1972 with my father via the Mount Whitney Trail
1977 with Chip and Dave upon completion of the John Muir Trail
1981 with John Oliver via the East Face
1981 with John Oliver via the East Buttress
climber46 - Oct 24, 2016 7:58 am Date Climbed: May 30, 2006
Lower 48 highpoint
Summited 5/30/2006, a high snow year via the main trail. I camped at trail camp. Awesome experience. You can read my trip report for more detail on summitpost.org.
jmizz - Oct 2, 2016 3:58 pm Date Climbed: May 17, 2015
Mountaineers Route
Two day summit bid. Not much snow until Iceberg Lake at base of couloir. Scrambling up the snow-covered rocks just below the summit was interesting and fun. Brought a 70m rope and used it to protect the final few hundred feet and made one rap on the descent (not totally necessary but nice to have).
Went up the Mountaineer's Route yesterday. Fun way to the summit.
DukeJH - Sep 12, 2016 11:26 am Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2016
Mountaineer's route
Ascended the Mountaineer's Route from UBSL after summiting Russell and Carillon the previous day. Avoided weather on the mountain but broke camp in graupel and snow.
After a failed attempt last year (2015) due to the tail end of a hurricane passing through CA and NV creating flash flooding we returned and were successful via the Whitney Trail. Fun and long hike. Beautiful area! Started at the TH at 3:30 AM and back at 4 PM. Stopped at Badwater Basin on the way home for the low point. Almost 15,000' elevation difference and almost an 80 degree difference!
nayrb - Sep 3, 2016 8:17 am Date Climbed: Sep 20, 2010
Up and Over Mount Whitney
The summit of Whitney found us (Bill, Brent, & myself) ... one cold morning in Sep of 2010. This was 2nd attempt on Whitney since I didn't summit in 2008. Did the 40-mile-ish route around the back side ... then up (summit) and over to the Whitney Portal. Great trip!
awilk7 - Aug 22, 2016 1:03 pm Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2016
Inspiring
With a few weeks notice, I was able to join a group of family/friends on their day-use permit for hiking in the Whitney zone. Starting from the Whitney Portal trailhead at 4 am, all of our party except one were able to summit via the Whitney Trail. Rob was down with a nasty head cold and decided to stop and recover partway up the mountain.
The trail up was long, but never steep or tricky. The snow on the 99 switchbacks had melted just enough by our summit attempt on the last day of June to easily pass on the inside of the chains. We did also encounter snow at the main summit block, but were able to easily traverse the short section with hiking shoes and trekking poles.
I reached the summit at 12:40pm, but immediately took a couple of pictures, signed the register, and left as thunder rumbled for the first time in the distance near Lone Pine Peak. We quickly worked our way off the summit block and back toward Trail Crest, but were hit with marble-sized hail along the way. We were lucky that the storm was only producing cloud-cloud lightning as we made our way back down along the high ridge.
Rain fell intermittently from Trail Crest down to Trail Camp, making certain rocky sections of trail somewhat slippery, but not terribly so.
We were somewhat surprised by the weather. Though we did know well enough to expect a chance of lightning on any summer afternoon up there, the forecast for the summit even the night before had called for clear conditions all day. Clearly, the unstable air mass had not yet moved out.
If in the future I am attempting Whitney as a day hike, I plan to start even earlier (or move faster) to make sure to be back below Trail Crest by noon.
Diesel - Jul 22, 2016 12:22 am Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2016
Via Mountaineer's route
Successful attempt after a faild attempt in 2015 when I had to turn back from the top of the chute due to lighting and heavy rain. This time, good weather, although very sunny and hot. This route is much shorter that Whitney Trail, but much slower going. After 6 days of intense hiking, it took 6 hours to the top and 5 back to Whitney Portal.
Romain - Jul 15, 2016 2:14 am Date Climbed: May 14, 2008
East Buttress
With R. Zeithammer. Much lower temps than the day before. Great climb.
Romain - Jul 15, 2016 2:13 am Date Climbed: May 13, 2008
Mountaineer's route
With R. Zeithammer on a cold and windy day.
Romain - Jul 15, 2016 2:12 am Date Climbed: Oct 27, 2002
Trail
With S. Feldmann.
socalpeakbagger - Jul 6, 2016 12:38 am Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2012
The Big Honcho
One of the most stunning views ever was on the way up to the summit from base camp as the sun was just coming up and the walls started to turn orange...
