Tips on taking another whirl at Whorl?

[Sam R]

I set out from Twin Lakes one morning last October to see if I could make it up Whorl Mountain and down in a day.

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Even I, a shameless snob for granite, had to admit this wasn't bad:

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I crossed the pass...

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...& strolled up Secor's bench...

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...but found wherever the bench ends, and the first chute starts, to be ambiguous. Eventually I figured I'd gone too far towards the south ridge, and cut back north and uphill, hoping to intercept one of the chutes. If I did, I never knew it. I climbed until I could see I would shortly be outclassed, and called it a day. (As it was, I made the last mile back by starlight.)

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Still, I wouldn't have called the effort a wasted one.

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Any advice, though, on not missing my exit next time?

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[c9h13no3]

GPX track certainly fixes the problem. Alternatively, just ensure you're well south of the summit before you start climbing.

I climbed up chute #2 directly, took the book way down. IDK, it all seemed kinda the same to me. But once you get to the chockstone cave, the route gets really fun . I thought it was on the easy side of Sierra class 3. Go late in the year, that chockstone cave will take a while to melt out.

[Sam R]

Thanks for that, c9. That link is super-helpful. Chockstone or bust!

[Sam R]

Well, maybe not bust.

[Gazelle]

https://www.snwburd.com/bob/trip_reports/whorl_1.html
look at pictures

[Harlen]

Hello Sam, Sam, and Kristine,

Cool climbing, which I'd love to get to too!
Sam, does Sam's linked photo show the same notch/"3rd chute" that is seen your 5th photo?
Or Sam, does Sam's 5th photo show the 3rd chute you linked?

Now I'm hoping for clarification from a Sam.

p.s. I love that 2nd photo, is it taken from Horse Creek Pass?

[Sam R]

Gazelle, thanks for another helpful link.

Ian, yes, that 2nd photo is on the way up to Horse Creek Pass. Alas, I don't think the 5th photo is anywhere near the 3rd chute. But it was my first time. Now I'll be better prepared to go forth.