Mt.Whitney Climbing Route Profiles


Mt. Whitney:(4417meters), (14,494 Feet)


WEST SLOPE.CLASS 2.
CLIMB ANY OF THE TALUS CHUTES TO THE SUMMITE.


NORTHWEST RIB. 5.7
CLIMB THE ARETE THAT RISES ABOVE THE OUTLET OF ARCTIC LAKE.


NORTH SLOPE. CLASS 2-3.
CLIMB THE LEFT SIDE OF THE NORTH SLOPE, JUST UNDER THE NORTHEAST RIDGE. ASCEND CHUTES LEADING TO A 50-FOOT HIGH WALL OF BROKEN BLOCKS. PASS THROUGH THEASE BLOCKS AND CLIMB DIRECTLY TO THE SUMMIT.


THE MOUNTAINEER'S ROUTE.CLASS,3.
CLIMB THE LONG DEEP GULLY THAT IS JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE EAST BUTTRESS,AT ABOUT 14,000 FEET YOU WILL REACH A NOTCH.FROM HERE CLIMB UP THE BLOCKS TO THE LEFT{STAYING TO THE RIGHT OF THE GULLY}.TO THE SUMMIT PLATEAU.THEN HEAD EAST ON UP TO THE SUMMIT. THE MOUNTAINEER'S ROUTE IS ALSO THE STANDERD DESCENT ROUTE.


EAST BUTTRESS.III,5.6
CLIMB TO THE NOTCH BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND TOWER'S ON THE EAST FACE ROUTE.CLIMB THE EAST FACE OF THE SECOND TOWER.JUST BEFORE REACHING THE TOP GO RIGHT ALONG THE NORTH SIDE TO A SMALL LEDGE LEADING TO THE NOTCH BEHIND THE TOWER.FOLLOW THE BUTTRESS UP TO THE LARGE DETACHED BLOCK,PASS THIS BLOCK ON ITS RIGHT.AFTER THIS SCRAMBLE UPWARD OVER BLOCKS TO THE SUMMIT.


EAST FACE.III,5.4
CLIMB UP TO THE NOTCH BEHIND THE FIRST TOWER FROM ICEBURG LAKE,START TRAVERSEING ACROSS THE SOUTH FACE OF THE SECOND TOWER {TOWER TRAVERSE 5.3},TO A TIGHT CHIMNEY. CLIMB LEFT FROM THE TOP OF THIS CHIMNEY AND UP WHAT IS CALLED THE WASHBOARD {THREE SCREE COVERED LEDGES}. FOLLOW THE LEDGES UP TO A LARGE ALCOVE WITH A WALL ON IT'S SOUTH SIDE.CLIMB THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS WALL.TRAVERSE ACROSSTHIS WALL TO AN INSIDE CORNER. THEN GO UP AND LEFT AND AROUND A BLOCK TO THE FRESH AIR TRAVERSE.THIS IS A 5.4 LONG STEP MOVE WITH NOTHING BUT AIR UNDER YOU, AFTER MAKING THIS MOVE GO 20 FEET FERTHER AND CLIMB THE FACE TO A CHIMNEY,THAT LEADS BACK TO THE RIGHT AND ENDS AT THE FOOT OF THE GRAND STAIRCASE. ASCEND THE LEDGES THAT MAKE UP THE STAIRCASE TO A WALL AND CLIMB THE TIGHT CHIMNEY ON THE LE