Mt. Whitney & Mt.Russell Combo

Day One: The Approach

We start our climb at the 8,640 foot Whitney Portal and stay on the regular Whitney Trail for less than a mile before heading up the steep North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. The trail here is non-maintained and rough with creek crossings and rocks to scramble up and over. We traverse the “Ebersbacher” Ledges above the creek and drop into the serene setting of Lower Boy Scout Lake (10,335’).
We usually reach Lower Boy Scout Lake (10,300’) in time for lunch and gain Upper Boy Scout Lake (11,200’) by mid afternoon. We take a good rest there and gather strength for the final hour push to camp Iceberg Lake. This is a very hard day with a gain of over 4,000’ so be prepared for this and remember to save energy for the climbing day. But it sets us up well and makes the remaining two climbing days shorter and easier.

Day Two: The Whitney Climb

This route offers a mostly non-technical way to and from the summit. We make a predawn start and head across slabs to the main gully. There is some easy un-roped scrambling in this area before we arrive at the base of the final 1000 feet to the notch.

The condition of this section depends very much upon the time of the year. In early season it will be snow-filled and may require the use of crampons, ice axes and rope. In late season the snow has melted out and we are climbing loose talus and sand. This section is strenuous and the fact that you are nearing 14,000 feet becomes apparent to the lungs.

Finally we arrive at the notch 300 feet below the summit plateau. The final section may involve the use of the rope. Although intimidating from below the angle eases and we find that if you can get to the bottom of the final section you can most certainly get to the top. Once above this step we drop the rope and helmets and wander over the near-flat plateau to the summit of the lower 48 states.

To return we retrace our steps, again being roped up for the section below the summit and in the gully if there is snow, and arrive back to camp in the afternoon in time to nap and rest up.

Day Three: The Russell Climb

We do not have to get as early a start as the previous day so we can sleep in a little. But we will be on the approach to the Whitney Russell-Col early circling around Iceberg Lake to the talus and sand approach to the Col. On the west side of the Col we descend some, stopping to admire the views to Arctic Lakes west of us and Upper Boyscout Lake from an adjacent notch.
We climb large easy talus along side of the impressive curing spine of Fish Hook Arete until we arrive at our rope up point. Easy 3rd and 4th class takes us to the ridge joining the East and West summits of Russell.
We traverse carefully along the ridge arriving at the blocky summit. We can look back to where we were yesterday marvelling at how two peaks so close to each other can be so very different. Out return is the same way and aim to get back to camp in time to relax in the sun and be surrounded by the highest mountains in the lower 48 states.

Day Four: The Descent Back to the Portal

We return down the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek and plan to get back down to the trailhead in time for a lunch of the famed burgers and fries at the Whitney Portal Store, before heading home tired but satisfied.

Elevations and Distances

Trailhead to Lower Boy Scout Lake: 1.9 miles, 2060’ of gain, 60’ of descent
Lower Boy Scout Lake to Upper Boy Scout Lake: 0.8 miles, 1040’ of gain, 30’ of descent
Upper Boy Scout Lake to start of technical section: 1 mile, 2090’ of gain, 0’ of descent
Start of technical section to the Summit: 0.45 miles, 720’ of gain, 110’ of descent
Summit to Iceberg Lake: 0.9 miles, 173’ of gain, 1610’ of descent
Iceberg Lake to Camp: 1.2 miles, 30’ of gain, 1310’ of descent
Camp to Trailhead: 2.7 miles, 90’ of gain, 3100’ of descent