Whitney mountaineers route

14ers in California and Washington state or any other peak in the USA
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CODave
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Whitney mountaineers route

Post by CODave »

For anyone that's climbed the mountaineers route on whitney (without snow) how does it compare to any Colorado 14ers? Any routes in CO compare technically?

Thanks!
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kushrocks
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by kushrocks »

I can answer that question with snow. Its a beautiful route. Good luck if you try it soon.
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FireOnTheMountain
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by FireOnTheMountain »

Longs Keyhole
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SeattleHc100er
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by SeattleHc100er »

FireOnTheMountain wrote:Longs Keyhole
...or any of the class 3 routes on Longs.
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by dhgold »

I've descended the Mountaineer's Route in completely dry conditions after doing an east face route. My partner and I both found the movement to be unaesthetic and very soft third class -- steep walking on debris covered slabs. I would recommend the Whitney trail over the MR. The CL 3 route on Russell is a more enjoyable climb; the CL3 on this route though very brief is legitimate and on good rock.

I'm having a hard time coming up with a route in the CO mountains that compares to my memories of MR. The comparison with Longs does not seem apt; the rock on Longs is far cleaner and the potential for doom considerably greater. I'm thinking a less steep, much less technical and far safer version of the Little Bear's standard route descent gully fits the bill.
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ClimbandMine
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by ClimbandMine »

Climb it with snow. Otherwise its a lot of scree and choss until the saddle. Not much fun.

I did it with snow in the gully (rock and choss starting to show). The upper Class 3 section is probably comparable to the Keyhole.
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JenGa
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by JenGa »

Hmmm. Eolus, with snow.
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by caverdude »

I've been on the Mountaineers rt twice, in both dry and snow conditions. The couloir is fun with snow but a scree slog when dry. The only 3rd class section is the rock slab at the top of the couloir. It's similar to the Homestretch on Longs but without the crack. I'd say it was easier than the crux on Wetterhorn. Microspikes would have been handy too but didn't exist when I did it.
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Kent McLemore
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by Kent McLemore »

Not a response to your query, and probably something you already know, but...
John Muir is credited with the Mountaineer's Route First Ascent.
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kaiman
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by kaiman »

dhgold wrote:I've descended the Mountaineer's Route in completely dry conditions after doing an east face route. My partner and I both found the movement to be unaesthetic and very soft third class -- steep walking on debris covered slabs. I would recommend the Whitney trail over the MR. The CL 3 route on Russell is a more enjoyable climb; the CL3 on this route though very brief is legitimate and on good rock.

I'm having a hard time coming up with a route in the CO mountains that compares to my memories of MR. The comparison with Longs does not seem apt; the rock on Longs is far cleaner and the potential for doom considerably greater. I'm thinking a less steep, much less technical and far safer version of the Little Bear's standard route descent gully fits the bill.
I would agree with dhgold, the MR route on Whitney is probably more comparable to Little Bear than Longs. The Keyhole and Homestretch are more solid but have more exposure. When I was there there was snow in the gully but not on the lower or upper portions and they were both covered with debree but nothing too bad. Of the three or four Class 3-4 routes I did in the Sierras (including Tyndall, Jaycox, Russell and Langley) that route was probably the loosest scrambling but is also pretty short and not very sustained.

Having done both the Whitney trail and MR route the MR route is definitely more interesting and less crowded (for California) than the Whitney trail, but the Whitney trail may be a bit more scenic.

Also if you have time I would recommend checking out the Boundary Peak Montgomery Peak traverse in the White mountains across the Owens valley. Not only do you get to bag the Nevada high point but you cross the state line at 13,000 feet to get to Montgomery. The views of the Sierras are awesome and you get to hike through 4000 year old Bristlecones without many other people around.
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rob runkle
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by rob runkle »

Best I've heard yet is comparison of Little Bear std route. I did the east face rock climb also, and down climbed the MR back to iceberg lake. After a long day, it was annoying, loose.
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SeattleHc100er
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Re: Whitney mountaineers route

Post by SeattleHc100er »

dhgold wrote:I've descended the Mountaineer's Route in completely dry conditions after doing an east face route. My partner and I both found the movement to be unaesthetic and very soft third class -- steep walking on debris covered slabs. I would recommend the Whitney trail over the MR. The CL 3 route on Russell is a more enjoyable climb; the CL3 on this route though very brief is legitimate and on good rock.

I'm having a hard time coming up with a route in the CO mountains that compares to my memories of MR. The comparison with Longs does not seem apt; the rock on Longs is far cleaner and the potential for doom considerably greater. I'm thinking a less steep, much less technical and far safer version of the Little Bear's standard route descent gully fits the bill.
I'm yet to climb Keplinger's Route up Longs ( doing it this summer ), but looking at pictures and geography from both dry MR Whitney route and dry Keps, a lot of the terrain looks pretty similar. Loose talus; check. Scree; check. Couloir; check. Slabby rock; check. Opinions? I have not done Little Bear so I'm not arguing that it's not a better route....just comparing for the sake of comparing I guess.
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