Month: June 2012

Mt. Whitney’s Mountaineers Route – 100% success with summertime conditions!

June 6, 2012: The team with SMI guides April Mayhew, Doug Nidever, and Zach Schneider at Whitney Portal packed and ready to climb the Mountaineer's Route on Mt. Whitney.

After reporting from Mt. Everest for the past couple of months it is with great pleasure to be sharing news about our climbs going on in the Sierra right here in our back yard!

The Sierra received a below average snowfall this past winter/spring.  As a result the snow melt is ahead of schedule.  Right now at the beginning of June when most climbs would normally require ice axe and crampons to travel over snow, we are instead traveling over dry trails, dirt, and rocks.  Conditions more normally associated with the summer months of July and August are already prevalent here in the Sierra.  For our summertime kit we have exchanged our heavier crampon compatible boots for lighter summertime footwear and put away in our gear closet some of our winter/spring gear including avalanche transceivers, snowshoes, winter temperature rated sleeping bags, and puffy down parkas.

On June 6-8, 2012 SMI guides April Mayhew, Doug Nidiver, and Zach Schneider led a team of eight climbers to the summit of Mt. Whitney via the Mountaineer’s Route.  With ideal weather and a solid group 100% of the team was successful in reaching the summit.  The route requires climbing up the mountaineers chute located on the north side of Mt. Whitney.  This chute, angled at 25-35 degrees consists of walking over a dirt trail mixed with some occasional scrambling over rocks that requires the use of hands and feet.

The team camped at Upper Boyscout Lake at 11,300’/3444m on June 6.  After a nice dinner of Thai food the group went to sleep early in preparation for the summit bid early the following morning.  Clear skies above and mild temperatures dominated the day making for ideal climbing conditions.  Reaching the summit the group was blessed with beautiful views and comfortable enough temperatures to spend 45 minutes on the summit.  It was then time to descend back to camp for another nice dinner.  June 8 was devoted to packing up and returning to Whitney Portal where the cars were parked.

This group was put together by Todd Phillips who is a pastor at Lake Pointe Church in Rockwell, Texas.  Todd is a veteran with SMI with his groups having been with us in the Sierra and internationally on Aconcagua.  Team members raise money and awareness for one of their ongoing ministries of building water wells in the country of Liberia bringing clean water to a country that has a high rate of health issues related to the lack of clean water sources.  For more information about Todd and their cause visit www.lakepointe.org.

A big congratulations for a successful climb to Daniel Bobst, Paul Fleming, Heath Hill, Andrew Hodges, Todd Phillips, Sam Sneau, Richard Stahr, and Brian Young.  Well done!!

For a Spot device track of the climb here:  http://www.trendhr.com/trendhr/index.php/news-a-articles/ceo-blog/442-wheres-d-dubya

SMI guide Zach Schneider demonstrating how to efficiently shoulder a fully loaded pack at the start of the climb.

Summit photo on Mt. Whitney with Daniel Bobst, Paul Fleming, Heath Hill, Andrew Hodges, Todd Phillips, Sam Sneau, Richard Stahr, and Brian Young. Not pictured SMI guides April Mayhew, Doug Nidever, and Zach Schneider.