If you have climbed/hiked Whitney in the winter please provide pertinent information.

Thanks, c

Do you have specific questions? I got by with a light pack, gummy bears, 1 cliff block package, 2 gu gels w/2x caffeine, a couple liters of water, 1 ice axe, no snow shoes, no crampons, and made the car to summit to car in under 12 hours along the mountaineers route. The speed, ease/difficulty, and what gear I carried, was highly weather dependent though, and decisions were made to shed some stuff the morning of at 4:00 am.

you'd probably get a better response to your Whitney questions over on the Whitney Portal Message Board.

http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/p>>>>>

What are you actually intending on doing, mountaineers route or east buttress? I've done the MR and highly recommend the route.

It depends, if I can get someone to go with me we will try the the east buttress. if not, i will do the mountaineers route.

I just moved to CA from CO, and dont have a clue about tags and camping. That is really what I am concerned with. So, do you need a tag for whitney in the winter? As far as I know you need a tag for the busier months but not sure about the winter.

Also, is the area avalanche prone? (I know this will depend on recent storms in the area at the time i intend to be there)

Thanks as always!

I am interested in doing a winter ascent of the EB, too. What dates are you looking at? I believe permits are required throughout the winter however, not nearly as difficult as the lottery (summer months). I remember avalanche risk being fairly low although, it was a April ascent of the MR and the snow was stable due to no recent accumulation. One section of 40 degree slope between Lower Boyscout and Iceberg lake. From there the MR might see more AV action since the route then ascends a steep coulour to the summit but, the EB breaks off before.

There is not a permit quota in the winter. A couple years back you could pick one up self serve at the Lone Pine ranger station on the way in. Not sure if that has changed.

Permit - just sign your own at the self-service kiosk at the ranger station, which is right on 395 on the east side of the road. Any time of day or night.

They don't have to worry about crowding in the winter.

It's a good idea to ask on the portal message board about water availability if you are planning an overnight trip. I did it in January and the only thing not frozen thick was a spring not all that far from the trailhead. Someone had tried to chop their way through the surface of the first lake, no dice.

Jaypg

I finish my last exam on December 15th and dont start school til January 11.

Potentially, all times in between these dates will be open. Get in touch if you have these dates open.

cheers, c