Excellent, so do that for two weeks prior and be sure to take some moleskin and strength tape up the mountain with me?

I normally wear a thin liner sock and a wool sock of appropriate thickness when hiking, this time it was a spur of the moment thing while I was already out. Plus the boots (Keen Targhee) just didn't fit perfectly, I couldn't get rid of the last bit of heel lift without tightening the toes way too much.

I have some sock liners and smart wool heavy hiking socks on amazon I am going to get.

Problem I have now is there is NOWHERE around me to try on boots, I went to an outdoor store today (college town) not one single damned pair of hiking boots. Went to a Dicks, they had one pair of Merrils that felt alright. Guess I'm just going to order online and cross my fingers.

Yeah, that's definitely rough, you sure don't have a lot of time to try multiple pairs. The nice thing is that short of full leather mountaineering boots or plastic double boots, break-in can generally be done in a handful of miles.

Boots are obviously as subjective as taste in food or women, but I can absolutely recommend Asolo Fugitive GTX. According to my research, they're even B1 rated so they can be used with strap-on/C1 crampons. I use them snowshoeing down to around 20F, so they should be suitable for the temps on Whitney.

Drink more water. Literally force it down your throat. Your headaches are likely due to dehydration. Higher altitude means more breathing which means more evaporative water loss from breathing. Water is a byproduct of cellular metabolism. If you spend enough time at elevation, your metabolism adjusts and you don't need to drink as much, but you're only there for a few days.

Don't overexert yourself leading up to your hike. Your legs won't recover as quickly when you're sleeping at 8500 feet at the portal. I think some short hikes, and then a rest day will work.

See ETA
I would avoid hiking boots. Hiking shoes or approach shoes are better suited unless there are still feet of snow, and then I'd suggest some gaitors, too. Heck, you could probably do it tennis shoes or trail runners. I know guys who've done it in sandals.


I would say start from the portal at 3-4 am, and you should be down by 4-6pm. The little shop at the portal has fantastic pancakes and bison burgers. Eat foods that you're used to, though. Make sure you're replacing calories regularly during the hike.

I don't know what the availability of water is like in June (March is the latest I've ever gone up) but they had a lot of snow this year, so you might be able to get away with taking fewer bottles and filing up as you ascend. Treating with iodine works well if you fill from streams (and don't mind the taste), or you could bring a stove, but melting snow is slow. Ask people what conditions are like and make a judgement call.

Cardio and strength training will be of great help. Consider doing some longer walks with sandbags or water bottles in your backpack. Do weekly sprint workouts as well. I like 400 meter repeats, personally, mixed with 100s.


PM me if you have any questions that haven't been answered in this thread.

ETA: I didn't realize the snowpack was so deep. If crampons are necessary, get boots with a heel welt so you can utilize a semi-auto crampon. The universal step-in crampons fit horribly. They're either too loose and your boot moves around, or they're so tight that they're A) uncomfortable and B) cause your heel to pop out of the back tabs every step.

That's nasty. If you have a spot or spots on your feet that tend towards blister, just put some duct tape over them before you put on your socks.

This is the video that's got me kinda freaked out, skip to 3:15

So you would suggest not using the other stuff? I was going to get some for free.

My feet sweat too much and the duct tape starts peeling within a couple hours.

That kind of snow is where you need spikes or crampons. Spikes would work on that but not much worse than that.

I'd find what works best in the time you have before the climb. If you do as much hiking as it sounds like you will, you should have plenty of opportunities to try different things.

Now, I have an offer for you. I don't know what size boot you wear, but I have a gently used pair of 11.5 wide Asolo Fugitives that are just a little too big for me. I kept them for wearing with 2 pairs of socks in the winter but ended up getting a pair of insulated Keens for snowshoeing down around 0F instead.  By "gently used" I mean MAYBE 50 miles on them, including casual wear. They've been collecting dust for over a year but I haven't been able to make myself get rid of them. I'm kind of a gear hoarder, I have 7 pairs of snowshoes LOL. Anyway, they're yours if you think they might fit. Let me know and I can get them out the same day. I think they have SuperFeet Carbon footbeds in them right now.

THANK YOU!

Wow, I don't know what to say. That is an incredibly kind offer, thank you.

