but very cold.
Signed Log Book but heard that it was lost thereafter.
wdimpfl - Dec 22, 2017 2:21 pm Date Climbed: Jul 15, 1968
Fantastic Classic RouteExact date uncertain. Climbed this route with Kathy Reichardt. We hiked with our friends that were doing the trail to Mirror Lake, where we spent the night. Early the next morning we climbed cross country over Pinnacle Ridge to Iceberg Lake where the climb begins. It started snowing lightly as we reached the Grand Staircase. We hiked back to Mirror Lake on the trail, very tired and with a pounding headache.
I returned in 1987 (I think) and climbed the route again with Steve Beck and Marty. I brought a Beta Max VCR camera and made a movie of the climb, which you can watch on my Youtube page.
bkrause - Nov 9, 2016 7:53 pm
Fifty years after the first ascentI climbed the East Face and East Buttress with John Oliver over a July weekend in 1981. I was entering my junior year and John his senior year at Harvey Mudd College. After finishing another week of summer chemistry research, we left Claremont, California on a Friday evening. We slept in Whitney Portal and then backpacked up to East Face Lake. We quickly gathered our climbing gear and rope, arriving at the notch behind the first tower in the mid-afternoon. We then witnessed a short-haul extraction of an injured climber directly across from us on the lower east face by the China Lake Mountain Rescue Group. There was little margin for error as the helicopter blade tips appeared to be only feet from the vertical rock face. We completed the route in the waning light and then descended the Mountaineer Route back to our lake campsite. The next day we climbed the East Buttress and returned to Claremont Sunday night. We were back in the lab on Monday.
Our climb was almost fifty years to the date of the first ascent by Glen Dawson, Jules Eichorn, Norman Clyde and Robert Underhill on August 16, 1931. I had the pleasure of a lifetime meeting Glen Dawson at 103 years old in December, 2015. Mr. Dawson died a few months later just shy of his 104th birthday.
http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-glen-dawson-20160330-story.html
kevinhansen - Jul 30, 2014 5:01 pm Date Climbed: Jul 24, 2014
Blue BirdKind of dirty. I think East Buttress is a cleaner climb.
oliverkalt - Sep 26, 2013 1:00 am Date Climbed: Sep 20, 2013
LeisurelyAfter probably 10 years I finally climbed the E-face again. Very enjoyable and leisurely. We had at least a 1.5hr siesta on the big ledge before the Fresh Air Traverse observing a slower party work their way up.
Dow Williams - Aug 25, 2013 1:29 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2013
East FaceSolo climb. Standing on top of Mount Whitney in the morning, then standing in Death Valley in the afternoon on the way home. From the highest point in the lower 48 to the lowest within hours.
Vitaliy M. - Oct 1, 2011 11:46 pm Date Climbed: Sep 29, 2011
Car to CarGreat views and unforgettable day. The route is not that sustained, but fun. Would be more enjoyable if I was able to get more than an hour of sleep before starting to hike. Drive from bay area sucks!!! Down via MR which had water ice perfect for ice climbing on one side. Had to downclimb the rock buttress.
jpsmyth - May 12, 2011 1:22 am
EpicWe were doing fine until one of our group was hit by rockfall. Spent night on a ledge on the washboard. Down climbed in morning
onramp36 - Oct 5, 2010 2:45 pm Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2010
From IceburgClimbed with Rich. Summit by 12:30pm in 5.5 hours. Down the MR and then packed out to the portal. 1st alpine climb.
Bonesaw - Aug 23, 2010 9:27 am Date Climbed: Aug 4, 2010
Second ascent of EFHuge exposure... easy climbing. Good enough to do twice.
biz - Aug 17, 2010 3:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2010
Great exposure!Very enjoyable climb with JB. Too bad it's not a little more sustained. I loved the traverses.
apachedino - Jul 1, 2010 6:48 pm Date Climbed: Jun 26, 2010
Long DayFantastic day, good weather, lots of really soft snow made coming down the Mountaineers route a pain.
tombcronin - Sep 25, 2009 1:50 pm Date Climbed: Sep 19, 2009
EmptynessNo one there. Everyone was on East Buttress. Left Iceberg lake at 7:30 am, summitted at 2:00 pm, and back at camp at 4:30 pm. Simul climbed much of the route.
Peak Freak - Aug 18, 2009 12:03 am Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2009
East FaceThanks, Kurt & Andy for an awesome climb! We had the route to ourselves, and were treated like rock stars when we emerged on the summit amidst the hikers. Great weather & super fun day!!!
SkydiveKen - Jul 31, 2009 11:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 29, 2009
Portal BearstardClimbed the East Face with Kurt Wedberg. Car to car in 19 hrs.
The bear at the Portal is getting pretty bold. While my partner and myself were sitting in his truck with the windows down waiting for Kurt, this bear leans into the bed and sniff around rocking the truck a bit. We turned the light on but didn't see anything. Sat there in the dark for a few more minutes and it happens again. This time we caught him with a flashlight and realized what was happening. Made off with one of my water bottles out of my pack. My pack was in the bed of the truck about 12" behind me. Still can't believe we didn't hear him.
Rest of the trip was tame by comparison.
by skydiveken
dubhunter - Jul 27, 2009 5:50 pm Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2009
East Face & Fishhook Arete - 2 long daysClimbed the East Face as an after thought to Fishhook Arete on Russell with Luis and Dave.
Bivy'ed at the portal Friday. Hiked to Iceberg Lake Saturday. Left camp for E. Face @ 3:30pm. The three of us climbed with double ropes. I had a great time leading the Fresh-Air Traverse. Summited a little after 8pm. Headed down the Mtnrs Route and saw the International Space Station fly by at 9:07pm. Exhausted back at camp at 9:30pm. I was feeling sick and not sure if I could do Russell the next day but agreed to see how I felt in the morning.
Dave woke us 5:07 for Fishhook, I smoked a cig as the sky began to lighten up and I contemplated life...still in my bivy. Finished cig..."Lets do it."
Fishhook was Awesome! Lead 1st, 4th, & 7th pitch. Loved the first.
Back to camp at 3pm. Time to head back to car. 6:30pm, back at car...legs are done!
Great routes, great partners, great exposure, great fun!!!
scottmitch - Jul 22, 2009 10:40 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2009
East Facefun climb nice exposure
Groundswell - Jul 4, 2009 1:25 am Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2009
East Faceclimbed with buddy tyler, climbing partner of 20 yrs. mellow grade. lots of snow and loose rocks. exposure on pitch 1 and Fresh Air. great weather. came down MR and basecamp at Iceberg Lake. did Fishhook the next day since we didnt feel tired after East Face. talked to 2 rangers that did east face next day, sunday 28th
ScottyP - Jun 17, 2009 3:26 pm Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2006
East Face-MostlyGreat route. Missed the pin on the Fresh-Air but found a nice crack that went 5.8 instead.
snowflake - Apr 4, 2009 11:47 am
Cool ClassicTook a first time climber up. Way fun.