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Whitneys east buttress in one day?

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
JoeCrawford wrote:It is a pretty big day, but totally reasonable if you're fit. You need a permit, but you don't need an overnight permit. The day use permits are unlimited and available for same day entry at the ranger station in lone pine. For a really killer day, start with the east ridge of russell. I've heard of more than a few people pulling off c2c link ups of the peewee and fishhook. Definitely not 6 hours to iceberg. That is crawling.
Reading the INF page, I am not sure this is true. It says on the NFLP permit age that you still need a Mt. Whitney Zone day use pass, which are limited to 100/day.

fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/re…
Joe Crawford · · Truckee, CA · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 105

yup, that's right. not unlimited, but relatively easy to get.

david doucette · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 25

day hikes are for the Whitney zone. doesn't matter if you go up main trail or mountaineers route if it's a day hike. doesn't even matter if you go up Whitney. if you're in the Whitney zone, the day use permit is the day use permit, regardless of where you go.

if you're gonna overnight you're restricted to your permit details, either main trail or north fork which is the mountaineers route. for overnight you can't use main trail overnight permit for north fork and vice versa.

Ryan G · · San Diego · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 275

6hrs to Iceberg..? Not so much. Route finding...hammered out climber trail. You'll be fine. October? Hmm...It could be a very interesting October with the El Nino gaining force. Enjoy. Fun climb.

Jen R · · SoCal · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 5

You guys wear climbing shoes for this? Or do it in trail shoes?

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276
Jennifer rau wrote:You guys wear climbing shoes for this? Or do it in trail shoes?
I used rock shoes, but don't climb at the level your profile says you do. Are you comfortable climbing 5.7-ish in your "trail shoes"?

If you're already bringing a rope and pro, a pair of shoes won't add too much weight.

Edit: I can't tell from your post if you are soloing or have a partner. If you are soloing, I would recommend rock shoes for increased security.
Mike · · Phoenix · Joined May 2006 · Points: 2,615

IMHO it is totally do-able if you are in good shape (which it seems that you are) and solid at the grade. My first time up Whitney (maybe 12+ years ago) we did the East Buttress in a long day. Get an early start, climb fast, run it out a bit (or solo), and most importantly remember the approach in case you are hiking out in the dark. If you are solid at the grade then five tennies should be fine, as there isn't much in the way of thin, hard face climbing.

Personally I would much rather do it this way than in October. Brrrr!

Enjoy!

Pavel K · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 211

Thanksgiving weekend 2014:
7am-10am approach to base via North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, climb East buttress 10.15am-11.45am, descent via trail 12.30pm-3.45pm.

While not much snow, very windy and cold. I used rock shoes.

Jen R · · SoCal · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 5

Kovarpa you're a beast! I hope you recorded yourself on Strava! That's fast! Really good to know you did it that late and we're fine. I need to buy some comfy trad shoes I guess, carry my hiking boots.

Fat Dad · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60

I would take rock shoes. Why go through all that effort and make the climb that much more difficult (and possibly sketchy) to save a 1 lb. on your pack.

Ryan G · · San Diego · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 275
kovarpa wrote:Thanksgiving weekend 2014: 7am-10am approach to base via North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, climb East buttress 10.15am-11.45am, descent via trail 12.30pm-3.45pm. While not much snow, very windy and cold. I used rock shoes.
Now I feel terribly out of shape. Nice work.
Andrew Riser · · Murrieta, ca · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 60

I did Russell July 4th in 7.5 hours, car to car. I was at upper boy scout in 2.5 hours.

I've done the east face twice. Mostly all 5.4. I'd suggest wearing approach shoes (I wear 5.10's). You can hike and climb in them. You will need to simul climb to get back at a decent hour.

I'd suggest a 2am start. The e-ledges are well marked now but in the dark you should be careful. On the last stream crossing before the e-ledges you have to hike upstream about 50 feet to find the trail.

kevin trieu · · San Juan Capistrano, CA · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 10

I did it in 7 hours with a buddy from the TH to summit on the EB. I'm not exceptionally fast on the trail or rock. We simu-climbed all except two pitches. We did climb the Twighlight Pillar on Norman Clyde before that as a dayhike so we were "in the zone."

Joy likes trad · · Southern California · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 71

Class III this time of year? You could wear sandals. But seriously there is some bad gouge out there on the permits. The chances of picking up a permit on the day of becuase somebody didn't show will really put a crimp in your time line. The Lone Pine Ranger Station is a zoo in the morning and everybody has thier hand out. Getting started on a day trip before 10 am legaly with out having a reservation is as far as I can tell impossible.

Laurel Arndt · · Phoenix, AZ · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 35

Jennifer,
Totally doable in one day..but to make hike in in four hours, I suggest you know your approach up to lower boy scout and out of lower boy scout. I have come upon people fumbling around and being pulled off due to spider trails (especially if you are trying to leave early at sunrise. You will want your climbing shoes and obviously hike in with hiking shoes. Don't discount the route down the mountaineer gully late in the afternoon when you are tired. It can be supper loose and surfy.
I did it in late September after just coming back from Peru...it was cold on the climb(leading or following. You can still be knackered doing it in one day. I was despite the altitude training and lots of hiking I had just done weeks before.

ShawnB · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 0

I did it in a day back in 2005. It went A LOT faster soloing it and that enabled us to pass 2 groups of climbers already on the route. Just know your limitations if you're thinking of soloing it. We started at 0330 and were back to the car by 1700. We hiked to EB in 3.5 hours and climbed it in 2. My writeup and pics are here

Jen R · · SoCal · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 5

It's on. Our permit is for next Friday. A group of 3 of us. 430 start. Godspeed.

Trad Princess · · Not That Into Climbing · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 1,175

Don't go too light - sure you saw this

supertopo.com/climbing/thre…

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

How did it go? Weather problems?

Jen R · · SoCal · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 5

Rangers and local guides said to reroute so we did
Days just too short right now to mess with slow dangerous conditions

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northern California
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