Unfortunately I wear a 10.5 so I think they will be too big. I ordered some boots that will be here tomorrow, gonna try them on and go from there. Honestly the one pair of merrils I tried on felt pretty good. If the ones I ordered don't fit right I may give them another look.

Thank you again for the offer.

Probably going to order this pack from moosejaw when I get back from being in the field for work today. Will 22 liters be enough? I have a north face recon that has held up incredibly well, had it for over 10 years, been all over the place with me so I'm kind of partial to the brand.

Link

I still need some help finding a place to rent some gear. Hiking poles, crampons and ice axe. One store I questioned I didn't realize was in Tempe, AZ , one store only has crampons for rent, and for their price I could just buy some. We will be flying into Vegas so a rental store there would be fine. Maybe my googling abilities have failed me

Never mind. It's pickup only.

Second Ascent rents ice axes, crampons, and trekking poles. The rates seem reasonable to me, but I don't know how long you'd need them for or if you want to risk not getting them in time or paying more to travel with them. It looks like a pair of C1 crampons, basic ice axe, and 3-section trekking poles (much easier to pack) would run you $28/day.

Did your cousin win this through a guide service? Maybe they rent gear.

There's an REI in Fresno, 75 miles away.

No not a guide service, I think it's the the CA park service or whatever it's called.

Sierra Elevation

Lower Gear

I just talked to lower, they have everything at a good price but they're in Tempe

Sierra only rents crampons at $15/day and will only sell axes not rent, I may end up going with sierra if nothing else becomes available.

ETA worst case is I buy an axe from sierra, get the discount on some crampons. Maybe buy some trekking poles. Who doesn't need an ice axe laying around right?

East side in bishop said they rent everything I will need, so I have that taken care of. Will call them in the next few days to make reservations

Ice Axe & Crampons:

I would just buy the stuff on Ebay and sell it when you are done. $15 / day x 4 days = $60

This would work Camp - Fully Adjustable but they are probably heavier than some more expensive models.

Another benefit of buying stuff now is you will be able to fit them to your boots, figure out the straps, practice handling the axe, etc. When doing a self arrest with crampons on it is very important to lift your feet so you don't catch an edge. You could lay on the floor and practice this. Basic Self Arrest

Don't let any of this dissuade you from going on the trip. There is a 99% chance you will not need to use the axe for self arrest. It is just an insurance policy. You will be fine. Driving thru Death Valley and checking out the Mt. Whitney area is worth the trip alone.

I think you should plan for some snow. Just guessing but it might pull back to Outpost Camp or higher by then.

Here is picture from our camp site near Big Pine a couple of days ago -> looking up at the Palisades. Big Pine is 45 miles north of Lone Pine - same elevation.




Here is another snow resource - Scroll down and look for KINGS RIVER, KERN RIVER & OWENS RIVER/MONO LAKE gauges - Cali Snow Surveys Daily Page


Another note: go as light and possible with all your gear. Example: lose the pouch for your first aid kit and put it in a Freezer Zip Lock instead. Both my sons have done this for years with no issues...

BTW - I would not say that guy almost slipped to his death. He would have ended up sliding down the scree a bit before he stopped if he just stuck out his arms and legs a little. Don't let the exposure bother you. Just think of it as a side walk or path. Could I walk on this if it were a path in the park near my house? If so, don't fall. Being freaked out will make it easier to fall.

The trail is not that bad but you do need to do some prep... but with the snow they have had this winter.. i am guessing it wont be passable until late July or even August if you dont have mountaineering gear and skills.

At least do a few training hikes just for the heck of it.

1. Spend the first night at Whitney portal to acclimate
2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate...oh and hydrate.
3. Get some good rest
4. Stick to your routines.. if you stop for lunch when you hike... stop for lunch.  If you dont... dont. But keep fueled.

I suggest the three day.. day to base camp, summit following day, hike out day three and get a Whitney burger!!!

Be prepared for weather.. Was getting snowed on(flurries) at trail camp when i went(Oct 1-3 back in like 04)... temps got down to 15f.

Ive never made it to the top.. but only tried twice, once was altitude sickenss, other was the flu got me on about day 4 of a hike from the backside and I bailed out shepherds pass.

Here is what happened..  I earned it LOL.

