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Soooo right, AA! I'd offer excuses, but I don't do that. Just chalk it up to inexperience at that point, I guess.

I should be spanked: but please make sure to whack both cheeks, please. I hate running around all lopsided.

The ice is not as full as in those pics, but yes there is ice up there.

Cool pics

I'll cruise up there Sunday morning to take a look at things. If anyone wants to join me for a nice little stroll, I'll be in the A-Hills for sunrise, then probably head for the Portal thereafter. I'll post pics when I get home.

Yup, good times. Now just hoping the weather holds. Vic, have fun up there!

Just a ridiculous day up there yesterday: calm up and warm up to LBSL, almost got suckered into naps on the top of the E-Ledges and in the meadow by the lake. Man, have I gotten lazy! Got to break in/scrape the baby fat off some new kicks, though:



The south side runners are really thin, but would make for such awesome pics:




The falls coming into the Portal were really aerated and fragile, with plenty of water running underneath, but higher up looked a bit more solid. Wish I could have gotten a good pic from the trail, but here's the Portal:



And just a few more pics, because I'm artsy-fartsy that way...









Happy Monday, all!!

-L

Laura,
Wow! Fantastic pictures! Never been up North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, have to do that someday. Does Whitney Portal Road ultimately close due to snow and ice as we move toward winter? You are fortunate to live, work, and play so close to eastern Sierra.
SC friend,
Scott

Scott:

Yes, the road "closes" in that the FS puts out a sign and usually at least one cone in an effort to stop people from driving up the road. Often there is buildup on the lower switcher, and the angle of the road steepens after you make the first big turn, which can make it a bit treacherous with ice. The first turn into the Portal can melt out, making it a bit of a pain if one is skinning/snowshoeing in there. (Think on again, off again). The heaviest snow accumulates near the campground (it's a mile to the Portal from there).

-L

Goin in tomorrow! Whoop!

vic

Went up there yesterday...

The climbable ice is in very very good condition! It takes very good screws and has formed nice and densly...currently there are about 3-4 full 60m pitches that you could do w/o becoming soaked, or punching through curtains. It's prolly WI2- on the low angle, sections, then WI3+ for the small vertical steps. Super fun! It got fairly warm in the afternoon and things were REALLY wet by the time we left. Bring extra gloves.

If the cold weather holds...and it doesn't dump snow...this could be THE place to go for now...

I'll raz my partner Franky to post up some pics...

vic

oh yea, trail is great, we had on approach shoes up until just past lower Boy Scout Lake, then changed to mountain boots. Bring two ropes to rap/toprope the whole flow...

Rock on, Vic. Wish I coulda come out to play!

Nov 16, 2010 Whitney Ice Fall Conditions

Cool pics.

Question, 60m gets you to the top?

Thanks

Wes

yes.

It was definitely in as of 11/24, and you can drive nearly to the portal with 4WD or chains on a decent snow car, but the approach is a pain: there's lots of postholing once you leave the main Whitney trail, the ledges below Low Boy Scout Lake have some treacherous ice and snow, and the normal winter bypass on the south side has barely enough snow to be doable. Get an early start...