High Sierra Topix

Inyo Co Sheriff's Dept:

Whitney Portal area is closed and campgrounds are being evacuated due to rockslide south of the main parking lot. No injuries reported at this time. It is unclear at this time if the main Mt Whitney trail has been affected. It is believed that this slide was triggered by the recent 5.8 earthquake near the Lone Pine area. We will post updates as they are made available.
We are assessing a reported rockslide on Whitney Portal Road and reported debris on Horseshoe Meadows Road. No additional information is known at this time. All updates will be posted.

Additional photo's:

Inyo Co Sheriff's Dept:

Today canines from CARDA - California Rescue Dog Association and Santa Barbara County Search And Rescue checked rockslide debris fields south of the main Whitney Portal parking lot and near Lone Pine Lake. There are currently no reports of missing individuals or injuries.

Updates on the Mt Whitney rockslide will be posted as they become available.

It appears everyone is safe and accounted for, lots of rockfall throughout the crest. A big piece of candlelight buttress broke off. Rec trail above campground might be perm done. We saw significant rockfall in the diaz creek drainage as well, upper meysan area, sorry cymba! Lots of people up there surveying and etc. Much more intense earthquake than the 7.0 roller from Ridgecrest. Came on like a freight train and shook hard. Big thanks to the hard working fs, inyo sar, chp and all visiting supporting agencies that are helping. Stay safe make good decisions, whitney might be done for the season. At least I hope so. Lots of other peaks out there boys and girls, the sierra has many hidden gems, find whats aesthetically pleasing to you and go for a walk/climb.

It's amazing nobody was killed or injured.

I've got a trip planned the first week of August where I was supposed to be exiting the Mountaineers Trail (from Russell-Carillon Col). I hope the trails are open and nothing has degraded any of the off trail passes.

I appreciate all the updates that are posted here.

Reposting this here as it is the proper thread:

I was at Chicken Spring Lake out of Cottowood Pass Trailhead just erecting my tend when the earthquake hit. It was a big jolt. I stumbled sideways and heard a loud crack. On the very top of the peak above the lake, a boulder the size of a small car, broke off. I watched it tumble until it came to rest on a ledge above the lake.
I was in Lone Pine the day before and felt the 4.5. I didn't feel any aftershocks at the lake. I heard from other hikers that they closed but then reopened Horseshoe Meadows Road, and that the Sheriff's Office put a notice on cars at the gate closure that the area was unstable and to leave immediately. They asked to call to let them know hikers were safe. I didn't leave but stayed to complete my trip. I called them later to let them know the Cottonwood Pass trail didn't suffer any damage due to the quake.

Thank you for the update. I was looking at Cottonwood Lakes (New Army Pass) as an alternate exit point if Whitney Portal is closed for my trip.

I hope so as it would be easiest to get all the reports in the same place. My trip will go over Bishop Pass (which had a bad slide 10-12 years ago) then through Palisades Basin, JMT to 60 lakes basin, Center Basin, Junction Pass, Shepherd Pass, Russell- Carillon Col, Crabtree Pass, New Army Pass.