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@@KhurshidsChannel really is a nice place for sunrise 🤩

Yeah, up old army pass and down new army pass.

@@PotooBurd oh good thanks, it’s a beautiful place

@@markdyke6928 I guess I’m not making videos for you? 🤷 My account is already explained in my account description: not a “channel”. Sorry CZcams turned into television, not my job, not my problem. I’m sure there’s plenty of commercial channels with tourist guides, don’t complain to me expecting anything but this response.

@@guregorihattofirudo2627 it really is a nice place. Volcanos are such a different experience compared to a mountain within a range.

It’s a beautiful place, exhilarating being there! 🙌

@@trailcairn1717 different perspective up there, great side trip. Yes, nice to see the JMT side fixed. I thanked the trail crew profusely!

​@@JohnjdsI bumped into a forest ranger up on Cottonwood Pass a couple of weeks ago while acclimating. She told me she was heading over to work on the rock slides on the trail up to Whitney. They're amazing doing such hard labor at altitude.

@@trailcairn1717oh cool, I think they’re based down by the Crabtree camp so they have to hike back and forth to the switchbacks carrying tools every day also 😅 That’s a lot of work!

​@Johnjds I believe I could be persuaded instead of sitting at a desk 10 hours a day 😂

@@ilangoldstein9461 yeah couple weekends ago. I should put the date, thanks for the reminder.

@@ageingungracefullypushingt7135 fun day, just perfect weather. Great way to end the trip! 👍

@@Jc-jt6gz for sure, probably my most utilized access point. Love passing at sunset 🤩

@@Jc-jt6gz it’s really nice climbing up from Center basin. Glad I went. The south side getting back to Shepherds pass trail is a bit of work though!

@@allenmason3966 been eyeing it up for a while, glad I checked it out!

@@ageingungracefullypushingt7135 haha 🤣 it’s a very accommodating landscape. Most of the lakes and creeks have fish. I see them jumping in the lakes at dusk and flopping in the creeks when I’m crossing. Often see people doing backpacking / fishing trips with poles strapped to their packs.

@@KhurshidsChannel it’s a beautiful place 🙏

@@three-cats-photography I couldn’t resist 🤣 Posted the morning views in part 2.

@@Element_lifestyle oh nice, enjoy. Have a good one 🙌🙌

Hey thanks Dr Bill, should have day 2 up later tonight 👍

@@allenmason3966 hey Allen! Great meeting you that morning, glad to connect here! 🙌🙌 Subbed to see your perspective.

@@maivang870 Good question. I honestly don’t remember any specific sign or register or usgs markers on Grays or Torreys other than what I recorded. I remember the mountain goats on top of Torreys 🐐 and lots of people compared to Grizzly and Cupid.

@@trailcairn1717 thanks. It got long, thought of chopping it up but got lazy. Trying to write up timestamps now for easier viewing / reference.

​@Johnjds it's fine as is, but time stamps are appreciated. I just sat back and enjoyed. I'm just humbled by Whitney and hope to be up there next week.

@@ageingungracefullypushingt7135 back at you 🙌 it’s a beautiful place!

PS great trip over and above Crab Tree

@@tarakohe coincidentally I was up Split mountain the weekend before which is directly west of Tinemaha campground. Unfortunately this last weekend the Whitney permit overlapped with anniversary so I couldn’t make it up there. I was in the park the whole time.

@@Johnjds One more question: what kind of weight were you carrying, and was it typical for your back country and off-trail hikes?

@@tarakohe if I don’t plan to sleep then I don’t need a sleep system or bear can, so it depends. Weather and need for snow safety changes also. I’m trying to stay runnable so I’m always under 16 pounds including food and water but carrying different things. This was two nights so it was 13 and a bit.

@@Johnjds wow, so light compared to how I use to do it back in the day. still - that's amazing. I saw your bivy video, again really light and compact for a decent shelter in the pinch.

Depends where you’re coming from. On the main trail coming up from Whitney portal, the last designated tent sites are down below the switchbacks (Trail Camp). On the JMT side coming up from Guitar lake the last designated tent sites are before Guitar lake. There are some bivy spots near the top of the JMT side switchbacks before the junction with trail crest. They’re marked on trail maps and have stone circles. I’ve bivied for a few hours at that spot waiting for sunrise and the summit. But there’s no camping above the designated sites on either side. If you pitch a tent the rangers will have something to say about it.

​@@Johnjds Sounds good. Coming up the JMT side permitted from Onion Valley and exiting Whitney Portal - Looks like switchbacks before the junction it is. Thanks

@@justinnikodemski383 yeah you’ll find it (also marked on some trail maps), flat spots with stone circle windbreaks 👍 (pack in pack out on Whitney, bring a poop bag or get it done before or after going up 😝)

I think this might be the site referenced at 21:18 czcams.com/video/0NrthpPchsY/video.htmlsi=WuuwkyyPWktWaFZO

Not much problem with snow now, it can mostly be avoided except the big flattish snowfield 👍

​@@Johnjds how bad was the path up the snow chute? Considering the snow path up, have a permit for two weeks out.

No plan to, thanks! 🙏🙌

It’s a fun one, really beautiful up there.

Yeah for sure. It was my 10th time up there so I don’t care so much about the summit. Just wanted to take my nephew out for a fun night on the mountain. We had our fun and preferred getting down before the snow turned to slush in the sun.

@Johnjds I will be heading up the regular whitney trail mid-August. I'm hoping it will be doable and we don't get snowed out. My 4th attempt and I have yet to hit the hut. Hahaaa.

I bet, it’s nice being on a volcano with the singular prominence and no range around it.

