Feasibility of Whitney X-country from Wallace/Wales Lakes Ba
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 2:45 pm
I have posted a request for information concerning this route over on WhitneyPortalStore, but in the hope of reaching a wider base I though I would ask here as well; my apologies in advance to the moderators if this is frowned upon...
With that said, I'm currently planning a two-week loop from Cedar Grove to Whitney via Sphinx Lakes, Cloud Canyon, Kaweah Basin, and over to Whitney, probably returning via JMT or LSA Basin/East Creek (depending on how pressed for time we are on our return leg).
I've read great reports on the Wales/Wallace Lakes basin, and would certainly like to avoid the crowds at Crabtree, Trail Crest, etc. if I can; if it's a feasible location to base out of, I'd love to be able to set up camp at Wallace or Wales and then go for the summit from there (I presume it would be a long day out and back, if it's possible). Secor describes Whitney's west face as "class 2," so I imagine that it's more of a route-finding issue once headed up Whitney, however, I haven't been able to determine whether crossing out of the back of Wales basin on the approach to the West face (or crossing back in on the way back) is feasible (as I'm still waiting for the 7.5' maps I ordered from USGS to arrive, I haven't yet had a look at a highly detailed topo).
I haven't turned up any discussion of such a route here or elsewhere, so I'm somewhat skeptical, but before conceding to the inevitability of the standard route I thought I would ask whether anyone here give advice or commentary on the feasibility/route from Wales/Wallace to Whitney Summit (and return) via Whitney's west face? [Level 4 hiker (comfortable with cross-country, Class 3 terrain)].
Thanks all!
With that said, I'm currently planning a two-week loop from Cedar Grove to Whitney via Sphinx Lakes, Cloud Canyon, Kaweah Basin, and over to Whitney, probably returning via JMT or LSA Basin/East Creek (depending on how pressed for time we are on our return leg).
I've read great reports on the Wales/Wallace Lakes basin, and would certainly like to avoid the crowds at Crabtree, Trail Crest, etc. if I can; if it's a feasible location to base out of, I'd love to be able to set up camp at Wallace or Wales and then go for the summit from there (I presume it would be a long day out and back, if it's possible). Secor describes Whitney's west face as "class 2," so I imagine that it's more of a route-finding issue once headed up Whitney, however, I haven't been able to determine whether crossing out of the back of Wales basin on the approach to the West face (or crossing back in on the way back) is feasible (as I'm still waiting for the 7.5' maps I ordered from USGS to arrive, I haven't yet had a look at a highly detailed topo).
I haven't turned up any discussion of such a route here or elsewhere, so I'm somewhat skeptical, but before conceding to the inevitability of the standard route I thought I would ask whether anyone here give advice or commentary on the feasibility/route from Wales/Wallace to Whitney Summit (and return) via Whitney's west face? [Level 4 hiker (comfortable with cross-country, Class 3 terrain)].
Thanks all!