Hey folks!
I'm hoping to get some winter hiking experience after getting hooked last summer when I attempted to summit Mt. Dana (made it up to 12k). I'm going with a few friends, but none of us have snow hiking experience, so this will be our first time with crampons, ice axes, helmets and such.
My idea is to do a practice run with no intention of summiting in mid-February, and then attempt to summit (perhaps Mt. Hood?) in early March.
What's a good place to start within 5-6 hours from SF to get some practice? A mountain with an easy, drivable approach would be ideal. I'm not aiming for the 14ers but I hear Mt. Whitney is a relatively easy one?
Thanks!
D