The one and only time I did myself in I got off work at 10pm (@sea level) then drove 4 hours to a hotel that was at ~4000ft, slept for ~3hrs, then drove up to whitney portal and hit the trail at 5:30am with a full pack. I was in GREAT shape and just kept going all the way to trail camp(12,000ft), I normally stop for lunch and relax.. I didnt, I ate and walked. That was 0-12000ft with almost no sleep in less than 12hrs

I got to camp feeling fine, but overnight I got an altitude headache.. that then triggered a migraine. I slept all day, drank water and threw up anything I tried to eat. I let my friends summit while I fought it(first bad decision). Then I spend the second night suffering as well(second bad decision).. oh and the temps dropped to 12-15deg and it snowed off and on.(early October). I had hallucinations that the hot girls camping near me were shoving hot spears through me all night long. The next morning, I packed up.. I did such a horrible job my pack was all jacked up weight wise. I couldnt even lift it on me, my friends had to put it on.. then I just put one foot infront of the next. I started feeling better below 10000ft (that seems to be the magic get below number if you need it). Stopped and did a full repack.. wet tent and all. I forced myself to eat a cliff bar too. I have not had a cliff bar since 2004 when this happened lol. When I got to whitney portal, I got a whitney burger and had about 2 bites and that was all I could do. I got in my car and headed home. About 1-2hrs later I was back to normal and I even finished the burger.

Bailed out Shepherds one time. We walked from Diamond Mesa all the way to Independence. One of the longest parts was zig zagging the sage brush. Stupid - should have just hung out at the trail head and bummed a ride.

From Ropers Climbers Guide -> 'A 500 ft descent midway is a classic destroyer of morale, regardless of the direction of travel.' It was a total buzz blower. Why didn't they just contour the trail over by the creek?

Can't imagine doing that with the flu.......

Yeah, we camped about half way between the JMT and shepherds pass the night before, then went all the way to the car at the bottom of shepherds pass trail in one shot... those false peaks and 500ft of gain half way through were not appreciated lol.  And to top it all of we were trying to beat a thunderstorm out the last 2-3 miles.(and did)  I was taking peptobismol every few miles just to keep from puking with my pack on.  I had to force feed myself too.. luckily I had some soup packets that I was able to take in without losing it.

You need moleskin and duct tape at a minimum.

If you're pushing for the summit from the car and back you better have your boots dialed the fuck in.

Replace every 2 hours then

Call around lone pine and bishop

No need with a liner sock and toughened heels.

Got it. Boots will be here today

Eastside in Bishop got back with me, I will be getting my stuff there

A family member in the medical profession is getting me some Benzoin stuff, will start applying it a week before I got out there, and for the week I'm there. Sock liners and some smart wool cushioned hiking socks from amazon, will pack some moleskin and duct tape up just in case.

From the parks service:

Attached File

Did you get 1/2-1 size larger for your boots to allow for swelling?

if you're still looking for a pack, I just got an e-mail from MidwayUSA, they have a few Kelty's on sale...

good luck...make sure you follow up with us with an AAR!!!

The earliest date I was up on top was the 4th of July after a pretty snowy season. There will be snow and ice in June, especially after this years snowpack. I'd make the call in early June based on the reported conditions. I'm sure you can google up what the trail condition is, or just call the ranger office.

You're probably gonna make it OP.

The only reason I say "probably" is because it's a mountain, it decides whether you reach it's top and make it back down or not.
What I mean by that is that a lot can happen to prevent a successful summit when you only have a narrow window of time to reach it. Weather is of course the biggest variable. Lots of other factors can cause conditions that require you to return to the trailhead for safety reasons too. Too many scenarios to lay out good reasons to turn back.  
So what I'm trying to say try not to let "summit fever" grip you and cause you to make poor choices.

With that cautionary stuff out of the way now I'll say it's going to be an amazing experience whether you summit or not. It can be one of the most difficult but satisfying experiences.
Without a hiking foundation built up there's just too much to go over on an internet post. But you've received a lot of good advice here already. Most of my experiences are in CO's mountains and many of them are ski descents. My avatar is from a Mt.Elbert ski trip.
I like to advise new hikers with me to "walk like a goat"; short, surefooted, gingerly but intentionally placed steps. It's not good to get stretched out with a long stride and have most of your weight committed to one foot. Keep em moving in short, stable, paced steps, well balanced. Learn the "rest step" too. It's basically standing on a locked out leg and letting your skeleton not your muscles bear your weight. It can be incorporated into a good hiking cadence without much cost in time but a huge boost to stamina. For me, it's always beat stopping my cadence entirely to rest, I use it for a two breath count or something along those lines to keep pace. Watch your knees on the descent, that's where the body takes the most punishment IMO.