@@Johnjds yep it is. Normally you can see Mt. Lassen to the south east southern most volcano in the cascades range And on clear days you can see volcano peaks poking up out the haze to the north in Oregon.

Really depends if the trail on the 99 switchbacks is broken in with adequate bootpack yet. There’s plenty of snow on it still. People are still going up the snow chute. Keep an eye out for trip reports on the Whitney forums and see what people are saying.

It’s a beautiful place 🙌

It’s such an invigorating environment 👍

Enjoy, it’s a wonderful place 🙌

How did the attempt go? We r planning to do this on June 26th. How are the conditions?

Heard the choppers the day before and saw a crew at the trailhead but they didn’t have any word at that time. Next day we heard them all day on our way down but couldn’t see where they were operating. A lot of unfortunate early season accidents this year 😞

A little before 11pm, hit trail camp at 2:30am, trail crest at 4:00am, and summit at 5:30am ten minutes before sunrise. The snow route cuts about 6 miles off the main trail round trip, but it’s still slower than the trail for me (I go faster in the summer).

It’s a beautiful area and a nice route to take up the mountain 👍

I’m hearing from most people crampons will be the most efficient. Start early, you want to hit the chute when the snow is hard. Once the sun comes out it becomes slush, making it easier to glissade down to trail camp.

The 99 switchbacks are still not passable on the main trail route at the moment. They are iced over snow drifts without any boot prints to follow (that could change as the crowds start hitting the trail starting this long weekend). Currently everyone is still climbing the snow chute. It’s close to 1,700 feet tall and mostly 45 degree and up angle. That’s crampon + ice axe territory and experience using them IMO. Watch trip reports on the Mount Whitney forums as your time comes close and find out if people are using the 99 switchbacks yet. They’re usually ok with just microspikes and trekking poles once there’s boot prints up them and enough melt, but check the forums.

I generally don’t feel any bad altitude related effects except for increased heart rate and temporary exhaustion during activity if I don’t pace myself. This usually occurs in thresholds and then passes. I start to feel more tired and out of breath then I’d expect around 10,000 then I get used to it and everything is normal until I feel it again somewhere between 12,000 and 13,000 then it passes and I don’t feel it anymore. Whenever I start to feel anything I just slow down and wait to acclimate and then it passes.

@@Johnjds Thanks for sharing your experience. It helps newbies such as me.

@@kenzangeobio3054 I know it can be very different for everyone though. Between these past two trips I encountered at least 8 groups of people who turned around because of elevation issues. I run a lot, I think that’s a good activity to help lung capacity, but I don’t know why it’s different for some people.

@@Johnjds Thanks for inspiring others and myself. For the last 30+ years I have hiked quite frequently, but all near sea level to a few thousand feet. Last July and August I went backpacking above 10K' with my adult kids, and that was rough both times. This time, I plan to acclimatize at Cottonwood Lakes for 2 days, and another 2 days along the main Mt Whitney Trail. However, I still expect to be tough on the last day from Trail Camp to the summit and back down to Trail Camp.

The snow is melting fast. It was quite different from 2 weeks ago already. The 99 switchbacks are still not passable though. I think this long weekend people will start stomping boot trail up them though. They’ll be usable by 6 weeks. The back side over trail crest has snow drifts over some parts but they’re melting fast. On the top boulder slope before the summit there is already ways to walk around rocks and avoid the snowfield. There will be challenges but I think you’ll be good if you bring the right gear. 👍

@@Johnjds I'm planning to go up mid July. Would crampons be advised? or would micro spikes suffice? Thanks for the upload!

Yeah I don’t glissade either, it’s not particularly nice

These beautiful places really keep you moving forward to see what’s next!

Feels so nice to pass through freely!

I don’t glissade. I just don’t like it. Have a great trip! Hope the weather is perfect for you! 🙌

Nice, enjoy! I look in 4 places to get an idea of current trail conditions: - Mount Whitney forums (search, then look in the trip reports section for anything recent, and in the pinned post for trail conditions in general forum) - Whitney zone forums (do the same as above) - AllTrails app (search for Mount Whitney trail and scroll down to reviews to see if anyone posted conditions recently) - CZcams (search Mount Whitney and sort by recently posted) For weather, I check mountain-forecast dot com for 7-10 days approaching my date to see the temps and condition patterns. In Lone Pine, drop by Elevation Culture gear shop and ask about current conditions (consider stopping on your way out and sharing what you saw for the next people). At the portal: - ask at the shop/restaurant about trail conditions, and report what you saw on your way out. - go early and ask everyone coming down off the trail how it was In a month, you’ll likely be able to follow the trail the whole way with just some snow patches to cross. Microspikes and trekking poles will likely be enough, but that’s what you’ll be asking and searching for in advance: if there are large enough snowfields that need more traction/safety (crampons, ice axe). Good luck, and enjoy!! 🙌

@@Johnjds Thanks John, your information and advice is very helpful. I have been hiking with my kids for over 30 years. But not trail running. You are one of the main guys that have inspired me to trail running. My kids are all grown up now, I have to transition to a different way of outdoor activities, you also have inspired me to do more solo hiking and camping. Thanks.

@@kenzangeobio3054 cool, it’s fun to combine old activities with new ways of doing them! Oh, I forgot to mention the most obvious resource 🤦‍♂️ the rangers. Call, and / or drop by the Eastern Sierra visitor center on your way into Lone Pine. They’re the best people to ask about trail conditions and I always forget!

@@Johnjds When visiting national parks, we frequently also stop by the visitor center. However, we have been to the Lone Pine area a few times, but have not been to the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center. For the hike in June, we will definitely stop by there. Thanks for the recommendation.

Beautiful place, and extra nice to share with family 🙌