All Locations > California > High Sierra > 14 - Whitney &… > Mt Whitney

The Mountaineer's Route

Name: The Mountaineer's Route
Rating: 2.9

3rd YDS 1- French 1 Ewbanks I UIAA 1 ZA M 1a British Mod. Snow

Routes in Mt. Whitney

L › R R › L A › Z

	Happy Cowboy (Whitney Edge Traverse) T 4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b
	SouthWest Ridge T 4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b
	SouthWest Edge T 5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
	If At First… T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Left Wing Extremist T 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
	Direct East Face T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Hairline T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b C2+
	Hairline Free T 5.13d 8b 31 X 32 E8 7a PG13
	Great Book, The T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	East Face T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	East Buttress T 5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	North Face T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Mountaineer's Route, The 3rd 1- 1 I 1 M 1a Mod. Snow
	Cardiovascular Seizure T 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Mount Whitney Trail, The Mod. Snow
Unsorted Routes:
	Our Own Devices T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13

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Type:	Snow, Alpine, 1500 ft (455 m), Grade III
FA:	John Muir, Oct. 21, 1873
Page Views:	39,397 total · 233/month
Shared By:	saltlick on Jun 11, 2011 · Updates
Admins:	Chris Owen, Lurk Er, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

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Explore this route in 3D

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Access Issue: Certain Peaks: Access limited from May to October every year Details

Some of the peaks in this area are restricted (not all). See the Inyo National Forest's Mount Whitney Zone regulations webpage fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/pas… for current information. Access is usually limited from May to October of every year from the highest elevations of most of the Lone Pine Creek watershed.

Description

The "other way" up Mt Whitney. A bit more challenging, far more interesting, and very direct, this is the path for those wishing to escape the crowds and embrace a little alpine adventure. The Route has been climbed countless times and in all conditions—at times it's a low-angle ice climb with a horrendously long and snowy approach, at others it's a scorching scree-slog—and is only becoming more popular as years go by. Perhaps the best time to go is late spring/early summer (depending on snow levels and conditions): if you're lucky, you can catch warm and calm weather, a dry approach, plenty of water and perfectly firm, stable snow all at the same time! Though often climbed car-to-car in a long-ish day, most parties will elect to pull a camping permit for one of the Boy Scout Lakes and enjoy a multi-day excursion in the Whitney Zone.

Location

Follow the main Whitney trail from the Whitney Portal for approx. 1 mile until reaching the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. Turn uphill here and follow a steeper trail up the drainage and into the willows. The FS has made a concerted effort to establish an obvious route up to Lower Boy Scout Lake, and the trail is apparently much better than it once was, though some climbers still manage to lose the trail and embark on a steep and dirty bushwhack up the creek. Immediately after crossing the creek for a second time (back to the north side), scramble up an obvious weakness in the granite wall (3rd class) to access the Ebersbacher ledges and a decidedly less bushy route toward Lower Boyscout Lake. Pass by both Lower and Upper BS Lakes to the south, and find yourself at the base of the Route as you reach Iceberg Lake.

Protection

Ice axe and crampons are necessary, and some parties will appreciate a snow picket or two, if snow will be encountered in the couloir. 30M rope is desirable in most conditions for descending exposed 3rd class steps 350ft. below the summit.