I posted some data
analysis for Mt. Whitney hiking in the past.Now I have a new data for 2016 hiking.I started analyzing the data.
Walking pace
The pace was
defined based on the heart rate as similar as the past hiking.This year I set the maximum heart rate is
somewhere around 150 ~155 bpm. It is a
little lower than the number I used last year.This year my condition was not very good.I felt some high altitude sickness symptom
when I started walking from the trail head.I also felt that my pace was somehow slower than the last year with a
similar heart rate.So it is a good
example how the heart rate base pacing works.
Data for Day 1,
Whitney Portal to Trail Camp
Based on the data
analysis for the past data, a section between Outpost camp and Trail Camp is
one of key sections in Day 1.Therefore,
I started looking into the data for day 1.Overall, I took 5 hours from Whitney Portal to Trail Camp this
year.As a reference data, I took 4
hours 24 minutes last year.The
difference is about 36 minutes.As I
felt, the heart rate at the start was higher than the last year even if the
pace was actually slower.This
indicating my condition was not very well or my fitness situation could be
worse because of injury early this year.However, if I look at the average heart rate, I did well managed the
heart rate compare with the last year.I
kept the heart rate below 150bpm.
Time
(H:MM)
Average Heart Rate (BPM)
2015
2016
2015
2016
Whitney Portal
Lone Pine Lake
1:49
1:56
137
142
Outpost Camp
0:30
0:37
145
133
Trail Camp
2:05
2:26
152
137
Total
4:24
5:00
Although my
condition (fitness) was not very good, I did not feel I was really
exhausted.Of course, I was tried.But this indicating that if I manage the
pace with the heart rate, I can still optimize my walking pace which is not
over pace.Therefore, I did not really
feel it was really hard hiking for me.It was a reasonable.Overall time
was not too bad as well.Five hours
were not too bad time as well.
Here is the more
detail data for this year.The elevation
value is probably offsetting by about 300m somehow.But the trend is very similar as the past
data.Walking pace is slowing down after
Outpost camp, however, the average heart rate is pretty much constant this
year.It is clearly indicating the
impact of altitude.The overall time is
a little slower than the last year, I think there are two reasons:
1.My condition is not as good as last year
2.Since I limit the maximum heart rate strictly
this year, overall pace is also slowing down a little as well.
As a reference, I
also show the same data from 2015 hiking as well.
I was wondering which boots I would need to wear for this hiking until really last minutes. Because it was a little early season and it was different situation from the past hiking I did in August, September and October. Especially, it was snowing about 2 weeks before my entrance date.
Based on some internet information, I might need to climb the "Chute" instead of going through the switch back on the summer trail. Also, I knew there was not much snow below Trail Camp. Here is what I was thinking:
To climb the chute, it might be better to use mountaineering boots which is much rigid and a better combination with crampons.
Below Trail Camp, there was almost no snow and it might be too much to use mountaineering boots, especially my mountaineering boots have insulator and it will get hots.
If I need to use mountaineering boots, it might be better to use hiking shoes to Trail Camp and using the mountaineering boots for the summit attempt.
I just need to use a light hiking boots with crampons if we really need in a short section.
A day before, I thought option #3 would be too much and I need to carry extra weight. The latest information I got the internet, the condition would not be very bad. I might need crampons in the worst case only. Therefore, I decided to take option #4 for this hiking.
As a result, I did not use crampons and an ice axe at all this time. So I did make a right decision.
Other people on the trail in the same weekend
I also watched other people what they used. Here is my observation:
About half of people might carry crampons. I saw about half of people had crampons somewhere outside of their backpack. Some people probably just bought them for the hiking, they looked brand new.
Probably 1/3 people had an ice axe, but much less than people who had crampons.
Majority of people was wearing a light hiking boots
Very few people carried mountaineering boots toward Trail camp. They might know that the boots would be too much to approach Trail Camp. They only used them for summit attempt.
I did not see people who used either crampons and an ice axe. It could be some people who might use them, but I did not see such people. In general, people did not really need them in the given condition.
Crampons
I guess many hikers have never used crampons. Crampons are gear for winter climbing. Therefore, many people probably do not know the combination of boots and crampons make a big difference. Basically, it is better to use a rigid boots when people use crampons. However, if people just work on a slope which is not really steep, then they might not tell any difference. However, once the slope is getting steep or people need to walk on rocks, then it will be a big difference. Since crampons could not be very stable when people wear non rigid boots.
