Fishhook Arête 

Very fun clean route. We did the first pitch 5.9 variation. The obvious crack goes left or right. Stay left to gain ridge(easier) or right(harder) P2 is easy 5th class to the base of the next tower. P3 5.9- was one of the best. Try to stay close to the true arete and head for tower. There is an improbable move right (crux) this puts you on the arete. Bypass tower (left side) nice little airy move, and climb along the Arete to a Cool mantel move. Now down lead into notch. From here the you can bail (don't) P4 is right up the arete on easy climbing. P5 5.8 takes you up to an OW chimney deal to a nice belay. P6 5.9 really cool. Climb up to this huge detached flake that tapers to a small stance. go straight up crack 5.9 to cave and on to top of the block. You can also traverse to the Right corner and climb the face if you don't like the crack. The exposure here is amazing, you must take a quick look down. P7 climb up and traverse over to left side of the arete. P8 follow the left side of arete to summit. The summit is really cool with great views of Mt Whitney and a 360 view. There are many variation that can be done on this climb. Stay as close to the true arete as you can is really enough beta to do this climb. We did it sans topo. to decend take the SECOND gully (2-300 ft east) with a short downclimb to head back to Iceberg lake or decend the East Ridge to Upper Boyscout Lake.

A fabulous route which takes your right to the summit. An early start means the lower pitches will be chilly but higher (and later) it warms up nicely. Watch for loose rock on this one. Take in the world class summit view and then descend off right down the obvious 3rd class gully.

It is possible to scramble into the gully to the right of the Fishhook arete and climb a loose pitch of 5.8/5.9 directly into the notch.

This is a good way to pass slow parties on the initial pitches or also get you on the route quickly if you woke up later than you wanted to.

Beware of off route gendarmes, this route goes pretty easy above the notch if you are crafty with your decision making, but you can also make it a lot harder if you get "pillar vision"...

Notes from 6/04:
- Whitney Portal to Upper Boyscout (~4hrs).
- Hiking by 4:30am, 5:30 at Iceberg Lake, climbing by 6:30am. Summit around 12:45. Back to car (Whitney Portal) by 6pm.

enjoyed this route immensely, found and interesting and challenging variation on pitch one: immediately left of the giant overhanging flake which becomes the ridge below the belay for pitch two is a steep finger crack which goes for 25ft at probaby 10b.

This route is lots of fun. I tried Supertopo's "5.10 variation" and thought it a bit sandbagged and insecure.

My fav route so far in the Sierras. Super solid, not too hard, not too easy, great views, good pro. I thought the first pitch was a little easier than 5.9, and it depended on which way you went on the third pitch.