The MR isn't really technical, depending on your comfort level. It's class 3 depending on snow fill and up to 60 degree snow or ice. Most people do it with a single mountaineering axe and it isn't a terribly technical endeavor. However, I have seen groups rope up on it for safety, which is a comfort and experience call. There was a fatality in April on the mountaineers route due to a fall, but that was also because the party was descending in the dark.

Be safe, climb smart, and have a great time doing it. Temperatures in the high Sierra are very mercurial, as you may have relatively warm weather and then cold and storms. Not sure which month would be best, but in April we had low single digit temperatures overnight when I was up there one weekend when the previous weekend it barely dipped below freezing.

Hope this helps somewhat!

Hey ironman08.
Check out this site;
http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/
Probably the best source of info on Whitney, imho.

Dave

Although I note that the WPS message board owner recently removed most of the useful information from the site, rather lowering the value of the site, as I see it

peteh wrote:Although I note that the WPS message board owner recently removed most of the useful information from the site, rather lowering the value of the site, as I see it

You're correct peteh. Members of the forum also noticed and complained but apparently nothing is going to be done about it. Someone on the forum was nice enough to post a link to the mission information.

http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum ... mber/34030

-Rudy

I attemped two solo Whitney trips last winter. First one was on 1/2/09 and was turned around right before UBSL because of extremely strong winds(50 mph or so). It was cold but a few layers and a good shell was fine. Make sure you have really good hand protection as my hands were freezing even with expensive mitts. Without the wind I would have probably made it.
The second trip was in early march. I started from the portal and hiked to the summit and did a planned bivy on top. I came down the main trail the next morning. The main trail was covered by ice and snow and was similiar to the MR in difficulty. I would not suggest bivying on top without acclimatizing because I had one of the worst nights of my life(headache, shortness of breath). The temp got down to about 5 degrees but I was sheltered from the wind behind the hut.
Make sure you have the proper gear: Mountaineering boots, crampons, ice axe, bivy sack, good gloves, shell layers, stove, etc. There were a few other people in the area on both trips but don't expect other people to be around in the winter.
Both trips were a really good winter mountaineering experience. Have fun.

To answer your question succinctly, yes there are avalanche prone slopes on the route and the risk is based on the conditions at the time.

It is less likely early in Dec but it all depends on how much snow is received. There are several areas in particular that are a risk and I have seen slide in the past, although it was much later in the season when I was there. Heading up the NF there are some sections below Thor Pk on the south side that I have seen slide. Additionally, there are areas near Iceberg Lake where many people setup basecamp that have slid. Several years ago a group was buried in their tent at Iceberg while they slept. Typical avalanche awareness should be observed on this route and avoiding the area after a major dump is prudent.

One thing to keep in mind is that although it's not a very technical route people die on it pretty much every year.

I've dayhiked/climbed Whitney in all months of the year. The hardest months are February and March when storms are typically at their peak. You'll have a better shot in December than January. Snowshoes will usually be required during these months (in addition to crampons & ice axe). These months are also often the coldest. A low temp of -20F is a remote possibility but usually it won't drop too far below zero. During any of the winter months a nice clear day can be a spectacular experience. Getting up the North Fork (for the Mountaineers Route) tends to be rather difficult in January (often not enough snow to cover all the willows). Snow is usually quite powdery in these early months. Water bottles freeze and also the water sources freeze so you'll have to melt snow/ice when camping at the higher elevations. Mother nature will often determine whether you make the summit. Try to shoot for a good weather window and avoid storms. Avalanches aren't usually a problem in Dec / early Jan unless some big storms have come through.

ironman08 wrote:thnaks for all the great tips, and I haven't seen anyone mention anything about avalanches so I will assume they are not a huge risk on Whitney, but of course I will check the ava sites before we go.

Ironman,

Bob Rockwell has mapped all of the avalanche prone slopes in the Whitney area. His map covers both the Main Trail and the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. You can do a search for it on the Whitney Portal Store Message Board. If this info has been removed from the WPS board, just post your question there, Bob R is very knowledgable and willing to share the info.

The only thing that will prevent you from sending will be the conditions. Wait it out and let them work in your favor. Avoid going after a dump or you will spend most of your time getting to the route plus you will have some avy conditions to contend with here and there (would not worry too much about this, but be smart). Snowshoes are probably best depending on the amount of snow. I went back there in skis once and I wish I had bought snowshoes for several reasons I will not go into.

4wd will definitely be an advantage. It is likely that you may make it very close if not all the way to the portal. Do not kill your self trying to make it to Ice Berg either. Anywhere above Upper Boy Scout should give you plenty of time to summit. Let me know if I can offer any advice. Here is a video that you might enjoy from my trip back there last winter. You can do it!

http://pullharder.org/2009/01/21/first- ... east-face/