Thus, if people do not have to use on a steep slope and/or on rocks, it is probably no problem just carry crampons just in case. Even people wear shoes with crampons, it might work all right. However, if we need to wear crampons even if there is not much snow, but there might be some ice on rocks. Then it is not very good to use crampons on shoes or soft hiking boots. It might not be very stable and it might be possible to be crampons off.
Hard to pick a right gear in early summer season
Mt. Whitney is not really a mountain which has a lot of snow in early summer season. In early summer like mid-late June, there might not be a lot of snow on the trail. But some sections might be covered by icy snow especially early in the morning. Therefore, people might need to use crampons. But selection of boots is another problem. Since the lower elevation portion could be very hot and mountaineering boots which is typically rigid would be too much. Then people might need to carry such rigid boots and wearing light hiking boots in the beginning.
I guess many time people take an option with light hiking boots with crampons just in case. It might work many times I guess. Also people might want to ware "spick" which is a simplify version of gear. (Personally, I do not like it because it might not work if it is really icy)
Just I want to remind people that it is better to wear crampons if people wear soft hiking boots. Because it is not easy to do "kick step" with such soft boots. It is better to wear crampons to walk on the snow.
Bottom line....
I think it is important to try boots and crampons combination somewhere before going actual hiking to see what the combination looks like. It might help to walk a bit steep slope with the combination. It does not have to have snow, but it is better to walk on a rock instead of soft surface. If people have different type of boots, try to compare how they are different.
First of all, I
would like to share a video I took during the hiking this year.It was not really easy to get a right video
shooting with a head mount.Since the
head kept moving when I walked.However,
it might be a better way to share what the trail looks like.In the past years, I only tool photos and
this was my first time to shoot a video during the hiking.
Approach
My permit this year
was an overnight permit on June 25, that I was allow to hike there on June 25
and 26.Overall my basic plan was set
based on the past experience, which is picking up the permit in the morning on
the entrance day. Then I just hiked up
to Trail Camp on the first day.The
second day, I attempted the summit and came back to the trail head.So I leave very early in the morning on June
25 around 3 am.
The driving route
was I-580 ~ CA-120 / CA-108 / CA-120 ~ US-395 going through Yosemite National
Park.It took about 6 hours.One big difference was the sunrise was
earlier than the past hiking since this was my first time to hike there in June.I felt like that the driving was much easier
than driving in a dark.Around 5am when
I passed Yosemite National Park, the sky was not dark anymore.It was really fun driving this time to Lone
Pine.
The arrival time at
the visitor center was 9 am.I got the
number to get permit which is “39” and when I was arrived, “30” was in
processed.I only waited for 30 minutes
to get the permit.As I checked in
advance, I asked a ranger if it would be all right to park my car on the road
side at Whitney Portal.The answer from
the ranger was that he did not think I would have a problem to park at hiker’s
parking / overflow parking on that day.It was really true, there was not any space in the hiker’s parking, but
I saw many space in the overflow parking lots.The ranger issue an parking permit at Whitney Portal for 2 days.
On the way to Whitney Portal, the construction
project was really on going.However,
there was no construction work due to a weekend.There were some sections the road was
unpaved.Overall, it was really smooth
approach to the Whitney Portal this time.
Hike on the Day 1,
Whitney Portal ~ Trail Camp
When I was looking
for a parking spot, there were a several people at the trail head and they were
almost ready to go.After picking up
the permit, I was arrived there around 10am.I left the parking lot at 10:09am, the temperature was already around 85
degrees F (28 degrees C).There were a
several places to cross a stream.The
water was more than my past experience, but they were not big problems to
across.I might need to put a few steps
on a rock in a stream.However, it was
not deep and I did not get wet.I think
as long as people wear a reasonable water proof boots, it would be all right.They just need to be careful to jump a stone
to the other to avoid slipping.The
main stream of Lone Pine Creek, the amount of water was much more than the past
years.
There were a few
parts where had a patch of snow on the trail before Trail Camp.They were no problem at all, just tiny
snow.Also I only saw one tent at the
Outpost Camp.In the past year, I saw
more than that, but probably fewer people were heading to the summit this
time.Along the trail, there were many
wild flowers which were different from late summer season.It was really fun to hike a mountain in
different season.I always found
something new or different every time!
