need a last minute plan for this weekend

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Trailguru
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need a last minute plan for this weekend

Post by Trailguru »

So with all the extra snow falling this week and more on the way I think I'd wanna attempt a dayhike to White Mountain Peak tomorrow and do some dispersed camping in the Whites (it's going to be mostly sunny!) instead of heading to Sequoia. Does anyone have any information on the road and trail to White Mountain Peak? I do have ice axe and crampons should those be necessary
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Feraleyes
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Re: need a last minute plan for this weekend

Post by Feraleyes »

I think white mountain road is open but only until Schulman grove. If you wanted to do the standard approach from the South it’d be a long one. Plenty of snow on the ground still, its going to be pretty grueling as a day hike.
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Re: need a last minute plan for this weekend

Post by SSSdave »

May 21, 2019 EOSDIS WV
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Trailguru
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Re: need a last minute plan for this weekend

Post by Trailguru »

Thanks!

Does it mean the road is plowed to Schulman Grove only and they close off the rest of the way? I wonder if adventurous souls can go beyond that and just go on foot. I'd turn this into a long backpacking trip as I got till Sunday to do stuff
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Feraleyes
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Re: need a last minute plan for this weekend

Post by Feraleyes »

It may or may not be plowed, it’s just not gated off. I’ve been up there when the roads were technically open but still just about impassable due to snow. From the road closure to White Mountain Peak would be a very very long slog over snow, I know I wouldn’t be able to do it in a single day. Temps will be dropping into the teens at night, snow and freezing rain in the forecast along with high winds..sounds pretty miserable at the moment as a multi day outing.
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Re: need a last minute plan for this weekend

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Probably too late for the original poster. But this may be informative for others considering the White Mountains.

I have done 3 early season trips in the White Mountains from the east side; 1) up Rock Creek (Trail Canyon) to climb Boundary Peak, 2) Chiatovich Creek to traverse to "the Jumpoff", and 3) up Leidy Creek and camped on lower Perry Aiken Flat in an attempt on White Mountain where I retreated from about 12,000 feet due to nasty weather. It is really remote and wild from the east side, but this is a good time to do those routes because there will be water and plenty of snow up higher to melt for water. The snow is really different than in the Sierra - very dry with an upper crust that is walkable early in the day but collapses later. Also really ominous clouds roil up and then evaporate so I misjudged the weather as an imminent storm when it was not. The wind is fierce! I pretty much had winter mountaineering clothing, but I could find fair campsites. I used a bivy sack on two trips. When I climbed Boundary Peak there was a lot of ice and I had to use crampons. These trips are not recommended unless you are pretty good at off-trail travel and navigation.

The east side roads degrade into 4wd roads as you go up. I had a passenger car so simply parked lower and walked a few more miles. If you had a true 4wd you could get up them farther. Trails also disappear as you go upward. I did a lot of steep off-trail travel. The Google Earth maps are quiet interesting. You can see the faint roads and trails.

I also walked the road to climb White Mountain from the south. I really do not think this is a good weekend trip because of the altitude. It helps to make a slower trip and acclimate on the way up. When I camped at the trailhead, a van of people came up from San Diego, got out, and two people immediately puked. I did this trip later in the season after a week in the Sierra so was already acclimated. Even when it was near 100 degrees in Bishop, it was cold with a strong wind on the trail.
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2005 was a 165% snow year (based on Tioga Pass openings)
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Last edited by Wandering Daisy on Fri May 24, 2019 9:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Harlen
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Re: need a last minute plan for this weekend

Post by Harlen »

Good luck Trailguru!

WD, thanks for the usual good information. I'm keen to get up there on skis, but the breakable crust you describe is a thankless surface.
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