Guydents - Jul 5, 2016 12:54 am Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2016
Mountaineers Route
First attempt at the peak and had to go via Mountaineers route. Made summit at 10AM and descended via the main trail to Portal Road.
whatdoIknow - Jun 30, 2016 11:12 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2016
East Buttress
Dave, the guide said that many underestimate the EB. I guess so did I, but we summited in good times anyway to beat the thunderstorm. Very enjoyable climb.
Scott Fulton - Jun 26, 2016 3:56 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 1997
Climbed it long ago
Climbed it via the trail many years ago with three other guys. We camped one night at the portal, and next morning we hiked up to trail camp and spent the night. My tent mate threw up just outside of our tent, and I ended up stepping in it with my sock. Next morning we hiked to summit, then back down to trail camp and broke camp and headed down to Outpost Camp where we spent the night. Then next morning headed out and had lunch at Whiskey Creek in Bishop. Good times!
nicozone - Jun 23, 2016 11:26 am Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2016
Twice climbed, twice summited
After having an awesome time on the Mountaineer's Route in 2013, my girlfriend asked if I would take her up the mountain as well. Since Pinnacle Ridge divides Lone Pine Creek drainage from North Fork Lone Pine Creek drainage, I decided that the Whitney Trail would be an interesting exploration this time. Luckily, lottery results were in our favor again and we were able to get a 4-person permit for the weekend. Some new snowfall the weekend before gave us a bit of pause, but other than some early morning ice along the chains, we only had to contend with a biting cold wind all the way to the summit. Great views from the summit as always!
ScottWhitneyBound - Jun 20, 2016 10:23 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2016
VERY windy and snow/ice around the cables
My third attempt and my third successful summit. Extremely windy at Trail Crest and from there to the summit. Snow and ice on the trail around the cables made micro spikes a good idea. Also snow for a 100 yards below Trail Crest was another good place to have micro spikes, then a bit of scrambling over the rocks to bypass the snow in the pass. Seven out of nine hikers from the Malibu Hiking meetup group summited.
nader - Nov 28, 2016 1:54 pm Date Climbed: Jun 1, 1993
Mt. WhitneyOriginal log has been deleted. Here it is again.
bkrause - Nov 9, 2016 8:01 pm
Dreaming of a fifth time1972 with my father via the Mount Whitney Trail
1977 with Chip and Dave upon completion of the John Muir Trail
1981 with John Oliver via the East Face
1981 with John Oliver via the East Buttress
climber46 - Oct 24, 2016 7:58 am Date Climbed: May 30, 2006
Lower 48 highpointSummited 5/30/2006, a high snow year via the main trail. I camped at trail camp. Awesome experience. You can read my trip report for more detail on summitpost.org.
jmizz - Oct 2, 2016 3:58 pm Date Climbed: May 17, 2015
Mountaineers RouteTwo day summit bid. Not much snow until Iceberg Lake at base of couloir. Scrambling up the snow-covered rocks just below the summit was interesting and fun. Brought a 70m rope and used it to protect the final few hundred feet and made one rap on the descent (not totally necessary but nice to have).
ljwolfeman - Sep 22, 2016 1:13 pm Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2003
main routeGreat trip. Thirteen years ago to the day. Excellent weather. 3 am start. Still remember it like it was yesterday. Hankering to go back soon.
wanderweg83 - Sep 20, 2016 12:24 pm Date Climbed: Sep 19, 2016
Mountaineer's RouteWent up the Mountaineer's Route yesterday. Fun way to the summit.
DukeJH - Sep 12, 2016 11:26 am Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2016
Mountaineer's routeAscended the Mountaineer's Route from UBSL after summiting Russell and Carillon the previous day. Avoided weather on the mountain but broke camp in graupel and snow.
josephbschmitt0415 - Sep 7, 2016 4:38 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2016
Conitnental US High and Low In One WeekendAfter a failed attempt last year (2015) due to the tail end of a hurricane passing through CA and NV creating flash flooding we returned and were successful via the Whitney Trail. Fun and long hike. Beautiful area! Started at the TH at 3:30 AM and back at 4 PM. Stopped at Badwater Basin on the way home for the low point. Almost 15,000' elevation difference and almost an 80 degree difference!
nayrb - Sep 3, 2016 8:17 am Date Climbed: Sep 20, 2010
Up and Over Mount WhitneyThe summit of Whitney found us (Bill, Brent, & myself) ... one cold morning in Sep of 2010. This was 2nd attempt on Whitney since I didn't summit in 2008. Did the 40-mile-ish route around the back side ... then up (summit) and over to the Whitney Portal. Great trip!
awilk7 - Aug 22, 2016 1:03 pm Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2016
InspiringWith a few weeks notice, I was able to join a group of family/friends on their day-use permit for hiking in the Whitney zone. Starting from the Whitney Portal trailhead at 4 am, all of our party except one were able to summit via the Whitney Trail. Rob was down with a nasty head cold and decided to stop and recover partway up the mountain.
