[pct-l] Whitney without crampons

["Tom Reynolds" <Tom.Reynolds@ilan.com>]

This is GOOD news. Whitney WITHOUT crampons!!!

Switchbacks above Trail Camp are fairly clear now, so that is the route of
choice. Follow the switchbacks from Trail Camp
to the cable area, where you will run into a little patch of snow. You can
hug the rock and follow the path through this section.
USE EXTREME CAUTION! Past the cable area you'll run into patchy snow--might
 require some rock scrambling to get to
next switchback, but majority of trail is clear. Expect snowy conditions
again before Trail Crest, on the last long
switchback--follow the path. If everyone takes the same path from Trail
Camp to Trail Crest, the tracks will establish a trail
and help clear up the snow even faster. There are still rockslides on the
back side. Bathrooms are still good. BEARS tore
open three cars this past Saturday night: BEWARE! *When you come off the
summit, at the JMT junction, make sure you
don't go down the West side--remember, the trail goes back UP for a little
ways, to Trail Crest, before you start down East
to Whitney Portal. *As you come down, just below Trail Camp, make sure you
follow the Trail down to Mirror Lake.
The snow field is too thin and dangerous--stay off! The first 2 folks that
we know of this year finished JMT this week--20 days.
They will post a trip descirpltion on JMT &/or or PCT web sites


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