Tents in Trail Camp
were also less than the past years.There was much snow around the camp.Even in the Trail Camp, it was really hot and I could not stay
outside.I set up my tent in a shade and
stayed in the tent until the sun was behind the mountains.Since I planned to leave the camp site very
early in the morning, I tried to sleep earlier.However, the daylight was much longer than the other season and it was
not really dark around 9pm.So I spent
some time to take some photos.
Trail Camp
Hike on the Day 2,
Summit attempt and descending to the trail head
The second day, I
left the camp site at 4 am.I saw some
people had started earlier than myself, lights from head lamp was moving on the
middle / top portion of the switch back.But many people were still in their tents.I guessed they might wait for sunrise to
start.The switch back was almost snow
free until right before the cable section.Right before the cable section, snow was shown, but it was not a big
deal.Even at the cable section, the
snow was melting and people can easily pass inside the cable.It was much better condition than a picture
somebody post a week ago.After the
cable section, there was no snow until right before Trail Crest.There was some snow where the trail is traversing
to Trail Crest.The first part was no
problem, I just need to walk carefully, not to slip there.It was flat and a trekking pole helped to
keep balancing.Very last section,
which was only a several steps down, I was thinking if I need to wear crampons
or not.But it was really short and I
can see some hold on the rock and snow.So that I did not wear the crampons at all.But it was icy and needs to be careful when
people across this section very early in the morning.In my case, right before this snow section,
I saw sunrise and the sky was getting bright.
After this part,
there were still some sections had very small snow patches, but they were not
any problem at all.I saw much more
snow on the Sequoia National Park side.It was really beautiful moment after a several ten minutes after the
sunrise.I enjoyed the nice view.At the last traverse to get into the last
slope to the summit, there was snow.When I hiked in August in 2011, there was also snow here.However, the amount of snow this time was
less than 2011.On the snow there were
nice steps and I did not think any problem at all.
From the last part of the switch back
On the way to the
summit, I saw a several groups came back from the summit.Some of them were from John Muir Trail, they
started really early in the morning.Some of them told me they started around 2 am!!
Since I needed to
go back to the trail head in the second day and driving back to home, I was
rushing to descending from the summit before the trail was getting crowded with
day trip hikers.I was almost no
resting for the round trip from the Trail Camp.Once I got to Trail Camp, I packed my stuff quickly and headed to the
trail head right away.
I went hiking to Mt. Whitney last weekend, June 25 and June
26.Here is the initial report for the
current condition.
Based on the snowing a few weeks ago, I had a concern about
the snow conditions on the trail.Due to
the hot weather after the snowing, most of the trail was snow free and only a
few portions covered by small patch of snow.
Here is some notes:
·The cable section of the switch back, there was
some snow, but we could pass inside cable without any problem.There is one section water was dripping due
to melting snow, but it is just a few meters.
·The cable section of the switch back
Right before Trail crest, there was a small
section covered by snow.People need to
be careful if people pass this section early in the morning.It could be icy, just a several steps.I did not use crampons and an ice axe.Just using a trekking pole to pass the
section.Probably snow will be melt
soon.On the way back, due to the
temperature was up and the snow is getting slushy and no problem at all.
Near Trail Crest
·The last section to traverse a slope to get into
the last slope toward the summit, there was a section covered by snow.However, there were nice steps and just
followed the step without any problem.Trekking pole(s) might help to balance.
Traverse right below the summit
The other section, even there was some snow, it
is not a problem to pass the sections.Only thing is that there was thin layer of ice on rocks very early in
the morning.So people just need to be
careful to avoid slipping with the ice.
I did not see anybody climbed on the chute.I think everybody went through the
switchback.
Some people mentioned, due to a lot of water, it might be
wet when they across the water streams.I think it is better to wear a better water proof boots.I was wearing a light hiking boots with
GoreTex and I did not have any problem to jump stones.Some time I needed to put my foot to a stone
in the water, but I did not get wet.
I carried crampons and an ice axe, but I did not use them at
all.I guess most of people probably do
not need them this summer season unless the condition is changing significantly
such as another snowing.But this is all
depending on person’s skill and what type of boots people wearing.
I just update the current condition for people who plan to
go there July 4th weekend.I
will post my detail report here later.