The trail up was long, but never steep or tricky. The snow on the 99 switchbacks had melted just enough by our summit attempt on the last day of June to easily pass on the inside of the chains. We did also encounter snow at the main summit block, but were able to easily traverse the short section with hiking shoes and trekking poles.
I reached the summit at 12:40pm, but immediately took a couple of pictures, signed the register, and left as thunder rumbled for the first time in the distance near Lone Pine Peak. We quickly worked our way off the summit block and back toward Trail Crest, but were hit with marble-sized hail along the way. We were lucky that the storm was only producing cloud-cloud lightning as we made our way back down along the high ridge.
Rain fell intermittently from Trail Crest down to Trail Camp, making certain rocky sections of trail somewhat slippery, but not terribly so.
We were somewhat surprised by the weather. Though we did know well enough to expect a chance of lightning on any summer afternoon up there, the forecast for the summit even the night before had called for clear conditions all day. Clearly, the unstable air mass had not yet moved out.
If in the future I am attempting Whitney as a day hike, I plan to start even earlier (or move faster) to make sure to be back below Trail Crest by noon.
Diesel - Jul 22, 2016 12:22 am Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2016
Via Mountaineer's routeSuccessful attempt after a faild attempt in 2015 when I had to turn back from the top of the chute due to lighting and heavy rain. This time, good weather, although very sunny and hot. This route is much shorter that Whitney Trail, but much slower going. After 6 days of intense hiking, it took 6 hours to the top and 5 back to Whitney Portal.
Romain - Jul 15, 2016 2:14 am Date Climbed: May 14, 2008
East ButtressWith R. Zeithammer. Much lower temps than the day before. Great climb.
Romain - Jul 15, 2016 2:13 am Date Climbed: May 13, 2008
Mountaineer's routeWith R. Zeithammer on a cold and windy day.
Romain - Jul 15, 2016 2:12 am Date Climbed: Oct 27, 2002
TrailWith S. Feldmann.
socalpeakbagger - Jul 6, 2016 12:38 am Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2012
The Big HonchoOne of the most stunning views ever was on the way up to the summit from base camp as the sun was just coming up and the walls started to turn orange...
Guydents - Jul 5, 2016 12:54 am Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2016
Mountaineers RouteFirst attempt at the peak and had to go via Mountaineers route. Made summit at 10AM and descended via the main trail to Portal Road.
whatdoIknow - Jun 30, 2016 11:12 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2016
East ButtressDave, the guide said that many underestimate the EB. I guess so did I, but we summited in good times anyway to beat the thunderstorm. Very enjoyable climb.
Scott Fulton - Jun 26, 2016 3:56 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 1997
Climbed it long agoClimbed it via the trail many years ago with three other guys. We camped one night at the portal, and next morning we hiked up to trail camp and spent the night. My tent mate threw up just outside of our tent, and I ended up stepping in it with my sock. Next morning we hiked to summit, then back down to trail camp and broke camp and headed down to Outpost Camp where we spent the night. Then next morning headed out and had lunch at Whiskey Creek in Bishop. Good times!
nicozone - Jun 23, 2016 11:26 am Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2016
Twice climbed, twice summitedAfter having an awesome time on the Mountaineer's Route in 2013, my girlfriend asked if I would take her up the mountain as well. Since Pinnacle Ridge divides Lone Pine Creek drainage from North Fork Lone Pine Creek drainage, I decided that the Whitney Trail would be an interesting exploration this time. Luckily, lottery results were in our favor again and we were able to get a 4-person permit for the weekend. Some new snowfall the weekend before gave us a bit of pause, but other than some early morning ice along the chains, we only had to contend with a biting cold wind all the way to the summit. Great views from the summit as always!
ScottWhitneyBound - Jun 20, 2016 10:23 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2016
VERY windy and snow/ice around the cablesMy third attempt and my third successful summit. Extremely windy at Trail Crest and from there to the summit. Snow and ice on the trail around the cables made micro spikes a good idea. Also snow for a 100 yards below Trail Crest was another good place to have micro spikes, then a bit of scrambling over the rocks to bypass the snow in the pass. Seven out of nine hikers from the Malibu Hiking meetup group summited.