Not much else I guess except: have fun, be safe and recognize immensity of the undertaking. Good luck!

Cheers!
-JC

This is absolutely true. Back in Oct 2015 I hiked Mt Washington NH with some friends and was totally unprepared physically. Mt Washington is tiny when compared to what you guys have out west - only 6288' - but its prominence is 6148', the treeline is at about 4000', and the climate is subarctic above it. The round trip trail length (Lion Head trail) is about 8.5 miles, I made it maybe 3 miles to about 5000 feet and could not go on. Or, if I had kept going I most likely would have had to be carried off the mountain. I spent about 12 hours on the mountain that day, not getting back to the parking lot till around 2100, and not even during 12 years in the army had I ever been so exhausted. I seriously aggravated a mostly healed existing knee injury and spent the next 4 or 5 months getting it back to where it was. It was honestly the most challenging thing I'd ever done, and I'm glad I did it even though I didn't summit. So whether you summit or not, you'll take something away from the trip and push yourself harder than you ever have before. It sounds corny and cliche but it's true.

My turn-around point.

This.

I have been hiking our "little" Northern New England mountains from Katahdin to the Long Trail in VT for over 45 years and shamelessly acknowledge I have turned around for weather more than once.  There were times I probably would have completed the hike, but you have to weigh the odds each and every time and make your decision on the day.

I got my size and they fit just a smidgen on the snug side, I think they will break in great though.

Already ordered a north face pack but thanks!

There is definitely going to be an AAR with lots of pictures!

Thanks everyone for the awesome input, I realize I may not make it to the top for reasons beyond my control, all I can do is prepare myself the best I can and hope the weather cooperates. That being said it is going to be an incredible adventure as this will be my first trip to the states of NV and CA. I cannot wait for the views!

Not to sound all hippy crap or something but it is the journey not the destination. Set the goal - go for it - see what happens.

When I was kid, Arizona had a really cool 'Welcome to AZ' sign. It simply said "Know your limit". Never forgot that.

We have all backed off a peak for because it wasn't right. No shame in getting back home safe!


---------------------------------------------


The sun at altitude is sharp. When you get up on the snow it will be reflecting UP as well as coming down. Remember to sun screen under your chin, under nose, etc.

Yes you will need good  boots, crampons, ice axes, harnesses and rope and know how to use them and know how to self arrest..

my only advice is do NOT go to Tom's Place in the foot hills of Bishop and get hammered the night before and end up getting HAPE and HACE.

Ask me how I know.

ok I will say it.

Based on my reading the thread, your lack of equipment used before, and your questions,

I really hope you are going with someone that has a bunch of experience and knows what they are doing and can read avalanche conditions.

Harness and rope? I'm not going the mountaineering route lol

Well there's 160 a day going up so it won't be just my cousin and I out alone

He is very expericed though, like I said he lived/worked on the APT for 3 months and climbed I forget how many smaller mountains in the US (guess their all smaller than Whitney )

any time you attempt to go up a mountain that tall you need to be prepared with mountaineering equipment and skills. The history books are full of people that didn't come down  from their day hikes.

I don't mean to put a damper on your adventure, by all means go and have fun, that is what makes life worth living, God knows I have taken risk in my life, just realize the commitment and be prepared for the worst. a 14,000 mountain has unpredictable weather and conditions can develope that will make that route a mountaineering route.

This reminded me of that scene in boondocks saints

this comment is cause for concern

He doesn't need a harness and rope for the route he's going to do, not by a long shot.

I've been up 30+ 14ers in every season. His load add questions should be fine for the route he's chosen.

ETA:
Back at a computer with cites. Don't just take my word for it. Here's the Summit Post entry for the Whitney Trail. You'll notice a required gear section at the bottom:
"Nothing during the summer. During the winter and spring snowshoes are useful for the approach. Crampons and a mountaineering axe may be useful from Trail Camp to Trail Crest."

At the top, you'll see a difficulty:
"Difficulty: Walk-up"

Walk-ups do not require ropes and harnesses.